VN - Ren'Py - Completed - Monster College [v1.7.0] [Monster Eye Games]

I love this game and look forward to the sequel.

Pros:

1. Great artwork! The characters, the settings, the special effects, all great!

2. I am glad that the Harem option was integrated and it was well worth playing from the beginning again. I didn't like having to pass on some of my faves to keep it together, and even near the end had to go back and replay a section after proclaiming love for Grace. Considering all things, she should have gone along with it.

3. Cool story. Once Monster Eye settled on the new path, it became even better.

4. Quoting The Seventh Seal. That sequence alone wins a star. Having watched that film a ton of times over the decades, the placement of that quote in the film and the VN had enormous power for me.

Cons:

1. Text issues were abundant. Letters out of sequence, gender switches, sometimes the setence not making any sense at all. I powered through and often clicked the Report Text button but after awhile it was raining down on my immersion.

2. Having to exclude some of the girls, and downright turning them down. It almost was not fair. To accept Olga (or the others), the MC would have had to break a lot of hearts, and while a harem might seem selfish,selecting a single girl might seem even more heartless in some ways, especially after they agreed to the harem. Imagine turning down Rachel, Nina, or Anne to live with a rag doll. I might go back to see how some of those endings would have worked out, though, out of curiosity.

Anyway, well done, Monster Eye!

Hey, it's a finished game! That alone and the fact that it's bug-free and can actually be called a game gives it 2 stars in my book.

Apart from that, there were parts that I enjoyed, like the unique models and clearly defined LIs. I was surprised by the maledom content as that wasn't advertised by tags, as far as I understood, there were also some femdom options with certain LIs (it didn't make much sense to me to go that route with a chunky wolf man, though.)

The dialogue in English can be a bit wonky at times, and there was some dialogue I skipped over, but I could generally follow the story alright.

So, the sex. It starts well, I think, with some build-up and then options to go beyond "the usual", but I have to say that the scenes towards the end get less and less exciting, which is not a progression I prefer in these games (frankly, who would?)

I have the feeling that the ending was rushed, and that's my biggest point of criticism. A lot of players expect an epilog that contains at least one or more scenes with your LI(s). I was carefully working towards the harem ending and in the end there was just one screen that told me that I lived happily ever after with my girls. Yeah, great - would have loved to see that, though.

So, if you play this, I guess you do it for the variety in models and well-defined LIs, not so much for the story, and not so much for the conclusion. If you're into maledom, there are some scenes that get you going.

All in all, it's 3 stars for me. It could have been 4 if it wasn't for the rushed ending and "missing" epilog. But, hey, it's finished, right? ;-)

First, the renders for all of the 'monster' LIs are really great. A wide variety of personalities (although too many large mammaries for my taste) and a lot of choices make this a great AVN. The animations are medium. The story is good, but sometime disjointed when you make certain choices but don't follow through with the choices at a later date.

-1 star for the lack of use of Anne. I mean, she is a knock out and her story could have went in a ton of different directions when she is reintroduced. What an absolute missed opportunity. One of the biggest disappointments I have ever seen in an AVN.

I'm really disappointed in this one, because I love mythical creatures, so a monster college was something I was pumped for, and the beginning displayed a lot of potential and seemed like the story was going to be great.

The renders are great and the love interests are very interesting, but feel like the depth of the characters was very dull. Like others have stated, it felt like the dev got overwhelmed with how big this universe is with all the various characters, and the story that started strong, just got bland, and the rushed ending just made it so much worse.

Game started off with a lot of potential. It was exciting to see updates and hear what the developer had added. But slowly the updates were less exciting and the game ended almost of nowhere. Games with potential rarely finish, and those that finish well are even rarer. Personally, I might check out another game under the same developer if they release another game but mostly out of curiosity rather than interest.

I would have put it down for the ending but thinking back, the writing wasn't much different than the rest of the game making it hard to pull it down on a continuous factor.

What is the best way to describe Monster College would be an average VN. Many go frenzy because there is monsters, but they are shown through shitty 3D models and aren't appealing for most of them. The texture on the monster's skin or others choice of design make them ugly most of the time.
Resulting in the better ones being the human-like ones, which is just like any other VN.
The guys were better on that aspect, but I'll admit that they are hardly fuckable, if you omit the shapeshifter which is a cheat.

That being said, the true flaw of the game is in the writing.
There is a story, but the VN goes through some small scenes with either of the LI rather than actually bothering by it. The story in itself is pretty weak with most of the characters not caring about it even though everyone does know of it. It is actually more of an excuse than anything else.
That would make the choice of having more LI's time a good one but it is sparse and too short to even feel much for most of them. Some do have an arc but get forgotten after it. The irony being that those that do not have it still disappear with the time just popping there and there.
The MC just going with the flow makes it even harder to feel anything. Even so more that he is the kind of chosen one that everyone appreciates by default and does things that nobody else can while not being actually outstanding.
A flaw shown right away in the game with his girlfriend praising him in many ways and yet, being a pussy not even able to say why he doesn't want to live with her.

This lack of actual depth makes the game shallow for the most part.
There are some good moments, but most of the time it doesn't feel like there is an actual emotional investment in it. Whether it is on the character's side or player one.

That particularly felt off with some characters breaking the harem and asking to be the only one, otherwise, something bad will happen to them.
At the moment, it was just unfitting and unjustified no matter how you look at it, it shouldn't have been an ultimate choice.
There is more than one way to achieve an objective but it seems that the dev wanted some drama, so he just chooses to close the other path.

It is a fictional work indeed, but it does need to follow its logic. The moment god's hand intervenes, all is put to naught, and nothing matters anymore since god may change its mind at any moment and turn the table.

Many mentioned that it wasn't supposed to be a harem and it is true that it seems to avoid choices that give official multiple relationships at first.
The point is that it does play like a harem.
This is a case of poor writing, more than a turnabout. Looking at the usual writing, it is obvious the dev isn't particularly good so he must have taken example from famous harem games while not understanding the differences between a story with many LI and only a few.
The copy/paste ending does hint at it. When you choose a person unique, it isn't just the person in your arms that changes but the whole situation.

I'm actually happy that it finally ended at this point. The dev's obviously biting more than he can chew.
It is a sloppy end indeed, but beside the fact that some of the choices are completely spitted on, it does bring a pause. Looking more as a season end than a series one, it still is an end.

That being said, the dev obviously didn't stop the game for such sound reasons and just got bored. Trying already to keep its success to the next game by having the same setting and using the last scene as an advertisement.

Game might be 3 stars giving 2 because:
Rushing ending
The ending literally forgets some characters (some subplots also abandoned), the developer decides to kill off one of the love interests (one might assume we've reached the middle of the story or something, but no) the next update is a 5 minute update that wraps up the game!

In the end, the story seemed all in vain.

I've seen some hasty endings, but this one felt like a slap to the player/reader and even your product!

Christ almighty this was a conflicting read. I've never checked it during development and tried it out only after full release, and boy it's a mixed bag. I kinda agree with other recent reviews, but also not exactly, or maybe for different reasons.

Starting on the good points, characters are actually... pretty good all things considered. I wish they leaned more into their monster aspects overall, because often it's just skins that barely change anything, but honestly? They are far from awful, i liked most of them and kinda cared what happens. In a sort of harem game (i will get to it) i just wish i could hang out with Oliver and Lenny. Writing wasn't nearly as strong, but i've read a lot of reviews that called out on infinite inner monologues of MC, his pseudo psychoanalysis bullshit and similar things, and yes, they are present, but they are not nearly as much of an issue as people make it out to be.

Story wise there is sort of a short main plot, but 95% of the game is just our guy getting used to titular monster college and going through various character arcs, and they actually do have them, Sofia, Grace, Olga and Lily at least had very decent ones and it's geniunely nice to read after some other slop on the site.

Presentation is also honestly very nice, i didn't notice any repeating scenes, everything looked fairly pleasant, girls are varied and nice too.

In bad news, however, creator incomprehensibly fucked several incredibly key points that geniunely can ruin (and ruined) entire experience for me personally. I would start with the ending, but i think it would be appropriate to write the lead up as to why it pissed me off so much.

So, this is a KINDA harem game, but not really. It very much looks like one, it implies it is one, it nudges you REALLY HARD in a concept that werewolf alphas do have harems, again, game really want you to go this way. Yet it's just not one. You can indeed screw with many girls, and if you find an honestly more obscure than necessary harem flag you can actually have sort of a harem with very specific characters. But do understand that you will have to break up/be friends with everyone else, since most simply will not accept the invitation into harem or you just won't have an option.

So i went the harem route in which i had Sofia, Lily (i assume, we never got an answer), Nina, Anne (i assume, we are hung on "i will think about it"), the zombie girl and Rachel. My issue is, before the end party there is a mermaid, Grace, to whom you can say "i love you" and i assume it just... overwrote my entire playthrough with this? I guess?I cannot explain it in any other way, when i had to call my special someone it just auto picked Grace, it's like entire harem never happened, and besides character endings being AWFUL they just became random nonsense for me. I have no idea if developer just messed up the code so it just randomized them or it's just incomprehensible incompetence or complete lack of care, but i can confirm that ending was indeed unimaginably, ungodly, thoroughly fucked. One of the most important parts of the game soiled entire experience, and the future sequel bait was ass too.

And on separate note, the way author treated Olga in the end? It was completely undeserved, it was shitty emotional shock value for no reason, nothing led to it, it was pure "hue hue hue let's inject drama for shits and giggles". Truly awful. Disgusting writing, invalidating any player efforts and emotions.


The way i see it, if you make a harem game, do a harem game. If you want choice based romances routes, do that. Mixing two of those results in just absolute ass, satisfying no one.

In summary, surprisingly nice college with monsters story with actually good characters, undermined by disgustingly shit ending, wishy washy creative direction and by the end it was clear developer didn't give a shit anymore. Pure wasted potential, could be amazing, but it just couldn't.

Reviewed 1.0

I was supporting this dev and was surprised to see that it was completed, and by god was that a bad thing.

Just wasted potential all round and it's pretty clear that past the first few chapters the dev had no idea where to go. You get to the first real obstacle that the MC encounters and not even 2 chapters later the game just ends.

The ending itself is pretty bad, no sex scene, just about every character just goes their own way which makes the entire game feel pointless. Even the renders are just plain and boring. it was so forgettable that i swear the wrap up scenes were just black background with static images of the girls and just text.

They tease a sequel/spin off within the universe by I wouldn't hold my breath. This dev (has multiple names) has a habit of games with decent starts but end up no where so while the renders and girls are pretty, i wouldn't get too invested.

Game before the final 2/3 chapters 4stars, second last chapter was like a 3 maybe then the ending final chapter was a 1. Felt too harsh to say 2 stars overall as you get like 6/7 chapters of solid content so i'm going 3 stars. (would be 2.5 but rounded up)

With the game now completed I can only review it on the whole and say; what wasted potential.

This dev is in a bad habit now of making a weird change near the end (randomly killing off a love interesting after forcing in a harem route they never actually wanted in their own game here), then just rushing to the end to slap "completed" on it and move on.

Even with a mediocre end this was hard to put below a 4, but man did they botch it so hard the last third that it's barely pushing 3 because they messed it up that badly.

This is what happens when a dev starts to hate their own game but wants to complete it.

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Visuals, sound, story, models, everything was so damn good, but it was so botched it just about overshadows all that, because as a complete game, you have to look at all of it and not just the good parts the first half of the game.

If this was just off the first half, have a 5 star. On the whole, the ending was so bad it's a 3, only because the first half had me looking forward to it every update.

This was surprisingly well written game, loved the story, characters, and setting. I stopped writing reviews for a while because I felt I was being too harsh on devs because most of them do this thing for free, but damn... This game was simply amazing.

Visuals: 5/5 ⭐
I love the characters and their unique appearances, the renders look amazing, realistic shadows and all.

Animations: 5/5 ⭐
Super smooth and detailed, no clipping or anything that looks awful, if I had to be nitpicky I wish some of the fights were also animated not only the sex scenes.

Story: 5/5 ⭐
Interesting premise, many games tried to pull off the monster girls setting but none did it as good as this. The way each character has a unique background that makes sense considering their race is very well done.

Gameplay: 4/5 ⭐
Mostly VN mode with choices, it felt like most choices mattered not one of those "interested or not interested" games.
-1 point because I wish some things were more obvious in where they lead, like if we could find out if some choices will close out some paths with specific girls so we could savescum, don't judge me.

Sounds: 5/5 ⭐
I love the music choices, characters voices in scenes were very fitting and good.

Overall, I enjoyed this, I like when games wrap it up and not drag for years adding 1 scene every update. I hope to see more from the dev in the future.

review for v1.0.0

damn dat ending was fuckin trash, can't have shit in this place.
wat a fuckin disappointing end to a decent game.
cute af girls, cool setting, writing was decent for half the game.
sad it ends this way tho.

Cool original Story. Not all the same boring boy get´s all girls stuff.
Harem ok but not with every girl he meets.
I like the progression of the mc.
But sometimes he acts a bit like a chicken brain.
But overall very funny. Nice vafiation of LI. Not all are my style but i think there is for everyone his personal favourite.
GG

I started playing this game and initially, everything was really enjoyable. The character introductions were great, and while there were a few tiny things that didn’t quite match my personal tastes, they were no big deal.

But when I picked it up again the next evening, I was completely blown away by what came next. I’m usually prefering 2D visual novels, but this game took easly overshadow 99.9% of competition.

What I loved most was how it fit my preferences perfectly. For example, I haven’t chosen a single explicit scene yet, and I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything.

ok first off I love this game and the idea of it, the fact you are playing as a warewolf in a school of monsters is really fun, and the way you found out you was a warewolf was hilarious.
the game has amazing characters, and these characters are by far the best of any game on this site, they look the best, they have amazing development, and overall I can not fault the characters.
the story is great, there are moment you laugh, moments you worry for certain characters, and moment that make you think about things, overall this game really is a 5 out of 5 game.
so if game is a 5 out of 5, why did I only rate it a 3?
well the reason for that is some changes made where I have to knock a star off for each one.
first Rachel, the awesome colourfull vampire, i get that when meeting her parents, she goes the traditional look, but even if you tell rachel you prefer her old look, she never goes colourful again, which does kind of go against her character, and the change makes her look bland and boring, we already had one vampire wearing black, Rachel should have stayed colourful.
second Maxine. the zombie Maxine is awesome, and is by far one of the best characters in the game, I tried everything to get with Maxine, and was so happy that at the end of episode 7 during the ritual you get the chance to do just that, then we get episode 8, where she has cut her hair, and has this dumb short hairstyle, I no longer wanted her as a result, and the character was completely ruined.

game is amazing it really is, and these two flaws are the ONLY reason I will not support this dev on patreon, this can easily be fixed, put Maxines hair back, and make Rachel colourful again, doing so would not only make the game a 5 out of 5 again, but would get more patrions, as i know a few who hate these same changes myself included.

This is an excellent game. All of the girls are so hot. There are a lot of sex scenes. I don't really have anything bad to say about the game to be honest. I do wish there were more animations in the sex scenes however.

a spectacular blend of Slice of Lice and Supernatural Drama. A werewolf protagonist is a nice extra that sets it apart from all other vampire/mage protags, and being original is refreshing.

Also, hot monster chicks.

Love this game.

I really don't understand why there are such low reviews. I think is a really good game, a plot that keeps you playing, average renders, and a variety of girls with their different paths, paths that can collide losing the girls. I played games where you could romance every girl without consequences, so I guess this is 5 stars for me, but you know, a review is pretty much a personal opinion.

Had high hopes for this one especially with the start. Not every story needs to be deep and this one had a decent theme of monster girls without focusing too much on only vampires and werewolves without also being too far away from humanoid forms for most of the girls. I also like that not every girl is willing to accept Harem since this raises other paths. However, at this point the game seems to fall victim to the dragging out of arcs and relying on cliffhangers.

I was initially put off playing this game because of the Medusa girl - she's balding, and it's really kind of weird (like George Costanza being a LI in a porn game lol), but I gave it a shot and played it through.

Pros- There is a lot of content. A LOT. This is a long game. You have choices of who you like and who you don't.

Cons- It's.... just.... I'm trying to explain why I disliked this game so much, and the one word that kept popping into my head is 'juvenile'. It's a game where everything always works out for the protag, where every woman you meet is instantly attracted to him, where the struggle/conflict isn't in getting LIs to get with the protag, but rather finding the time to bang all of them.

It's a game about mythical creatures in a Hogwarts-like school, so yea, not much realism, fine. But unless being a monster also makes you act like a horny 14-year old's idea of what a girlfriend is like, this game is just silly.

But fine, I don't need a porn game to be perfectly written. What about the actual lewd scenes?
Vanilla, with a side of vanilla, covered with vanilla syrup, with a topping of vanilla sprinkles. That's it. No kinks, just plain, boring sex, where the woman is astounded by the tent pole that Douchey-McDouche MC is carrying around, and everyone is incredibly charmed by his whining and immaturity. Blech.