Recommending Story-first games

[Jaike]

Thanks for this, Jaike. It's janky, weird and unusual in the best way possible. I'm particularly a fan of Cecilia Beaver's cock. Wonderfully creative narrative device

No idea if that's new "content" in 0.2 or I just missed it in the first version... But if I knew about it, I'd mention the VN in the comedy-first games topic instead.

 

[Mystic]

I came here to look through the list, find story games. Realized I couldn't find Elleria here... my day is ruined and my disappointment is immeasurable.




P.S: Joke aside, a very solid collection of story games you got here. Keep it up.

 

[Dessolos]

I came here to look through the list, find story games. Realized I couldn't find Elleria here... my day is ruined and my disappointment is immeasurable.

View attachment 3402482


P.S: Joke aside, a very solid collection of story games you got here. Keep it up.

Yeah I just use this thread a general baseline for my personal list of backlog / story first games . As I find I disagree with some of the game they don't consider story first.

 

[Mystic]

Yeah I just use this thread a general baseline for my personal list of backlog / story first games . As I find I disagree with some of the game they don't consider story first.

I mean it is their own personal list, based off of their personal interpretation of what story-first is.

My viewpoint on story-first, at least in THIS particular community, is a game where story takes priority. ( As you'd expect of story-first game by term alone.)

Where sex is addition to the game, not the main focus. Aka some fucking immersion.

 

[Dessolos]

I mean it is their own personal list, based off of their personal interpretation of what story-first is.

My viewpoint on story-first, at least in THIS particular community, is a game where story takes priority. ( As you'd expect of story-first game by term alone.)

Where sex is addition to the game, not the main focus. Aka some fucking immersion.

I agree with that for the most part but I do also think personal interpretation plays a bigger role as there are a few games that do have a good amount of lewd scenes ive played feel very story orientated to me personally where they probably don't to others. Which is why this thread is just a baseline for me.

 

[Mystic]

I agree with that for the most part but I do also think personal interpretation plays a bigger role as there are a few games that do have a good amount of lewd scenes ive played feel very story orientated to me personally where they probably don't to others. Which is why this thread is just a baseline for me.

Of course, I can agree to that. Depends on what the story is, and in what manner it is being developed. But yeah, def a baseline.

 

[Raife]

Thoughts on the latest Leaving DNA? I think it was a brilliant episode!

You won't be surprised to hear that I agree entirely: it is a fantastic, adult, story-first game... the polar opposite of a porn game.

The only debate in my mind is whether to characterize Episode 3 as 'the Malena episode' or 'the Colleen episode'.

Without getting into detail or spoilers, Malena is the best sort of LI: willing to call the MC out on his bullshit, but also point him towards his better self. She doesn't need the MC... but she sees that he's worthy of help.

Giving the MC a choice on Colleen, per jufot's comment, is a masterstroke. It means that the player must deliberately choose the less comfortable, painful path in order to find love and a better life. There's no true happiness without pain and vulnerability.

The link between the two is Vega: she reveals that the way the MC sees himself and the superficial front that he presents to the world conceals something darker... more selfish, self-centred and, frankly, weak. The lonely, abandoned child inside... who abandons others.

The Colleen choice... and then what happens afterward in the hallway... took this game to another level. (As well as destroying the risk that the MC would devolve into a Gary Stu.) It was sad, beautiful, and felt absolutely genuine. I've been there... alone, in that hallway.

Fantastic stuff. This is now my favourite game in progress -- surpassing some other worthy contenders (Corporate Culture, Pecker, Hillside, Shards, etc).

Coda: other devs should note the storytelling devices that Impious uses well. For example, he does a brilliant job cutting out extraneous scenes. For example, we didn't need to see the MC and Malena training in the park... but we did need to understand her approach and motivations. Impious _shows_ he doesn't _tell_ via gratuitous dialogue and description. In Episode 2, there were several great scenes with Jamie with _zero_ dialogue: he just showed their interaction and emotions... which was far more effective than unnecessary exposition. Very well done.

 

[Hildegardt]

Giving the MC a choice on Colleen, per jufot's comment, is a masterstroke. It means that the player must deliberately choose the less comfortable, painful path in order to find love and a better life. There's no true happiness without pain and vulnerability.

[...]

The Colleen choice... and then what happens afterward in the hallway... took this game to another level. (As well as destroying the risk that the MC would devolve into a Gary Stu.) It was sad, beautiful, and felt absolutely genuine. I've been there... alone, in that hallway.

Idk... the choices relating to the MC's character are the only thing I'd criticize about LDNA. They're too easy, because they're always binary between the obviously right and obviously wrong. They're especially too easy considering the MC's characterization. Compulsively keeping people at a distance is supposed to be his big flaw, but right from the start we get options to just open up to every single character we meet.
His big flaw is a cop-out in general imo and only adds to the Gary Stu archetype. Hiding behind his work only makes him more successful and the fact that he only opens up on special occasions to special people only makes him more endearing to those people.

 

[Raife]

Idk... the choices relating to the MC's character are the only thing I'd criticize about LDNA. They're too easy, because they're always binary between the obviously right and obviously wrong. They're especially too easy considering the MC's characterization.

I agree, Hilde... your concerns are the same as mine. But my guess is that Impious has plans for the more 'selfish' MC choices that may, actually, appeal to a different sort of player... one that is less interested in relationships and more in sex. At least, that's the impression I got from Episode 3.

My dream scenario is that the choice sets boil down to: (1) a more outwardly successful (maybe even politically successful!) MC, with lots of fuck-buddies but no warmth or closeness to anyone, or (2) a less outwardly successful, happier MC. (I'd be particularly pleased if the threshold for outcome 2 were very high -- in other words, you have to make a lot of 'right' choices to get the 'true end.') That was the flavour I got from Ep. 3. If that continues... well, game on!

There's reason for optimism, though: Impious has been clever, and he has... if anything... increased the sophistication of his plotting and characterization with each episode. Things could still go wrong, but I think he's on the right track.

 

[kotte]

Yeah I just use this thread a general baseline for my personal list of backlog / story first games . As I find I disagree with some of the game they don't consider story first.

For this exact reason, I created a page where I have compiled all F95 games that are mentioned in this thread, complete with links to where they are mentioned.
I use it as a good way to find new material, or to look up what you guys have said about a game when I stumble upon it elsewhere.
Feel free to do the same.

https://f95zone.to/threads/jufots-story-first-thread-compiled.186795/

EDIT:
I got fed up with how the BB code looks, here is an HTML version:

You must be registered to see the links

 

[Sidartha_6]

For this exact reason, I created a page where I have compiled all F95 games that are mentioned in this thread, complete with links to where they are mentioned.
I use it as a good way to find new material, or to look up what you guys have said about a game when I stumble upon it elsewhere.
Feel free to do the same.

https://f95zone.to/threads/jufots-story-first-thread-compiled.186795/

EDIT:
I got fed up with how the BB code looks, here is an HTML version:

You must be registered to see the links

HTML version was exellent!
I was a little bit sad when i saw there was no stories in the root directory...

 

[camube]

For this exact reason, I created a page where I have compiled all F95 games that are mentioned in this thread, complete with links to where they are mentioned.
I use it as a good way to find new material, or to look up what you guys have said about a game when I stumble upon it elsewhere.
Feel free to do the same.

https://f95zone.to/threads/jufots-story-first-thread-compiled.186795/

EDIT:
I got fed up with how the BB code looks, here is an HTML version:

You must be registered to see the links

This compiler you're using, does it only read f95zone link or does it also read patreon link in our posts?

 

[kotte]

HTML version was exellent!
I was a little bit sad when i saw there was no stories in the root directory...

Heh, yes, that site is a work in progress... I have a bunch of stories in a database, I just needed a nice UI for it.
I thought a wordpress site would be the quickest way to finish it, but I just got stuck on a lot of annoying configuration details.
To be continued...

 

[kotte]

This compiler you're using, does it only read f95zone link or does it also read patreon link in our posts?

I had to come up with an easy way to identify what "a reference to a game" was, so I decided that links that point to the games forum on F95 would be easy to test for.
Patreon links could definitely be a future addidtion, although I think most games that are mentioned in the thread either use an F95 link or simply the name (or even an acronym for the more popular ones). If you have a specific post in the thread where a game is mentioned and I don't pick it up, feek free to DM me with a link or write a comment in the compiled story first thread.

 

[purplexel]

I believe my game checks all of these boxes:

Den of the Defiant

 

[Dessolos]

I believe my game checks all of these boxes:

Den of the Defiant

haha I was thinking of this game today I got distracted with other titles I forgot I meant to give this one a try after seeing it on reddit. I just went through my reddit history to find the name of it.

 

[Dathos]

Thoughts on the latest Leaving DNA? I think it was a brilliant episode!

I'll be honest. I don't know that I ever tried this one in the past, because I had no memory of the game or the characters when I downloaded it a few days ago. On the one hand, I feel like I missed what is turning out to be a truly outstanding game. On the other, though, coming in and playing up to chapter three allowed me to experience it all (so far) in one shot, so I could see the character development and discussions without interruption.

I'm quite impressed. The characters all feel quite real (I've known an Armin or two in my life), and the writing makes them feel far more true to life than many of the games I've played. I have a weakness for redheads, so Jamie caught my attention from the get-go (she's a ginger, and so wee, and utterly adorable!), so for the most part I pursued her the most... until Malena entered the scene. I've also got a weakness for strong, confident women, so now I'm conflicted (on a related note, my wife is a strong, confident redhead, so ...). Any game that makes me honestly consider one LI over another based on behavior and story is one I will watch with great interest.

And I agree: episode 3 is brilliant.

 

[jufot]

I have a weakness for redheads, so Jamie caught my attention from the get-go (she's a ginger, and so wee, and utterly adorable!), so for the most part I pursued her the most... until Malena entered the scene. I've also got a weakness for strong, confident women, so now I'm conflicted

That's been my journey as well, though I object to Jaime being wee. She has enough breast tissue to supply 4 Jaime-sized women

Glad you like the game!

 

[Dathos]

That's been my journey as well, though I object to Jaime being wee. She has enough breast tissue to supply 4 Jaime-sized women

Glad you like the game!

I was thinking of her height, not her cleavage. I was pleasantly surprised to see that despite her impressive ... tracts of land ... her body shape is still proportioned properly to support them. That's a rarity. Although, honestly, I'd prefer them to be a bit less generous with the assets. Puts me in the minority, I know, but I'm odd like that. ;-)

 

[jufot]

I'd prefer them to be a bit less generous with the assets. Puts me in the minority, I know, but I'm odd like that. ;-)

Hear hear