VN - Ren'Py - Move the Chains [v0.3.5] [MissFortune]

Review for v0.1

This is one of those games that you can just tell from the very first few moments of playing that it's going to be solid. A lot of effort has very clearly gone into making Move the Chains, and it really seems to have paid off. This was a great first version, one of the best I've played in recent memory. This is a game with potential.

The games writing, in a sense, feels reel. It's not afraid to touch on and delve into some more... lets say touchy topics. It's pretty heavy on the sad backstories, gritty moments, and general drama. But its also got those more light hearted and fun moments mixed in that keeps it from feeling too exhausting. I'm invested. Characters feel natural as well, and it's especially impressive considering the game already has a pretty big cast that I'm sure will only grow.

And speaking of characters, god damn. The dev has nailed the character models. Personal preferences aside, some of the most unique I've seen in Daz. It really is refreshing. And if it wasn't immediately obvious, the games renders are stellar. Sex scenes have been fine so far if a bit short, nothing to complain about animation wise. I can be very put off by scenes that happen quickly with characters we barely know, but the ones present so far feel more natural in how they happen.

Protagonists are often one of the biggest sore spots for me. Glad to say I'm enjoying this one. Has the occasional corny joke or cringe moment, but overall I'm liking him. Sure beats playing as the college pervert with half a brain.

I do have criticisms. First one I'm going to borrow from another review because they put it perfectly: "What takes me out of it is that periodically, the characters visibly become mouthpieces for a couple of axes that the author has to grind." and I completely agree. There's a couple random lines that just feel directly like the author speaking to make some weird joke or something. Regardless of intention, they were just strange to read more than anything.

Second, I wish we were given more choices in how to respond to people. There's a couple moments where you're given options to essentially either be a dick or a nice guy, and I wish we had more of them. There were a few moments where I was like man this guy (MC) is kind of a dick, wish I has an option to change that like the other times. Not a huge deal though.

TLDR - Extremely good first release. If the quality keeps up, I have very little doubt this game will take off and be considered among the top tier. You do not get AVNs with this level of effort and care often. If it caught your interest, don't sleep on it.

This is a well-written VN with a solid sense of style, good character work, and a talent for cinematically arranged scenes and images. It can even be touching; the conversation in the hospital's particularly well done, if melodramatic.

What takes me out of it is that periodically, the characters visibly become mouthpieces for a couple of axes that the author has to grind.

Your character's old high school teacher abruptly rants about other teachers spreading "LGBT propaganda," and now that I'm thinking about it, the first episode's about escaping to Texas from (a shitty part of) California.

Most importantly, a big part of the first episode is about how your character's been "canceled," and how that's causing issues for him and his loved ones.

The point's clearly to put the MC in a position where he's on the back foot and his reputation's been dragged through the mud, so he's got something to prove, but then you spend the entirety of episode one talking to all of one person to whom it matters.

Further, when people do talk about it, they don't talk like normal people. Somebody even hits the r/onejoke attack helicopter line. It comes off as an excuse for the author to rant through their characters about their perceived political opponents.

I don't generally care about politics in my porn unless they're truly repellent (The Hard Way), but Move the Chains works them in with the subtlety of a brick through a window.

It ends up as about 65% story of this guy trying to overcome a bad childhood and worse temper to protect his loved ones and move on, 25% porn, and 10% center-right polemic. The 90% is good, even great, but it's a real shame about the 10%.

So this is a thing review 0.1.
Played it through and for a first release there is sooo much going on, it has at least 1 hour content allready if reading through it.
What this game does deliver is awesome renders, a good amount of characters that have their own personality, and the girls are pretty all the way.
I think the dev really made a daring move with making Ivy a first love option as being a trans girl fully packed so to speak but hey I'm all for that
The animations...well despite an earlier review...I thought it was pretty decent, not your 2 frame back and forth, but was smooth all the way.
And the writing is also decent, there is actually a story behind it all, and sure we can debate about how good or bad it is, IMO it is pretty good.
And I'm not that great with focusing on story telling in a porn game, but I did not use the "text skip" option once.....trust me that is saying something.
I hope this will get more updates, the start has more content than some games which are sort of half way.
I'm really surprised in a good way with this game, and I would suggest to at least give it a shot.

Great first episode with lots of content. We get a good feel for MC and background through showing rather than spewing expository stuff.

Renders are great, I think even a step up from We Were Just Kids.

The writing is first class in my opinion, mature and feels like MF knows the subject matter. Both things usually lacking in the majority of VNs here. I even appreciate some of the life/philosophizing content, feels appropriate without being overly navel gazing.

My only concern is too many females but hopefully MF can pull it off. It’s hard to fault having so many beautiful females with unique personalities, but makes me a little nervous seeing so many and then keeping up with them fully, especially with so many apparently falling for the MC easily.

v0.1

4 stars

Not lying to myself nor to others on this site. I'm here for porn firstly. Sure, a lot of devs MAY think they're Shakespeare or some of the players think so, but the truth is that the quality narrative is present in couple-several (stretch, no ?) dozens games out of thousands that you can find here.

I'm sorry, my thought went sideways. My only whim with this game is sex animations. It's just too much in this game that screams how hard dev worked, but for one or another reason corners had been cut with animations. Perfect examples in my humble opinion - visible face and penetration at the same time plus several angles on each pose. It's surely sht ton of work. Suggestion above without additional angle on each pose will work great as well. Without girl's facial expression whole scene losing all of its charm and sexuality.
Also, scene with teacher was a slack. Very short and that awful and extremely loud sound of MC's hips hitting the table.

I liked everything else, except couple of rap or hip hop compositions. Not all of them were bad, but several are just urgh...

So the writing. Very mature and addictive. Some hard topics present. I have the only one question. MC's sentence. Was it for alleged rape or killing in self defense ? Because in flashback and later he clearly confirms he killed the guy in cold blood. In conversation with a guy he knows not even 5 minutes. Very confusing part because there's not enough clarity from dev atm. I mean 1 year sentence is kind of light thing. Idk about law in US but a murder is a murder.

Very good amount of content. I'm average speed reader at best, don't skip. Took 3+ hours or more.

I liked Diana's character the most. Very strong, loving and caring person. Can be funny and takes no shit from no one.
Alaina was warm and pleasant.
Didn't like Yuna much at start, but at the end of the episode she interested me more.
Very curious as to where Kara will lead us

Best part - it's harem game. You could've say so. Double-edged sword. This whole episode is an introduction. Every character gets 10-15 min of screentime. And usually only a few show up in between new acquaintances. A small downside maybe. Idk how it will unfold in future, but I surely looking forward to girls interactions with each other.
Speaking of which, someone was very jealous at the end of the Episode...

Overall, I highly encourage you to try this game. The only thing I fear if it will be finished. Dev worked on two games previously. One Abandoned, one On Hold. Doesn't inspire confidence.

In any case good luck to dev. I hope to see this candy on Steam when and if it's finished.

Peace out.

I've been reading VN's from this site for nearly three years. I've read all the good ones and half the bad ones but, there's never been one like this. This story is top of the pile on first release and that is rare. The writing is stellar. The author knows the subject and sets the scene so well you feel like you are there. The characters feel real; no bimbofied bitches, MC is a stud without being a Chad. Overall it's immersive as hell.

Move The Chains is an absolute must read. I could go on and on about great renders, animations and posing. Just trust me when I say:
It. Is. All. There.

This is better than it has any right to be as it is only part 1 so far. The story is good. The renders are good. Character motivations are pretty understandable. Even got some trans content in there, which was hot as hell (not even my thing). Yeah you get a bunch of women throwing themselves at the MC but its not so much out of nowhere so based on history with a bunch and the others clearly his status level at the new school. All of the women are different which is a blessing and now I'm just wondering when I'm gonna get a crack at that sister.

Hopefully the updates are consistent and don't take a year. It's a great start though.