(Review is for version Chapter 6. Disclosure: ThorsHamster is a beta tester for The Fosters.)
The Fosters is a relatively short story (7 chapters planned, with 6 released at this time) that explores the bilateral nature of relationships and the way in which our words and actions can impact those relationships. The story goes beyond the common relationship tropes of adult visual novels — which tend to be fairly one-sided in their dynamics — and explores the gamut of how our treatment of others affects our relationships with them. With an interesting cast of characters, a wide divergence in the dynamics of the relationships, and an obscene amount of song references, The Fosters has something to offer for a variety of tastes.
STORY AND CHARACTERS ★★★★☆ (4/5)
The Fosters starts off in a household with a lot of history, much of which is critical to understanding the current state of things and the direction the story will set up. Consequently, it immediately faces the challenge of having to bring the reader up to speed quickly, while also forwarding the present-day plot. Some exposition is weaved into the story, while elsewhere it is presented in large narration chunks that at times interrupt the story flow. There simply is not enough time or space to organically incorporate the backstory into present-day events, and so some compromises are made. (The addition of a Character Profile section eased this burden by allowing the reader to learn more about the characters in a context that does not compete with the main storytelling. It is advised that the reader take advantage of this feature, as it can explain a fair amount about each character, their thought processes and their motivations.)
My initial impression of the first several chapters of The Fosters was mild befuddlement. While the story makes us privy to a history of physical and sexual abuse within the household, those events are not ongoing; they happened in the past and are no longer occurring. Consequently, although Big John (the instigator of the abuse) is still present in the household, there is a bit of a disconnect between the degree of loathing the story wants the reader to feel toward Big John and what the reader is likely inclined to feel. The present-day household actually seems very tame and quiet compared to what the story tells us about past events; likewise, the girls are surprisingly well-adjusted and seem generally happy. Consequently, the protagonist's crusade to rid the house of Big John may fail to fully resonate right off the bat.
Nevertheless, we follow our character on his crusade, and in the process begin to learn more about what's still going on in the house — which, while not as egregious as the past events we've learned about, nevertheless provides a more solid rationale for the protagonist's quest. While our hero sets about to depose Big John, he also starts to explore his feelings and relationships with the many girls he shares a roof with.
By Chapter 5, the true focus of the story becomes clear. This is not about Big John or any of the other people responsible for the abuses of the past. This story is about what type of person the protagonist is going to become, in the crucible of confrontation and rapidly evolving relationships. A points system early on converts the reader's choices into a measure of the character's personality, ranging from extremely self-centered to extremely considerate of those around him. This metric ultimately governs many aspects of how the later chapters play out; and while the core story is mostly "on the rails", the protagonist's relationships with the girls can take on very different dynamics depending on what type of person he turns out to be.
WARNING: Some of the relationships go in a very unfortunate direction, depending on how self-centered the main character becomes. The story does not shy away from these scenarios, but neither does it glorify them. There are scenes of sexual assault and outright rape; while I found these scenes heartbreaking and revolting, I was impressed with how respectfully the author presented them. There is a dignity afforded the girls who find themselves victims of the protagonist's abuse. The story does not trivialize their experiences, and even though the point of view is that of the male protagonist, the story makes sure that we are able to sympathize with the girls. Note that such encounters are entirely avoidable; if the player's choices result in a more considerate protagonist, the relationships with the girls go much better, with some very sweet encounters awaiting.
GRAPHICS AND ANIMATION ★★★★☆ (4/5)
The Fosters is beautifully rendered using Daz Studio. The mansion setting, in which the majority of the story takes place, is interesting, inviting, and not so large as to disorient the reader when the story moves from one part of the residence to another. The characters are all diverse and expressive, and the girls are all attractive in unique ways. At times, facial expressions are a bit comically over-exaggerated — a not-uncommon hazard when posing in Daz. This is more noticeable in earlier chapters; and as the author's proficiency with the technology has improved, facial expressions have become more measured and on-point.
Animation is another area where the author's continuous improvement is evident. Early animations are tentative and at times lacking in finesse, and many animations suffer from flickering at the loop points. Later animations improve on the lighting, framing, looping and other traits. The majority of the really interesting sexual encounters occur starting in Chapter 5, and thankfully, by that time most of the animation wrinkles have been ironed out. Some of the penetrative sex animations are downright impressive in their attention to detail.
SOUND AND MUSIC ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Music was a late addition to The Fosters, having only been added with Chapter 5. The soundtrack is well curated, and the most frequently heard track — what I would call the "around the house" music — bears repetition well and does not become tiresome. Transitions between musical tracks could be improved (too many transitions are instant cuts rather than cross-fades), and in some instances I felt that a transition should have occurred sooner or later than it did; but on the whole the music soundscape is solid.
Sound effects are fairly minimal, and what's there is well done. Note that sexual encounters do not have any sounds effects — neither human noises nor body contact noises. Use your imagination.
While not strictly relevant to this category, I will note that the dialogue reflects the author's love of music. A plethora of song references are scattered throughout the game, from overt performances to subtle influences in the dialogue. Almost three dozen songs were represented in Chapter 5 alone, and music lovers will enjoy trying to locate them all.
USER EXPERIENCE ★★★★☆ (4/5)
The Fosters is built on the Ren'py visual novel engine, and most of the functionality is stock Ren'py, with a couple of enhancements. The points system is depicted on-screen as a pair of measures, designated "αlpha" and "βeta". The player can use these to track how their choices affect the balance between the two; later on, the measures are replaced by a single indicator of which personality profile the player has locked into based on all their earlier choices. Unfortunately, the "αlpha" and "βeta" concepts are never really described in-game, which can leave players confused about what they represent or how they work. An in-game explanation of the system would be quite valuable.
Players can elect to activate an optional tutorial mode, which adds a couple of guiding features. In this mode, each chapter of the game starts with a brief introduction explaining how the player's choices in the chapter may affect later events; this allows the player to plan their choices accordingly. In addition, menu options are augmented with hints about how each choice will affect their points or other aspects of the gameplay. Unfortunately, the tutorial also does not explain the points system, and the chapter guides assume that the player already has a firm grasp of the system. With some additional work, the tutorial could be made into a more thorough guide for new players.
Finally, a character profile provides useful information about each of the main characters in the game. Elements of each character, including their backstory and their current motivations or struggles, are incrementally unlocked as key story milestones are reached. This information supplements the main storytelling with world-building details that simply cannot be organically woven into the plot without distracting from the main focus. The character profile is a must-read for anyone who wants to fully understand the characters and their relationship to the protagonist.
OVERALL ★★★★☆ (4/5)
The Fosters is a relatively short but ambitious project that tackles some difficult questions with a maturity that is often lacking in adult visual novels. It challenges the player to recognize that sex is more than a one-sided fantasy, and that relationships need to be built on mutual respect and consideration. Players who try different takes on the protagonist's personality are treated to a variety of relationship outcomes — from the incredibly sweet to the heartrendingly tragic. The game initially struggles with the scope of the story it's trying to tell in a very short time, and some aspects of the presentation are a bit rough around the edges. Nevertheless, the story — and the lessons it teaches — are compelling and enjoyable.
