VN Ren'Py Completed Sunshine Love [Ch. 3 v1.01i Extras] [MrDots Games]

[GetOutOfMyLab]

If there's one thing I've learned on this site, take very little notice of reviews, since most are generally people who don't like the game, I mean let's face it, the overwhelming majority of reviews are left by people who dislike it, not people who like it, also, I've found you're better off playing the games yourself and find out.
I've tried many games that had a lot of hater reviews and I really enjoyed them, so better off making your mind up for yourself.

I actually try to pay less attention to the stars rating and more attention to the content. If someone has a well thought-out post where it shows they actually played it and are being honest, that's more important to me. I try to ignore posts that basically say, "game bad" then proceed to rant or on the opposite side "best game" and then proceed to just talk about how sexy the girls are. I also look at if there is a common theme. For example, in Mr. Dots games, the common themes are typically relating to the dialogue, writing, and how the MC behaves.

If I were to honestly rate Sunshine Love, granted, I've not played it for several versions now, it would probably look something like this:

Visuals: 4/5 - They are good, but I still can't get past the assembly line 4 expressions used in every Dots game (especially that underbite one). Same with animations.

Writing/Story: 2/5 - The constant inner monologues about a mile long questioning every time a girl is interested in MC. The unbearable nice-guy sissy MC. The robotic discussions, as someone elsewhere put, sounding like a wikipedia entry. Plain boring storyline.

Sex Scenes: 3/5 - They're not bad, but they're really nothing special.

Playability: 2/5 - It's just one of those VNs that seems to go on and on and on without much happening. You will find yourself clicking and clicking and clicking to get to something interesting and it just doesn't happen.

So, I'd say 2.75/5 or just round up to 3/5 stars, which I think it's more fair.

 

[Hyperserver]

I, for example, think that Melody was a rather bad game. Again, well made on a technical level, with a few raw edges here and there, but the story was plain terrible, IMHO.

you are basically right - but there's a reason for that:
Once DMD had been removed from patreon, and MrDots needed another game right "out of nothing", they just thought about a general topic and started to create the game. There was not really a fleshed out storyline quite from the beginning, there hasn't really been a plan or anything fleshed out. The game more or less had been created (written) "on the fly". To be honest, we were even surprised that it went that well overall given the circumstances.

 

[Fiufia]

No one will mention that ppl recently got angry at Dating My Daughter and consequently many come here to leave bad review.
I never played Dating My Daughter but I ended up there. I think in the last update and that was a fun read.
I even got into the clown fista because one guy was criticizing dmd and the next minute he was here leaving a 2* review

 

[Hyperserver]

I actually try to pay less attention to the stars rating and more attention to the content. If someone has a well thought-out post where it shows they actually played it and are being honest, that's more important to me. I try to ignore posts that basically say, "game bad" then proceed to rant or on the opposite side "best game" and then proceed to just talk about how sexy the girls are. I also look at if there is a common theme. For example, in Mr. Dots games, the common themes are typically relating to the dialogue, writing, and how the MC behaves.

If I were to honestly rate Sunshine Love, granted, I've not played it for several versions now, it would probably look something like this:

Visuals: 4/5 - They are good, but I still can't get past the assembly line 4 expressions used in every Dots game (especially that underbite one). Same with animations.

Writing/Story: 2/5 - The constant inner monologues about a mile long questioning every time a girl is interested in MC. The unbearable nice-guy sissy MC. The robotic discussions, as someone elsewhere put, sounding like a wikipedia entry. Plain boring storyline.

Sex Scenes: 3/5 - They're not bad, but they're really nothing special.

Playability: 2/5 - It's just one of those VNs that seems to go on and on and on without much happening. You will find yourself clicking and clicking and clicking to get to something interesting and it just doesn't happen.

So, I'd say 2.75/5 or just round up to 3/5 stars, which I think it's more fair.

even i disagree with some points, i totally could accept that as review. It's still a PERSONAL view of things.
But trashing a game like SL down to 1 star (again remind: it's the lowest posible ranking) compared to other real shit on this site is just ridiculous.
If i look at ratings, i always ignore all 1-star ratings (as mostly they are rage reviews - with few exeptions), but i ignore also 5 star ratings (as they are mostly fanboy- ratings).
Unfortunately most reviews are either "i like this game, so i give 5 stars, even it has a lot of flaws" on the one side....
... And "this is bullshit - i give 1 star" on the other.
The most "abused" reason is "i rate this game because it has POTENTIAL" (not rating how a game actually is, but more like it COULD be) - just to get a brown nose from licking the developer's ass in hope he will change his game how the reviewer like.

If there are 100 reviews and 80 of them are 1 star, but only 20 are higher rated - then it's probably a bad game.
But if there are 20 bad reviews, but 80 are high rated, then it's (probably) a good game.
Never i give any shit about how many "likes" a review got at all.

 

[Hyperserver]

No one will mention that ppl recently got angry at Dating My Daughter and consequently many come here to leave bad review.
I never played Dating My Daughter but I ended up there. I think in the last update and that was a fun read.
I even got into the clown fista because one guy was criticizing dmd and the next minute he was here leaving a 2* review

exactly - glad there are still some people looking behind the scenes and recognize what's really going on.
Thank you for that

 

[GetOutOfMyLab]

even i disagree with some points, i totally could accept that as review. It's still a PERSONAL view of things.
But trashing a game like SL down to 1 star (again remind: it's the lowest posible ranking) compared to other real shit on this site is just ridiculoes.
If i look at ratings, i always ignore all 1-star ratings (as mostly they are rage reviews - with few exeptions), but i ignore also 5 star ratings (as they are mostly fanboy- ratings).
Unfortunately most reviews are either "i like this game, so i give 5 stars, even it has a lot of flaws" on the one side....
... And "this is bullshit - i give 1 star" on the other.
The most "abused" reason is "i rate this game because it has POTENTIAL" (not rating how a game actually is, but more like it COULD be) - just to get a brown nose from licking the developer's ass in hope he will change his game how the reviewer like.

I agree, none of Dots' games are 1-star by any means. Each of us rate things according to our own preferences, so what is my 2/5 could be someone else's 4/5. Since Melody was brought up a moment ago...I actually liked it. Wouldn't say it was great or anything, but it was enjoyable for me.

 

[Machete]

you are basically right - but there's a reason for that:
Once DMD had been removed from patreon, and MrDots needed another game right "out of nothing", they just thought about a general topic and started to create the game. There was not really a fleshed out storyline quite from the beginning, there hasn't really been a plan or anything fleshed out. The game more or less had been created (written) "on the fly". To be honest, we were even surprised that it went that well overall given the circumstances.

What bothers me most is that despite you can choose a different waifu (which is good), she's barely in the game and you are stuck with Melody, who, by the way, is a big spoiled brat. It's kinda like if the game tells you: "Do you like Melody? No? Wrong! You have to like Melody!" So much that the perfect, monogamous route with Melody is basically the 'best ending'.

 

[Son of Durin]

well the truth is a lot of people don't like this game. and it's certainly not for everyone
but it is also true that there are many cowards who love to create alt accounts to talk trash and upvote and downvote

Some of them might even be Devs with similar games that don't get the love they think they should.

 

[Smarmint]

There is a lot of hate for games, like this one, that are enormously financially successful (like WVM), while better quality games, I could list 20, as could most of us here, struggle to get more than a hundred Patreons or so. I suspect the low score reviews are due to jealosy from other devs, or just a sense of unfairness by fans of other games.

I actually enjoy Sunshine Love more than any of Mr. Dots other games. DMD was good at the time until it jumped the shark, so to speak, and became unplayable. Melody was an improvement in my opinion, but got extremely repetitive the last 5 updates or so as the dev team dragged out the story with nothing really going on.

Sunshine Love is actually marginally interesting, with a little bit of mystery thrown in from time to time, and a somewhat diverse cast of characters to keep things interesting. But, honestly, I hope the dev team finds a way to improve the dialog for their next game. The review hit the nail on the head, nobody talks like this. It sounds like something like the type of English dialog you would read in a foreign language instruction course, very bland and colorless. Many games with strange dialog clearly written by non-English primary speakers, have more depth and color than SL. And some, like Artemis, CoBD, or Eternum, are truly art.

Mostly, I just enjoy seeing what is going on with the characters from update to update, and laugh out loud at the crazy overreactions each character makes. Like someone will say something like, "The ice cream shop is out of vanilla." And Shortcake or some other character will have their mouth open in extreme surprise, as if an alien just teleported into the ice cream shop. It's hilarious.

I do think, however, the build-up to the sex scenes are actually hot and sexy, up until the actual act, where the weird alien motions cause me to cringe and flinch. But I just skip past that part quickly.

There is no world where SL deserves one star. It is a solid effort from Mr. Dots' team. I just wish the dialog, and facial expressions would improve. 3 or 4 stars is fair, I think.

 

[Hyperserver]

...I just wish the dialog, and facial expressions would improve. ...

We are aware - and more than that, we agree 100% that these are the weakpoints of our games, and we already planned to change this in the next game after SL.

 

[♂Brout&Minou♀]

What bothers me most is that despite you can choose a different waifu (which is good), she's barely in the game and you are stuck with Melody, who, by the way, is a big spoiled brat. It's kinda like if the game tells you: "Do you like Melody? No? Wrong! You have to like Melody!" So much that the perfect, monogamous route with Melody is basically the 'best ending'.

Well, I get what you mean, but... isn't "Melody" the title of the game after all?

 

[cxx]

All of MrDots games are pretty much like this.

true but same applies to many games and there are different tastes. i don't like much of captainkitty's etc games (still have suspicions that all their games come from same dev) but still many like those.

well the truth is a lot of people don't like this game. and it's certainly not for everyone
but it is also true that there are many cowards who love to create alt accounts to talk trash and upvote and downvote

exactly, this game isn't for every1 and neither is any other game. even 1 dev did false reviews and 5 star ratings on his scamproject.

You can ask the question of thousands of people who will all have a different opinion, the problem being that they don't know your tastes. The real question is: Will you like this game or not, and the best way to answer that is to play it.

yea only way to see if likes game is to play it longer than 5 mins. fashion business is 1 example, it is well made and has good graphics and everything works but feels that many things are forced down on player's throat.

Those who rate 1 star, need to group together and like each other's rating to get off.

I mean: 1 star is the lowest rating you can do. Meaning, there is no way it could be any worse. Now just look at the renders - other REALLY bad games get reviews like "it's a bad game, but it has nice renders, so i give 3 stars" (or something like that).

1. very true and also linger on thread to bash game.
2. well true and false, can leave review only to game's thread so 0 star rating.

 

[Machete]

Well, I get what you mean, but... isn't "Melody" the title of the game after all?

Indeed. But it's usually not a good idea to make a LI the main character of a story, and we could go on forever debating how and why, but i don't think this topic is the best place. I'll just point that this VNs are a type of 'choose your own adventure' games in a peculiar corner of the genre which is more like "choose your own waifu'.

Now, there are games that succeed into being great even with a main character LI. I won't quote any because it's against the forum rules, but i thinking about a game out of the dramatic experience of a father. And there are games who fail terribly IMHO to the point that you can't avoid an ending with the main character, and i'm thinking of a game with a certain red head with a very long braid.

The discriminant, i thing, it's the balance. If you make a story about a girl, maybe a wannabe talented actress who's going to get in trouble, but you give the other LIs space and a meaningful relatable story, then all fine, the game works.

Now, Melody is not terrible per se. It's main problem is that Melody is fucking there all the time stealing the scene to just anyone else, to the extent that MC becomes literally a buitler through the game, that drives her to places, escort her to things and carries her bags. While the other LIs kinda appear in the rare spare time. This compromised the overall experience, IMHO.

And i still admit that it's a game that have a lot of redeeming qualities, starting with the support cast that is very good, all the LIs are charming ladies (apart for Melody, for me, but it's a bias of mine), there are some genuine nice sequence, everything is very well cared, some spicy scene is super hot and so on. And by the way i really loved to immerse in the role of this super talented performer, which i kinda would have liked to be back in my days when i used to play a little the bassguitar.

If i could give two raccomandation to devs it's to give all LIs their space to shine and to leave the player the most agency possible, which i understant it's not easy because player agency is directly proportional to the number of renders needed and it's not always possible to trow in all the routes a dev would like to.

 

[Hyperserver]

In general you all are right - but you still forget the most important thing:

VISUAL NOVEL !

It's still a story about certain person(s) which is SLIGHTLY changed by the choice of the player.
It was NEVER intended to be a freeroam game, where soley the player decides with whom he wants to end. It's not even possible to do that within a decent timeframe and with limited ressources. If you would create a game where you can end with lots of girls, even in different combinations, you would have to do about 20-30 paths.

So back to what i wanted to say:
With Melody, they wanted to tell you the story between Melody and her tutor - and not someone who is tutoring Melody but ends with Rebecca (just for example).
If you read the book "The Count of Monte Christo" you wouldn't expect some "3 musketeers" content either.
Or if you read "starship troopers" you don't rage because Rico can't be with "Dizzy" in the end.
The main story plot is still the main story plot - whether you like it, or not.

 

[NukaCola]

"mommy", "auntie", foodtruck girl, .............. there are still many fishes in bond even if rejects sisters.



not completely but no need to share bed with either of sis nor fuck any1 else either, can remain faithful to gf if wants.

When I can finally close off her path? I'm at middle of week 4 already and just suffer through another lewd scene with her. Also she is a control freak. I feel like I'm being interrogated everyday. She questioned who I meet in the past few days. What I do this afternoon and so on. An option to yell in her face Its none of your business would be nice.

 

[♂Brout&Minou♀]

When I can finally close off her path? I'm at middle of week 4 already and just suffer through another lewd scene with her. Also she is a control freak. I feel like I'm being interrogated everyday. She questioned who I meet in the past few days. What I do this afternoon and so on. An option to yell in her face Its none of your business would be nice.

I can't remember where or when exactly, but you have to deal with her, since she's the owner and the main goal of the game is to save the hotel. Why not use the walkthrough to find out? Everything is explained inside, at least the paths that lead to the different LIs and just as much to avoid them.

And speaking of "Sis'" behavior, you must have never been married, because it's not just men who think they own their partner...

 

[cxx]

When I can finally close off her path? I'm at middle of week 4 already and just suffer through another lewd scene with her. Also she is a control freak. I feel like I'm being interrogated everyday. She questioned who I meet in the past few days. What I do this afternoon and so on. An option to yell in her face Its none of your business would be nice.

well she loves her older brother so it can't be helped.

 

[♂Brout&Minou♀]

Arachnids are never like insects. Besides spiders they include scorpions, ticks and others.

Is this thread turning into a biology or rather entomology lesson? It was already quite off topic with the story of Rico and his team of broken arms, but there.. I'm starting to get itchy with all these critters.
I like to talk about various topics, but I'm saying this for you guys. A mod walks by and there's gonna be a spanking distribution

 

[♂Brout&Minou♀]

well she loves her older brother so it can't be helped.

Exactly! Love has its reason that reason ignores....

 

[NukaCola]

I can't remember where or when exactly, but you have to deal with her, since she's the owner and the main goal of the game is to save the hotel. Why not use the walkthrough to find out? Everything is explained inside, at least the paths that lead to the different LIs and just as much to avoid them.

And speaking of "Sis'" behavior, you must have never been married, because it's not just men who think they own their
partner...

I look at the walkthrough until week 5 but there is nothing about closing her path. I mean working with her to save the hotel is fine but I don't want to share bed with her. At this point, I even cheer for Brodie to take his GF away from me.
I mean I kind of understand her behavior. Some women are like that. But I have zero interest in her and the mc just obeys her obediently t make it extra annoying.