Recommending Story-first games

[Vasin]

I have just finished playing The Missing Part, and, well, what a ride.

Overall I think it's a great game, definitely deserves the places on the list, and playing through. I will now go into an overall impression with unmarked spoilers.

Initially, I was momentarily put off by the intro, as many here, but after getting through the first time skip, the nature of the prologue got apparent to me. Despite that I didn't quite expect the second twist, and I think that the prologue being so short kind of robs those 2 events of emotional impact that they could have had. Partially due to the massive time skips and partially because the game is clearly set up with other LIs in mind and it almost felt like Ella and Maddie were getting in the way. Given that they seem to still be affecting the story in other ways, it's not directly bad, but it brings me to my second gripe.

What it boils down to is the game falling short of it's potential. I'm not saying that it's bad, it's very good, the character writing is splendid, but in the end so far it appears like another "choose your LI" dating sim, with a dash of grief, sorrow and wistfulness on top. That's great, but the issue I have with the LIs is that I just don't care about any of them. I would much rather play an AVN about a single father trying to raise Maddie, and *maybe* having one fixed love interest. Not on this website though, I doubt most of local population has any experience with fathers or fatherhood.

And finally my final writing nitpick is this quality that you see a lot of the time when characters just tapdance around things instead of saying it outright just to save it for dramatic "reveal" at the end, like why Sarah left her job, or who Lisa's mother is.

Production wise the game is also, in my opinion, falls a little short of the quality of writing, renders are good, but not exceptional, and the camerawork has the typical AVN feel to it. I liked the autoplay thing though and the soundtrack is the only soundtrack from the AVN to date where I actually looked up the title track. For a copyright free music it fit the story amazingly well.

 

[kotte]

I would much rather play an AVN about a single father trying to raise Maddie

That's exactly what I was thinking too! She would have been such a nice sidekick and it would have been such a fresh change of narrative. I mean, the "successful owner of big business" is not exactly uncommon. Probably the second most common setting, after "teenage boy tries to seduce landlady and roommates". I think a well-written story about a single dad trying to raise his kid, and navigate her life as well as his own would really be something.

With that said, I am a lot more positive than you. I felt the prologue had its place in the story. And even if it is a "choose your LI" game, it is still a well-written story. Also, with only three LIs, it has a fair likelyhood of staying that way. BTW, I liked the girls, especially the architect. Their dialogue was actually not unreasonable. It felt like it was written by a grown up with at least a certain knowledge of architecture and construction projects.

And in addition to the story being well-written dramatically, I also enjoyed the language. Far too many games (not only those with non-native-english creators) have a flat and boring language. Or overly flowery and metaphor-heavy, which is just as bad.

 

[Vasin]

With that said, I am a lot more positive than you.

I mean, I don't disagree with any of what you said. What I described is more of an expectation mismatch problem than the game's problem. Partially that comes from reading this thread and partially from the prologue, but on its own it's incredibly competent.

I thought the dialogue was particularly on point, and love interests, while not interesting for me, are believable. Lisa so far makes the most sense, as they share both a somewhat similar trauma as well as common interest. Sarah the Nurse just seems like Cinderella wish fulfilment and the workaholic assistant that I can't even remember the name of is like romance 101. But they all act like real humans would, so it's clearly obvious the writer has experience.

 

[kotte]

Yeah, Hailey the assistant will really need an interesting backstory if she's going to be competing with the other two. The backstory that is kept secret for now.

And then we have the cliffhanger appearance of Madelyn II. I wonder what will become of that.

 

[jufot]

Alright, so I played The Missing Part after all these recommendations. It's definitely the best game of the year so far!

Like most here, I didn't see that twist coming in the prologue, nor did I see the cliffhanger at the end of chapter 2. The game was increasingly becoming a dating sim with no overarching plot line, but that definitely changes things. The writing overall is very good, despite the occasional grammar issues. It's well-paced, heavy on the dialogue and feather-light on exposition.

Surprisingly for me, I like all the characters. There are no cartoon villains, perverts or rapists. In fact, the supporting cast is all compelling. They are all three-dimensional, real people. Ben and Victoria especially make a nice couple. They reminded me of Sean and Donna Lee from Leaving DNA. I'm also charmed by Charlotte Williams - her tough love speech at the bridge, with all that wit and snark was like a drug to me. And to have that immediately followed up with Sandra's lovely lecture to Sarah was just pure bliss!

On to the LIs, then.

I wasn't sold on Sarah initially. The nurse with a big heart who just feels too much is a boring trope. But I really liked her as a woman. Confident, bold, not willing to bend herself into something she's not for a man. Pushback of any kind is rare to see in an LI, so I quite liked it when she said "Evening wear? I'm really not a dressy kind of girl. Have you ever seen me wear a single bit of makeup or do my hair in anything other than a bun?" And the rooftop scene was wonderful. She even looked like a woman who doesn't use make up put on some make up! And yet, even in an environment where she's completely out of her element, she's still confident and sexy and very much in charge. There is no talk of romance or commitment or anything of the sort. She can tell he's not remotely ready, and he knows she can tell, so it's just two people enjoying each other's company and bodies. So refreshing to see!

Hailey I liked from the start, but not as an LI. Ambitious, driven, cocky. All things I love in a woman! Very much type A, but secretly a country bumpkin scared shitless, just faking it till she - hopefully - makes it. Unfortunately, the power dynamics are bad and the optics are worse, doubly so with her backstory. Just the boss working long hours alone with the attractive new grad who is already disliked by her cohort would be enough to get the rumour mill going, and in the post-metoo world, a hint of impropriety is enough to make a scandal. And that's all without Hailey being an LI. Her past also makes this storyline a saviour narrative, which makes the age gap even more inappropriate and icky. Just... no.

Lisa is... interesting. She is a surprisingly grounded heiress. Smart, kind, charming. Gives off old money vibes. But she has a dark past, and I'm worried it's worse than Hailey's because of what Charlotte said on the bridge: "[...] life has given her wounds that will never heal. And I am condemned to walk next to her and see her hurt every day." I hope it's nothing too horrible, or worse, something MC could jump in to save her from. Still, she's a compelling LI and the one most socio-economically matched with MC. I'm excited about her path.

The one thing I don't like is that if you pursue all three at the same time, MC doesn't seem to have any thoughts about that at all. It's like he has split personalities that switch between dates, each unaware of the other women. I hope this will be rectified in future chapters. Honestly, the writing is so good I'd be surprised if it wasn't.

Anyway, I'm sure it'll come as no surprise when I say that the OP has been updated

 

[jPk vns]

despite the occasional grammar issues

 

[jufot]

<snip>

Oh, hey jpk! The game is already far too long for me to go back and take grammar notes, unfortunately. But they were relatively minor stuff and I've seen much, much worse from supposedly native speakers, so I wouldn't worry too much about it

 

[jufot]

The sequel to Occultus: Daughter of Darkness is called The Craving and is out on

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. It's set a few years after the events of DoD, and builds upon the developments we've seen in the Kin to Chaos DLC.

Malady returns as our ever lovely protagonist, but most of the original cast is dead, changed, or otherwise gone. I found it a bit jarring at first, but once I realized it's all in service of the story, it made more sense. Malady herself isn't spared from these changes, including a new look.

If you were a fan of DoD, definitely give this one a look.

 

[kotte]

The one thing I don't like is that if you pursue all three at the same time, MC doesn't seem to have any thoughts about that at all. It's like he has split personalities that switch between dates, each unaware of the other women.

This! This is the only thing where I'd like to ask the dev, "can you please change this". Something I never normally do. But that is just because all the rest stands out as such a great product.

Since jPk has joined us in the thread, maybe there is hope? Anyway, congratulations to making it to Jufot's list!

 

[jPk vns]

This! This is the only thing where I'd like to ask the dev, "can you please change this". Something I never normally do. But that is just because all the rest stands out as such a great product.

Since jPk has joined us in the thread, maybe there is hope? Anyway, congratulations to making it to Jufot's list!

 

[Raife]

View attachment 4662092

For a first effort, Dev... your game is exceptionally strong. You should feel a sense of satisfaction. And I _am_ one of your patreons now. Your game is the sort that we support on this thread.

 

[Raife]

Alright, so I played The Missing Part after all these recommendations. It's definitely the best game of the year so far!

The game was increasingly becoming a dating sim with no overarching plot line, but that definitely changes things.

My evolving theory of the case, jufot, is that all of the LIs in this game have some kind of connection to, or demonstrate an aspect of, the MC's late wife. He is trying to fill the void left by his wife and daughter. The question the game is posing is whether it's possible for that void to be filled, and how. Hence, the title and the repeated apparitions.

That's my preliminary hypothesis, anyway. If I'm right, this makes the twist at the end of Chapter 2 even more interesting/hazardous for the MC.

At some point when I have more time, I might expound a bit on this idea and make one or two observations about how the game treats grief and family (beautifully, IMO).

But for now, it's worth highlighting the many aspects of this story worthy of praise.

1. The MC has friends (including a platonic female friend!) who show deep support and empathy.
2. The LIs _all act their age_. The youngest LI (per jufot) is endearing, but definitely seems 21. The older LIs are written as older.
3. The one proper sex scene in the game is realistic... it's two adults having sex, rather than a gymnastic struggle. It's written with eroticism in mind.
4. Yes, a large chunk of the game has the structure of a dating sim... but there is zero 'porn logic' involved.
5. There is no annoying oversharing among the characters. Nobody shares their innermost thoughts with characters that they've only met twice.
6. Like _Leaving DNA_ (high praise!) the dev created a semi-Gary Stu MC... and then crushed him completely. Et voila -- no more Gary Stu. Instead, we have a character we want to play well/defend/nurture.
7. I enjoyed the coincidences and missed chances... or chance encounters. It's a device that Charles Dickens used heavily, and it works.

 

[jufot]

That's my preliminary hypothesis, anyway.

It's definitely possible. Remember how Lisa repeated a sentence she heard from a girl in the past, triggering MC's flashback? Her description of that girl didn't quite match Ella, but surely it's too much of a coincidence? That's definitely one connection. I wouldn't be surprised to see more.

And yes, I agree with all of your points, unsurprisingly.

 

[jufot]

The next chapter of Rivers of Astrum is out on

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. In this update, Vex finally catches up with our trio and all hell breaks loose

 

[Vasin]

I have a recommendation for the list. Sigh of the Abyss is a recent, already completed, game set in a Renaissance age Dark fantasy universe that is reminiscent of games like Pillars of Eternity, Greenfall and a little bit of Dishonored in tone.

The protagonist is an Envoy of the Abyss, an entity born out of a willing sacrifice inhabiting a body that doesn't belong to you with no memories of the world and saddled with fulfilling or rejecting last wishes of those who gave you life.

The story is great, the world building is exquisite, the art is fine (character art is great, backgrounds are fine for the chosen style), soundtrack is evocative and moody. Oh, and did I mention there's basically no explicit sex scenes? You can even toggle off all the romance options so you never see them.

Just play it. The only minor nitpick that I could come up with is the gameplay decision to tie some dialogue choices to 4 "humours" system where it shapes the personality of your protagonist. I never like systems like these anywhere, since it feels to me like instead of having 1 flexible character we get 4 crammed in one and you are forced to choose one way most of the time if you want to have a consistent experience. This is not the case here, however, as most of the time I was actually comfortably choosing one of the options, because it just made sense to me, and choices that matter aren't tied to that, so you are free in those.

 

[jufot]

I have a recommendation for the list. Sigh of the Abyss

That was a fantastic recommendation, thank you!

I'll note a few spoiler-free highlights:

• The world building is indeed excellent, like you say. The writer is clearly skilled, and I liked the etymological coherence of the two religions and how they play against each other.
• The morality of the eponymous Abyss is handled impeccably well. There are no easily picked good and bad options (like Mass Effect's paragon/renegade system) and the game doesn't railroad into one or the other. I thought bought sides had good arguments and no matter how much I wished otherwise, I couldn't bear to pick one until the very end.
• Related to the above, there are multiple truly distinct endings, each feeling fully fleshed out and consistent with the build up throughout the game. Managing one good ending is a challenge for most, and Abyss has several great ones.
• Romance is entirely optional (per Vasin). It greatly enriches the game imo, but you can avoid it with no narrative damage.
• There are good endings where your beloved abandons you because of who you've become. How is that for LI agency?
• There is an asexual LI (Sylas)! How novel is that! She is a tragic woman, and the sweetest thing. I loved her lore, and all her endings, even the bad ones.

I've only pursued the women, so if I have to nitpick anything, it would be the other LI, Marané. I liked her character, but the romance with her starts very abruptly. So much so, I think there must have been a scene or two that was cut during production.

But that's a very minor blemish on an otherwise excellent game. Go play it. The OP has been updated.

 

[jufot]

After more than a year, the final chapter of Mythos: Book One is out!

 

[boobsrcool]

After more than a year, the final chapter of Mythos: Book One is out on Patreon!

Even though the ride is over I'm still calling you jufot nelson

 

[Vasin]

So I finished Mythos, after last having played it back when it was only 3 episodes.

I... can't quite say it met my expectations. The writing is the same as it has been, but the whole story sort of gave me this "promo issue for a series" thing, sort of like a comic book where there's just a lot of hits, winks and nudges towards larger things in universe, but not much *actually* happens plot wise and none of the characters have any meaningful development (that I noticed). Episodes 1-2 are setup, episode 3-4 is just bumbling about with a twist that uproots the entire plot and 5 is 90% fake endings.

And the endings, well the fake ones annoyed me for 2 reasons - it was a colossal waste of time (but that's really up to dev on what they spend it on) and more importantly, I didn't see *any* indication of the guilt of the actual culprit, to the point I skipped almost 1/3 of the ending thinking it was another fake one. It's not really a true mystery when you get no clues to actually solving it and are just along for the ride. Adding the dart toss option felt somewhat like lampshading the quality of writing where none of the options there really made sense.

So, it works as a setup for a better story in the world, but I do wish book 2 gets some *actual* plot and character conflict and development that isn't off-screen.

 

[Tlaero]

It's not really a true mystery when you get no clues to actually solving it and are just along for the ride.

I haven't played Mythos, so I don't have a horse in this race. But this line makes me think of Agatha Christie, who was infamous for writing Mysteries that you couldn't solve because she gave her detective critical information that you didn't get.

Tlaero