Huh wow what a ride...
How to begin. So i saw this game a while ago (about 3 months or so), but didnt woke up any interest in me. Cause to be frank... the title and overview in the first post are really dull. You should consider to change that. It doesnt fit the game at all. There is so much more into it. And i would bet anything on it, that if you will chance the title maybe and write a better overview, this game would be generating much more attention. And you deserve it.
So now for my review... played through it, there are some up and downs to it...
First of with something good. The Renders, Animations and overall look of the game. I really like it. Kind of unique look. Iam not entirely a Fan of "anime" looks, but this here works, its a little bit between anime lookalike and sort of realistic. I like it. Maybe it would have been slightly better if the bodys of the girls would look more different... to be honest, the boobs and other things are more or less the same, same nipples, same skin color... here and there are some differences (freya or Karla for example) but besides the hair, Sky, Aine, Emma, Lily, Gwen and most other girls have nearly the same body and boobs. Not much to complain about it, doesnt really matter, but maybe you can work on that a little bit. For example, get some girl some tanlines or so. Just a thought.
The Animations are really nice, yeah kinda short and of course a loop, but i like them, they are a real plus to the game. Most of the animations out there are just annoying, but in this case i like them all, i dont talk about the sex-scenes only. The blinking eyes, smoke or the hot coffee steam... little details i really like.
Than the overall sound... most of the time in these kind of games i will turn it off entirely after a minute and just throw some relaxing chill music on. Cause lets just face it... the bakcground music or sounds of about 99% of the games around here are a pain in the ass. Not so here... the music fits most of the time the mood and scenes (its getting better with every chapter i would say...) And some sounds like knocking and so on are ok too. But please please never ever get the idea to add endless moaning sounds to sex scenes, they are really ridiculous as far as i can tell... there are some games out there with these sounds, and really, oh my god they are awfull. unrealistic moaning sound in a loop that doenst fit the scene at all.... what a turn off, so please... jsut dont do that ever
Than the story, it started really dull and very plain and just not interesting... my first impression of the title and overview in this post was confirmed at first, but the overall look kept me going on. But to be honest, it took me nearly a week to go through the first 3 chapters (and i have to say, i have way too much time to play games... really good VNs around here i ruhed thorugh in 1-2 days, read them 12 hours a day or something like that). But at chapter 3 something poked me about the story and the characters. Chapter 4 got me hooked up than, and chapter 5 was just.... wow. You got me now.
Dont know how to discribe this, but i got the feeling the author changed or something like that. But i guess thats not true, cause everything leads toward this development between the MC and the girls in the first place.
But it was kinda well hidden under the dull and plain start of the game under things like the bullying (i was bullied nearly my entire schooltime, and i have to say, nope how the MC is going, and what was going on in his school time, sorry that is not bullying, not even close to that what iam gone thorugh...i got a little bit angry here, cause bullying is nothing that shoudl be downplayed, but nevermind, i dont blame you here) and burger shack setting...
Than you started to uncover some things behind the curtain of the girls... especially emma. And thats where the game is really starting through now. The game is like a Horse in a race that starts slower than every other horse but is increasing the pace constantly. The game gets better and better with every chapter. You have to fight thorugh the first 3 chapters to discover a real gem here.
Keep going like this and iam sure you will get more and more patrons... in me you already got one more for now.
Now the not so good things... Maybe iam alone with this opinion, but its always a little awkward to me if there are so many girls nearly falling instant in love with the MC for just acting nice... but ok its a fantasy. But another thing is, when there are so many girls acting like that... in this game i lost count. Even random encounter on the street goes like that "oh hello, i can sense that you are a really good guy, i already like you, and iam already wet" (to exaggerate a little bit)
and the MC didnt do anything else just than to greet her... that is a little bit too much for me. To late to change that... but building up relationships should be a little bit deeper than that. Even in a fantasy AVN.
Than there are just too many girls. Its much better to focus the relationship build up on some girls and make the others just side flings withoput deep meaning, or just cut them out entirely. You already got sky, Aine, Emma and Gwen for serious possibilities (or a harem route, that i obvious to me) But there are lily, freya and naomi. And of course klara (everybody wants to bang the hot redhead landlady/mom and she is listed offical under the LIs too)
Dont know about the others who play this game, but to me its just to distracting. And i would prefer a more deeper realtionship with a few girls than to go all the way in a hurry with more than 8 at a time. But thats me... iam a romance guy.
Now to something i really dont like in this game, the choices... lets face it, they are not necessary at all. To say it crystal clear, if you have a choice, there are two obvious outcomes EVERYTIME, you either get points for the LIs, or not. So you can break every choice in this game down to this "do you want to get in her panties someday or not?" thats it. But the really bad thing is, if you make the choice to "not chase" the girl, the MC is a heartless ass. There is nothing between. A girl is sitting there crying in distress, and you get the choice to comfort her or to be heartless and just dont do anything. Come on... even if i dont want to get in the panties of a girl i still can be nice? In this game you cant be nice without pursue a realtionship of love. either you be an ass to the girl, or nice, if youre nice the girl will fall instant for you and the MC too, nothing in between. That is very annoying.
And the VN is complete kinetic. There are no choices given to have an influence on the story, the choices you can make are only for lovepoints for the girls, nothing more. I would say, just give us a choice for each girl in the first place where you can decide to be just her friend, or if you want to pursue something more... so we can still be nice to them without getting in her panties. For example, Lily is a nice girl, and i want to be nice to her too, but i dont wat to get something going on with her besides a friendship... but i cant do that, i can either be an asshole, or a nice guy, but the latter we lead to something more.
The other choices are just not necessary at all. "be nice, or be rude" thats all, and to be rude is just... ugh... in this game.
Overall the good things made up by far for the not so good things.
I really love where this game is heading, iam hooked and cant wait for the next chapter. I saw that there were 3 months between this update and the last, and you also did an update for you other game in this time... thats some fast work here. Si i decided to be a patron for now. keep it up, and i can clearly see that you improved you story telling with every chapter in this game. Will try Life Changing Choices too now.
End of wall of text... i know i tend to write way to much if iam getting started... but i guess it shows that the topic matters to me.