VN - Ren'Py - Completed - Leap of Faith [Ch. 8 v1.0.3] [DriftyGames]

Writing: 8.5/10
Imagery: 8.5/10
Kinks: The story is compelling enough for me to ignore whether there's kinks or not
Overall: 9/10

I recently found out this game (recommended by a buddy of mine) and I started off with no walkthroughs, just went straight through. At first, I was ctrl-ing all the way since there's no girl who caught my eye... until I met Cece. The dev/author handled her story with so much care and devotion, her anxiety & depression issue were taken seriously and not half-baked. It truly made me care for a girl in a game for the very first time. It hits hard in my kokoro dude, if she were a real girl, I would've fallen in love for sure, and that's how great the author/dev's execution is, the story and renders are done with finesse. Great choices in music selection as well. Definitely one of my top 5 fav games and the pregnancy scene is icing on the cake since it's my fav kink. In a nutshell, such a great game, will continue to support the dev in future works/projects/endeavors.

No words left to describe it. Not exactly what I signed up for, but man, what the hell of a journey. By far the best storytelling I have seen. That story and those fucking awesome songs will not let you forget this for a long long time. I was not aware that something like this was even possible. A master at his work. This is some upper-tier pro-level shit. And it hits really hard. Ladies and gentlemen, I can only say you are in for a treat. Just go for it, and you will understand yourself. Still in awe, man. Thanks a lot.

The feels. That's a really good game here. Love the universe and the characters. Hope everyone can try and experience this great game. That chapter 5 really hit me deep in the feels. Please continue making other games like this one.

While it has some real strengths, there are a few things preventing it from being as good as it should be.

Graphics:
In visual terms it's close to perfect and the characters are some of the best rendered I've seen. Care is also taken with the environments which are varied and numerous. There are a few occasional instances of hands clipping and other minor oversights but that's forgivable given the nature of rendering so many scenes. There's also a slightly excessive use of cross-eyed expressions which results in immersion being spoiled in places.

Music:
A surprising number of tracks are featured but in spite of this I still ended up turning music volume to 0. I'm not a fan of overly sentimental repetitive background music playing all the time or the pop songs that were selected. It was also annoying that some animated scenes were there merely to accompany music that I didn't like, resulting in turning music back on for them only to sigh and turn it off again after. But that is a personal thing and some people seem to like music in these games.

Story:
The story is where I have the biggest issues.
Throughout it feels like everything is pointing to an obvious and inevitable harem yet this isn't even an option, which would be fine if every single female wasn't falling in love with the MC at the same time in front of each other - but sadly, they are. There didn't even seem to be options to cheat when following the Cece route, which made it even more odd.

Then there's the fact that aside from the main character Cece, there actually isn't that much depth to the other characters or meaningful events happening in their lives. I feel they could've been more fleshed-out and given more non-group interactions and events in their lives, even if it came at the cost of removing some of them.

The heavy-handed focus on the suicide and depression aspects felt very misplaced. While I have every sympathy for the dev and his need to pay tribute to his daughter, I don't feel this is the place to be putting real pictures of flowers on a bridge and talking about your daughter's suicide directly. Merely having it be a central plot point and releasing the game with a dedication would have been enough. The more cynical part of me wonders if it was actually just a ploy to get more Patrons given the links to Patreon at the end of each chapter (and firm insistence they not be removed on his Patreon page - odd that), but that's probably me being overly cynical...

Another thing I found a bit jarring was the fact 4 of the 6 love interests were lesbians. This might have made sense if it were just to include lots of lesbian scenes but this wasn't the case, so it came across as clumsy virtue signalling when combined with the insistence that 'love is love' being endlessly and needlessly repeated. In that case why not make the extremely attractive half-sister an option - which could have been a very interesting story branch.

Oh and lastly the ending left a vast amount to be desired - both in terms of structure, and loose ends.
It felt like the dev ran out of ideas and rushed to wrap things up in an uninspired and generic manner, which was a shame. It would've been better to end it at the last concert (and without the Lexi / Holly thing) in my opinion.

Gameplay:
While there are player choices to be had, it still felt like I had no real control over what the MC did or meaningful influence over the story other than choosing the love interest(s). The phone feature worked well in places but having to have taken photos of certain events in the past with no hint of when those were happening was very frustrating and was a bad idea - they should have been taken by the MC automatically if they were going to be crucial to have.

With all this said, it was still an engaging and emotional story with a few amusing moments and I've played far worse. It's nice to have another adult visual novel that isn't about merely showing CGI porn, so if you're looking for that I'd go elsewhere. Unfortunately the flaws overshadow what could have been a perfect VN.

very good, engaging, and gut punching story. a little fast near end with some choices. that said defiantly recommend going through it. however just be warned that when the creator warns you near the end listen to what they say. shit can get to you and very emotional so have spare tissues around cuz holy fuck. otherwise 10/10 major props and defiantly will look out for more from this creator.

The best thing about Leap of Faith is the story, which is more serious compared to other games of this type. The graphics are really beautiful and several characters are very likable (Stephanie). The multiple choice options are great, but if you have already chosen a path in the first half of the game, there is no way to change it. The ending of the game is weak, at least if you don't play the main Cece path. Leap of Faith is one of the best games in this category.

Pro: Good serious story, some nice characters, rendering, choices.
Cons: Weak end game, some animations.

I played version 1.0 - Ch.8

This game is really very good made and i really enjoyed to try out all the different paths and endings. It has also a very good message to deliver. The humor and dialogs are really great and entertaining and the drama parts of the story are also very well delivered. The graphics and animations are also very good made. The Dev is really passionate and finished the game really satisfying. Just hope he is working on a new project because the Dev seems to be a realy talent.

Your standard lovey-dovey story in which you choose love intrest. Writing in this game is just excellent. I could not play some of 5 star games on this site but in this one cringe level is little to none.

Leap of Faith.

A VN I have on and off played for years, and seeing as it's recently been completed I decided to give it another try, here are my thoughts on it,

PROS:
-An interesting, fun and pretty emotional story at times.
-MC is pretty likeable, but a bit goofy and cheesy at times for my tastes.
-The girls are really likeable and most of them look really great.
-Chris. (What an absolute bro)
-It's completed, which is rare around here.
-Renders are pretty nice
-All around very likeable characters.

As you can see, I have a lot of good to say about Leap of Faith. It is deserving of the praise it gets, but I do have some gripes with it. Time for the cons,

CONS:

-Despite there being many love interests for the MC to pick from, the story still pretty much revolves around Cece, as she is the "main love interest" which I wouldn't have a gripe with, if there weren't so many other love interests I prefer to Cece's character. If the Developer wanted the story to have a central and focused love interest, maybe not adding so many other girls as love interests would have been better.
For example, I really like Holly and Steph. But it's kinda too bad if you prefer any of the girls over Cece, because again she is the story front and center, and regardless of any girl you pick, you will spend the majority of the time with Cece. Even when you don't pursue Cece romantically, it still feels like you have. I also don't like how if you want to pursue Holly (who I think is by far the most attractive and likeable girl), you can only do so by playing Lexi's route, having a threesome, and then cheating on Lexi with Holly. Why can't we just pursue Holly normally without all the complications, like the other girls? Regardless, most of the other girls routes just don't feel fleshed out enough because again, it's all mostly Cece that gets the spotlight. I don't mind Cece, but her character really doesn't do much for me, sad story and all.

-It can be a little cheesy sometimes.

- Apparently Cece's character is inspired by the developers daughter which...I have no words for if this is truly the case, If I lost a daughter to suicide, I wouldn't think to turn her memory in to an adult visual novel love interest, that's...yeah. Sorry.

- I can't really bring myself to finish the final episode, I don't feel like it plays out satisfyingly if you aren't on Cece's route and prefer one of the other girls.

- A lot of the sex scenes are pretty dull, not much foreplay or any eroticism in most of them. A lot of them are straight to penetration which I am not a fan of.

After everything I have said, you would expect a lower score, but honestly this is still a really great visual novel. I have my problems with it, but there is absolutely no way I would rate it any lower than 4 stars, despite my issues with it. It is still well worth the time, just go in knowing that it's heavily focused on a primary girl, and if like me her character doesn't resonate much with you, you aren't going to feel quite as satisfied.

Loved this game for the most part. It was an emotional roller coaster. I mainly loved the laughs in this. I found myself bursting out laughing quite a few times and at several points I was literally out of breath from laughing so hard.

The Cece suicide event where she appeared to succeed really bothered me a lot and I am still on the fence about having that in the game, but it turned out okay, so no biggie... I had flashbacks from Acting Lessons for a bit there, and I hated what they did in Acting Lessons.

I think what bothered me the most, and it's a controversial subject that many will disagree on, is the whole "love is love" story. I really feel that in these types of games, you should leave whether that sort of thing is right or wrong up to the player, but that's just me. That felt it dragged on and I started to feel like someone was trying to indoctrinate me into a certain belief... I play these games to get away from such things, so it loses half a star for that.

I also felt the ending, at least the one I chose Lexi, was a little underwhelming. I can't explain it, but it felt like something was missing or maybe even rushed. There's a lot of other paths so perhaps there's something more I am missing, but...

All in all, definitely worth playing. Well rendered scenes, amazing animations with some really unique ideas I haven't seen before (the paralax animation style for example) which really impressed me. A lot of work was done in that regard.

It's Hard to rate this game, I'll try ofc but there is reason Why I give 5 stars in advance.
I cried like little girl few times, and start crying again if some songs from soundtrack are playing.

+ Big drama or smaller drama's shown tooo good, it really hit some strings, the more You have dark and sad experience in your life, the harder it hits you.
+ Soundtrack sometimes good, sometimes not bad... but sometimes is Just "Too good to be true"
+ Some funny moment really made Me laugh, more often smile. Good jokes is something really rare in such games. And it's like contrast shower after some dark moments of plot.
+ Choises are really matters.
+ Characters reaction are believable enough (mostly, it's a game intended to be fun after all), personalities are interesting.
+ Sex scenes are good, romance scenes are beautiful.
+ MC is likeable adult man, not an asshole, not a freak, not a 18 y.o. boy returned to his Home after long absence to study... acts realistic (mostly) and...
+ Cece (all about her...)
+- Not Cece (compared to main LI other character routes are meh...)
- second half of game is much weaker
- some routes are less developed then other and have "empty" or maybe just rushed endings
- (some minor flaws, game is not perfect ofc)

Difficult task for Me to talk 'bout pluses or minuses tbh cause it's all about emotions, story flaws and other small minuses compensate by 'em. I've already forgot some flaws or good sides of the game being busy recovering from emotions and memories I thought long forgotten for me.

This game is incredible good, I basically love very part of it. Story, the twisted humor, everthing. I woulg givet it a six, if it would be possible. And since I disovered this game late, I had the plesreu to play it from the beginning to the end without being force to wait for updates.

One drawback though, this game has a very sentimental plot.

very good writing and unexpected feels for me. Can be a little disturbing for
sensitive people but definitely worth the time playing. The renders are beautiful, the musics play a good part in the story

Had me cry, feel all ranges of emotion, and left me with a different outlook on things. The story was amazing and was the main selling point along with the humor. I recommend everybody play this game at least once in their lifetime.

This game. OH MY GOD. TOP 3 Visual novel of all time. I love every second of it.
This is genuinely a moving and touching story that resonates with me.
I finished the game as a better person than when I started.
A must-play. I won't spoil anything. I got the best girl on my 1st run.
She captivated my heart and my soul.

Verdict : 10/10

completed version

ok. bare with me as this is a momentous occasion for me. i have had a top 5 all-time VN's list untouched for a decade, all japanese. some here have come close but never quite breaking in.

THIS one has. what an emotional rollercoaster!
and i have only managed to complete one route so far (how in any gods name am i supposed to NOT get with lexi? even if she was NOT a mega star she is the most beautifully modelled piece of art i have seen on this site.......i....just....can't NOT pick her ) and i have never laughed out loud so hard for a long time, or, i am not ashamed to admit, cried tears over anything i have read since reading terry pratchett's final book.

incredibly well planned out and written before being created, as it really shows, fantastic art, excellent plot, it's just a joy to read, interact and watch.
it's more than a visual novel, it's an experience

now if i can just resist lexi long enough to select someone else.....

[This review is of the finished game: Chapter 8, v1.0c]

Leap of Faith is a light hearted game chronicling the MC and a bunch of gorgeous girls who have a zany summer adventure about friendship, love, sex, depression, hardship and suicide. If that sounds like a curious mix , well, it is. The game struggles trying to fit all those themes in a single package, but what it lacks in story it makes up for in heart - and excellent production values.

First and foremost, the game excels at fun. The characters (including the MC) are extremely engaging. We get to know them all well enough to anticipate their off-beat humor, and watching them bounce off each other is a blast. Combine that with character models, slick animations, hot sex scenes, and an excellent soundtrack and you have a strong foundation.

What's remarkable about Leap of Faith is what it builds on that foundation. Rather than focus on the sex, or even on the story, LoF focuses on the feels. All those lovable characters have problems - sometimes serious ones - and those problems can manifest in surprisingly hard-hitting ways.

Fortunately the game never crosses into outright tragedy, but it certainly toes the line. Having hooked us on these characters, LoF knows just how to make us worry about them. We cry at their lows, rejoice at their highs, and despair when the worst could happen. The end result is often fun, occasionally uplifting, and extremely memorable. There's a lot to love here.

The price of that experience, however, is the story. While it starts off strong, the story is quickly overwhelmed by the multitude of player choices and the need to explore the vulnerabilities of its cast. By the final chapter, the game is clearly struggling to incorporate all the possible permutations of a given path (Kira and Robin in particular suffer from this), which can result in a very confusing narrative. The resolution to some problems can also feel rushed; it helps maintain the lighthearted feel, but it doesn't always make sense and it undercuts the power of those resolutions a bit.

Still, those weaknesses need to be weighed against the game's strengths, and Leap of Faith's commitment to exploring the ups and downs of its cast makes for a real strength. I definitely recommend the game - but maybe think of it more as a visual poem than a visual novel.

Good writing, good animation, a lot of neat systems (I liked the phone mechanics and thought they should've been used more!)

My one gripe about this though is that I prefer harem works and I respect when the author isn't writing in that direction, but... Leap of Faith is somewhat jarring in this regard. In the first half of the story you're having sex with half the girls and heavily flirting with the rest, openly in front of eachother. It feels like it's going in a very harem direction. Then you very abruptly have to choose a single girl (or a couple) and that dictates the rest of the game.

And it's not exactly like the story heavily branches at that point, but instead you go through roughly the same story... you'll still go through all the scenes with all the girls (rather than them leaving the story once they're rejected), but you'll only get the sex scenes (instead of the ongoing heavy flirting) with the one girl you chose. This makes replayability a drag since basically you're just doing the same thing over and over, just with the sex scenes of each different girl you choose. And of course there are no harem scenes.

This is sort of a bummer, given the abruptness of being forced to choose one girl and just be bffs with the others, but everything else is excellent and I'm not gonna give it less than 5 stars because it didn't provide a harem route.. even though it easily could've!

This game shook me to my core in a way I never expected. This is a game that deserves to be experienced by as many people as possible. Truly brilliant and mind blowing. It will be a while before I can get this game out of my head. Drifty Games is a true artist and deserves all the awards.

Warning however, if you are in an emotionally dark place at the time you want to play, I recommend you pass on this until you are in a better frame of mind. This game is not afraid to get emotionally heavy and trust me it does.

Once again, I cannot praise this game enough.

This game and the writing were simply fantastic. Thank you for all the hard work that went into this. My only issues (if you can call them that). Was that the story was so heavy and compelling that I had no desire for the erotica. Secondly Cece's story was so wonderfully done that I don't have the motivation to do the other girls' paths. Definitely play this if you were at all on the fence.