Others - Completed - Sunrider 4: The Captain's Return [Final] [Love in Space]

A nice sequel to the previous games. This part deserves more attention.
The story surprised me. Most of the game it maintained the usual melodramatic tone, which actually suits this genre. But the last third had a very unexpected and a welcome tone shift (in my taste). I like when things become "meta", and this is the first game in the series to do this, and do this in an entertaining manner.

The characters are typically everything in these kinds of games, and these characters are very likeable. The dynamics from the previous parts were preserved and developed.

What always surprised me about Sunrider is how the story ignores many genre expectations and does its own thing. Namely that you can't choose a love interest yourself - the staple of most VNs on this website. This evokes some respect and allows for coherent and distinctive plot, but leaves you wondering if the things would be more enjoyable if you actually did have different routes. Thankfully, not once in the series you had spin-offs centered on choosing a love interest with all the expected content, so I'm betting on this happening again soon.

What really surprised me is the complete absence of sex scenes in this game, even though the previous main entries had at least 1-2 scenes. I would understand it if they aimed at not being considered an adult game, but it still has nudity! Just in some random and not sexual situations. Doesn't make sense to me.

There is a lot of combat in the game, and I found it great. At some point it got a bit too hard for me, so I switched from normal to easy, because I didn't want to shift the focus from the story. But it is quite enjoyable and challenging in a good way. I'm a strategy nerd, so this was just what my autistic ass needed

I just hope the next part will come out sooner than in 7 years, unlike this one

Another great addition to the Sunrider series Love the new battle system, the art!

Girls are hot, plotline makes sense, just wish there were actual hardcore H-scenes. I think that the ending of the game also hints at another game to come, so definetly hyped for that.

Warning though: Play the first three games first! And if you wanna fap, Sunrdier Academy is the way to go (non-canon, but fun)

2.5/5 (was 3.4 before Edit)
Below Average - Average

-With time waisted and not enough personal rewards (story / character / cgs / culture / epic cool stuff / ...) keeping it from getting that 4/5

Disclaimers:
Might update review when I actually complete it.

(Note this barely if at all deserves too be on here, there is almost 0 ecchi, no porn, and more "parody" jokes then seriousness too call it a serious adult game way more so then previous title).
(I also currently don't know how far I am, but am quite far)
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Cons:

So far it has been a bit of a disappointment and lacking a ton of poilish with a lot more feeling of simpler mass people.
Which the way they handle ""importing"" previous title is great showing of that and is part of entire game.
(importing you have to grab a clear save file from captain version change it to a .txt and place in documents of this game - accept that captain's is not lore/cannon though - at chapter 5 finally get proven it works with a tiny near pointless or hopefully is reward ie 500$ and 1 affinity point = think maybe under certain conditions of choices this can double either way its near nothing and does not seem too have any sort of story impact).

Gameplay never transitions into story, which while the norm is soo common that it is jarring.
(the most common and least aggravating is many many missions will be like beat X / hold out X turns or ->
story then has you getting beat and fleeing regardless of anything and cannon clearly acting like you did no damage
There are worse things and again all too common)

There are also these annoying clearly not well thought out mechanics that make you feel like its wasting your time
- Temple """"puzzle"""" segments that make the fade of Dragon Age seem like paradise and the best thought out think provoking "puzzle" + "unique" mechanics, not to mention can get hard locked if lack upgrades.
(For most part.. screwing the added 6th momentary extra annoying + possibly locking time(s) .. you have 5 ryders that each can do 1 mechanic thing in boxed connecting rooms
=1 can flip switches + grav gun too move mechs more then default movement =1 can grab $/objective =1 can hold doors and you use them too puzzle =2 that can open a door
and then you have too figure out how to get all through with these while also keeping in mind the limited movement and blocking of eachother especially on door ways that they have too touch very specifically too open + go through! ----
Starts with
basically being a tutorial on these mechanics that are drawn out worse then a bad mmo dedicating wayy wayy too much to it
Worst part it gets worse
each time adding seemingly pointless time waisters from having too drop off your guy on platforms too adding that temp 6th who has the movement speed of floating trash too enemies forcing instant lose if any in room with them.. which also happens too be with the slow 1).
->
Tips to better handle this segemnt
MAKE SURE YOU UP Gravity Gun and have some movement + en, in most cases only certain ones have too make it too end so don't always have to waist time moving all of them as said earlier will not follow gameplay but story and say all made it, and make sure to always move people behind the "yellow line" of the podium too door grav gunning the slowest while making sure too always give slowest best chances to proceed and not Be Blocking and be able too move a bit unto the arrows too go through and not be on arrows already.

- Enemy becomes more and more and more numerous and spread out, forcing you too wait longer and longer each time for enemy too finish their turn
(no speed up/skip)
-you get affinity in most cases by just accepting quests and doing them.. (which not only is silly but the bad part here is they are what provides the abilties + passives that you will not only have to try and remember if want from X being near X to starting with free usage of ability. But
Have 0 way of knowing what too be doing for upgrades as these can be drastic changers).

-Don't choose starting positions in combat and often start far to far away (often making you have too waist a turn though having that turn .. too semi get in better position like not having the slow lumbering taunting tank (who doesn't really work at all any ways...) In the bloody back of the line... and not having your support waist a turn crashing into your sniper who is in front of the support... honestly idk what makers thinking on default positioning...)

The cloak + guard(tank taunt) seem too have very mixed workings especially guard along with enemies general targeting choices just being totally clearly random more so then using the "Hate" ie threatened mechanic of who they suppose to target

(ie
I maxed out her taunt yet she yet too even be shot at 1x not even 1x!!!! and I rammed her into enemies taunting and shooting and they ignore her...

the cloaker I flee and cloak and she can be targeted still even across the map

missiles + torpedoes being totally random when they want too shoot them all down at all costs -> ignoring them too point of driving into them and dieing from doing so)


-etc...


Story as said also seems a lot more parody style making more fun of anime, tropes, itself (pass titles), and of course moral + somewhat political things --> which sadly are the primary "serious" moments along with backstory of the world .. (like dark souls idc about how a weapon came too be or a planet that's not story or anything too me, especially if its not like where it should be a 1st in a series sort of deal or background books, but again these are some the primary serious moments and real story when its not just trying too be funny.. )
+ could use a lot more VN especially cgs a less of same
(talk on ship with either debatable but acting way too strong on makers view point moral including this big hate on being a "hero" - talk on ship but accept or refuse? why? mission - click side mission and get a moment "talk" ie objective said - combat - repeat)

Positives: though do still exist especially if were a fan of the passed titles,
The characters are good still

The combat while changed drastic is still good and more interesting then many games since it rarer and therefore also more unique
though
-still unsure how I feel of drift mechanic
ie you keep moving a direction at end of turn based on speed you were manually moving last
(especially as its more for only certain play styles and less and less used intentionally any ways as it waists ap too move much even when upgraded and you will just have not much need too move outside it because enemies will bum rush you and those that don't you have grav gun, long range, and missiles)

Looks and plays well no issues...

Closing
Wanted too give this game a 4/5 soo soo very badly...
But
-How often I just felt like they should have caught this or that for story / quality of life I could not (unless ending segment vastly improves and I come back and fix).
ie especially
not needlessly wasting my time
movement being a pain in the butt (especially in temple segment and melee especially for a gals boost chaining ability line up)
+Story + VN feeling lesser and heaa at times too say the least especially lacking CGs
(making these aggravating moments less worth it /rewarded for putting up with)

etc...

*EDIT*
Gave up towards end, something I did not thin I would doo
-.6
ending sections of story are some of the worst and dials up the anti hero developer's view point to a 20 and becomes massive focus and poorly done even possibly including arguably modern stuff.
-.3
Gameplay in ending is dreadful too top it off which is not big deal too me (especially since can cheat stats too basically skip it);
but dialing difficulty from 2-4/10
-(basically just win how you want and do what you want unless objective demands something) -
Then suddenly 9-10/10
(especially if not best built on certain characters causing a potential 100% lose start over -oorrrr again cheat this garbage)
Is just some the biggest whiplash and confusion I had of a game doing this ever easily without doubt top 3.