VN - Ren'Py - Summer's Gone [S1 Steam + DLC] [Oceanlab]

Well first things first, it has no sex scenes as of the time of the review[Ch.4.5Full] which takes away one rating star for me BUT it makes it up with almost everything else!

Now that this is out of they way, the renders are top-notch to say the very least! Both the lightning of the scenes and their quality are one of the best there is. The character models are beautiful and with some variaty on body shapes. Even thought it lacks sex-scenes, it has plenty of lewd content in it.
The animations or I should propably better say "movie clips" are very fluid and are presented in the best way possible to make a momment more impactful.

The writing? Impeccable! The story has some issues mostly with the school setting focusing suddenly with sport but that just might be me! The story-telling itself is fantastic and gets better and better the more you progress.
It has a very good narration acompanied with fiting and nice music most of the time, there are some places that feel "empty" due to the lack of music or not so fitting music but as I came to understand that is due to music tracks taken out from royalty issues and will be replaced/added later on.

It is a slow-burner essentially so if someones comes for the "faps" while skipping text well then this game is propably not for you but if you've got time and you want something nice to experience it is highly recommended to try this VN.

The story of this game is very well written, it talks alot about mental issues such as the MC and Bella's which we can see being solved throughout the game and both of them trying to become better people, the renders are amazing, the characters are very high quality and the animations are very polished, the sound is pretty good and it already has a decent amount content in the game with a massive potential.

I looked at the renders for this game and was really impressed how good they were. Then after reading through some of the comments I decided to try it out. I'm glad I did.

College drama type games aren't always the best when it comes to these adult visual novels, often they have the same tired tropes where the immature MC just chases every girl and they give in to his amazing sexual magnetism. This one is refreshing because the MC is pretty much damaged goods and shows little to zero interest in the girls around him and these girls are very attractive to say the least. His reluctance to interact with them socially and his brooding look just brings them like moths to a candle.
It's quite believable because that is quite true to life. Not all girls are drawn to the loud Jock types, but the silent loner type who still has confidence is quite alluring - well, to me anyway

The story is actually quite engaging and I found myself drawn to the characters and their hidden traumas. Speaking of characters...some of the girls have some very interesting personalities.

Nami cracks me up! she is so funny and obnoxious that you just can't not love her, she is a sweetheart who loves her MC so much and feels frustration that he doesn't show her the same feelings. Nami would literally die for him, she cares that much for him.

Mila has a big heart and looks gorgeous, even if her breasts are in danger of imploding! did they get bigger in the latest update?
It's impossible not to love her caring nature and also not feel sorry for her life so far.

Vic is hell on wheels! she has a huge heart of gold and you can't help but feel protective of her character because you just know she is going to get hurt down the line, badly. She has suffered enough trauma with the accident. She cares about everyone, regardless of their character and you can see it with her treatment of Bella and how she has even started to thaw her natural mocking response to Vic. Beautiful inside and out.

Bella. Bad bitch and a self destructive drive that matches the MC. Beauty and the Beast all rolled in one. Under those stunning looks and the rich bitch persona, she has her own personal trauma going on, preferring to take out the bitterness on others. The MC and her are too alike, it;s this that draws them to each other and could be their spectacular ending too. Unless the MC can help her to heal as well as himself. I can't wait to see more of their journey together.

Nia is like the underdog. Dismissed by everyone as a crazed emo chick that comes across as just batshit crazy. She is sensitive underneath but just reacts instead of thinking before opening her mouth. She gives the initial impression of being a slut which really puts off the MC at first. I think she is going to turn out to be an affectionate and very loyal friend/love interest when more of her story is unfolded. I can't wait for the next update to see her scenes/story unfolding.

Ayua...if Belle is fire, then Ayua is ice. A very intelligent, calculating and deadly girl who sees through Bella's outer persona. She is also very loyal if a person can win her over, but god help the MC if he hurts Bella because Ayua would not be someone you want to get on the wrong side of.

The characters are pretty much all interesting and have their own positives/negatives, just like they have their own inner pain from things that have happened in their lives. It seems that the MC is a kind of catharsis for them and he will heal them over time, just as they will be there for him.

The scenes and animations are the best I have seen on here. They are just fantastic! and they really help to immerse you into the game as you play through it. There is very little in adult content, however if you give it a chance you will find a beautifully crafted visual novel that can fully draw you into it's own little world. A world where teenagers embark on a journey together of love, betrayal, redemption and healing.

I enjoyed this so much and find myself really looking forward to the next update. Thank you Ocean for creating something special that is such fun as you explore the unfolding story.

Game characters and history line surprised me in a very positive way. Only complaint I would give it is the protagonist's hair cuts, but it obviously doesn't hurt the game. Can't wait for future updates!

Summer's Gone Ch 4.5
Wow! Wow! Wow! I think this is the most appropriate exclamation for this AVN.
This AVN really stands out from the great variety of AVN currently existing.

Story
Wow! The developer creates a story worthy of the pen of a good writer. In this story there is drama, and love, and detective, and humor, and even a little fantastic (albeit only in an imaginary DND game). At the moment there is no lewd content in the game, but there is enough good eroticism and sexual tension. The plot involves a lot of different characters, with different destinies, characters and their own lives. As stated by the developer, there are more than a dozen potential LI in the game for every taste for our MC. This means that when the AVN is finished, there will be a lot of variants of the endings of the game, and I think there will be several variants of walkthroughs with the same one. I believe that the absence of lewd content at this stage of the game is one of the main advantages of this game, it gives more reality and contributes to greater immersion in the game.

Renders and animations
Wow! Graphics and animation of a high professional level in AVN? Oh my God! It is no exaggeration to say that the Ocean has created a new standard of graphics in the world of AVN at the moment. Stunning character design, facial and body expressions in each frame, changing pupils depending on mood and illumination, scene construction, camera installation and illumination, shadows and reflections in mirrors and even in the eyes, detailed study of minor characters in the frame and backgrounds including views outside the window, rendering of more than a dozen characters in one frame etc, etc. All this is so alive that you feel completely immersed in what is happening. The feeling that you find yourself inside the film, and what is most pleasant, you can influence what is happening in this film.

Characters
At the moment, there are about 50 characters in AVN and more than 10 of them are potential LI. The dialogues are written brilliantly, as a result, we understand the character of the character from the first acquaintance. I am also glad that the characters of secondary and random characters are prescribed, which further contributes to full immersion in the game.

Music
It can be seen that the developer took a very responsible approach to the selection of music for the game, it organically complements the game.

Conclusions
For fans of exclusively fap content, I do not recommend it, as you will be disappointed.
For fans of serious games with beautiful cinematic graphics, a good plot and as close to reality as possible, I highly recommend. In my personal top AVN at the moment, this game occupies a worthy 1st place.

graphics and animation are top notch, although a few of the characters are too similar looking my for my liking

the story is very linear, i played this game twice and made different choices and found that the story is exactly the same apart from a couple of scenes which id say changed around 1% of total gameplay
I would say this game has a 1/5 replayablitity factor
Even if you choose to not attract or flirt with the sister she is all over you anyway, which is a shame

my 3 stars are basically only going on what it looks like, if i could give in a 2.5 i would

It's been said again and again but the quality of the renders is a major strength of this game. Bad lighting will make everything look flat and cheap but Ocean plays with shadows and lights a lot to make everything look good. It's very cinematic at times-especially those 5-6 seconds shots- and I love, love that. The game overall is dark visually and the vibes are immaculate.
This game has a large cast of beautiful women. While I do think having a big cast is necessary to capture the 'college' feeling and they are all nice to look at, there are a lot of plot lines and I don't think we've had much development in any of them. There's something interesting brewing for sure . Just my two cents but I do think faster pacing(I'm not saying faster dev cycles!) could be necessary in the future before the player loses interest.
And god, the main character is soooo edgy at the beginning that it feels like a dramatic twitter post. Yes, I know grief is hard to write. But it can be bit of a slog sometimes.
Some of the characters feel more like caricatures at this point in the game but I think it'll be resolved as the plot advances and we learn more about them.

This is S tier stuff, let down by a glacial release cycle and the occasional tendency to fixated on meaningless things just because they make pretty pictures.

The writing is mostly very good. There are some issues with possessives ("I'll" being used instead of "I", etc), the main character can also be a bit inconsistent following his character arc in order to suit the plot (something you might not notice unless you are a heavy reader/movie-goer). There's a big error in Chapter 4 with the insertion of a sci-fi DnD game that wastes the whole episode on 2 very minor character moments.

You can see from the images that the game is probably the most beautiful one going. It definitely has the best animations. Ocean has either overcome the flaws in Daz3D or has used blender for the best ones. They are fluid and detailed.

As someone who has just started playing it - it needed the overhaul that has slowed the development so much. If Ocean released a season on Steam of the quality I saw in chapter 2 (both visually and in writing ability) he would handicap the heights that may be reached.

However, working on two games at once that require this level of detail (and thus significant man hours) is a terrible decision. There is always going to be an axe being held above this game's head - by that I mean that abandonment is a real risk if content is too shallow and slow to come. If I felt like both games were already fully plotted out, I might be less concerned, but there are quite a few instances that make me think Ocean is approaching the story episode-by-episode; which is really fucking dangerous, particularly when SG is taking place years after Where it all Began, and in the same universe, creating the perfect breeding ground for bad retcons being needed.

Girls are all great. Bella is clearly the one you want for a strong story playthrough. Nami too, especially if you play the game patched. There's a lot of potential for Mila and Victoria in how they may affect the MC's character arc (yes, he has one, even if it is a bit scuffed at the moment). Mila is my favourite. Even her comical body proportions (I'm a flat-girl enjoyer) can't turn me off. She has a beautiful personality, insightful, kind and open, and is a welcome oasis from the rich girls that populate the college.

However, there are too many. This is a slow releasing game, and having as many confirmed love interests as it does, feels like a recipe for extreme burnout for the developer, and restless impatience from the readers.

Overall, this could be the all-time best in the genre, but there are enough problems inside the game, and outside, that could go very, very wrong. Fingers crossed it all stays the course, because it would be tragic if it could not be finished, even if we have to wait a decade for the conclusion.

Not really a leave a review kind of guy but I have to admit this is one the best games out there. Such a well written story with brilliant characters. would 100% recommend this game if your not just into sex driven games. Brilliant

Ok, have to change this rating altogether.

Beautiful renders on the LIs, I don't think you could do any better in that department. Absolute drawing point. But that's it. Everything else sucks.

Why is it constantly reworked, changed, shifted, changed again, reworked from scratch and there's zero consistency and compatibility?? Renders it unpredictable and unplayable.

Also I can appreciate not making this about MC's magic dong and a sex fest, but this is still supposed to be somewhat lewd. If I wanted just regular text reading I would pick up a book. 4 years of none of that is too much.

It's a shame to see these renders being wasted on a random nonsense that is this game.

This game is something else! I started it with very little expectations and quite cynically but was pleasantly surprised at how good it is! I don't say this loosely, but the character and story development is unmatched. There's depth to the story telling that is far ahead from any other game around and can actually match novels.
The visuals are extremely well done. The models are fantastic and even though many times it feels like there's less of choice-making branches to the game and more of clicking through to see story proceed, the story is hugely captivating to keep you glued for hours!
I'm writing this without even having completed Chapter 4.5! Can't wait for future updates. Great job!

Personally I can't thank Ocean enough for this masterpiece, not only it resonates inside me due to similar circumstances, I found some closure with my past believe it or not. And my Spotify playlist has a lot more ambient stuff from Vesky now. For those of you who are old enough to drive and have a car - try listening to Vesky during a night ride (thank me later).

Enjoy a good quality content and a rich story, not just copy/paste sex scenes and default assets from Daz store which every VN is full of them already.

This game has the potential to become an AVN masterpiece, thanks to the complex storytelling, attention to detail, and high production values.

It's the story of a broken and bad-boy MC, attempting to put his life back together several years after a violent tragedy and the disappearance of his teenage crush (the Summer of the game title). Make no mistake, the MC was a bit of a prick before the tragedy and loss. Will he heal and become more sociable, will he remain a manipulative asshole, or will he settle in the grey area in between, as he navigates college and a range of new friends and Love Interests? That will be up to the player...

Story,
The developer is crafting a world inhabited by a range of complex, believable, and very human characters, woven together within an overarching plotline. A player cannot help become invested in the characters and the story, such is the quality of the writing and world building. Like any compelling story, the plot features a range of mysteries and potential twists that will only be revealed or resolved over time through character flashbacks and current-day interactions. Oh, the story also includes some lewd stuff as well...

Originality,
As with any such story, there are a range of tropes employed within this AVN (bad-boy MC, college setting, MILFs, a bevy of beautiful LIs). What makes 'Summer's Gone' stand out is the depth of characterization, the complex and believable interactions between the characters, and the compelling plot.

Renders,
The renders and cinematics in this AVN are first class, featuring fantastic attention to detail. There are plot clues presented visually in renders that are revealed before mention in the written narrative. For example, two seemingly unrelated characters - Sasha and Dwight - are briefly seen in the background arriving together at College on the first day. Much later, Sasha gives Robin a thumbs up in the background when all the girls in the locker room learn that the MC kissed Bella. This further cements the notion that Sasha and Robin's curiosity in the MC revolves solely around their relationship with Bella and not some infatuation with the MC. In a flashback of the MC and his crush Summer in a classroom, Nami sits in the background. Her gut-wrenching long face betrays the secret love she has for the MC and his rejection of her. The cinematic ending to chapter 4.5 on the Bella path is truly phenomenal, illustrating subtle and emotive changes in Bella's body language and facial expression (including pupil dilation) when she sees the MC - revealing a spark of love in her otherwise illusory veneer of invincibility.

Sound,
The soundscape is dynamic and cinematic, bringing an emotional resonance to the narrative. The Dev clearly pays a lot of attention to his curation of the soundtrack - like any good movie or TV show, songs from the soundtrack will continue to play in your head long after quitting the game.

Amount of content
As at chapter 4.5, there is a reasonable amount of content along with many subtle scene and story differences, depending on in-game player choices. Already, the AVN requires multiple playthroughs to appreciate all the content. It's a slow burn, with only several minor lewd scenes and no sexual intercourse. This slow burn is justified and well worth the wait... such is the quality 'Summer's Gone'.

Look everyone... we all know why we play AVN's. I was the same way. I heard about this game - how amazing the renders are, how the story is good... there's no lewds though. Oh well, I thought - might as well give it a try...

TRY IT. If you're reading this without playing, PLAY IT. I don't sub on patreon, but Ocean earned a new sub. This game is fantastic. The visuals are gorgeous. The scenery, the characters - wow. Ocean, this game is fantastic - many kudos to you.

very good game, I thought the story was sensational and there were many improvements from chapter 1, best renders I've ever seen, the animations are sensational, all the girls have different personalities, I expect a lot from this game, it's already among the best I've played.

one of the best games i have ever played . this is fantastic in terms of story.Even though this is a slow burn it is very much enjoyable and worth the blue balls. Waiting for the next update as things are gonna get very very interesting in the chapter 5 .

I have no words, it's in my top and definitely one of the best visual novels I've played. I would like to forget what I played so that I can play it again, but unfortunately I have to wait for the next update.
It's a shame that I've also seen negative reviews because there aren't any sex scenes yet or because it doesn't have potential in the future... when I see what people rate in the game, I don't know if I should cry or laugh. Everyone has their own opinion, so I can't interfere but I think it has huge potential. We are talking about quality and not quantity and it will definitely be a huge game.
That's all I can tell you, try the game and you will fall in love with it.

Wow, this game really did a good job in development relationships, i really like the interactions with Bella and the anti - simp behavior of the protagonist, hope to see a good develop of romance with Bella!

Absolutely beautiful characters (salute to Bella and Nami fans) with nice visuals, more or less solid writing and engaging story, paired with a worst development planning I've ever seen. It's definitely above average but damn, I can only imagine where we would've been now if not all those remakes and refactorings.

The story started with an interesting mystery, now it continues as a normal university story in a bad way.
The changes in the story do not give confidence for the future.
Although there are many LIs in the game, the main focus of the current version is a single LI.(too many romantic scenes/mutual love)
The story is very disorganized in this regard, not well planned.
The reason I gave this game two points is because of the romance-based story and good art.