I just can’t buy into this game anymore. I’m going to explain why, in the hopes that my opinion helps the developer. Right off the top: This will probably be an unpopular opinion...but, hey, it’s how I honestly feel.
When I first downloaded the game several months ago, it grabbed my attention immediately. The developer went well out of his way to make it clear that he was making the game HE wanted to make. It would be uncompromising and brutal. When I read that, I kind of rolled my eyes. It sounded like a bunch of fake tough-guy bullshit posturing to me...but I gave the game a chance, anyway.
And you know what? I’m glad I did. The game was pretty well-written with some nice graphics. The sex was plentiful, hot, and not so unrealistic that it put me off. About halfway through, I was really into it.
Then I came across “the scene”. You know the one.
I remember raising my eyebrows. When it was done, my jaw hung open. I was shocked. But the truth is: I was shocked in a GOOD way. I thought about the way the developer had characterized the game...and I grinned from ear to ear. As it should turn out, it WASN’T bullshit posturing. The guy had laid out a brutal, horrific story. It was gut-wrenching and tough to sit through. But you know...he TOLD us it would be that way.
In the end, I found myself admiring the hell out of the guy. On a site full of cookie cutter rehashes, he’d told a unique story. It pulled no punches and worked on a very emotional level. He’d delivered the goods! I found myself SUPER-excited and looking forward to the next update. In fact, I was all set to back the Patreon.
So now it’s out. And I take back everything good I said about the game and developer.
Forget for a second that by taking out “the scene”, he’s weakened the raison d’etre for wanting to kill JD and get the daughter out that house. I’m far more concerned that he bowed to public pressure and stopped telling the story he wanted to tell. Essentially, he proved my first misgivings about the story to be true. It WAS all just fake tough guy bullshit posturing.
Rape is wrong. Rape of a minor is wrong. The whole scene was fucked up — and I’d never suggest anything otherwise. The people that hated that scene and were triggered by it...I understand. You’re perfectly justified to feel that way. But to me, by pulling the scene, the developer proved to be disingenuous from the start. He and the story are ruined for me, now. That’s why I can’t buy in.
If you read these comments, OBD Games, take this and learn from it. I suspect I’m not the only one who feels this way. And in my case, it cost you a Patron.