As a first-time developer's project, the game shows a lot of promise and has the potential to become one of the better games on the market if developed properly. However, at this stage, it feels largely conceptual and still requires significant work to evolve into a viable product.
I do have a number of recommendations, but I'll focus on ones that are actually attainable with as little resources as possible since it is likely that funding will take a while to ramp up.
1. A more detailed corruption system that could gradually alter the female protagonist's attitude toward both the player and the 'Mentor,' significantly influencing the story's pacing and determining who ultimately becomes the 'perfect pair' with Aster. This system would also dictate the types of scenes that unfold—lower corruption levels might involve simpler, more subdued interactions like groping, while higher levels could lead to more explicit and lewd scenarios. An affection system can also be included to supplement this and add more ways for the relationship to change but I'll let the developer themselves to handle the balancing.
2. Since the H-scenes are only partially visible, the surrounding elements become significantly more important to enhance the experience. In this case, with the action obscured by a darkening filter, incorporating visual effects such as twitching emotes, heart symbols, steam, or expressive lettering could greatly improve the ambience. If resources permit, adding some basic sound effects would also be a welcome implementation. Additionally, the intensity of these effects should align with the female protagonist's corruption level—becoming more exaggerated and lustful as her corruption progresses.
3. There should be a brief backstory that establishes the relationship between the player and Aster. It doesn’t need to be lengthy, but it should clearly convey why Aster is someone worth caring about throughout the journey. Additionally, include a short section detailing how the player met the 'Mentor' and the dynamics of the relationship between the three characters.
4. Consider offering two difficulty options to enhance accessibility. The first, 'Story Mode,' allows players to easily overpower enemies, focusing primarily on the narrative without significant combat challenges. The second, 'Normal Mode,' presents turn-based battles as originally intended, providing a more balanced and immersive experience. While I personally prefer playing the game as is, having these options ensures the game can cater to a wider audience.
5. Implement a more detailed calendar system featuring a Day and Night cycle, along with a clear division between weekdays and weekends. This structure would help define the balance between dungeon diving, resting, and exploring the town. Players could use weekends to go on dates with Aster—or choose to ignore her entirely—while nighttime exploration provides opportunities to discover unique town scenes, including unexpected lewd events between Aster and your Mentor happening behind closed doors (ofcourse, without the male protagonist knowing who it is).
6. Add in all the expected QoL improvements like quick save, scene gallery, message backlog, etc.
These are the major ones that I can think of right now, remember that the game's premise makes it an NTR game first and an RPG second (you are free to develop it either way). The scenes and the dynamics between the trio are what will make or break the game. If the pacing is too fast, the relationship would become quite hollow, if it is too slow, we might burn out. You can probably add other npcs to the mix but it should be OPTIONAL. The focus is between the three of them, after all. (Personally, I like there to be only 1 antagonist in these games)
I will be looking forward to this game and can't wait to see it be properly developed. Good luck dev, Godspeed.
