VN - Ren'Py - Completed - Sparkling Duplicity [Final] [Goosenards]

Before I start with this review, it should be noted that I did not finish this visual novel, nor do I really prefer games which focus on pornographic content. That's kind of weird given where we are, but I usually stick to RPGs or other games that have some level of depth. Disclaimer over.

After reading some of these reviews, I decided I would have to download this game just to see how much of a scumbag the protagonists son was, and how a supposedly caring father could have raised such a churlish individual. Now, having played briefly, I am seriously hoping the people who wrote reviews proclaiming the protagonist to be cool never have children, or if they do, that they treat their children better than the protagonist does.

While having characters who always choose violence and never act in their best interest is not an inherent flaw, I believe it is something that has to be handled with care, which hasn't happened here. The protagonist is unreasonably rude, throwing in swears and emotional abuse for little reason or gain. The character comes across as extremely childish and impulsive, and there isn't a good justification for it. I can sympathise with not enjoying ones marriage, but abandoning your child and wife is probably the wrong way to go about it.

Funnily enough, I find myself sympathising far more with the son, as while he is a bit of a snotty punk, 1: There's at least a motive; his father abandoned him and his mother died in his absence. She was terminally ill, and from his perspective his father just up and left them to deal with that stress. 2: Where do you think he learns that behaviour? If his father is never going to show him love, then there is no love to be requited.

This constant sniping makes the characters extremely difficult to sympathise with, and given that the story appears to be going for a character focused narrative, I'd say that's a slight problem. The story itself is not particularly novel, and the central promise of being able to repair your relationship with your son feels hollow when outside of decision points, the protagonist is immediately back to being emotionally abusive. From what I've read about the endings as well... Yeah...

What's left are the renders. I said earlier I'm not qualified to comment on these things, but Virt-A-Mate renders always look terrible to me. They're so stiff and lifeless and robotic. The physics based movement always makes characters look like they're barely in control of their own bodies, and hair behaves as though it's made of feathers.

I don't really have a neat way to conclude this review, so instead I'll request that you try to go outside. Grass is pretty cool, and the sun can be nice too. I'm about to go touch some grass myself; this review is far too long for a game I don't care about.

This was surprisingly good.

Typically these VNs get stuck in the day to day of a life and forget there is supposed to be a plot.
Well, the plot isn't that heavy but the time skips really help lighten up the day to day feel.

No grind, just a two branch linear vn with some pretty good sex animations.
Loved the girls too. They had the questionable age look, of potentially older or younger, but either way petite.

Without having added more to it, I can't think of anything I particularly disliked with the way it was set up.
Just expect one or two branches based on one or two decisions, and enjoy it as a linear vn otherwise.

Concept is interesting. That where this game stops being good. LII's are all card carrying members of the itty bitty titty committee and not really that attractive. The son is a complete piece of shit and should have gotten some more punishment and MC seems like a decent guy overall but doesn't deserve to lose his dick from some whore. Game is also a bit short for my liking

Animations were great. Cut short and I'm sure there's probably a reason for that. I just didn't care enough to look into it.
So you are a middle aged successful writer who's taking care of his asshole son and you are introduced to hot young girls. There are only two paths.
Both endings made me laugh my ass off even though one is supposed to be "the bad ending" I suppose. Its worth a play even though it's a fairly short VN. Although I found the endings to be quite funny they were also complete bullshit.

Writing a shit ending on purpose, and then joking about it.
Yeah no, unsubbed from subscribestar and will no longer be recommending this dev toother people due to the track record of endings with their games.
Good VAM artist, terrible writer.

What in the unholy f*ck was this ending.

Aight so, it started actually promising, with depressing backstory and older man connecting with a younger teenager in an actually kinda beliavable way. Dialogue wasn't half bad, the conflict between the father and son was semi fine even if Billy was comically stupid, i was kinda in, mildly hooked i would say. Was interested if it will go into emotional territory, drama or something wholesome.

It chose to drop off a cliff and explode in a nucler blast-tier boom. Second part gets a ridiculous decrease in writing quality, gets completely stupid, then get pretty much cut off randomly and then get one of the worst endings you could ever find. I am half convinced this ending was made just to spite the players.

In game's defense, animations are incredibly impressive, with smooth movements, moving cloth and hair, very commendable work there, audio design also was good in certain parts.

It's pretty short too, couple hours at most if you want to see everything.

Started strong but quickly went downhill and ended with astonishingly awful ending that actually completely ruined the game.

Sparkling Duplicity...

Has to be pre-faced with the fact this VN has the best blow-job scene I've seen on this site. And, I'm pretty dismissive about blow-jobs. But, damn!

That aside, this is a pretty short (but worth a play) VN and seems to have two endings. So, easily dealt with - and I'm not one for playing multi-playthroughs.

The premise is decent enough, even though neither the dad nor the son are likeable characters (IMO), but the girls seem to find the dad irresistible - which is good for us!

I liked some of the animations, some are very good, but some will leave you wanting. Most do actually jump into things too quickly, IMO, but eh, if you like the character models, then I'm sure you'll enjoy them...

So yeah, if you're into 'banging' college-aged girls, like things uncomplicated, and wanna crack one off - then you'll enjoy the duplicity of this story.

It indeed has a little sparkle about it.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the sly and witty writing, the juicy animation, and just Goosenards' anarchically erotic sensibility in general. And the date walk they have is a masterwork in erotic banter. Whether short form or long, gay, straight, loli or sideways, I'll go on any ride on offer. Bravo!!

Some of the best looking female models, animations created with physics simulations (cloth), exciting taboo aspects.
Writing style is not exactly grounded on reality, but characters are expressive enough that you're willing to buy their performance.
Would be even better without body hair, but hard to argue against it if the creator prefers it.
Edit: Had to drop my rating down to 3. I will keep following Goosenards' creations, however this did feel like a suddenly abandoned project. Also, I don't think people play adult games to for the "plot twists" or the "subverted expectations". We have enough tv/film makers peddling that crap.

Ch.2 review -
This is a (mostly) very well written story with adult themes and fully developed characters. The plot goes off the rails near the end of current content but I'm hopeful it manages to finish strong and would recommend it.

You play a middle-aged writer who abandoned his wife and son 10 years ago but have recently found yourself responsible for your son during his last year of high school.

The writing's a little iffy here. Your son has some really good reasons for hating you but he's also heavily infested with PUA brain worms (I guess to make him less sympathetic?). You hate your son because he's a shit and because you're only there out of obligation to your ex-wife but objectively the MC isn't as sympathetic as the game wants him to be.

Anyway, because your son is an MRA douchebag, women all hate him and find themselves attracted to a kinder older gentleman with a dead-end job (seriously, how is the MC supporting anyone?).

This is almost a kinetic novel: there are two choices in current content: the first determines which of two routes you're on and the second just changes a few lines of dialogue.

Despite that, the three LIs (one is on both routes) are much better written than the men and I really enjoyed reading this up until near the end of current content where everything goes completely off the rails and it suddenly swaps from an adult drama to a porno. At one point, a scene was so bizarre that I was sure it was a dream sequence. So I'm hoping things get back on track for the finale but up until that point it was a 5/5 game.

Version Played - Ch.2

While nothing revolutionary, the renders are solid, prose is decent, models are unique and the animations are fantastic, probably among the best I've ever seen (effort put in is apparent).

While it's still in it's early stages and doesn't take too long to play through it's worth it, in my opinion.

More like 4.5/5, but deserves the extra 0.5 just because.

Well, sometimes I love this game, sometimes hate. Why?
+ amazing animations
+ good girls
+ an interesting Blair character

- sometimes we don't have a choice, what MC doing - like fucking other Stehpanie - I didn't wanted this, but game don't care
- we don't have options to choose how to talk with "son". At the beginning I was mad on MC that he let be threatened by his son like this and don't react. Later, when we discover the story I would try to be MC father, who try make truce, but game choose for me to be a dick
- graphic sometimes is really good enough, but sometimes well.. we see lack of details around, or messy hair etc.
- sometimes game take shortcuts and is not consistent. Like with Blair, she's good, not easy girl to "come, and fuck". Later she just ask "do you want have sex?", and they just fucking. Like wtf? It's like she lost her memory or something

Overall good game but I need to wrote the points what almost make me turn off this

Solid game and the premise is executed well. The author does a really good job of painting the son in an extremely negative light while making the MC seem like the good guy, but honestly, they both are terrible, and that's okay, of the two the MC is definitely the better overall character, which should be the case.

It does expand on why each character is shitty, the son feels abandoned and forced to live with a dad who abandoned him, and the dad feels guilt for not knowing his ex-wife was sick and is doing his best, which is absolutely not enough, for his son right now. All in all, a good game, I just wish the son had a little bit more depth to him instead of just being a vehicle to cuck someone in this game.

I still cucked that little bastard though.

Review of Ch2
As of now, the only good things this game has going on is the "taboo" part of it and the girls models.
The animations are prerecorded and not properly looped, they're also very grainy, and the talk in them is little and of less than good quality. Animations are welcome, but this quality isn't it chief.
Then we have the "plot" part, where you're banging girls the second or third time you meet them, plus the son was pretty much branded as the enemy and a moron from his very first dialogue, it also didn't help with that quick shot scene he had. I'm fine with the feeling of enmity between the father and son, but the game makes the latter look like a clown time and time again for the sake of empowerment, a bit of a toning it down wouldn't hurt.
On a personal note, not a fan of that much hair on the dude, but again, that's me.
I like the idea of the game, the execution not that much.

Review - [Ch.2]

I been debating to give this 3 or 4 stars as doesn't quite feel like a 4 star game but it gets that extra star because of my enjoyment.

I'll start off with the good the animations are some of the best ive seen on this site especially because of the camera angels used. Some of the lewds were pretty damn hot. The character models for LI are pretty decent too won't say they are good as there is for sure games with higher quality models. But I do like the models alot of the girls. Speaking of LI there is only 3 LI that is a good thing in my book. Most of the LI are likeable only didn't like the slutty cheerleader

Now onto issues I have.

Steph the blonde girl, she comes off as the innocent hesitant type but it feels when she decides to be sexual with the MC it happens a bit quickly and feels a bit rushed to me. I would of expected her to be hesitant instead of jumping right into it.

The story well not really a bad story but there really isn't much of a story either more of Son is an asshole to his father and father is a bad father and an asshole to his son. Then he goes to steal his girl friend , ex girlfriend
and friend.

Now I know this is a kinetic novel. Yet there are times where we do get a choice where it acts like it isn't one only then to take away any choice later for certain situations or LI. It almost feels like it's trying to be both a Kinetic Novel and a AVN. As the choices you do makes pretty much decides if you have sex or what branch you are one. But it isn't consistent when given a choice.

These issues is why I would put this as a 3 star game if it wasn't for the fact I really enjoyed playing this and can't wait for the next update

might have the best animation that if seen in one of these games, like better than some of the SFM vids if seen.
Really hope the game continues and in the same quality.
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(chapter 2 review)
I love this game so far. It's different from a lot of other games. A father fucking the friends and even GF of his asshole son.
The models are hot, and the animations are amazing. Idk how to describe them, but they feel more real. Like they're produced with a better physics engine than any other NSFW-game I've seen.

I'll say right away that the game's strongest point is its animations. I spent some time just watching the animation loop, especially the nightclub part, very well done, and the renderings and details of the girls... their styles are all very well done, and they're all hot.

I liked all the girls in the game including the MC's son's girlfriend (the redhead), I like the personality of all of them, except the chubby girl who works at the pizzeria, because she is very conceited and thinks she has the right to question the MC's intentions even though she doesn't know him, and has never spoken to him even though she has a pretty face, her attitude is what ruins it.

I like MC's personality, about always staying calm, even when some people try to ruin his life, and he turns it around and retaliates in a much worse way. He is that calm person who just observes and waits for the right moment to act.

The weakest point I would say is the story or the essence of the game, I kind of feel like things go in a loop or don't go anywhere... I feel like nothing has progressed in terms of the script... I don't even know what the main climax of the game is... which can end up making the game a bit repetitive and boring quickly.

But I will definitely follow along for the girls. I hope I can still see MC's son leaving home forever, and MC living with the girls.

Best blowjob in a porn renpy game.

I'd like to leave the review like this (more than enough with what I wrote above), but I have to write something else to be able to publish it

I wouldn't say that it has the most realistic animations, but they are certainly some of the most interesting that I've seen in this type of games in a long time.

Great job.

Pretty damn good. Girls are gorgeous, MC is decent model-wise. The pacing is okay, it was pretty good until the end of chapter 2 where it just really rushed out a couple of faps for the reader. Overall this game is just straight up good, a bit of refinement and sticking to more believable pacing would make it great but seriously pretty good right now.