A lot has been said so I just want to preface this by saying its great and the most impressive porn VN (or whatever the correct term is) I have played. I just want to focus on some things that stood out to me.
The writing's getting praised for a reason—it's well put together, no mistakes, full of colorful and engaging language and genuinely really funny. It's great entertainment that keeps you hooked, even though it's a ton of text. I'll admit I skimmed in the beginning because of the slow start but my recommendation would be to just enjoy the ride because it will get really good once you join the club.
Next the characters. They're much deeper and more fleshed out than I expected. You really get a feel for them. Even seemingly bland or basic characters like Ian turn out to be interesting and surprisingly likable. Their characteristics are so well developed and thought out that it gets hard to even roleplay. Here's a spoiler-free example: your boss confides a big secret and warns you not to tell a Carnation. Despite being repeatedly reminded that the job comes first and the Carnatations will want to manipulate you, and even though I usually play it close to the boss, in this scenario, I found myself instinctively wanting to spill the beans to Carnation because it felt like the right thing to do. It's just hard to play an asshole even though the game offers lots of possibilities in that direction.
Lastly, music. It might not seem like a big deal to some, but I'm genuinely impressed that even after countless hours, it remains enjoyable to listen to. Plus, new tracks keep getting added regularly. There's none of that typical generic porno background music or too often repeated tracks. This game doesnt have music controls, and doesnt need it. All tracks are well selected and fitting.
To wrap things up, and because no review should be solely positive: I found the occasional "sound effects," like slurping noises during scenes, to be rather odd. They only happen sporadically and loop immediately, and honestly, I could have done without them. Additionally, the game's abundance of variables and values makes it quite challenging to play blindly without occasionally checking scores or rewinding due to needing specific amounts of something for certain actions. While this does enhance replay value, and if most variables are utilized in the completed game, I won't have any complaints. However, if you're aiming for a particular outcome it will require lots of specific choices with a walkthrough at hand.
Lastly I would recommend it to anyone who isn't put off by the subject matter or the theme. While it gets dark at times it's never too serious and I can't wait for new content to come.
The writing's getting praised for a reason—it's well put together, no mistakes, full of colorful and engaging language and genuinely really funny. It's great entertainment that keeps you hooked, even though it's a ton of text. I'll admit I skimmed in the beginning because of the slow start but my recommendation would be to just enjoy the ride because it will get really good once you join the club.
Next the characters. They're much deeper and more fleshed out than I expected. You really get a feel for them. Even seemingly bland or basic characters like Ian turn out to be interesting and surprisingly likable. Their characteristics are so well developed and thought out that it gets hard to even roleplay. Here's a spoiler-free example: your boss confides a big secret and warns you not to tell a Carnation. Despite being repeatedly reminded that the job comes first and the Carnatations will want to manipulate you, and even though I usually play it close to the boss, in this scenario, I found myself instinctively wanting to spill the beans to Carnation because it felt like the right thing to do. It's just hard to play an asshole even though the game offers lots of possibilities in that direction.
Lastly, music. It might not seem like a big deal to some, but I'm genuinely impressed that even after countless hours, it remains enjoyable to listen to. Plus, new tracks keep getting added regularly. There's none of that typical generic porno background music or too often repeated tracks. This game doesnt have music controls, and doesnt need it. All tracks are well selected and fitting.
To wrap things up, and because no review should be solely positive: I found the occasional "sound effects," like slurping noises during scenes, to be rather odd. They only happen sporadically and loop immediately, and honestly, I could have done without them. Additionally, the game's abundance of variables and values makes it quite challenging to play blindly without occasionally checking scores or rewinding due to needing specific amounts of something for certain actions. While this does enhance replay value, and if most variables are utilized in the completed game, I won't have any complaints. However, if you're aiming for a particular outcome it will require lots of specific choices with a walkthrough at hand.
Lastly I would recommend it to anyone who isn't put off by the subject matter or the theme. While it gets dark at times it's never too serious and I can't wait for new content to come.