(TLDR at the end, read that if you hate walls of text)
If you really want to enjoy this simulator, I heavily suggest throwing your reservations aside, and you might actually find this to be a charming, lovely little slice of life/slave trainer game that makes this scarred, beaten little girl dear to your heart. If you have trouble getting over the 'loli' tag, just remember that she's not real, and the FBI are probably jacking themselves off to this as much as you are.
Ok, now for the actual review. Teaching Feeling was a weird one for me. I first played the 1.01 released version years ago and have kept my eye on updates and developments ever since. The game in concept is simple; Little girl falls under your possession as a slave, treat her as you wish. Be a douchebag and she dies quickly, given the state of her frail body. Or be a benevolent benefactor and slowly build a relationship with her as any decent person would. However, while the gameplay is pretty linear and the protagonist is just a blank shallow slate with no real personality, the reason why so many people love the hell out of this game is for one reason alone;
Sylvie, everybody's damaged darling and precious head pat receiver. There is nothing more tragic than an abused child now whimpering at the feet of a potential 2nd abuser. This is where it comes down to you as the player, to give her the life she deserves. Sylvie's story comes in bits but is compelling enough for anyone to be hooked very quickly. She feels real for the most part, and her dialogue concerning her past trauma and current hopes for the future is heartbreaking and occasionally tear-jerking once you get past the fact that's also on the receiving end of your dick from time to time. Her sweet and gentle nature, as well as her curiosity about the world around her, as well as her eagerness to prove that she isn't simply damaged goods, are what makes her the resident favorite loli.
While most of the game revolves around her and is reason enough to rate this highly, that doesn't mean I'm blinded to the failings of this game. For one, you're not allowed the freedom to truly pursue another path (without a mod). From a moral standpoint, nobody wants this path, obviously. But from a story-telling standpoint, lacking the ability to continue a more abusive path means sacrificing gameplay and experience in favor of only the 'head pat waifu' path. In comparison to many other salve trainer type games, this game also features very few sex scenes in comparison and above all else, lacks a real ending.
Speaking of that, let's get a little more in-depth, shall we? From what I know, the game runs infinitely once you've progressed past a certain level of lust and love and unlocked all CG scenes in 'Memories'. I've seen fanart of an ending where you ultimately marry Sylvie and raise a child with her, but that feature isn't present within the game. That means you do not get the satisfaction of reaching a conclusion to her story, and it doesn't sit right with me at all. On top of that, I've always found her progression from a fearful slave to a sex-crazy maniac a little unbelievable. That portion is the ONLY inconsistency I can think of in her development as a character. There was never any scenes where she explores what sex is, or show her reading dirty magazines to know more about it before ending up on your bed. If I recall correctly, all she does is note that the Doctor(you) lives alone and probably hasn't been with a woman in a very long time and offers herself as your relief. There isn't enough build-up and the approach comes across as unnatural to me. Of course, my nitpick here is ultimately small potatoes and will most likely be ignored, but I had to put it out there anyway as a personal issue in this review. Other than that kerfuffle, this is a very good simulator that has justly created many a fan for the dev, as well as digital moms and dads for this precious scarred child.
Tldr; It's a great game that really makes you feel for the character you're placed in charge of, but it has issues in its story both in pacing and in writing. If it were changed to be more natural and believable, I would happily rate this 5 stars. However, as it is, and alongside a lack of CGs (as I'm sure many of us would want more) I can only give it a 4/5. It's an amazing experience, just not a perfect one.
