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Recommending Story-first games

5.00 star(s) 8 Votes

ShamanLab

[Industry News] Weird behavior (c)
Game Developer
Dec 16, 2019
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I know my games look offbeat but both of them very story driven and story reach. :)
 
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Vasin

Member
Nov 20, 2018
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Thanks for a nice curated list. If I might add Between Two Worlds. Good graphics, characters look like humans. Plot is introductory so far, but there are no glaring contrivances, aside from, you know, magic, what with plot being urban fantasy. There's even a somewhat reasonable justification for why women are suddenly throwing themselves at MC. (GF is probably the most plausible GF I've seen so far) Also a fair bit of content for version 0.3.
 

jufot

Well-Known Member
May 15, 2021
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I'm back with another recommendation: One Night Stand

As the synopsis says, "David is a middle-aged bar owner, who has been content with spending his life all alone for the past ten years; Elena is a college graduate, who just had her heart broken by someone she loved. Project ONS tells the intimate story about the two of them getting together for a single night - and what it means to them personally."

There is a great deal of maturity and tact here, and I could imagine every scene happening exactly like that in real life. It helps that the writing is quite good, and is aided by a fitting soundtrack (Moonlight Sonata on repeat), and gorgeous visuals. Every frame looks like an oil painting, and I found myself staring at them for a while. These are just a few of my favourites:

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The game is basically a kinetic novel with a single choice. There is a normal option, and a somewhat inappropriate one. According to the developer, choosing the latter will move things towards corruption, which I have no interest in. I recommend the former.

Anyway, this initial release ends quite early in the night, but I loved what I saw, and I'm really looking forward to the next update.
 

Jaike

Well-Known Member
Aug 24, 2020
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MC is at the bottom of the food chain in this world...
Sounds bloody and painful. :eek:

So about another vampire game, I'm not really sure if I should actually recommend it, but Revamped Bloodline is a story-driven HTML RPG where everything sexual is solidly embedded in the story if anything. But the protagonist operates in a world that's so misogynist that it may at times feel like a digital struggle session and I can't guarantee that there is absolutely no rape or sexual assault in it. Wouldn't surprise me at all if it did. If you don't want your protagonist to be treated too badly, I recommend you spend enough points in physical strength early.
 
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jufot

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I'd argue neither of those games are a good fit for this thread.
 

desmosome

Conversation Conqueror
Sep 5, 2018
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The Bite: Revenant is excellent. I'm sure anybody into WoD inspired vampire stories have already jumped on it. I've seen some posts around the site pitting it against Rebirth, and I wanted to talk a bit about it. It's a topic I wanted to discuss somewhere, but didn't want to derail the game threads with some fandom war. So let's do it here.

They are similar, but also quite different. They are obviously both inspired by WoD and specifically VTM. Rebirth seems to base its lore more faithfully to the source material, but it is TB:R that captures the spirit and atmosphere of VTM successfully.

There could be some minor spoilers from here, so read at your own risk.

They broadly have a similar premise. MC is the childe of some presumably ancient vampire who remains a mystery. He develops powers and grows extremely fast thanks this potent bloodline. He has a surrogate vamp mommy/mentor. Some vampire politicking and shenanigans. This might seem way too similar when written out like this, but the experience is totally different.

Rebirth has a narrow scope, both in terms of narrative and characters. You interact with your core group almost exclusively. It feels very insulated and the focus is mainly on the mystery surrounding the MC's origins and his interaction with Sharon. Most of the game takes place indoors, either Sharon's house or the new crib. It has a strong focus on the mysticism, vampire society, rituals, and the esoteric nature of their existence. You almost never interact with the human society. The masquerade is never really emphasized. That's not to say that this is bad or a wrong way to go about things. I really like Rebirth.

TB:R seems more expansive right off the bat. It feels urban. The first major quest has you going out and doing some investigation. There is a bigger human element, both in the world, and in MC's nature. This really captures the essence of VTM even if they are much more liberal in modifying the lore and mechanics. I believe dev stated they also took inspiration from True Blood. Anyways, the game is in the early stages, so there isn't much else to talk about here. Oh, the MC's penis works. That's always a plus...

As for the dev skills in terms of production, I think TB:R wins out on all fronts. It's certainly much more ambitious in terms of game design. There are more stats and skills for the MC, there is a non-intrusive minor sandbox element (introduced at the very end of the last update), inventory, more involved gameplay, and more diverse route variations. How this will pan out is yet to be seen, but I think there is a great basis to build off of. The visuals are certainly in favor of TB:R, no questions there. Higher quality renders, better shots that don't force first person views, newer models, better wardrobe. TB:R's sound and music effects are miles ahead.

The writing could be subjective, but I personally think TB:R wins unambiguously. Some of it comes down to style which kind of ties into the narrative focus I mentioned earlier. Rebirth's focus is the mysticism and it kinda feels like an old school style of vampire society. The characters are all subdued. They speak tersely. They don't have much distinguishing features that make em stand out. They are cogs in a wheel of the narrative and their entire existence revolves around the MC. Most characters have their surface level characteristics, but the dialogue writing is rather monotonous. What is even Laurie's character? TB:R's characters are much more animated and convincing. The MC feels much more relatable and human, as does every other character. All the characters exhibit their own motivations. Their personality shines through both in their actions and in their speech patterns/mannerisms.

Just to be clear, I enjoy both of these games greatly. I can find faults in a game like Rebirth and still enjoy it for what it is. TB:R's exceptional adaptation of the VTM atmosphere and its flawless execution so far is what places it above the other game for me.
 
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jufot

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May 15, 2021
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I enjoy both of these games greatly. I can find faults in a game like Rebirth and still enjoy it for what it is. TB:R's exceptional adaptation of the VTM atmosphere and its flawless execution so far is what places it above the other game for me.
I couldn't agree more. While Rebirth is good, it doesn't give me that feeling of being transported into another universe. VTMB's Los Angeles pulled me in because it felt brooding, dark and alive with interesting characters on every corner. TB:R manages to invoke that same feeling, elevating it above Rebirth.
 
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jufot

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May 15, 2021
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Any thoughts on Tlaero and Mortze's new game, ? It's an original story not set in the Elsaverse or Keeleyverse. Episode 0 is a brief introduction to the setting and characters, and I really enjoyed it. It has the most diverse cast of their games so far, and they are all endearing in their own ways (except the doctor, of course :)). I'm curious to see where it goes from here.
 

HunterSeeker

Engaged Member
May 13, 2017
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Don't know if these have already been mentioned but these are some of my favorite story games on this site:
  • Above the Clouds
  • Become a Rock Star
  • Color of my Sound
  • Eternum
  • How to Fix the Future
  • Kindread the Redburns
  • MidLife Crisis
  • Mist
  • Nothing is Forever
  • Now and Then
  • Ripples
  • STWA: The Unbroken
  • Wicked Rouge
  • Babysitter
  • Depraved Awakening
  • Dreams of Desire
  • Euphoria
  • Lust Epidemic
  • Maggot Baits
  • Nanairo Reincarnation
  • Play With Us Episode 2
  • Sisterly Lust
  • Where it All Began
 

jufot

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May 15, 2021
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What did everyone think of Being a DIK's Interlude?

I found it so utterly relatable. You see, just like Zoey, I was also a teenager of high school age who left his family and friends and ran away to another city. I remember being completely sure about my decision. I thought I was being suffocated by everything - family, friends, school, even the city. I wanted nothing more than to leave everything behind and never look back. My dad had tried to talk me out of it, but I had convinced mum to shut him up.

Again, like Zoey, I had some invaluable experiences during that time. I wouldn't trade them for anything. Yet, the decision to run away, I regret immensely. After all, wherever you go, there you are.

Luckily for Zoey, her dalliance with frivolity lasted only a year. It took me considerably longer to realize the error of my ways.

Anyway, that's enough navel-gazing :) Interlude is almost entirely self-contained and fairly short, so I'd recommend it even to those who don't like BaDIK. Think of this as a nice little slice of life story that's well worth a look!

Raife, hopefully this'll be the end of your nonsense about my "notorious bias" ;)
 
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mr.AwesomeGameTaste

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Feb 18, 2021
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What did everyone think of Being a DIK's Interlude?

I found it so utterly relatable. You see, just like Zoey, I was also a teenager of high school age who left his family and friends and ran away to another city. I remember being completely sure about my decision. I thought I was being suffocated by everything - family, friends, school, even the city. I wanted nothing more than to leave everything behind and never look back. My dad had tried to talk me out of it, but I had convinced mum to shut him up.

Again, like Zoey, I had some invaluable experiences during that time. I wouldn't trade them for anything. Yet, the decision to run away, I regret immensely. After all, wherever you go, there you are.

Luckily for Zoey, her dalliance with frivolity lasted only a year. It took me considerably more than that to realize the error of my ways.

Anyway, that's enough navel-gazing :) Interlude is almost entirely self-contained and fairly short, so I'd recommend it even to those who don't like BaDIK. Think of this as a nice little slice of life story that's well worth a look!

Raife, hopefully this'll be the end of your nonsense about my "notorious bias" ;)
If we look at it as a separate short story,it was decent, It had some nice moments,I think most people can relate to what she was feeling when she wanted to leave everything behind.
Unfortunately the fear of ntr,or rather,dev's fear of people disliking ntr (which wouldn't be ntr in this case) has once again hurt the story.
The free spirited zoey who disliked the lovey dovey shit and emotional mc didn't have sex or relationships during that year? please. If she was in a relationship with that red haired dude or someone else and learned that true connection and chemistry that she had with the mc was hard to find,that would be much more convincing and a mature way to tell a story,oh well,we know why he couldn't do it this way.
When we look at it as part of badik,it's goal was to make players invested in Zoey,and it achieved that for me,however I didn't care for a whole update of a backstory for a single character,I'd much rather learn what zoey was up to through the progression of the plot during the time of the main game.
It was decent,but not worth 4 months of development.
 

Raife

Active Member
May 16, 2018
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Raife, hopefully this'll be the end of your nonsense about my "notorious bias" ;)
Egads, Jufot -- your notorious anti-college game bias (NACGB) rears its fugly head again! :giggle:

I'm glad that you liked the BAD interlude, which reinforces my difficult-to-contest hypothesis that it is a story-first game. While the story might not be _good_, it takes precedence over porn delivery, and while there are a fair number of porn tropes in the game, they are of secondary/tertiary importance relative to the plot. It might not be the best story-first game... but it does put the story first.

As for the way the story resonated for you -- I had a similar reaction. I'm still just barely young enough to remember what it was like to be 18... all the crazy energy and angst that entailed... and the amazingly dumb decisions that flowed from that state of affairs. So... it was easy for me to have empathy for Zoey and her decisions/mistakes.
 
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jufot

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May 15, 2021
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Egads, Jufot -- your notorious anti-college game bias (NACGB) rears its fugly head again! :giggle:
Oh, no!

I'm glad that you liked the BAD interlude, which reinforces my difficult-to-contest hypothesis that it is a story-first game.
I really enjoyed it, but I'm afraid it still doesn't push it over the threshold for me :) A story-first game, particularly one with a good story, would have Zoey sleep with others during her year away. Ironically, it is porn-logic for her not to sleep around. I basically agree with mr.AwesomeGameTaste on this one.
 
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mr.AwesomeGameTaste

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Feb 18, 2021
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I didn't think Zoey would be with a man in the interlude,but I was kind of hoping for a lesbian relationship that would serve the same purpose,and till the very end I was convinced Emma was going to be zoey's gf.
Badik and "ntr'' (which once again,isn't ntr but I'm using it to simplify things) is the biggest problem I have with the game.
I was surprised zoey didn't have a relationship with a female,especially since maya and josy were together before mc came into the picture,so people shouldn't be mad about it right?
The relationship between Sage and Chad,where dpc is really trying to convince us they didn't have sex,at least not for the longest time,and Sage was just fine with it for a couple of years of their relationship is just stupid in my opinion.
Not to mention,people seem to forget half of the HOTs are literal prostitutes,including fan favorites like Riona and Quinn.
Well, it's not the end of the world,but It did hurt the story,to clarify my earlier point.
 

jufot

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May 15, 2021
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I didn't think Zoey would be with a man in the interlude,but I was kind of hoping for a lesbian relationship that would serve the same purpose
Realistically, she would have been a with another man. After all, what are the odds of a random woman who has only ever been with men suddenly discovering her latent bisexuality? DPC chose to keep her player-sexual, which is a shitty cop-out :(

The relationship between Sage and Chad,where dpc is really trying to convince us they didn't have sex,at least not for the longest time,and Sage was just fine with it for a couple of years of their relationship is just stupid in my opinion.
Yeah, this is one of the bigger problems with BaDIK: Any man who is even remotely in the orbit of an LI is either gay (Chad), or a clown to be ridiculed (Derek, Tybalt, etc). It cheapens the narrative, and for what? To avoid offending the ridiculous sensibilities of an immature audience? :/
 

mr.AwesomeGameTaste

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Feb 18, 2021
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Realistically, she would have been a with another man. After all, what are the odds of a random woman who has only ever been with men suddenly discovering her latent bisexuality? DPC chose to keep her player-sexual, which is a shitty cop-out :(


Yeah, this is one of the bigger problems with BaDIK: Any man who is even remotely in the orbit of an LI is either gay (Chad), or a clown to be ridiculed (Derek, Tybalt, etc). It cheapens the narrative, and for what? To avoid offending the ridiculous sensibilities of an immature audience? :/
well i generally agree.
When we talk about an adult game,we have to determine what is it trying to provide. Is it a story first game with sex in it,or is it just a porn game? Well,badik tries to be both,it has to. it is the most popular adult game,your generic pop hit on the radio.And that's ok. I'd say it maintains a pretty good balance generally. So it's audience consists of both story lovers and people who are there for porn. Besides,many people who say they love the story,what they really mean is "I like how the story fills out the time between the lewds. That's why non sexual VN's are so obscure and the interest in them is quite small. Sometimes even the devs who mostly focus on the story just need to add sex to it so there will be someone who will actually read their story. That's why I'm usually not really bothered by badik's writing issues,but this one is pretty bad. I know a lot of people who play these games mostly for the sexual content,but they are just not intimidated by another guy in the game or simply just want to see a hot lady getting boned,and they don't care who does the boning. There are also people who want a mature story and have similar view on this matter as you and I. There are also people who want both,to truly have a mature story and good lewds. But I would argue that badik's fanbase mostly consists of the "i like the story as long as it has boobs" as i described it before. They get immersed enough to care,and can't stand the fact someone else might be near their digital girls.Unfortunately they are shaping the standards for adult games and badik itself and I don't see it changing anytime soon.
 
5.00 star(s) 8 Votes