As a fan of visual novels, I was excited to dive into "Steps of Debauchery" with its promise of an intricate storyline and immersive character development. However, after spending considerable time with the game (last 3 Updates), I can't help but feel disappointed by the lack of meaningful player choices.
The Dev could save sooo much of his time, if he would turn this Game just into a Comic. Most of the Players doesn t care about the Story, they just want to see the FMC getting fucked. My personal wish would be, more influence over Riley. Let her be good, or let her be naughty, but leave this decision to the Players and don t feed the Players with meaningless Choices and the really important scenarios without a Choice. This makes also no sense.
From the outset, the premise seemed intriguing—following Riley as she explores her new life and her deepest desires sounded like a recipe for an engaging and dynamic narrative. Unfortunately, the gameplay falls flat due to its linear structure. Despite the game presenting various scenarios and interactions, the player's choices rarely influence the story in any significant way. Most of the time, it feels like you're just clicking through text rather than making impactful decisions.
The illusion of choice is particularly frustrating in a game that markets itself on player-driven experiences. You often find yourself navigating through pre-determined paths with minimal variance, regardless of the options you select. This makes the gameplay feel more like a passive experience rather than an interactive one. The narrative unfolds in a fixed manner, and any deviation you attempt feels superficial at best.
Moreover, the game frequently introduces new characters and subplots, but these too are constrained by the same lack of player agency. While the storyline with Riley's exploration and interactions has potential, it is undermined by the predetermined outcomes. Instead of feeling like an active participant in Riley's journey, you end up feeling like a mere spectator, which significantly diminishes the overall experience.
One of the biggest letdowns is how the game handles critical moments (for e.g Dean Sequenze in Ep 1, Table Dance Ep 2, Poker Sequenze Ep 3) that should hinge on player choice. Key decisions that could drastically alter the course of the story are often reduced to binary options that lead to nearly identical outcomes. This not only reduces replay value but also makes the player's role feel inconsequential. Another e.g. is the Party Sequenze on the Boat. Riley can act, like she s jelous that her husband get hit on by a beautiful stripper, but later she takes part in Strip Poker Game. What!?!? There are no choices, to avoid this. This makes no sense.
Additionally, the pacing suffers from this rigidity. With no real branching paths to explore, the story progresses in a predictable and sometimes tedious manner. The excitement of discovering new possibilities is lost when you realize that all roads essentially lead to the same destination.
The graphical and audio elements, while decent, cannot compensate for the core issue of a lack of interactivity. Visual novels thrive on the player's ability to shape the story and feel a sense of ownership over the narrative. "Steps of Debauchery" misses this crucial element, leaving the experience hollow.
In conclusion, "Steps of Debauchery" fails to deliver on the promise of a truly interactive visual novel. The lack of meaningful choices makes the game feel linear and uninspired. If you're looking for a visual novel where your decisions matter and shape the narrative, this title might not meet your expectations. While it has potential with its interesting premise and characters, the current execution leaves much to be desired. Beautiful renders alone, are really not enough.
