My current thoughts:
First, a joke: "Father Yuren" is a deeply unfortunate name and it was a missed opportunity for the MC to not trash talk him by referring to him as "Piss Daddy". Because if "Yuren" isn't meant to be pronounced the same as "urine", I can't think of what other pronunciation makes sense.
Second, all the reunions were great, both the ones with former lovers who you could rekindle the friendship (and take part in the benefits) with and those like the family and others close to you which served to put some worries to rest on both sides, grant closure to some outstanding issues, and set up for the future as you re-establish your life in your home world. It was especially rewarding getting to come in like a Big Damned Hero to save the day and receive the cheers of the forces you've come in to turn the tide for. It's truly a symbiotic relationship as you get the fulfillment of doing good and making a positive difference, get the joy of earning recognition and praise, and they in turn get renewed hope as a powerful ally and a symbol of protection for them returns to tilt the odds at least a little bit in their favor. It must be an intoxicating feeling, and what being a true superhero is all about.
Third, the cult arc which brings us to the current end of content. The best reunion in my opinion was saved for last, as (imo) Emily is the sweetheart at the emotional core of the game. Having gone so long without any content with her had lulled me into losing touch with that connection, and now I wish I could go back and change my answer in the monster world about if I had someone in mind as a romantic interest. At the time I wasn't sure, so I said I hadn't decided on anyone yet, but seeing Emily again reminded me why she was my favorite from the start. Even the sex scene reinforced that, as it felt a lot more like a couple making love with all the affection and emotional intimacy that implies rather than simple fucking for pleasure. As a character, she has "designated girlfriend" written all over her.
Minor bits:
- Emily is "best girl" in my opinion, and I acknowledge that's subjective, but I will brook no argument that Shadow is "Best Good Girl" and we had damned well better find a way to save her. Seeing her in such a sad condition, barely alive, was just heartbreaking not merely for the emotional effect it had on Emily but because Shadow in her own right is worth being attached to. She's more than simply an animal, she's Emily's companion and loyal protector and is a truly pure soul. She deserves to remain at Emily's side for the entire lifetime of her human, and I very much want the game to offer me a way to make that outcome happen.
- Some people seem to be misremembering Ella's words about Emily's monster compatibility --it's not that she had trouble finding a compatible one for her, it's that Emily had a particularly strong affinity for transformation that would work remarkably well with a number of different options. She couldn't settle on one ideal match because there were a variety of equally great options and none seemed to stand out more than the others to make for an obviously right choice. I'm thinking, or at least hoping, that means the player will get the option to make the choice and thus customize Emily's superhuman form to our own preference.
- The whole cult infiltration plan really was half-assed on the part of the MC and it seems a mere combination of luck and enemy incompetence that it didn't utterly backfire. It's really inexcusable, he knew that a Chosen of Authority --a class of foe he'd had quite a lot of trouble with before-- was in charge and a confrontation was probably inevitable, and he did little if anything to prepare or maximize his chances. Instead he just casually took the blunt and direct route counting on his power to guarantee victory, with no basis for believing he outclassed the enemy beyond his own blind overconfidence, and if he'd turned out to underestimate them it would have bitten him on the ass badly.
- Worse, once he found out two powerless civilians who were among his closest friends were there to try to infiltrate the cult, he took no precautions to protect them. He didn't let H.E.R.O know they were there or give the girls a method such as a signal or code word to identify themselves to their agents, he didn't coordinate with them on the mission in the first place so that they knew he was there or he knew they were coming at all. Even without H.E.R.O's involvement he knew he was going to be starting a shitshow among the cult compound sooner or later, and he didn't attempt to evacuate the girls or find them a safe shelter to ride it out or anything. Even if crazy-assed Christie couldn't be convinced to leave or hide, Emily is a reasonable and intelligent person and it wouldn't have taken much to convince her that she should be somewhere else safe for the time being in case the shit hit the fan. All he'd need to do is promise that if things didn't go south and it was safe to do so she could return and try to get the solutions for bringing back Ella and saving Shadow that she was there to find. Instead he took no precautions of any kind, and he's damned lucky the assaulting agents didn't come in weapons hot and gun down any cultist on sight rather than go out of their way to capture them alive and uninjured if they could.
- Speaking of uninjured, they might not have been shot but they were tackled and manhandled pretty roughly, and who knows what conditions the prisoners will be kept in before Christie and Emily can be identified and their captors persuaded to release them. Someone's going to have to go in there and rescue Shadow as well, and we had damned well better hope one of those idiots didn't get spooked and shoot her. In all, the whole situation was a clusterfuck that could have gone very wrong in any number of ways and it's all because the MC acted like a dumbass. I hope someone chews him out for being so irresponsibly sloppy and he learns to act more intelligently in the future.
