- Dec 4, 2017
- 3,426
- 8,674
Depends for me, i like it if they have impact, or are amusing.
Like Danielle kicking him in the balls for being a lying shit, that would have been nice.
Like Danielle kicking him in the balls for being a lying shit, that would have been nice.
The issue is, alot of the VNs i have played, most tend to be bad, boring or the story just bad.
This one was one of the good ones, in my opinion.
Wait...the game was abandoned with only 1 update left to finish?
If that is true was a shit move from the dev.
Playing this for the first time but haven't looked at any of the thread so I don't get the plot beats spoiled.
Currently on Chapter 3 (I think?). So far the story is compelling enough to keep me interested... which is perhaps just as well because I'm not getting anything from the LIs at the moment. I try and make my first playthru of any VN as realistic as I can, making decisions for the MC that I could see myself making in the same situation (as far as the offered choices allow) and so far none of the offered LIs are clicking with me.
Danielle feels like the typical bitchy rich-girl who gets everything she wants when she wants it. I've rejected all of the game's attempts to get the MC involved with her, but somehow he's still getting tangled up in her mad shenanigans to try and get Damon back with her. She seems to have a complete inability to accept 'no' for an answer which is another point against her.
Mira: I backed off from her at the start due to the mistaken impression she was Damon's new girlfriend. I don't think the text made it explicit that they were just friends, all I remember is that he'd known her for a couple weeks and hadn't told the MC about her. I assumed that they'd had a date he had to call off and Damon wanted the MC to go in his place to apologise for him and try to placate her. She seems nice enough on the surface, but was giving off what to my mind was cheating signals. After I realised I'd gotten the wrong end of the stick, I re-examined that early interaction but it still gave me weird vibes. She seems super interested in the MC right from the moment they meet. It's way too quick and is giving me Lancaster Boarding House flashbacks. Let's just say I wouldn't be entirely surprised if she turns out to be a stalker.
Rose: Holy crap, this is one person I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. She goes around with a perpetual scowl on her face and is literally pissy with everyone she meets. What attracted Chris to her? The guy's self-esteem must have been shattered into a million pieces by Ada's rejection when he moves on to that. When Rose was revealed as a cop, her personality made a certain amount of sense, but it doesn't endear me any more to the character. Now that she's in charge of the investigation of Damon's harassment, I can't help feeling she'll try to stitch the MC up for something just because she can.
Penny: Looks nice, but again I'm getting bad vibes from her. She starts off as a concerned mentor type figure, which is fine, but then veers off into predator territory. I was ignoring her low-cut tops which are massively inappropriate for a school environment because yeah, this is an AVN, what do we expect!?
But she tries it on with the MC while they're both still on school premises. She either has blackmail material on her superiors and is supremely confident they'll never fire her, or any common sense she had just left the building. Perhaps it's because I never had the seemingly typical student/teacher fantasy, but this is a kind of relationship that just weirds me out. Any game which has a seduce the teacher option needs to do an awful lot of work to convince me that power dynamics are not being abused.
Naomi: I appreciate the backstory tries to paint them as the perfect couple, but I'm just not getting it. They didn't seem to be very compatible with each other, the MC was constantly disinterested in anything that interested her and with Naomi's abandonment issues, it feels like they were always going to crash and burn. If it hadn't been sparked by the MC's mother's disappearance, it would have been something else. On a purely aesthetic front, this particular 'model' does nothing for me (I've seen a similar model used in other VNs). I'm also not into the muscly spending-every-day-at-the-gym types.
Ada: This is the one LI that could actually work. She seems pretty cool, doesn't have any obvious run-away-now traits. Some emotional baggage, but who doesn't. Seems to like the MC without being dependent on him or controlling of him and in spite of the age gap. This is probably the route I'd take, if it weren't for the glaringly obvious fact that she needs to get back together with Chris. Such a bullsh*t reason for them breaking up which all came down to Ada's fear of disappointing her parents. Feels a bit pointless to pick her when the game is hanging a big neon-sign saying "Ada/Chris 4eva", lol.
So where does that leave the MC? Hmm, why couldn't I ask the girl at the burger joint who gave him a free packet of fries out on a date? There's no justice I tell ya. Unfortunately I've reached a point where the game seems to telling me "You've passed on every god damn encounter I've thrown at you, you're gonna damn well pick someone right NOW!" Just past the scene where Rose reveals the nude portrait Mira painted earlier and Mira runs away, there's a scene where the MC talks to her on the steps and a decision comes up which looks like it's definitively shoving you on either the Naomi or Mira path. I mean... I suppose I'll pick Mira, but I'm not enthusiastic about this. I don't like it when VNs force the MC on someone. If there's no-one you click with, you should be allowed to stay single.
Currently on Chapter 3 (I think?). So far the story is compelling enough to keep me interested... which is perhaps just as well because I'm not getting anything from the LIs at the moment. I try and make my first playthru of any VN as realistic as I can, making decisions for the MC that I could see myself making in the same situation (as far as the offered choices allow) and so far none of the offered LIs are clicking with me.
Danielle feels like the typical bitchy rich-girl who gets everything she wants when she wants it. I've rejected all of the game's attempts to get the MC involved with her, but somehow he's still getting tangled up in her mad shenanigans to try and get Damon back with her. She seems to have a complete inability to accept 'no' for an answer which is another point against her.
Mira: I backed off from her at the start due to the mistaken impression she was Damon's new girlfriend. I don't think the text made it explicit that they were just friends, all I remember is that he'd known her for a couple weeks and hadn't told the MC about her. I assumed that they'd had a date he had to call off and Damon wanted the MC to go in his place to apologise for him and try to placate her. She seems nice enough on the surface, but was giving off what to my mind was cheating signals. After I realised I'd gotten the wrong end of the stick, I re-examined that early interaction but it still gave me weird vibes. She seems super interested in the MC right from the moment they meet. It's way too quick and is giving me Lancaster Boarding House flashbacks. Let's just say I wouldn't be entirely surprised if she turns out to be a stalker.
Rose: Holy crap, this is one person I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. She goes around with a perpetual scowl on her face and is literally pissy with everyone she meets. What attracted Chris to her? The guy's self-esteem must have been shattered into a million pieces by Ada's rejection when he moves on to that. When Rose was revealed as a cop, her personality made a certain amount of sense, but it doesn't endear me any more to the character. Now that she's in charge of the investigation of Damon's harassment, I can't help feeling she'll try to stitch the MC up for something just because she can.
Penny: Looks nice, but again I'm getting bad vibes from her. She starts off as a concerned mentor type figure, which is fine, but then veers off into predator territory. I was ignoring her low-cut tops which are massively inappropriate for a school environment because yeah, this is an AVN, what do we expect!?
But she tries it on with the MC while they're both still on school premises. She either has blackmail material on her superiors and is supremely confident they'll never fire her, or any common sense she had just left the building. Perhaps it's because I never had the seemingly typical student/teacher fantasy, but this is a kind of relationship that just weirds me out. Any game which has a seduce the teacher option needs to do an awful lot of work to convince me that power dynamics are not being abused.Naomi: I appreciate the backstory tries to paint them as the perfect couple, but I'm just not getting it. They didn't seem to be very compatible with each other, the MC was constantly disinterested in anything that interested her and with Naomi's abandonment issues, it feels like they were always going to crash and burn. If it hadn't been sparked by the MC's mother's disappearance, it would have been something else. On a purely aesthetic front, this particular 'model' does nothing for me (I've seen a similar model used in other VNs). I'm also not into the muscly spending-every-day-at-the-gym types.
Ada: This is the one LI that could actually work. She seems pretty cool, doesn't have any obvious run-away-now traits. Some emotional baggage, but who doesn't. Seems to like the MC without being dependent on him or controlling of him and in spite of the age gap. This is probably the route I'd take, if it weren't for the glaringly obvious fact that she needs to get back together with Chris. Such a bullsh*t reason for them breaking up which all came down to Ada's fear of disappointing her parents. Feels a bit pointless to pick her when the game is hanging a big neon-sign saying "Ada/Chris 4eva", lol.
So where does that leave the MC? Hmm, why couldn't I ask the girl at the burger joint who gave him a free packet of fries out on a date? There's no justice I tell ya.
Unfortunately I've reached a point where the game seems to telling me "You've passed on every god damn encounter I've thrown at you, you're gonna damn well pick someone right NOW!" Just past the scene where Rose reveals the nude portrait Mira painted earlier and Mira runs away, there's a scene where the MC talks to her on the steps and a decision comes up which looks like it's definitively shoving you on either the Naomi or Mira path. I mean... I suppose I'll pick Mira, but I'm not enthusiastic about this. I don't like it when VNs force the MC on someone. If there's no-one you click with, you should be allowed to stay single.I like the game. Hopefully a new update soon.Playing this for the first time but haven't looked at any of the thread so I don't get the plot beats spoiled.
Currently on Chapter 3 (I think?). So far the story is compelling enough to keep me interested... which is perhaps just as well because I'm not getting anything from the LIs at the moment. I try and make my first playthru of any VN as realistic as I can, making decisions for the MC that I could see myself making in the same situation (as far as the offered choices allow) and so far none of the offered LIs are clicking with me.
Danielle feels like the typical bitchy rich-girl who gets everything she wants when she wants it. I've rejected all of the game's attempts to get the MC involved with her, but somehow he's still getting tangled up in her mad shenanigans to try and get Damon back with her. She seems to have a complete inability to accept 'no' for an answer which is another point against her.
Mira: I backed off from her at the start due to the mistaken impression she was Damon's new girlfriend. I don't think the text made it explicit that they were just friends, all I remember is that he'd known her for a couple weeks and hadn't told the MC about her. I assumed that they'd had a date he had to call off and Damon wanted the MC to go in his place to apologise for him and try to placate her. She seems nice enough on the surface, but was giving off what to my mind was cheating signals. After I realised I'd gotten the wrong end of the stick, I re-examined that early interaction but it still gave me weird vibes. She seems super interested in the MC right from the moment they meet. It's way too quick and is giving me Lancaster Boarding House flashbacks. Let's just say I wouldn't be entirely surprised if she turns out to be a stalker.
Rose: Holy crap, this is one person I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. She goes around with a perpetual scowl on her face and is literally pissy with everyone she meets. What attracted Chris to her? The guy's self-esteem must have been shattered into a million pieces by Ada's rejection when he moves on to that. When Rose was revealed as a cop, her personality made a certain amount of sense, but it doesn't endear me any more to the character. Now that she's in charge of the investigation of Damon's harassment, I can't help feeling she'll try to stitch the MC up for something just because she can.
Penny: Looks nice, but again I'm getting bad vibes from her. She starts off as a concerned mentor type figure, which is fine, but then veers off into predator territory. I was ignoring her low-cut tops which are massively inappropriate for a school environment because yeah, this is an AVN, what do we expect!?
Naomi: I appreciate the backstory tries to paint them as the perfect couple, but I'm just not getting it. They didn't seem to be very compatible with each other, the MC was constantly disinterested in anything that interested her and with Naomi's abandonment issues, it feels like they were always going to crash and burn. If it hadn't been sparked by the MC's mother's disappearance, it would have been something else. On a purely aesthetic front, this particular 'model' does nothing for me (I've seen a similar model used in other VNs). I'm also not into the muscly spending-every-day-at-the-gym types.
Ada: This is the one LI that could actually work. She seems pretty cool, doesn't have any obvious run-away-now traits. Some emotional baggage, but who doesn't. Seems to like the MC without being dependent on him or controlling of him and in spite of the age gap. This is probably the route I'd take, if it weren't for the glaringly obvious fact that she needs to get back together with Chris. Such a bullsh*t reason for them breaking up which all came down to Ada's fear of disappointing her parents. Feels a bit pointless to pick her when the game is hanging a big neon-sign saying "Ada/Chris 4eva", lol.
So where does that leave the MC? Hmm, why couldn't I ask the girl at the burger joint who gave him a free packet of fries out on a date? There's no justice I tell ya.
Yeah i would say the avn tries to make you gay with the LI's but the gay people are even worsePlaying this for the first time but haven't looked at any of the thread so I don't get the plot beats spoiled.
Currently on Chapter 3 (I think?). So far the story is compelling enough to keep me interested... which is perhaps just as well because I'm not getting anything from the LIs at the moment. I try and make my first playthru of any VN as realistic as I can, making decisions for the MC that I could see myself making in the same situation (as far as the offered choices allow) and so far none of the offered LIs are clicking with me.
Danielle feels like the typical bitchy rich-girl who gets everything she wants when she wants it. I've rejected all of the game's attempts to get the MC involved with her, but somehow he's still getting tangled up in her mad shenanigans to try and get Damon back with her. She seems to have a complete inability to accept 'no' for an answer which is another point against her.
Mira: I backed off from her at the start due to the mistaken impression she was Damon's new girlfriend. I don't think the text made it explicit that they were just friends, all I remember is that he'd known her for a couple weeks and hadn't told the MC about her. I assumed that they'd had a date he had to call off and Damon wanted the MC to go in his place to apologise for him and try to placate her. She seems nice enough on the surface, but was giving off what to my mind was cheating signals. After I realised I'd gotten the wrong end of the stick, I re-examined that early interaction but it still gave me weird vibes. She seems super interested in the MC right from the moment they meet. It's way too quick and is giving me Lancaster Boarding House flashbacks. Let's just say I wouldn't be entirely surprised if she turns out to be a stalker.
Rose: Holy crap, this is one person I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. She goes around with a perpetual scowl on her face and is literally pissy with everyone she meets. What attracted Chris to her? The guy's self-esteem must have been shattered into a million pieces by Ada's rejection when he moves on to that. When Rose was revealed as a cop, her personality made a certain amount of sense, but it doesn't endear me any more to the character. Now that she's in charge of the investigation of Damon's harassment, I can't help feeling she'll try to stitch the MC up for something just because she can.
Penny: Looks nice, but again I'm getting bad vibes from her. She starts off as a concerned mentor type figure, which is fine, but then veers off into predator territory. I was ignoring her low-cut tops which are massively inappropriate for a school environment because yeah, this is an AVN, what do we expect!?
Naomi: I appreciate the backstory tries to paint them as the perfect couple, but I'm just not getting it. They didn't seem to be very compatible with each other, the MC was constantly disinterested in anything that interested her and with Naomi's abandonment issues, it feels like they were always going to crash and burn. If it hadn't been sparked by the MC's mother's disappearance, it would have been something else. On a purely aesthetic front, this particular 'model' does nothing for me (I've seen a similar model used in other VNs). I'm also not into the muscly spending-every-day-at-the-gym types.
Ada: This is the one LI that could actually work. She seems pretty cool, doesn't have any obvious run-away-now traits. Some emotional baggage, but who doesn't. Seems to like the MC without being dependent on him or controlling of him and in spite of the age gap. This is probably the route I'd take, if it weren't for the glaringly obvious fact that she needs to get back together with Chris. Such a bullsh*t reason for them breaking up which all came down to Ada's fear of disappointing her parents. Feels a bit pointless to pick her when the game is hanging a big neon-sign saying "Ada/Chris 4eva", lol.
So where does that leave the MC? Hmm, why couldn't I ask the girl at the burger joint who gave him a free packet of fries out on a date? There's no justice I tell ya.
Well, I've played to the end of episode 5 and that was certainly a turnaround. I managed to avoid the Naomi/Mira decision by going back slightly and talking to Rose on the roof instead of Mira on the steps, although I'm mystified as to how the MC and Rose managed to have such a civilised conversation after all the rants and stupid mind games up to that point. Felt like that scene belonged to a path where they're on better terms, though I'm not sure where I could've gone onto that path... maybe if the MC took her clothes off when Rose said she could help with Mira's class fees, I dunno?
I took the friend path with Naomi. I'm glad that a reconciliation wasn't forced like I thought it might be. Becca though is either a misandrist or secretly fancies Naomi and is going full alpha. I'm half expecting her to shank the MC any time she's in a scene. Mira still seems full-throttle infatuated, though she hasn't done anything particularly Single White Female yet, so the stalker fears might be unfounded. I might've warmed to her more if she'd been less full-on right from first laying eyes on the MC. Her model seems to have weird facial expressions sometimes as well, that hasn't helped.
Damon being gay wasn't a surprise, it seemed pretty heavily signposted, though him being responsible for the MC's mother vanishing into the night was unexpected. Perhaps it shouldn't have been though. Most of the VNs I play, the MC's dudebro best-friend seems to let him down in some way. Danielle is actually tolerable, even almost sympathetic in episode 5 which was another turnaround. If she'd been more like this through the rest of the game rather than the rich bitch cliche, I probably would've been more positive towards her. Oh well.
I've realised now who Ada's been reminding me of this whole time - anyone remember the late '90s indie band, Republica? The lead singer, Saffron? Ada has that look about her. I went down her path at the end, going to the work party. Good on her for quitting, she was increasingly hating that job, maybe now she can have a fresh start. Chris is now looking less sympathetic than he was in earlier episodes, I'm starting to suspect I should've had the MC tell Ada to throw the engagement ring away.
I actually found a good potential LI at the pool party - Sienna, the more reserved dark-haired friend of Danielle's. She also has a good scene slapping Kent silly in the girls locker room. But seemingly she's not an option. Shame.
Overall, not a bad game. If the dev un-abandons this and finishes off the story (feels like episode 6 might be the last one?) I'll come back to it.
I took the friend path with Naomi. I'm glad that a reconciliation wasn't forced like I thought it might be. Becca though is either a misandrist or secretly fancies Naomi and is going full alpha. I'm half expecting her to shank the MC any time she's in a scene. Mira still seems full-throttle infatuated, though she hasn't done anything particularly Single White Female yet, so the stalker fears might be unfounded. I might've warmed to her more if she'd been less full-on right from first laying eyes on the MC. Her model seems to have weird facial expressions sometimes as well, that hasn't helped.
Damon being gay wasn't a surprise, it seemed pretty heavily signposted, though him being responsible for the MC's mother vanishing into the night was unexpected. Perhaps it shouldn't have been though. Most of the VNs I play, the MC's dudebro best-friend seems to let him down in some way. Danielle is actually tolerable, even almost sympathetic in episode 5 which was another turnaround. If she'd been more like this through the rest of the game rather than the rich bitch cliche, I probably would've been more positive towards her. Oh well.
I've realised now who Ada's been reminding me of this whole time - anyone remember the late '90s indie band, Republica? The lead singer, Saffron? Ada has that look about her. I went down her path at the end, going to the work party. Good on her for quitting, she was increasingly hating that job, maybe now she can have a fresh start. Chris is now looking less sympathetic than he was in earlier episodes, I'm starting to suspect I should've had the MC tell Ada to throw the engagement ring away.
I actually found a good potential LI at the pool party - Sienna, the more reserved dark-haired friend of Danielle's. She also has a good scene slapping Kent silly in the girls locker room. But seemingly she's not an option. Shame.
Overall, not a bad game. If the dev un-abandons this and finishes off the story (feels like episode 6 might be the last one?) I'll come back to it.