The Synthetic [Ep. 6]
I liked the creator’s previous game under their old identity more. When I saw this had reached Episode 6, I figured it was time to jump in. To my surprise it is actually pretty bad once you filter out the filler and the parts that drag the whole thing down.
Ariana is the biggest offender. Her entire relationship with the MC feels heavy handed and weird. She treats him like a traumatized kid who survived some horrific crime, not someone about to go to college. She bulldozes him, demands permission for everything, and acts like an overprotective parent from a bad soap opera. It only makes sense if someone is into a niche kink. The scenes with her feel grimey and forced, and the only time she chills is when she is blackout drunk, which makes the whole thing cheaper. Worst of all she mistakes the MC for her college ex, which made me roll my eyes. Honestly, she could be cut from the game and nothing of value would be lost. Keep her as an unpleasant workaholic mom, or shove her plotline into an optional NTR route and call it a day.
On the other hand, I liked Sarah, Ariana’s sister. She feels like the person meant to cover the adult content quota. She is nice, she has her own relationships, and she feels like someone you could build actual chemistry with. My issue is the pacing. I meet her twice and she is already exposing herself and offering to train the MC. That sums up a major problem with this game. It swings between bloated lore dumps about work conspiracies and sudden erotic scenes with no buildup. It feels like a giant production with tiny pieces of substance. Lots of style. Very little weight.
The art also has a very distinct look. Sometimes too distinct. Ariana looks like a sun cooked, plastic surgery addict. A lot of the women share similar blotchy skin, sharp aging features, and oversized proportions. I actually like most of the designs, but they feel repetitive. Sarah, Monica, and Kiara look great, and not as extreme as Ariana.
Now the real issue. This game suffers from the same problem the creator’s old project, Demon Boy, had before it died. The plot bends and breaks under one massive element that outshines everything else.
EVE.
The MC somehow creates a self aware AI. With everything we know culturally about runaway AI, anyone working near that kind of tech would treat it with caution. Instead, the MC unleashes her, shrugs, and says something close to, “Do whatever. Also help me with this small problem. Also try not to commit crimes lol.” Then he wanders off to get footjobs from his aunt and obeys his mom when she calls him for pizza.
This should be the most interesting part of the game. A self aware AI trying to understand the world. A meta presence that seems to know more than she lets on. A slow build toward something deep, unsettling, or emotional. Instead she is pushed aside for pointless drama or scenes that lead nowhere.
There is real potential here. You could scrap Ariana’s plot, keep Sarah for the adult content, and build everything around Eve. Her new body alone could spark a new chapter. The MC goes to college with her. She learns jealousy. She experiments with emotions. She helps him, sabotages him, or teases him into choices that branch the story. With solid writing, this could be the heart of the game.
I only hope it does not turn into a bland government hunt for a missing android. Eve literally steals a body and walks naked into the MC’s house. The setup deserves something better than generic chase scenes.
Right now the game feels bloated and hollow because the wrong pieces get the spotlight. The good stuff is ignored in favor of content that kills the pacing.
