VN - Ren'Py - STWA: Unbroken [Pt. 7] [STWAdev]

This game is a real treat.

Character's personalities make them feel real and less like caricatures or tropes that you get in most games. Makes you feel like your reading a well written story which really does go a long way in making games stand out in the sea of games out there.

Story is gripping that you actually care about what is happening and the layer of mystery that is being weaved in with each update is a wonderful touch to really bring players into the story as you will always be trying to figure out what the big secret is.

The girls which lets be honest is why most play these games are the best. Each girl is unique and brings something new to the table for the MC and visually stand out against each other just as much as personalities. You will be hard pressed to pick a favorite and I predict that the longer the game continues the harder it will be to make your final choice as if like the creators first game will be non-harem. Knowing you may have to reject any of these girls at some point is the only negative thing I could even give the game lol.

With Part 5 this game has cemented its place as one of my top 5 games Ive every played on this site and Id be hard convinced that will change based on how well the first game went.

Congrats to the creator this game really is something special and a great way to start 2023!

I love this game and i loved The Author as well, perhaps this is my most favorite of all the renpy VNs out there. Immersive, fantastic writing and satisfies my tomboy cravings. The two games are set in the same universe, and you can meet characters from The Author, which makes it interesting. There are no forced sex scenes, you can choose to remain loyal or try it out with a few other girls before deciding the one.

One of the best games I've played around here. Visually beautiful and with a intricate story. The pace is very good and there is a lot of mystery that is revealed little by little. Can't wait to see where this goes.

The game begins by telling you how much of a worthless asshole you are. That you suck compared to everyone, that nobody likes you and such.

Except the main character is famous, rich, and everybody ever loves him. He has an asshole MMA fighter fame and that's it. Anyone close to him loves him.

It's so awkward to listen to the MC call himself an asshole again and again while every character around him just keeps parroting his insanely good soul or whatever the fuck.

It's a very contrived plot. The MC is just not as interesting as the author thought he was while writing it, and certainly it's not well written. It's like the author is fascinated by his own self insert.

Oh and there's very little actual sex in the game. And it's not well animated. Just pretty renders is all.

I have to say that I'm thoroughly impressed with the quality of writing on this title. There are a number of things that are done quite well, and they may not be the things that get the most praise in games like this.

This is a story with a slow burn. It takes its time carefully, letting the characters open up at their own pace, and that really appeals to me. I didn't take the first sex option that came early on, and that made a difference to the story and the way it unfolds. I'm sure that many players would jump right at that, and I think that would be a mistake. Skipping the first sex scene lets the story breathe a bit before getting right into it, and believe me, that's a strength.

The author clearly has taken the time to get the details right on the backgrounds and the stories of the characters, and that effort really shows. I don't know much about MMA fighting myself, but it's clear to me that the author does, and has put in the time to make the details feel properly organic.

What I do know something about is the veterans issues, and those are handled extremely well. Not typically something that comes up in games of this nature, but as a vet myself who's struggled with my own share of trauma, this is handled so very gracefully, and makes the game feel more personal to me.

This isn't a game that slaps a loose story into place around sex. Sure, there's sex in the story, but the story comes first, rather than the reverse. If you're just here for the slap and tickle, this may not be the game for you. But if you find the story more appealing because the characters come to life as things evolve, I cannot recommend this strongly enough. You won't be disappointed.

So far, the characters and narrative are strong. The decisions aren't really difficult, but the tale is nonetheless compelling. Excellent models as well. I'm looking forward to seeing where the fighting mechanisms go in future versions.

There's only ONE dev i know that has renders that tops this game & that's saying something. Story & writing? S tier. Pacing? Really good. Love Interests? Man, it's hard to decide. I wish there was background music playing for better immersion but that's very minor & i can certainly live without it. Would be nice though. Invest in this game, you won't regret it.

I played the Author and really liked it so decided to give this one a try as well. I must say I am a bit disappointed with the game in general and I am surprised at its high scores. I played through the whole available content so I could give it a fair try.

Renders
The renders are very beautifully done and the models are attractive and look different. The animations are a bit simple but do the job.

The sex scenes are the real letdown in the game, they are very short, and there's not much buildup to them, they sort of just happen. The writing on them isn't particularly exciting either.

Story
The story has some nice points, in particular I like the conflict between the MC and Davis, and his internal dialogue. I also liked the parts of him working on the Vet Center. I think those show a mature subject treated well and in a believable way.

I didn't like very much the relationships between the MC and most girls, except for Vi, they felt a bit force.

Why 3/5?
With these renders, the story seeds... etc this game could have been an easy 5, however the already mentioned lackluster sex scenes really left me a bad impression, the other point was the MCs interactions with the girls.

To elaborate, the MC here is presented as a bit of a playboy, there are constant allusions to him getting on with supermodels and being a player. The girls in his life comment on this, mocking him a bit even, and yet, they all throw themselves at him:, in order:

The ring lady: she comes to him, out of the blue and offers to have sex.

Amrit: your friend tells you not to fuck with her, and you are given the choice if you would accept her or not, and then a couple of scenes later she offers you her V-card, this is independent of your choices.

Elspeth: she is obviously infatuated with the MC and tries to get him into a relationship in a very passive way, expecting him to take the first step.

Serena: at the hotel, your first interaction with her, she basically offers to fuck. If you say no, she will later offer again a date.

Ines: she throws herself at the MC at any chance she gets, to "protect Vi", really?

All in all, the MC is always passive and, if you do not chose the absolute asshole options during the choices, you get the girls without doing anything. It doesn't feel rewarding, the MC feels empty and not in the good way of "he is filling his life with meaningless sex to cope with his pain but really wants more out of life and needs help", because he does nothing and yet everyone around him falls for him.

I will keep an eye out on this one and might play it to completion once it is finished, but overall it left me quite unimpressed.

Mature and profound story. I played it with a bittersweet soundtrack/playlist from spotify in my headphones, perfect match. Recommeded!
I read every line and enjoyed the story, would have played it without the lewd scenes as well.

Review up to Part 4.

I love this game and I strongly recommend it to those who enjoy a good story, amazing writing and excellent renders. It is a continuation from STWA: The Author but this game is far more engaging and enjoyable IMO.

The biggest reason for that is I like the main character (including his profession) a lot more. You are badass, and the plot is more exciting, but still a kind, caring and overall good person (setting aside the lechery at least but at least you are open/honest about it).

I can't say enough good things about the writing...it is funny, witty and well thought out. Perhaps the best part is I feel I can relate to and/or connect with many of the characters and they are each interesting in their own way.

Rating up to "Part 4" of this AVN.

Rather good game in my humble opinion.
Story is intriguing and interesting, visuals are basic but appealing. Animations are there but rather rudimentary.
The writing is what keeps my interest for the most part.

Characters are written rather realistic and seem to have an agenda of their own, which is rare in this day and age. Most other AVNs seem to revolve around the MC and the events he experiences alone.
Love interests aren't all eager to jump your balls, at least most of them aren't. You have to work on some of them to get the lewds, (or work really hard in some cases) and I like that. That's especially remarkable in this setting, where you play as an up and coming MMA star with a fondness for bedding supermodels in his free time.

The LI models are mostly quite detailed and appealing with a decent deal of variety. Unfortunately the more you play these VNs, the more you start to recognize certain models that get a lot of use by different devs. I started to see them as "actresses" playing different roles, it's not as jarring this way. One of the main LIs has a very "special" model, both in the right and the wrong ways. But I guess that's ultimately a matter of personal taste. It's not a harem game so you ultimately might have to pick and choose. Right now there are no dire consequences yet if you whore around.

Gameplay is nothing super special, so far it's a classic VN and the most "gameplay" there is are decisions that alter the progression with the different LIs. To be quite frank I was looking forward to something a little more involved with it's self proclaimed focus on the MMA and fighting business. But hey, it's still Ren'Py so I'm not really sure what I expected.

There's a lot of charm in this game. The writing stands out from the sea of samey VNs and I'm gonna follow its development with great interest.

This game kicks ass!

As an MMA fan, it's so awesome to see something related to the sport in a VN. You can tell the Dev is a fan, as well, as they nail the details of the positions. The writing is where this game really shines. Some of the most enjoyable, and realistically written characters you'll find in any adult game.

The renders are great, the character's designs are all unique. No cookie-cutter honey select models to be seen. And the choices are aplenty. The MC is a badass without seeming contrived, but he's also a really good dude. Just an overall joy to play as. Honestly, not a bad thing to say about this one.

5*

Pros

• Strong individual character writing and leadup.
• Plot moves at a fair pace.
• Sexual advances don't feel out of place or rushed in the wrong ways.
• Character interactions have weight behind 'em.
• Good visual diversity.
• Story is well-articulated.
• Main character is decently interesting and complex.

Cons

• Missing that harem tag
• Could use some mood music, even with the mod helping.

Summary
I'm enjoying what I've got so far. Strong contender for one of the better VNs on the market, though shorter than I'd like for four chap ters. Given this seems more dating sim than harem, there is a bit of uncertainty as to how the cards come tumbling down with my mixed approach to the choices in the game, but instead of dreading it by being baited, I'm rather anticipating and looking forward to it, given the quality of the writing here.

awesoem game the character models are amazing incredibly detailed and each of them stunning and attractive, the writing for each character actually feels like real people, great game overall keep it up!

I am totally in love with this game. It does something right that not many games on this site do: the writing. I actually come back for the story with this game. While the sex scenes are nothing to write home about, they are made enjoyable because they are with characters that are well written and seem to actually have a personality (also the renders are nice).
All the girls are different, but I like every one of them. The romance paths are slow and believable, no pouncing on MCs dick because they saw him shower once.
Play this, you won't be disappointed

Version reviewed: Pt. 4

I wasn't familiar with this dev and downloaded Unbroken on a whim, and to say that I was pleasantly surprised is quite the understatement. The writing here is miles better than that of every other game I played, and yes that includes a lot of the most popular titles and fan favourites.

This dev gets something that 99% of others don't: the need for romance/eroticism and the importance of the written words on screen. Let's face it, the overwhelming majority of WEGs are usually nothing more than glorified collections of porn CGs, where not much care is given to the "novel" side of the whole Visual Novel thing, and the usually clichè ridden story's only purpose is that of directing the player from one dull sex scene to the next. This isn't the case here. The story is interesting for sure, but what really sets Unbroken apart is its lovely cast of characters, from the obviously damaged MC trying to find his place in the world, to the diverse cast of potential LIs who gravitate around him and their different and endearing personalities. I especially appreciate how genuine the dialogues and banter between the cast feel, and the fact that the author knows not to superimpose his own interests or opinions over the characters, which is something that for whatever reason a lot of devs like to do (i.e. an overabundance of obscure movie references or, god forbid, "memes"). Also, choices seem to matter a whole lot, so you're free to choose which girl(s) you want to pursue and which others to straight up reject, and let me tell you, considering this isn't tagged as a harem game and there will most likely be consequences down the road, those choices can be quite difficult to make.

The downside of Unbroken being a "slow burn done right" kind of game, is that it ultimately has to deliver on the smut, which has to be on par with the high expectations set by the writing, or at the very least not seem like an afterthought. There is little sexual content to be seen so far and, like others have mentioned before me, it's not really up to snuff so far. This is the only aspect where this game stands to improve, and if it does it will be nothing short of outstanding.

P.S.: As always, I'll wait for the game to be completed to give it the full 5* should that be the case.

SERIOUSLY... HOW!?! How did it take me this long to find and try this amazing title..
The characters are incredible both in writing and design.. (minus the ring girl her face seemed a bit off)
I never played the Author so i was coming into this without that prior experience, HOWEVER as of writing this its currently downloading too..
I'm from the UK too so it was a surprise when i saw that this was actually UK based and with references to towns and citys i know well.. usually its seems that almost all VNs are asia or stateside based, so this was a welcome change of scenery..
I LOVED the use of the MMA assets from daz and so on for this title.. the way the scenes were set out and rendered felt authentic and while i was hoping for some crowd noise and music during those early scenes it wasnt a deal breaker.. just would have been so much better with it..
I hope the dev keeps progressing with this title as its rare i'm THIS hooked from a few mins of reading and cant wait for more in the future..
Thanx for a truly enjoyable and unique read for once

Everything in this game is great.
The characters, the writing, the story, the renders.
I already liked "The Writer" and thought that had a compelling story and beautiful characters, but Unbroken exceeds that game by far.

It manages to tell a story about redemption, loss, betrayal and other heavy topics, but it manages to do so in a hopeful, not depressing way, and that is a feat. This could be just another pretentious Emo-Shitfeast, instead, while sometimes a bit melodramatic, it manages to honestly convey these feelings and emotions.

There isn't a single woman among the LIs that I don't like, and while there are trope-y touches here and there, but the characters are more than just one-dimensional. Except for maybe Serena, so far she doesn't even appear like a full LI, if she is dev needs to flesh her out massively in upcoming updates, because so far she is beyond bland compared to the other ladies.
Who all have a backstory and a background and feel like fully-realized characters, not just cutout cardboards.
All the girls look fantastic, but not two look alike. There are so many games where the women look like they are the same model, just with a different wig and different sized of breast implants. Not here.
Not even the two gorgeous redheads look alike, and that is something.
You have more sporty characters like Amrit and Kana, with nice, tight butts and perky breasts, but you also have a voluptuous goddess like Serena with milky, creamy skin and huge gorgeous assets.
As for Viridiana, it is a feat to have scars that are at once so strong that you can't deny them, but at the same time don't change that the woman is gorgeous, and she is. And at the same time, she has a real face, again, not just a copy and paste of all these perfect rendered ladies.

I can't wait to see what comes next, the highest recommendation.

Well, this is not something if you just want to have a quick fap. For that go elsewhere, even if the models are beautiful.
That being said:
The story is very interesting, as are the characters.
Their different personalities are just awesomely done and there is not a single one I dislike. It is really hard to turn any of them down, gives me even a ping of guilt for most of them. Even more so because this is one of the VNs where you can read what is going on in their heads even when nothing is said, I just love this, the subtle changes in the mimic that makes them look so alive.

I just ended chapter 4 and haven't slept with any of them until now - so I cannot really say anything about the sex scenes. But for me sex is the least important thing here. It is about story, characters, emotions, inner conflicts and this is extremly well done.

So easily 5/5 for me it by the end of chapter 4.

I think its ironic that I am on a site like this looking for story/plot development that keeps me captivated while being able to enjoy the enticing girls presented within the story. I think what most games/movies/shows/etc. lack today is the ability to present something that feels realistic down too its core and I feel like this game represents something that I have desired within my own mindscape. This game is truly great and i's both unfortunate and a blessing that I am so invested because the wait time is killer!