Played the new run, will likely give it another go or two just to make sure I didn't miss anything and check it from a different style or viewpoint, but very much a lot of fun.
The new bodyguard was a great deal of fun with a personality that nicely balanced the art of snark with a warrior eyeing the potential of timelessness with a surprsingly level head. Brash, but tempered. I enjoyed her being essentially the portal or window to the viewpoint of some of the self proclaimed 'higher' beings, and the upper rulings of the court besides. Yes, Kyo counts, but she's more of a master spellcaster and spymaster besides-- which is a very different vibe.
Couple nitpicks on those topics while I'm thinking about it, though:
Said bodyguard has a pretty emphatic sticking point of refusing to leave Cath's side, even in the evening hours. If we are playing a salacious Cath that measures handshakes and handjobs in the same level of reference, it seems strange that Cath didn't simply offer for the mocha skinned delight to warm her sheets and whatever other enticing bits may happen to be in the general vacinty *while* doing the enthusiastic guarding bit.
Also, nice cock bro!
Also also, is this Seraphim one of the first true hermaphodic style characters out there (which would be interesting and open up potential new braches of futa potion research and development), or is it more of the either/or variant down below? Enjoying the character design greatly. Regarding the size and walking fun comment-- first off, Catherine is an absolute size queen and would just go 'challenge accepted', and second-- she's a bloody wizard. Cast a spell for elastacity or something, geez.
I know it would be absolutely impossible, but it sure would be nice to occasionaly have some art to go with the glorious word combat porn we get now and then for the battles. The Lena/Seraphim at their best fighting the absolute worst was pretty great.
On the topic of grand character designs-- our half orc bard. What a delightful bundle of weird. Only complaint regarding her is she wasn't packing something more significant down below, but that's not everybodies tastes, and hey, abs for *days*. A fun option that in her single minded pursuit of hero worship and learning the *literal* ins and outs of Catherine's wants and semi heroic ways she could become something of a strumpet in training, unitentionally. A Bard's gotta bard, right? Or just keep her light and semi fluffy, but I know for a absolute certainty that dress code for a bar in my Catherines care would be on the lighter side-- for all workers and patrons involved, regardless of speicies or gender.
Kyo: Her gift aside, which I'll stick in a spoiler mention just on the off chance somebody stumbles on this one, struck me as a slightly weird conversation. Reason being, I absolutely went out of my way to have Cath and Kyo find a measure of respect and lust between them in the conclusion of the last 'episode'-- so when Catherine is being standofish behaviour wise to Kyo showing up at her doorstep-- while a wary Catherine is indeed a measured and learned approach especially regarding her mentor, this also felt like the 'typical' Catherine, and not at all showing the heated affection from actions prior. Like plot flags not being used at all, or forgotten.
In my head, the
proper reaction to Cath openning the door and the two meeting eachother again so soon after their evening tryst would be accidently forgetting whatever the hell they *wanted* to say in the first place, getting briefly tounge tied, very hot and bothered and likely needing a change of panties. Assuming either of them are wearing such things in the first place, anyway. Then resuming the flow of conversation more or less as usual.
She even makes a point to mention that this is the first time that Kyo has ever come to her doorstep, or at least very, very seldom like, and it is painfully obvious that Kyo is *trying* to do better and reach out, in her way. So Catherine not picking up on this behaviour, much less brazenly pointing it out to see what effect it would make-- stirring the pot, so to speak-- doesn't make much sense. Furthermore, this version of Catherine has already willlingly decided to forgo the song and dance and risk it for the biscuit-- forgiving Kyo rather than taking advantage of her our using her as a outlet for pent up frustration.
Which is a whole *lot* of colorful words and jargon being use when I should just go with:
How come the two of them aren't immediately pinning eachother to the wall and fucking like rabbits for round two or three or four or five? The attraction and fire should still be burning hot, not down down to a dull ember. Maybe. This is a random strangers on the opinion in the vast interwebs, so there's that.
Ranty spoiler about the gift below:
Honestly, I could have just gone with 'everything is awesome' (and play the proper song alongside it) regarding this chapter, short or no. It was nice seeing Victor again, looking forward to shagging/being shagged by the vampire wife because there is no way that isn't a thing, enjoyed the whole merchant angle, looking for the catman's sister, and eventually being a Catherine sandwhich between the brother and sister, because there is no way that is *also* not a thing.
..It does feel like the game designers may run into a very real risk of too many characters and not enough time and/or energy to divide amongst them, though. Off the top of my head we didn't see anything nor a mention of tentacle gal, the dwarf quest handler, the brothel matron, or our pink apprentice. ..Actually if that's the only ones that didn't show, that's still pretty impressive given the chunks of lore and plot being released at the same time.
Looking for confirmation: With a potential cheat, we can still do all the stories and plot lines with characters *without* being locked or gated out of content? Is this a actual thing or was I interpreting it incorrectly?
Love the story, love the effort, stay health and happy out there!