Recommending TonyMurray's Favourite Games and Favourite Girls

[yoyojrt]

My notes in addition to the ones you're already cross-referenced (nice level of effort btw!)

1. Intertwined
2. Yesterday's Crossroads - On my list
3. Having a Hard Time - Looks good graphically, but I'm not into the futa aspect
4. Hillside
5. Seeking Closure - On my list
6. Jury - On my list
7. Defending Lydia Collier - On my list
8. Chasing Sunsets
9. Depraved Awakening - Tried it but didn't like it. I can't remember why, specifically
10. Race of Life
11. Acting Lesson - Have played and thought it was okay, but I only did a single save and had I more experience, I probably would have done multiple paths
12. Elmwood University
13. It Was Raining That Night - On my list
14. My Dorm
15. Alive
16. The Assistant (Steam Version)
17. The Seven Realms - I didn't get on with this one for some reason
18. A Shot in the Dark - Have played and decided not to continue. It was okay, but I realised that I didn't have an LI I was really into, and the story wasn't enough to tide me over
19. Leap of Faith - On my list
20. The Entrepreneur
21. Sisterly Lust - Was one of the first I played, I should probably try it again (if I can fit it in) now I have more "experience" with these games. I might appreciate it more
22. Nothing is Forever - The only one note already covered! Looking at the game thread, the screenshots have always put me off this one, with the black outlines to characters (shading/shaders, I think I saw someone comment?)
23. Summer with Mia / Returning to Mia - On my list
24. No More Secrets - Have played, was okay but not a favourite
25. The Grey Dream - On my list
26. Artemis
27. My Ex Future Family - On my list
28. Family Matters
29. Corporate Culture - On my list
30. My Pleasure - On my list

The ones I already have on my list, I'll note to potentially prioritise a bit more, given your comments on story, and seeing you in enough of the threads for games I like!

What game are you currently playing, if i may ask?

 

[flaviopaganini]

1. Yesterday's Crossroads - On my list
2. Seeking Closure - On my list

These two games are great, but on your first playthrough, you might get annoyed with some characters. However, as you play, you realize that everything is intertwined, just like in Nyx's game.

1. Having a Hard Time - Looks good graphically, but I'm not into the futa aspect

I understand you; I don't like it either. I got it because it was very cheap on Steam, but the story captivated me a lot. However, I skipped all the obscene scenes.

1. Jury - On my list

This game is very good, but only if you enjoy replaying it multiple times. In a linear playthrough, its three chapters are short. What makes this game stand out is the consequences of your actions, as some choices will only have a significant impact much later. To fully enjoy this game, you need to play at least eight times, focusing each playthrough on a different LI.

1. Nothing is Forever - The only one note already covered! Looking at the game thread, the screenshots have always put me off this one, with the black outlines to characters (shading/shaders, I think I saw someone comment?

Indeed, the art style of this game is different, it looks like cel-shading, and there’s something that might not appeal to everyone: the game is focused on humiliation. But what I really liked about this game are the Perks (the highlight system from Elmwood University originated here) and the music.

 

[flaviopaganini]

What game are you currently playing, if i may ask?

Intertwined
I'm replaying it from the beginning because the update came out this week.

Then in January, I'll play Race of Life, which is coming out on Steam.

 

[Ricthequick]

My notes in addition to the ones you're already cross-referenced (nice level of effort btw!)

19. Leap of Faith - On my list

If I had to single out just one, this would be my suggestion, it's again for me an odd case, as it's a VN I will most likely never play again after my 1st playthrough, but that speaks to how "hard" it hit me.

You can tell when authors actually know what they are writing about, it hit so close to home I couldn't stop playing it and despite me being almost 50 (and really not that emotional) I was actually sobbing my eyes out.

Again maybe not what folks look for in AVNs, but I personally don't care, a good story (theme) can be told in any environment and ends up trascending it.

 

[flaviopaganini]

If I had to single out just one, this would be my suggestion, it's again for me an odd case, as it's a VN I will most likely never play again after my 1st playthrough, but that speaks to how "hard" it hit me.

You can tell when authors actually know what they are writing about, it hit so close to home I couldn't stop playing it and despite me being almost 50 (and really not that emotional) I was actually sobbing my eyes out.

Again maybe not what folks look for in AVNs, but I personally don't care, a good story (theme) can be told in any environment and ends up trascending it.

It was based on an event that happened to the developer, which is why it’s so impactful. I recommend enabling the developer's commentary when playing for the second time. It’s only not higher in my ranking because of the comedic parts.

 

[Ricthequick]

It was based on an event that happened to the developer, which is why it’s so impactful. I recommend enabling the developer's commentary when playing for the second time. It’s only not higher in my ranking because of the comedic parts.

I learned about that after I finished it, but I could tell that was the case as soon as the "topic" popped up in the story, who has been through it knows it.

 

[TonyMurray]

What game are you currently playing, if i may ask?

Intertwined
I'm replaying it from the beginning because the update came out this week.

Then in January, I'll play Race of Life, which is coming out on Steam.

I'm running through my saves with the Intertwined update at the moment too, having placed Race of Life in the last couple of days. Once I've done Intertwined, I don't know what's next, possibly another quick update, depending on availability, or it'll be whatever next strikes me from my list...

If I had to single out just one, this would be my suggestion, it's again for me an odd case, as it's a VN I will most likely never play again after my 1st playthrough, but that speaks to how "hard" it hit me.

You can tell when authors actually know what they are writing about, it hit so close to home I couldn't stop playing it and despite me being almost 50 (and really not that emotional) I was actually sobbing my eyes out.

Again maybe not what folks look for in AVNs, but I personally don't care, a good story (theme) can be told in any environment and ends up trascending it.

It's one that I have heard a lot about, but maybe not so much lately. I wonder if it being completed takes it out of people's thoughts a bit in comparison to some others...

 

[Ricthequick]

I'm running through my saves with the Intertwined update at the moment too, having placed Race of Life in the last couple of days. Once I've done Intertwined, I don't know what's next, possibly another quick update, depending on availability, or it'll be whatever next strikes me from my list...

It's one that I have heard a lot about, but maybe not so much lately. I wonder if it being completed takes it out of people's thoughts a bit in comparison to some others...

Personal opinion, but probably the reason is not talked that much about is a combination of:

1. Been already completed.
2. Some, like me, might not be inclined to pursue different paths than just that one.
3. As Flavio pointed out it has some "weaker" aspects, some of the humor or comedic parts were a bit at odds with the serious bits, and not everyone likes it.

I'm trying now the new one from Drifty u4ia and I'm still not sure if I like it too much, but is also relatively early into development.

 

[Dessolos]

That's good to know - I don't officially list my ordered top ten, but Intertwined has to be right up there in the top three, I reckon. For The Hellcat Lounge, I refreshed my memory this morning by taking a look at the game thread, and I think the reason I didn't put it on my list to try is because of the models. Some of the girls look good, but there are far too many tattooes for me overall - I don't mind them too much on individual characters, but not when it's every character, and face tattoos are a definite turn off.

haha exact reason I didn't play The Hellcat Lounge for the longest time but I eventually did change my mind. But im someone that doesn't really need to like the looks of the girls to play a game , just liking the looks of the girls is the difference between do I play it sooner or in a year. As I find I end up liking LI in alot of games that don't do it for me look wise so I stopped caring for looks all together it only important for me to get my foot through the door.

 

[TonyMurray]

haha exact reason I didn't play The Hellcat Lounge for the longest time but I eventually did change my mind. But im someone that doesn't really need to like the looks of the girls to play a game , just liking the looks of the girls is the difference between do I play it sooner or in a year. As I find I end up liking LI in alot of games that don't do it for me look wise so I stopped caring for looks all together it only important for me to get my foot through the door.

Yeah, I get that - and I've got a list of 400+ to try, so liking the look of the girls might be the difference between making the list or not, rather than just sooner or in a year.

 

[Darkdevil66]

Artemis by digi.B

This has probably got to be my biggest disappointment so far. Artemis is one of those games that always gets mentioned when people are talking about the best or just giving recommendations, and it looked genuinely good for me and my tastes. Sadly, high praise and love from the community is no guarantee of success, and I ended up just not getting on with the story, and, to a lesser degree, the graphics. I actually gave up with the game before I even got to meet Artemis!

I’m pretty good at suspending disbelief when playing games, and the military-grade AI technology being worked on at college/university was one thing, but I couldn’t get on with the girls curing cancer by day and running a full-on debauched sorority by night. I’m not saying it can’t happen, but there just seemed to be a massive disconnect between these party girls and the high-up office execs of their alter egos.

I didn’t really get attached to any of the characters – the girls were nice but I generally found something a little off-putting about each of them. The graphics were a bit weird for me, too, as I was expecting so much more. Half the time when I was playing I felt like I had a heavily compressed version, despite running the full-fat game. There was at least one scene where I noticed a disclaimer at the top saying it had been updated, and the graphics did look sharper, to be fair.

I also didn’t like some of the gameplay. Mostly it was okay, but the free-roam parts felt a bit haphazard and sometimes it wasn’t clear what the objective was. Overall, I’m glad I tried this one out, but I’m sad that it didn’t work out better for me.
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I recall you contacted me a couple of months ago to get the name of one girl in my former sig ( Zelda ). It seems like even her didn't leave you an impression

Can't say I disagree with some points of your review tho. You're not the first one getting the feeling that the sorority feels out of the place and the fact it includes a CEO, a chemist prodigy, a lawyer from a reputed family, a tough cop and many others celibate uberwomen is a bit odd.

 

[TonyMurray]

I recall you contacted me a couple of months ago to get the name of one girl in my former sig ( Zelda ). It seems like even her didn't leave you an impression

Can't say I disagree with some points of your review tho. You're not the first one getting the feeling that the sorority feels out of the place and the fact it includes a CEO, a chemist prodigy, a lawyer from a reputed family, a tough cop and many others celibate uberwomen is a bit odd.

So I recall, the blonde drinking tea? I was so looking forward to that as well!

 

[Darkdevil66]

So I recall, the blonde drinking tea? I was so looking forward to that as well!

How far did you go ?

 

[TonyMurray]

I've finished my run through of the latest update of Intertwined (my review) and I'm still really loving this one. It's something pretty special, I think. Anyway, some new additions (plus a couple I already had but didn't originally include in my post because of numbers), some slight changes, and a couple of updated images:

 

[TonyMurray]

How far did you go ?

I can't remember, I think it was shortly after the blowjob competition at the sorority house. I got frustrated with the free roam exploring their house and I can't remember if I stopped there, or not long after.

 

[yoyojrt]

More Valeria content is all I hoped for in this update, and we got it!

 

[Darkdevil66]

I can't remember, I think it was shortly after the blowjob competition at the sorority house. I got frustrated with the free roam exploring their house and I can't remember if I stopped there, or not long after.

Then it's only the first chapter. It's actually the worst one. The blowbjob session is litteraly the Cumpetition done badly. I don't think your take on the story will really change but most of the cast becomes way more appealing and developped in the next episodes. If you felt no attachment to the girls, it might change with the others episodes.

On the other hand, from what I've seen with most of your lists we clearly have very different tastes for AVN girls ( only Bree from Summer Heat in common so far ), so I'm clearly not the best suited to advise you to give Artemis another shot

 

[Dessolos]

honestly for me Artemis didn't get good until the camping trip but I only really like Zelda and Kindra as a LI if I didn't have interest in them would be a hard game to play as I would end up alone or play as a fuck boy

 

[TonyMurray]

Then it's only the first chapter. It's actually the worst one. The blowbjob session is litteraly the Cumpetition done badly. I don't think your take on the story will really change but most of the cast becomes way more appealing and developped in the next episodes. If you felt no attachment to the girls, it might change with the others episodes.

On the other hand, from what I've seen with most of your lists we clearly have very different tastes for AVN girls ( only Bree from Summer Heat in common so far ), so I'm clearly not the best suited to advise you to give Artemis another shot

Yeah, it might not have been far in the overall scheme of things, but I figure I played enough to get a feel for it. It's a shame when there's a bit of a rough start, because unless there's something really redeeming in it, it's hard for me to push through that in the hope it will improve. I've been burned enough times to get a good idea of what I think might be able to turn around enough to bring me back in. Sometimes that means missing out on something I might have enjoyed, but there's enough for me to be moving on with with 400+ games in my "to try" list, so I'm okay with it!

honestly for me Artemis didn't get good until the camping trip but I only really like Zelda and Kindra as a LI if I didn't have interest in them would be a hard game to play as I would end up alone or play as a fuck boy

Kindra was a weird one for me. She felt a bit... immature? It was another disconnect like the sorority girl/world-beating scientist type combinations. Kindra as the inventor or even as the DJ felt fine, but her behaviour felt far too young for her character, if that makes sense.

 

[Cskin Games]

All of this artemis stuff sort of reminds me of a discussion I once had with someone regarding my own game.

I used to always think it weird - if someone mentioned they didn't like something, and then other ppl would "counter" with "well, this and this and this" - my take was always "Just let it go, they obviously don't like it"....

Until it happened to me. I was talking with someone about my own game, and he clearly did not like it. He mentioned a bunch of things about it he didn't like, and I countered a number of them - either explaining why he was wrong (in the few instances of being factually incorrect) or why I disagreed (on matters of opinion). Eventually he clearly got frustrated and made some comment along the lines of "I don't want to sit here and litigate it" - making it clear he didn't like the game, and didn't want to discuss it.

What he didn't understand was - I wasn't saying any of that stuff for his benefit. He made up his mind, didn't like the game, and that's fine. I was saying it for the benefit of everyone else who might be swayed by his opinion, I wanted to offer a counter to it - so rather than just say "Oh he didn't like it, I won't bother" they'd consider making up their own mind.

The whole back and forth on artemis reminds me of that - often those comments aren't necessarily made to convince one person, but everyone else.

At the end of the day it's interesting how much weight or validity we place in the opinions of others when it comes to media consumption - it makes some level of sense - there's not enough time or money to consume it all so you need to filter stuff out some how - but at the same time we can end up missing out on things we would have loved - just because others didn't.

None of what I just said is actually relevant to the above discussion, its just related in that it reminded me of this - and makes me wonder how many things I've personally missed out on (in any media) because I listened to the opinions of others who tried it first.