VN - Ren'Py - Pale Carnations [Ch.4 Up.5 Public] [Mutt & Jeff]

Review For Pale Carnations(Ch.4 Update 2)
Before beginning this review I just want to say that this game is without a doubt the peak for what VN games should strife to be,100% deserves its top 3 rating on this site. I always avoided this game since I heard a lot of great things about it, and I wanted to make sure it had enough content before diving in, and after playing the current update available to the public, It was all they said it would be and more!
1.The Main Character
Starting of with the main character Edwin, what immediately grabbed my interest about him is that he isn't the typical good guy protagonist most other main characters are on this site, yes you can still play as a good guy(which is pretty preferable since most of the main girls in the game rather nice guy Edwin) but embracing his sadistic side is more enjoyable, so I played the asshole Edwin with the help of a walkthrough mod, because trust me if you go full blown bastard you will lose a lot of points with the girls, which is pretty weird since the whole premise of the game takes place in a brothel and only a few of them enjoys him being rude, but it did not take away my enjoyment for the game and I got most of the scenes so that's a win in my book. All in all he is a pretty interesting character and I cant wait to see how far he descends down the road of his true desires.
2.The Main Story
The Plot is pretty straight-forward, you play as a guy who is studying to go med-school to become a doctor and with the help of your best friend, lands a job at an esteemed brothel for the rich, at first the main character is pretty hesitant but he quickly adopts to his surroundings and meets a lot of interesting characters along the way. There are some interesting conspiracies brewing in the background while the main character goes about his daily life and i can see that he is most likely going to be in the centre of it.
3.The Main Girls
Next up are the main girls. at first I was pretty hesitant about how good they would be, I mostly play harem games on here but I have no issues with brothel games, I didn't know if I would really like any of them since I figured they would be banging other guys on the daily, but thank god that most of the main females aren't actual whores so it makes the experience better. Mina, Hana and Felicia are without a doubt my favourites, I appreciate that the dev lets you romance Hana if you go her path, and Mina is my favourite out of the 3 with Hana in a close second. I would have liked to see a poly relationship with Hana, Mina and our main character, it has been discussed a bit between both the girls as jokes but it would be pretty great. At the moment though Hana wants a strictly traditional relationship so I don't really see that threesome coming any time soon, which is a bummer since you essentially have to choose between the 2 of them, still I have no doubts the dev will somehow make that work somewhere down the line.
My Final Thoughts
Playing through this has been an amazing experience, also the fact I started the game around the time the next update already announced to release soon, makes me pretty excited to continue where I left off, If anyone is still on the fence about the game for whatever reason, play it you wont be disappointed, yes it isn't a harem game, but the relationships you form with the characters make the experience worth it.

I cannot even begin to adequately articulate just how fucking amazing I have found the experience of playing this game. Seriously. I've read at least several dozen essay-length reviews about aspects of this story in this comment section - all better than I could ever manage - and I've found myself agreeing with most of them.

Just...

Only so many games make you start crying while your dick is in your hand, okay?

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

This is seriously a masterpiece, no doubt about it. But man, oh man, they really dropped the ball when it comes to the choices. Like, what were they thinking? It's like they have no clue how to make choices that actually make sense in a game. And don't even get me started on having to go back and fix those choices. But hey, despite my rant, I still think this game is the bomb. I'll definitely be back for more. Best of luck to the devs!

if you really want to fully enjoy this game, my advice is to play it with the guide/cheat mod. Trust me, it takes the experience to a whole new level. You get to explore all the juicy content you want without any frustration or time waste. It's like unlocking the true potential of the game.

TLDR:
+Everything is good (story, character development, fetishes ...etc)
+Animations are the best from whats available
+Actual god tier UI and QoL. Should be the standard for every renpy project.

- choices are poorly made and only there to confuse the player. If you care for a path then this game will definitely disappoint you.

Highly Recommended only with cheat/guide mods


Updated Review:
[Ch. 4 Update 3]

Another amazing update comes with juicy content and a surprise Victoria scene! It is the best and I swear that girl got the best bod in the game. Please show us more!

But here we are again talking about choices and paths, if you are not in "friendly" terms with one character then basically ~70% of the update is unavailable for you! I can't understand how devs are ok with wasting their time not even showing their hard work to the players. To each their own I guess. 4/5 again!
tldr: you must play this game

This takes one of the most archetypal hentai kinkfest setups and filters it through the sensibility of a modern romance. The result is a surprisingly sweet, psychologically sound drama that renders its characters with more depth and realism than most games ever attempt.

And yet, this care for the characters is matched at every step by sprawling sex scenes that give a ton of variety and manage to run the gamut from lovely and romantic to genuinely depraved, depending on player preference. They have the detailed progression of studio H-games, but instead of simply upping the ante with increasingly lurid images, they manage to both tell a story and reveal character even when the text breaks down into incoherent moans and the sounds of bodily fluids.

And all of this tremendous detail, in both the narrative and the sex, is delivered through distinctive art and the most fluid animations I’ve ever seen in a visual novel.

There is so much great art and great writing in this game. Thoroughly engrossing, immersive, and smutty. And with a huge amount of content for just 4 chapters. One of the GOATs for sure.

Absolutely not everyone's cup of tea but everyone should probably still give this game a try. there are some really good scenes and really well written characters here if you can get past the kinks on display.

Its also quite possible to play this game relatively vanilla and nice if you choose, even if lots of content requires a more extreme playthrough.

5/5, 10/10 hands down. Second best game on this site if sorted by rating and I absolutely agree with that, it's one of the best. Felicia and Mina are my favourites in this game, lots of content with any main girl, hopefully something with Sophia is coming too Can't wait for the next updates.

Gameplay:
Visual Novel, multiple relations paths
Elaborate choices system that lead you to different relations with the protagonists. The story is anyway following one main path.

Story:
Writing is top-notch, with a suspenseful intrigue around an "Eyes Wide Shut" universe. The story unravels progressively, and I was eager to see the next part. Characters are deep and diverse. Slowly, you sink in a very dark and sad story. It's like a corruption game where you are the one being corrupted, although it's balanced with characters that let the MC stay sane.

Graphics/Animation:
Top-Notch graphics and animations. With some beautiful pictures for transitions. It's a huge work done here.

Overall impression:
I wasn't prepared. Easily one of the best VN I've played here, that has a strong story behind, delivered impeccably while engaging the player in a feeling that he is part of it.

English is not my native language, but this is the first game that compelled me to comment on and recommend it. Please forgive any strange grammar or terminology.

Pale Carnations has many outstanding aspects, but its greatest strength lies in the fact that the author not only creates a compelling story but also fully acknowledges and respectfully treats it as an adult game. It achieves a perfect integration of adult content and story. In addition to the top-notch storytelling and characters, it also features exceptional adult content, and the two are not separate entities. The adult content also drives the story, allowing you to experience intense emotions. There were even moments when I found myself teary-eyed while being aroused. For a game genre that is generally frowned upon in the mainstream world, it is remarkable to have such a dedicated and outstanding piece of work. The character development in Pale Carnations even surpasses that of most well-known games in the market. I have deep respect for the author's efforts and admire their talent.

Fantastic game!

I don't look so much for story and/or logic in these games, but mostly for interesting setting, hot chicks and more than decent sex scenes, and not only I wasn't disappointed but was pleasantly surprised and even shocked a few times, which is a good thing in my view (I could have done without the arachnid short scene I have to admit).

Great original and perverted story (and scenes), awesome characters in looks, attitudes and personalities , lots of sexy clothes, heels, and other details that I really enjoy and find sexy, nails, hairstyles, jewels...

Thanks and congrats and hopefully many more chapters to come!

Summary (Ch.4Up2):

Multilayered and engaging plot, beautiful characters, great story, and some of the hottest sex with HS models around. Play it and surprise yourself with the characters you end up feeling connected with. Very highly recommended.

Story:

Takes place in a small modern city, where you find yourself rapidly dragged into the seedy underbelly. The story is simple but not basic, and ties the various threads of the past and present together to form a rather compelling tale. While this is a VN, the player’s choices are meaningful from both a storytelling and gameplay point of view: choices don’t have strange, unforeseeable outcomes, and their impact is mainly immediate. Also, many of the choices steer the player’s inclinations as opposed to simply opening or closing paths.

While the main premise is straightforward, the stories of almost all of the characters in the game play a key role in adding depth and emotion to the game. Moreover, the main character’s own story grows out of the larger story and builds a compelling vision of him…and the choices possible can drive the direction of that growth. Memories, tales of past situations, and casual conversations have images and context to them. There are almost no walls of exposition or cringe-inducing dialogues to tell the player what to think.

Characters:

The cast is relatively small, but very deep. There are no ‘throw away’ characters, including the males in the story. Every one of them contributes to both the environment and the sense of urgency or despair that drives the game.

The girls are, almost uniformly, the best-looking HS models out there. Not a wide range of body types or styles, but that’s more in keeping with the nature of the story than the limitations of the developers. A lot of care went into facial expressions and having enough scenes to convey emotions without having to tell the player what the emotions are – extremely well-done.

The MC is a pretty typical HS male visually, a bit of a magic dick but not a raging chad, and very developed in terms of back story and outlook. He’s not a generic self-insert nor a witless dweeb, so playing the game really gives a sense of not only pushing but of establishing his boundaries. His interactions with the other characters, including his best friend, feel genuine and realistic.

Speaking of best friends, his is one of the few done really properly. The interactions and dialogue they share, the way they relate, and the progress of their relationship makes his friend truly a part of the game and not comedy relief nor a simple foil for the story. Choices involving his friend are significant because he’s important.

Sex:

The sex. Oh, the sex. It starts at pretty hot and gets better from there. It’s frankly ridiculous how much is in the game, but in the best way. While having a strong BDSM theme, the game nonetheless explores a number of other kinks in a very organic way (none of them seem out-of-place in the story). Some of the scenes are pretty rough, but the player can frequently effect those to some extent. Nonetheless, the story, animations, and images aren’t for the weak of heart.

Having said that, it was a delight to see actual aftercare and some sense of people dealing with each other as people in many of the scenes. More than a cherry on top, it expanded the emotional range of the various characters. None of the scenes are re-skins or recycles (new characters, old actions), so all of them are directed and individualized. The variety of scenes is excellent, the animations smooth and involved, and the replay mechanism very accessible.

My only criticism is that some of the scenes are simply too long. Heresy, I know, but some of them seem to drag on and become more expository than erotic. Sometimes less is more.

Environment:

The game environment is beautiful, with gorgeous opening screens and cinematic fades at strategic spots. While it plays as a VN, at times it enters a sandbox mode (for variety, one assumes). Both play very clearly, with no unexpected surprises: if an option will end free-roam, the option warns the player in the text.

The music fits the scenes very well, while not very memorable otherwise. That is exactly the goal of background music, and the developers hit the target squarely.

Scenes are directed and not simply rendered. The backgrounds, lighting, positions, and camera angles are carefully and not distractingly chosen. Special pan and zoom effects are used sparingly and intentionally.

tl;dr: sorry, you read everything to get here. Go play Pale Carnations.

the amount of content is very good, the progression of the story is kind of slow, many times nothing significant happens, but not that it's bad, the atmosphere that the story creates is sometimes very heavy and toxic, but to be honest, I'm only here for Mina and Hanna, when a scene comes from them it always encourages me to continue, I hope I can have both, I didn't find any errors during my gameplay, and the amount of game updates is good, it's not constant to the point of you have to keep downloading it every time, and when you update something significant always comes, and it doesn't force you to replay everything again like some games do, so it's worth all the stars and for now I keep this game in my favorites.

The best one in my opinion, there isn't one vn game I've tried so far that is so consistently good overall!

There's a lot I could say, but aside from the overall scenario itself that my horny self seems to really like, I think what stands out the most is the quality of the writing which is miles ahead most of the adult games I've given a try! The characters actually feel distinct and full of personality, to the point where I'm actually somewhat fully invested and interested in knowing more about them.

Easy 10/10, can't wait for the next updates and the conclusion!

I just finished playing Pale Carnations over the last week, and like many others have said, its a masterpiece.

Everything about the game is incredible. The overall story is written in a captivating and mature way. The models are gorgeous and only get better with the animations. The dialog between the characters just takes each scene to a different level, mix all of that together and you get some extremely hot scenes. Even scenes with no sex will have you wanting more. The thing thats stands out for me the most however, is how each character is crafted to have their own unique personailty, charm, attitude and even flaws. They all feel alive and constrast each other very well. Its one of the first games I think i've played where I love ever one of the main characters, even if some take a little while to grow on you.

Anyways, I won't gush anymore about it, the rating this game has should say it all. If you're looking for a mature game, with sexy, well crafted characters, and a good story, this is it. Easy 6/5

Really enjoying this game (Ch4 Update 2) excellent quality, good story. the animation on the scenes are really well done. Highly recommend this as one of the best adult games out there. Looking forward to the conclusion

This is without a doubt the best game I played so far! (chapter.4 update.2) I'm a huge fan of the premise of the game. The girls are the real MVP with Hana being the best of them all. Looking foward to see more of this amazing game!

10/10

Just wow. I kinda lucked into finding Pale Carnations but it's one of the best finds I've had. The premise is great, the inner darkness for Edwin is great. The story is immersive its not all mindless domination there is depth to the story and the characters whilst injecting plenty of BDSM elements too. Honestly one of the most enjoyable AVNs I have had the pleasure of playing.

So I love the game. I've just played through the first release but I have one critique.

I absolutely hate the random title screens dotted throughout the game. Its a great game but the title screens man. Gahhh. Edited: I realised I can turn them off! Rating changed to 5*!

Apart from that, I love it. The choices are awesome and the fact that I can take different paths while playing makes it pretty fun.

10/10, I really cannae wait until the next update!

Pale Carnations is undoubtedly one of the best AVNs on the market. It easily earns S-tier in every aspect. To be honest, I typically steer clear of HS avns like the plague, but I decided to give this one a go because a friend highly recommended it. I'm so damn glad I gave it a shot, or else I would've missed out on this absolute gem.

Pale Carnations takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, eliciting disgust, sadness, hope, laughter, anger, lust, passion, and every feeling in between. It keeps you on your toes, delivering a compelling narrative with a darker, mature tone while maintaining elements of slice-of-life storytelling intertwined with debauchery. After reading the overview for PC for the first time, I initially had some concerns that it might be too intense even for my personal preferences. But now, I almost view Pale Carnations as the standard for what I truly desire to experience in AVNs. Trust me on this one and, at the very least, give it a try. You won’t be disappointed.

I hate to be that guy, but I strongly urge all fans of Mutt and Jeff's work to consider subscribing on Patreon. Due to certain restrictions on platforms like Steam and recent unexpected changes on itch.io, many developers are increasingly dependent on Patreon and/or Subscribestar for support.

One of the best games with BDSM themes here on F95.
An intriguing setup; really beautiful girls [HS assets done right!] with different personalities and back stories; fantastic writing; amazing bondage; even more amazing sex scenes; an MC whose personality (and relationships) can change a lot according to the player choices...
All this converges to make a great game and, what is better, excellent replayability, since you can "play" a very different story according to the choices you make along the way.

I have been burned too many times on "replayable" games filled with false choices where you see the same stuff over and over. However, my first play alone earned it 4 stars for how good the renders and writing were.

After 2 more plays it not only earned 5 stars, but my patreon support.

Wishlist: I always crave a wider experience vs a longer experience and could use more model variety for characters you can truly interact with. It isn't perfect but most of this is personal taste.