VN - Ren'Py - New Year's Day(e) [Ch. 5 v0.5.0] [Jonesy]

This game, story actually since there is no real choices, suffers imo from trying to do to much all at once and succeeding in almost nothing while trying to. Like if you're trying to cook with ALL of the ingredients in your cupboard and then say you made a great dish. It is too much and does not work.

Let's start with the writing: it is very long winded. Dialog scenes often take so long to make a simple point that just requires a couple of sentences and turns it into paragraphs of, wel, exposition-al drivel. Chelsea gets a bad rap for talking too much, but at least in her case it makes sense she keeps spouting off. The story has no excuse. All this long winded dialog in turn tries to use that to give the characters background and agency, which is very hit and miss. The LI's all have their own character quirks and they do come across as their own persons, but then outstay their welcome in pointless drama or useless scenes that serve no purpose, padding for padding's sake. It tries to be serious but then throws that overboard when it comes time to fuck MC. No consistency in the characters. And the MC has no agency and is just along for the ride. That would have been okay with me if this was some mindless harem game where the girls are just a bit of simple, pretty fuckdolls. But the story tries to be about family drama and then even takes a sidestep into rape and abuse territory with a side character. Something these spineless characters now have to deal with and it just drags the story out and it just did not need that.
These things do not work together, they thend to work against each other!

The renders are pretty, the girls are gorgeous, what more do you need?

Well, there are the sex scenes, which have very wooden animations that it reuses and here also: to much exposition in the writing, it is boring and annoying to see: "And then he licked her pussy." only to have to click another 3-5 times for to actually see someones face move into someone else's nether regions. Where the character writing comes across as spirited at least (whether you like it or not is a second) the sex scenes are almost clinically described and it doesn´t flow, and makes the whole thing boring imo. It comes across as if there is a commentator in the room trying to describe what is happening for a podcast audience that might be listening.

It is obvious there was put effort into making this, but it ended up falling a bit flat and I found myself fast forwarding through the text and not even caring about the sex scenes. You can do a lot worse when it comes to porn VN's. I would like to see what this dev does next and see what they learned from this project and how they improve on it

I decided to play it because it's a sequel to Christmas Eve, which was more or less okay. The girls seem cute (they look younger than they are, sometimes significantly). But suddenly everything here is much slower than in Christmas Eve, and there are just a bunch of unnecessary uninteresting events and conversations.

The game wants to be a drama, but unfortunately, it's not written well, it lacks literary skill, the dialogues are bad, the characters' behavior is unnatural, the antagonists are caricatures, and so on.

In addition, everything is ruined by the MC mega complex — everyone sticks to him like flies, without any effort on his part. It's dull, boring, uninteresting, and unexciting because you don't believe in what's happening.
The MC himself is a separate conversation; he's such a wimp without balls that it's ridiculous. And it's immediately clear that he'll have a harem, everyone wants him so badly they're peeing themselves. And only he himself slows everything down, because the author needs to stretch out the game somehow and justify himself for some reason (more on that later).

It's so stifling that even the sex scenes aren't exciting. In addition, they often give you an overdose of vanilla and cringe, both from the conversations and the characters' facial expressions.

There are some unpleasant vibes from all this, as if all this vanilla nonsense is just a clumsy cover for a few deviations. The author tries to shyly and unsuccessfully ennoble and romanticize them, which looks somewhat disgusting. Although I have no problem with them when they are presented adequately, and there is no such problem in other games.

The only thing that was cool and original here was silly Chelsea with her lisp.

The story is really great and the characters are really pretty. But Chelsea talks too much. A replay gallery would be really cool. I'm already looking forward to the next chapter. The story is worth reading again. Good work, keep it up.

Ch. 5 v0.5.0 review.

This game is fascinating in the way watching Icarus's flight must have been. I almost want to give it five stars just for how bizarre it is.

This is a sequel to Christmas Eve so quick summary of that game:

This game is darker in tone than the first with explicit rape and child abuse. I don't mind the dev being more ambitious with the sequel, especially since Kaylee's home situation was referenced in the first game.

THINGS I LIKED:

I really enjoyed the core story of the MC and his oldest daughter settling into their new relationship while his younger daughter and her friend also make moves. Especially the girls working through their conflicting feelings of friendship, jealousy and insecurity.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:

Becky. She has no personality beyond being 100% supportive and affirming of the MC. You could replace her with a fleshlight in a red wig.

The MC. He has no agency. The girls do everything to the point where he'll be out doing something and it will keep cutting back to show what the girls are doing because they're the ones driving the plot along. The MC just shows up afterward to be "the adult". It's hard to get into the MC's shoes when he's just watching the real protagonists do everything.

That porn game trope where everywhere you go is full of attractive women who want to fuck the MC at first sight. There's one scene where the girls feel insecure compared to an older woman who flirts with the MC and that works but every other time it's just gratuitous.

The sideplot: In Chapter 1, you meet an unsympathetic character who controls the entire city and uses that power to mildly inconvenience your daughters. In Chapter 4, you locate a macguffin that reveals that the character has their own "circumstances" and you're able to use it to quickly fix everything. I found it hard to sympathize with the character (or care about them at all) when you only have two brief interactions with them in all of current content and they disappear for three chapters. I had to go back and double-check it was even the same person. This could have been dropped entirely with no effect on the plot.

The plot twists: Every plot twist is more ridiculous and pointless than the last. M. Night Shyamalan would blush.

In conclusion, there's a cute little core story here and it's unfortunately buried under everything else. Might be worth playing just so you can experience the completely bonkers plot twists.

Review for New Year's Day(e) [Ch. 5 v0.5.0] [Jonesy] -

While I enjoyed playing Christmas eve and Siren song even as a kinetic novel , started this game when I heard this is to sequel to Christmas eve but I was disappointed in playing this one , it started out well but in the middle baam drama and darkness and more drama from then , I lost interest in this one , while I expected more from the sequel and ended up with a huge disappointment for me , hope dev's other game doesn't turn into the same .

So basically having had some time to get used to things, and giving it another try after 6 months I've come back with a new fondness for this game The daughters are distinct, fun and most importantly very sexy.

The darker parts aren't that bad and they get dealt with in a satisfying way pretty quickly. More importantly I can see now why they're there as they have a huge impact on a few characters that are going to need some Daddy care and love

So why not 5 stars? Ehhhh.. too much of the initial story is your daughters doing stuff together, instead of with you. The one girl with the lisp is just a bit over the cute/annoying line so every time she's in a scene it takes it down.

I loved Christmas Eve even though it obviously borrowed heavily from another work but it was happy, fun and most importantly GREAT.

This one started that way.. added a bit of drama (but not to much) and then *BAM* so much drama and darkness. It's such a huge tone shift that it feels like a completely different dev did this.. or Christmas Eve wasn't what they actually want to do.

This would be a 3 star if it had nothing to do with Christmas Eve but being a direct follow up with such a huge tone shift gets it 1 star.

The Art is amazing, writing is fine, Can't wait for more.

I disagree with alot of 1 star reviews, the writing is by no means so offensive, people should be honest and not go full cancel mode because they can't handle some minor drama.

That beeing said I would agree that the game ist probably a 4. 5/5 for me or even a 4/5 if writing is crucial to you. However if others can exaggerate, so can I, right?

I would suggest give it a go and decide yourself.

The first game was really good, but as others have stated the wheels really fell off on this one. The MC has no balls and no personality whatsoever, he is such a bitch. And he plays the stereotype of a stupid man that pretty much needs to be told (twice) in slow, careful and clear words in order to figure out all but the most obvious things. The other characters are all one or two dimensional as well...they are mostly mind-controlled zombies for daddy's dick.

WTF is up with adding rape (and not just rape, but gang rape)? That is totally not cool. Seriously, what could be more of a boner killer than that? It goes from a fun porn game to a serious and disturbing drama. If I want to be disturbed mentally (no thanks), I'll watch a documentary or something, I don't want that kind of shit in something that is supposed to be entertainment.

You also have an alcoholic parent abusing one of the main characters. Dev is going out of his way to make this game as offensive, disturbing, shitty and boner killing as possible.

Daye losing her virginity should have been a special, private experience with the man she loves. No, dev turns it into an orgy with one of the characters being a virtual stranger (at least to the viewers).

A minor quibble is doing a candlelit sexy lingerie show with such poor lighting everything is in shadows. What is the point, they might as well be fully clothed because you can't see anything anyway.

All in all I am enjoying this second installment.
The first game was good, well written and sexy if a little derivative.
it felt like clone of another game about a girl called petal and her dad in a cabin...
That said it was good enough to stand on its own. I enjoyed the writing, the characters felt 3 dimensional and it was nice and hot.
This game feels a little richer to me, I'm only just into chap 2 and finding myself very engaged and drawn in. There are moments when it actually made me fell something, which is very rare for what is at heart a porn game. You, Jonsey have real talent and should stick with your instincts . Great Job.

The predecessor to this V/N ( Christmas Eve) was pretty good with at least an attempt at a romantic connection between main characters.

This one lost the charm of that one.

One pet peeve is forcing relationships with side girls rather than being optional and yes I include Becky as a side girl. The main girls being Eve, Daye, and Kayla. Another is not given options on things like fetishes or creampie vs, body shots, etc.

Also the girls are reduced to two dimensional caricatures who are all about having sex with the MC by any means and caring about little else. Olivia is an especially toxic mega slut. All personality is leached from the main girls as the story progresses and new ones start out with none.

The MC was a complete weenie when it came to Kayla and her mom, it could have been dealt with so much better, It's sad when the daughters have more balls than dad.

Unlike some the lesbian stuff didn't bother me in the least, let's face it, two girls together is pretty hot but I would have preferred it if all were out in the open. However since the MC wasn't in a relationship with either Daye or Kay they weren't obliged to tell anyone their private business, they're adults after all.

A serious disappointment after the good start that was Christmas Eve.

I had come to this game with above normal expectations since I enjoyed the first game but this on day and night different from the first one and not in a good way, probably one of the biggest disappointment in games I played here

So the first game was a wholesome game with your daughters, light hearted, fun to play, in this one the prerogative it's changed to the step crap, were you turn to find they aren't actually mc daughters and now it's stepcest crap, next the wholesomeness is lost and turn into a rape gangbang game losing all the essence from previous game.
Now there is a LOT of forced lesbian scenes behind mc back.
Mc is weak and spineless like you can witness with Portia the gangraped girl/LI.

So yeah I dunno what happened to this second game to have a 180 change, but what you get from this game right now is, drama, gangbang rape, forced lesbian BEHIND mc back, everyone is bi, so you get a huge disappointment only.

It's not tagged as KN but it's a kinetic game.

If you like the usual and overused drama, no choices, forced lesbian behind mc back, rape you may like this game,
BUT if you are expecting a wholesome game with good vibes, that the li's are only for the mc and aren't cheating behind mc back with other girls then this one isn't for you.

Resuming this game in one word: disappointment

Even Better than the first game. I love this. the girls are awesome the sex is HOT and the story is good while not being overbearing. the foreshadowing hasnt been overly used and helps add to both the story and the erotic narrative.

Maybe the problem is ME. In my mind, there are natural opposites in porn:
Male-Dom <> Fem-Dom
Pregnancy <> Anal
Harem <> NTR.

As much as I hate some of the above… I’m glad they exist (!). I just want them… over there… with tag so that other people can appreciate them... but... imo... never... NEVER in the same game!

IMO, this game has paired two other opposite porn preferences:
Slice of Life <> Rape/Violence.

Many games, often, F/D incest games, start with Slice of Life, and then they add Drama, Violence and Rape. And who knows? Maybe that has a huge market. It just doesn’t make sense TO ME. As a guess, it seems that the rape (etc…) is added around release 5-10.

In this game, it hits release 7 (unless I miscounted counting the first game) i.e. almost on cue. I personally hate it. Maybe you won’t.
-Game 1 was a nice little F/D incest power / seduction fantasy.
-Game 2 (this one)… you get DRAMA in the form of physical abuse, alcoholism, horrible parenting… and now gang rape.

Again, maybe I’m the problem… but I got whiplash from the tonal shift.

To be fair, many games get a 1 Star because “Yawn. It’s boring vanilla.” And that’s what those people think… and that’s fair for them.
For me, this game gets 1 Star because of the Slice of Life becoming Drama and Rape… and that’s fair for me…

EDIT = Oh, and the first game had Kinetic tag. This one needs it too as many reviewers rightly call out the lack choices without this tag.

Is this a completely shit video game? Yes of course, it has no gameplay. No choices, nothing. Just a story.

But I think with managed expectations this better than you might think from the ratings. It deserves a 4.2/5 if 5 means its in your Top 5 best VN games you have ever played.

This review takes into account the prequel which should be played beforehand.

The story of the game gives a reason why the MC gets into intimate relationships with his daughters. Which is more than the "it just happened" you get from most VN's with a similar story.

The tone is light hearted and there is no cheating drama. A major plus imo.
The pacing is just right imo for the story. You have some sidescenes which make the day to day action more believable and also some extra story that add some drama and tension between the characters (nothing directly relationship related.) so the whole story isn't just to predictable and bland. Don't expect any major revelations or anything like that.

Imo its definitely worth the read and could be even better with some additional choices. Throw a few bucks to the dev. They did a good job.

Fair Warning: You won't see rapid updates with this one. The tend to take some months to develop but then you will probably easily take an hour to read the update.

Edit 29.12.2023:

I wrote this review before having played through the latest update 0.3.0 in its entirety.
People in the thread already talked about the last scene. I won't spoil it here. But lets say there is a reason this game now has a rape tag.
The scene is the very last in the 0.3 Update. It is not witnessed actively but through a camcorder. But in the last image the camcorder screen is shown.
Considering there is no further resolution to the scene (the update ends after it) it makes the game take a drastic tone shift. Personally, I have played dark VN Games and can enjoy them (even though I really hate actual rape scenes). But it is weird even to me to have this kind of material suddenly be in the game. Yes, it is obvious that it is a plot device. And yes, the game describes it as horrible. But all the same. This game now contains a rape scene that is being described in detail. Which is weird.

I won't change the rating for this. But it should be noted to anyone that this games rape tag is not there by error. Weirdly enough.

+ kissing renders looks really good
+ music
+ pussy-eating scenes
+ story is ok
+ no jealousy drama
+ girls

- forced lesbian stuff. You can't do nothing about it
- no choices
- sometimes game is focused too much on girls, and what are they doing behind mc back
- mc is dull, totally boring without any personality, no assertive scared of doing anything pussy. Sorry, but dude is a mature guy and a father, he often behave like teenage boy, who for the first time see a girl, it's looks really pathetic if you consider his age
- MC's pussy behavior towards Portia
- too much talking in some sex scenes, just go straight to the point
- cockblocking

2 stars - mainly because of pathetic mc, hope he will grow some balls in the future

Average step-renders, average step-story. Average step-dialogue.

The step-game was better.

The first release was good but now I'm out. Maybe if we get a step-story with some step-dialogue I'll give it another chance.

Liked the Christmas Eve. So could not wait to download this when i saw it. Many times the sequal is a disappointment due to the wait and high expectations no so for NYE. this VN is just amazing !!
Can't wait to see how it ends up

Very enjoyable follow up to the first game. The characters are well written and adorable. I only hope this is a long series, would love to get all of these characters fleshed out over time.

First chapter did a solid job setting up the future events.

Really great start to the "new" game follows nicely, story and characters are believable and realistic even if the plot is all BS, its great for these kinds of adult games.

The models as always are great and dialogue is good and not over the top and pure nonsense. For the amount of content, its good, I have seen new games with way less, guess having the first game out and this one to follow up right after already set the stage.

This kind of content and at the rate its being produced, I think many of the devs and creators of these games can take a page or two from Jonesy's book.

Original review only covering initial release, v0.1.0 5/5


Updated review covering releases v0.2.0 and v0.3.0, 2/5


Updated review covering Ch4 v0.4.1, updated score 4/5