VN - Ren'Py - Onhold - Naked Ambition [v0.82] [Apollo Seven]

Perfect art, perfect plot, perfect strategy sim, nice 8 bit crack program music, compelling characters, dark nipples, corrupting a sweet princess and pixelsex! just the perfect combination. 11/10 would fap again.

Needs more NTR and less tentacles tho

Overall pretty good.

Very nice, gradual corruption. Surprisingly nice art.

It actually manages to be a bit of a game, not just a wank fest.

However.

Couple things.

1. The animations I've seen are pretty bad. Still images would actually be preferable in those scenes.

2. The RNG means casting a wide net is the ONLY way to do "well". Your goal is to convince certain members of the council that the princess would make a better ruler than her brother. You do this with a combination of randomly drawn cards and learnable stats. Each member favors a couple of each, but each can also occasionally require different stats or cards. (WHY?)

The real problem is who you talk to in a given week is random. So, you may try to focus your cards to sway a particular person, but A. You may not get that person more than once or twice, and B. Even if you do, if you get an unlucky draw, you'll still lose favor with them.

For example, one playthrough, I tried focusing on the "Trusting" card. There was a specific member who relied on it a lot. However, I only got his events twice, and bot times, the trusting cards didn't come up.

In order to have a chance at the theoretical end of the game, you have to have a wide variety of cards available to handle different situations. So you can't really focus on one thing or another.

3. You don't really get a lot of meaningful choices. Your responses are generally decided by the cards you draw, but that doesn't work the way you'd expect.

At least not how I expected.

When a situation happens where the cards are drawn, there are two possible outcomes. Pass and fail. Pass happens if you draw a card of the required type (or multiple later on), and you fail if you don't.

That's it.

I expected you to be able to respond to different situations in different ways. For example, handle a dispute through Aggression, Thoughtfulness, or Lust. But that's not what happens. If an event occurs, it can only be resolved if you draw (for example) an Aggression card. If you don't, you just fail the event.

4. Stats only really matter early game. By late game, as long as you're balancing your stats, you'll pass most skill checks. My last game I didn't have a single stat under 80, and the highest skill check I saw was (i think) 70.

And again, stats don't actually branch the narrative, they just penalize you by making the council not like you as much if you fail the check.

And again, again, just like the Cards, the only way to do well is to balance everything. Meaning you have level up in every area. Just like the cards....


There's a good deal that I like about the game, but its not as nuanced as it first appears.

Edit: I played the game again a couple times (doesn't take long, you can skip most of the dialogue on subsequent playthroughs).

The RNG is a BIG problem. In my last game I build my character almost perfectly balanced, and I still failed almost every card check in the latter part of the game because of repeated bad luck.

Overview: A very ambitious game on the right track. A 3.75 in the current unfinished condition, no matter how it finishes it will end up with a 4.0 or more.

Pros:
+ Corruption is well and subtle. Slow burn but worth it.
+ Exhibitionism is pretty flavored.
+ Multiple replay value.
+ The story.
+ Well thought out content.

Cons:
- RNG, no one likes RNG- I like the implementation of the concept but it is still pretty frustrating.
- Navigating and the ease of gameplay. If you thought RNG was bad, you'd be surprised how much the game does not explain it's mechanics, I had to bring over a notepad and write it down about which emotion affects which stat etc. Cannot play the game without that.
- Kinks are pretty limited. But like I said, ambitious game so it can work on it in the future.

Suggestions;
# Explain the mechanics better.
# For such a big cast, a lot more kinks could have had been added.
# More art. The art is good and stimulating, but it is very hard to come across.

Conclusion:
Great game if you have time on your hands. Not something that can be finished in 2 hours. You need atleast 6 hours to unlock 50-60% of the content if you are playing steadily.
Worth the time investment tho. Hoping to play again once the game finishes.

The game has an ok story, the princess herself was actually really annoying, but mostly it was just way too difficult to unlock any of the sex scenes. I encountered 1 blowjob in my playthrough and that was it, and not for lack of trying. Frankly it just ended up being a waste of several hours as this is clearly not a game geared towards porn, if you want to play a strategy-based game where you advise a princess, go right ahead. If you want to get off? Go somewhere else.

I loved the princess theme and slow, well-done corruption. The writing in general is good, and the retro / pixel theme is very well done! The gameplay is also unique in that you don't directly make choices for the princess, but use a system of selected cards and RNG to decide her fate.

Because this game hits a lot of my preferences in a game (slow-corruption, female protag etc.) it's a 5 star game for me.

However, I feel that the author of this game sometimes forgets why we're all here (fap content). The game is quite slow, which admittedly does create more pay-off when there are sex scenes. The problem is, is that they are too few and far-between for me.

I would have preferred if there were more events that could build or slow her corruption near the beginning. By removing pink cards they could be avoided, and by adding pink cards you could speed her corruption.

Another thing is that, while there are some good fap themes here, many of them can be extremely easily missed and require very specific outcomes. This wouldn't be a problem if there were a lot of other sex scenes, but unfortunately there aren't.

So what ended up happening to me, is that I read the entire story without skipping (which is very rare for me, showing how good this game is), but saw very little sex content in my first playthrough that was like 3 hours long. I then went back into the game and unlocked a few other scenes, but it was still fairly bare. Then after researching I found out that most of the good scenes are locked behind very specific and hard to get outcomes.

This makes the game feel like a chore to replay and unlock new sex scenes few by few. I think this could be remedied by having more of the good sex scenes occur more easily in the game by either adding new ones or making their occurrence easier and more natural in the first or second playthrough.

Sex scenes that are depraved or more extreme could be hidden behind very specific routes. However, right now most of the even vanilla-ish content is hidden behind specific routes.

Overall it is a game with amazing potential, but marred by having too little sex content occur in most first playthroughs and hiding most of the decent sex scenes behind specific events that you almost require a walkthrough to get.

The 5/5 review score is more for the potential this game has, right now it is a 4/5 imo.

As a whole, I think it's a great game - the writing is solid, the mechanics function well, the art is great - however, I think the basic concept of it works better in theory than it does it practice.

The rogue-lite elements, the specific requirements to get a certain path, and the RNG factor would work great in a normal action rpg type of setting, where the core gameplay is enjoyable and the story is a secondary concern. However, in a point-and-click type porn game, this type of gameplay becomes more tedious and grind-y than fun. It ends up just locking most of the content up behind obscure walls that even following the guide to the letter won't ensure you can find a certain path. I know that perhaps the exploration is and intended aspect of the game, and again, in a normal action rpg, that would be fine, but when the core gameplay is just clicking and making the same decisions over and over again, seeing the same part of the story you've already seen a hundred times, over and over, just to try to find something new - it starts to feel like a waste of time pretty fast, especially considering that at the end of the day, it's porn.

That said, best of luck to the dev, and I will be watching development hopefully.

Damn this game has a lot of potential. Gameplay mechanics (card deck and combining them) is a good idea. I think the story good and especially the events are great. My only problem with this game is the hardcore save system you cant change decisions unless you go back to seasonal checkpoints. It is a design choice but I think the dev should offer options for the save system.

In an oversaturated marked of 18+ VN, this one is unique in its artstyle, presentation, and playstyle. Not to be overlooked, and shows incredible potential. I can only hope more and more updates are provided, and the story fleshed out in full.

this is one of the best games i have ever played. the princess looks like she has tuberculosis but other than that, this is an incredible game.

you should play this game. you might not end up masturbating to this game, because the princess looks like a rhizome, but the game itself is extraordinary. I really hope I convince you to play this (I'm being completely serious).

That is actually a very nice Ero Rpg !

Drawings are pixel stylized but in a good way in my opinion. The story and dialogs are actually good. the game mechanic is quite interesting. A lot of choices to make and therefore different outcome.

It's a very promising game. And i would like to see it inspire other devs to do similare kind of games.

Pretty damn good. Don't be bother by the graphics, they grow on you. Lots of sexy encounters and opportunities for corruption. The minor encounters are randomized and the major ones come in a random order. Combine that with the multiple paths and there's a fuckton of replay value. The first playthrough will be admittedly hard as balls cause you won't know what to expect.

The story is also pretty decent. Certainly novel. I also like that there are actually "good" options you can take to more or less avoid the lewd content if you want. Obviously it's a porn game so why would you, but the fact that the option is there makes it feel like your choices actually matter. Also, the characters are mostly consistent. It won't be obvious at first but they got backstories that puts their actions into perspective, so once you learn you won't get screwed by RNG (too much)

Simply put, it isn't fun. I see what the developer is trying to do and can appreciate it, but the game's mechanics are muddy and unfun. It's one of those "juggle which people like you games", which admittedly I never really liked. But the issue is how damn hard it is to know how to actually juggle it. I get that failure is the goal, but too much failure is just punishing. Everything in this game feels completely out of your control. On top of a terrible save system, everything you do feels wrong.

The only really way to know what to do or what choices do what is to replay the game multiple times. A game shouldn't require that to be fun. There is no skill or though put into your choices. It is just a matter of hoping you have enough points of some skill at the right time. Don't time it right? You just wasted your time. You pick education, not to develop your character in a certain way, but just as a means of making people like the princess; you influence her, not control her. Which is the worst way to go about it. You essentially pick 4 characters with as many overlapping traits as possible, and spam those traits as high as possible in hopes that the order at which you do it works out for you. Picked in the wrong order? Tough shit, start a new game and roll your dice again.

I love choose-your-own adventure games, especially ones that you can fail. But this ain't it. It is just point juggling and punishment with little to now rewards. Just luck in preventing bad outcomes. You don't get to create your character. You don't get to make your decisions. You pick a goal in the beginning of the game and lock yourself into it in hope it was the right goal for a character that isn't yours and you don't care about. Never played the game before? Well, you problem don't even know what goal to have. Suck to be you. You already lost.

This is Probably one of my favorite games so far. The art work and story are great themselves, but it's the choices and how they impact the game that makes it such a likable experience for me. The key concept is linear as its supposed to be, but the choices still feel like it has more choice and options than a good deal of other games that are meant to be non-linear.

Disclaimer: As this is an ongoing game and the developer is constantly trying to improve its mechanics, some of the cons I say here may become obsolete in the future.

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Pros:

1. Gorgeous art

Naked Ambition is a treat to your eyes. From its nostalgic art style, to interesting character designs and clean UI, this game absolutely delivers in the visual department.

Speaking of character designs, Princess Collette is the epitome of a great one. Her silver colored tiara and icy blue dress with low neck, manages to make her look equally elegant, confident and sexy. And as you see her progress further and further into one (or more) of those aspects, you start to see it more and more in her design.

Long story short, Princess Collette is definitely one of the most memorable character designs I've seen in modern times (erotic games or otherwise)

2. Innovative gameplay

Naked Ambition is super ambitious (no pun intended) in terms of its card mechanics.

It follows a system where you cannot make the choice for its lead character, but rather only influence them and direct them towards the way you want.

Combine that with the fact that each of the characters you interact with require specific cards and specific level of skills, Naked Ambition makes for a pretty engaging gameplay.

3. High replayability

I'm no completionist by any means. I play games only to experience the main story and seldom care about trying out every route.

But in the case of Naked Ambition, every time I see a locked panel in the gallery, I feel like a man with OCD who must unlock everything at all costs.

To me, that is a sign of a well made game, which not only offers enough incentive to play the game again, but also has the ability to feel different every time you do it.

4. Medieval politics

I've always had a thing for politics during the medieval times. Naked Ambition puts you smack in the middle of it and lets you find your way through.

Though it is not the most sophisticated take on politics, it does a damn good job of making it fun, engaging (and often times kinky.)

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Cons:

1. A weak save system

Sometimes innovation comes with a cost and in the case of Naked Ambition - it's save system lacks the feature to simultaneously play and save multiple routes, as starting a new game automatically erases all previous saves. (I'm guessing this is an unintentional accident caused by having the complex card mechanics)

The "seasonal checkpoints" allow some kind of flexibility around it, but it is useful only when you want to try minor variations in your choices.

When you need to do things completely different, you have no other choice but to replay everything from the beginning.

Normally this wouldn't be a problem at all, as you could just press the skip button till you reach the place you want.

However, due to fact that the cards are chosen at random, every time there is a new update, you are forced to make a few different attempts in order to get to the paths you want.

The developer has tried to mitigate the problem by offering special items at the start of the game (after playing through with each of its mentor) to make it easier to get to the mentor you want.

But once again, it is limited to the mentors only, if you want to get on the good side of, say, the Inquisitor or the General, you have no other choice but work towards it every single time.

(Note: Having typed such a long explanation, it seems like I absolutely hate the system, but that's definitely not the case. This is just me explaining how it all works.)

Like I said at the beginning, I feel this saving problem came into existence as a side-effect of having the amazing card mechanics. Personally, it's a cost I'm willing to pay.

2. The presence of some modern elements

For a game set in medieval times, Naked Ambition some times relies on modern elements for its kink elements and storytelling. For example, sexy swimsuits and mini skirts are a thing in this story. (Personally, I wouldn't call it a huge flaw, as it does work really well for me.) But if you're someone who wants accuracy and has a hard time suspending your disbelief, it might put you off a bit.

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Verdict

Naked Ambition is a one-of-a-kind of game (especially for the erotic genre), which offers a highly engaging gameplay and a lot of incentive to visit it again and again.

Sure, it may not be perfect , but that's not what this game aims for. It is more about playing around with the medium itself, while simultaneously giving a fun experience to you, the player.

Score : 9/10

So glad I revisited the game, the upgraded scenes have enough definition to be enjoyable, and tbh they look rly great.
The unique card system mechanic is nice, and it is designed to be replayed I understand, but including an option to reset drawn cards would be nice.
5/5 for anyone who can get around that or who rly likes this format, i guess 3or4/ for those who don't.

Fantastic game, possible the best (or at least most underrated) on the site. Essentially a more detailed and in depth version of princess trainer game (personally I think the mechanics of this game are far more interesting than the former), combined with a unique (but still quite attractive) rotoscope style.

The only legitimate "complaint" I have about this game is that it's pretty damn hard, and can feel excruciatingly unfair at points. But hey, that just means you restart and continue playing!

I really enjoy this game, its unique and well written.

A warning to those about to try it out though, you need to go into this with the right mindset. The idea is that you aren't the princess, she is her own person, with her own motives and ambitions. You are her secret advisor, so you nudge and influence her down the paths that you want her to go. This lack of direct control could be frustrating, but I really like it, it makes the princess feel more like an actual person.

The gameplay mechanics really center around this idea too. You influence the princess by suggesting what she should focus on, and she makes decisions by kind of randomly sampling the influences that are in her subconscious (I'm not explaining it well, but the game introduction does a decent job of explaining this better). This random influence draw mechanic makes for a unique puzzle to solve for the gameplay, and of course its also well suited from a story telling perspective. This is what really helps the player connect to the princess and her story as a real person.

Other strong features: A LOT of flexibility in the possible paths, good art, and great writing.

I'd say you could only see max of like 25% of the content in any one playthrough, so I'd really recommend playing the game at least once blind, then playing again after looking at the wiki and choosing a path that you would like to aim for.

Looking forward to more content!

As a big fan of Long live the queen, I couldn't find something similar. And finally this game is exactly what I wanted.
The story kinda simple, but there are mysteries, that are pleasant to discover and it's awesome. Great characters with the depth. Graphics is pleasant even though I don't like pixel art (I wish there would be more animations). But there was a problem with gameplay
When I've played initial demo and was torn about randomness in that kind of game. Without saves, you could not play it reliably. But right now with implemented checkpoints and dual moods the amount of randomness is acceptable. And sometimes it's nice to see the event play out a bit different from expected.
Great game, I wish there would be more like it.

Let me be honest with you,
The game is great, but current mechanics of the game suck.
Everyone who tells you different, is just a liar to himself/herself. If you can cast a spell or two on the python script, the rating may change to 3-4 stars (even up to 5 stars if you are a python wizard).

So, why the game sucks?
First of all, the whole approach to the gameplay: you need to watch/read an event and know what skill to develop beforehand in order to succeed in the next playthrough -- you can't just use your 'common sense' without prior knowledge.
Secondly, you have little control on your 'random emotion', even if you reload -- you drag the same cards. Even if you reload to the point when you discard the cards, the game will still drag at least 4 cards of the first 'emotion spectrum'. Even worse: the game remembers your fail with cards, and on reloading disregards your new deck completely. Probably works the other way around, i.e. you can pick up all needed cards, pass an 'emotion test', then reload several days before and pick up completely different deck for the next encounter.
Thirdly, if you start a new game, your previous saves are erased.
Fourthly, the meetings with vassals disregard whether they are your tutor or not, or whether you are already lovers or not.
Fifthly, random and pseudo-random events are the worst. Willingly sucking a random guy's cock when the girl is embarrassed to show her tits? Because of 1 lust emotion? What? Or one of the two existing heirs to the throne, travelling to the nearby vassal ALONE in the woods full of rogues? Without any bodyguards? Are you kiddin'?

Again, the game ideas are quite entertaining, and the story with its branches is rather OK as well, but the implementation needs more efforts.

An extremely obnoxious save system. Dev should realize that players might prefer certain choices over others. I don't have the time of day to replay this as many times as it wants me too to get the options I want.

A shame because its that rare game that wants to be more than just porn.