Y'know. The longer I've been playing/reading/writing harem genre stories the more I've noticed what I like and dislike about them.
I guess the biggest pet peeve I have about them, though this isn't as bign an issue in games where harems are present, is the false premise of a harem that doesn't at least include a harem ending possibility. Basically, I hate when you have a harem that just, for whatever reason, either only has a single heroine win out... which I 'can' tolerate (if only barely) if I don't see the outcome a mile away. The more egregious outcome is when it's clearly a case of 'first girl wins'. This can come in two broad strokes. Either it's super obvious early to midway through... or... as has actually been done almost as a 'fuck you' to the harem ending idea, is when the plot plays with the idea for as long as possible only to just... straight up deny you the ending for no real good reason, again usually related to 'first girl wins' at play. Though sometimes, it's either that, or it's some other random ass heroine you either didn't see coming or didn't want (unless you rooted for that one heroine but... I have an aversion to pick one heroine over another in a harem situation unless the cast fails at actually being a good harem, though that's another discussion altogether).
These issues are why I actually have come to hate the idea of 'top girl' in a harem and adore the 'balanced harem' approach that ensures that every heroine gets equal or shared focus as 'top' girl.
Harem Residence is one of the best examples of this while Melissa's possessiveness actually ends up annoying me considering her station and role as a servant that basically all but forces things to end up a certain way that, as a player, kind of irritates me since I don't exactly feel like I get to make a harem of badass maids. I mean, I do but it's kind of annoying I 'have' to have a 'top' girl in the harem just to make her feel better....
I also hate that I can't name the MC, especially given the MC's name is... 'Master'. I get the joke, and it is kind of funny. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't find it eye rolling too.
I guess, the heart of the issue is also the realization that I prefer to 'be the main character' vs 'guiding the main character'. I suppose it's just a difference in preference as a role player and my distastes for 'too much personality' in the player character. I didn't used to feel this way, but something I've come to find more in line with what I want as I've gotten older. Especially after playing games that offer degrees of freedom in how you can respond to the world knowing that when they address me, it's 'me' they're addressing, not Master'. I guess... I like being the one at the center of the story rather than being a spectator to somebody else's story. One reason I love Harem Collector. Sure this and TLS have great narratives, but I can't help but feel less personally invested in Simon or Master simply because they aren't 'my' stories but 'their' stories. Strive 4 Power/Conquest really showed me after playing them while Harem Collector firmly kept the narrative firmly focused on me and what I want.... Like Rance as a character done right simply because it was toned down and let me be the jerkass, name and all.
It's a good game, and funny... though, and I have no clue why, I don't like comedies as much as other people seem to... at least in RPGs/games. doesn't\ need to be grim dark, but light on the humor is more my thing I guess.
All in all, M&M isn't a bad game. No, it's good and I do enjoy it. Especially the lore and vibe. I mean, a harem of maids with super powers whose lore is pretty engaging is pure win.. but... I just don't feel like I'm the master of anything and am just along for the ride. Guess it's all the dungeon crawlers, older RPGs that let the player be the main character and more sandbox style games that have really helped me see what it is I actually enjoy from RPGs. I like worldbuilding and character interaction, but feel ppl put almost too much emphasis to story and defining the MC instead of letting me, the player, do that. The MC here being somewhere in the middle but not at all really earning the title in the way that I'd like and being treated as a joke... Not sure how I feel about being the joke but oh well.
I guess.... this is a game that I really like but at the same time, annoys the hell out of me sometimes too. Admittedly, these are just my own gripes and really apply to RPGs more generally though.
If anything, it's one reason I'm trying to make a game of my own... all to sate my own selfishness. If nothing else, playing this has been great research. It's fun and lets me see what sort of things I 'could' do while reminding me of the things I personally want to avoid.
Indie devs really are great for inspiration and i can't wait to see more, even if there are things about this game and genre trends that utterly annoy the fuck out of me. At last you haven't made me straight up quit the game and/or utilize an art style that... just turns me off to the game no matter how badly I want to like it like Peasant's Quest did.... God the art in that game jsut... doesn't work for me even though it does everything else right for me.... Though, that game is very much an exception rather than the rule... Pan Hero has an MC that's so stupid that I just quit the game even though literally everyone else is so decently written.... At least this game's pluses outweighs my gripes... at least for now.
Anyway, sorry for the rant but I just had to vent....