Before saying anything i want to focuss on three aspects of the game, how it feels for a Harem game, for Netorare game and for a Netori game.
Harem: this is the most well developed part of the game. For a simple story about getting laid and cock blocking an evil asshole, the character are good enought. The girls are charming in distinctive ways both physically and personalitie wise, it creates a decent build up given the amount of character present. In one hand it could've been better if the rosters was half as big but on the other i generally like all the girls (except the blonde older "sister" trio)
Netorare: as an NTR lover this is where it feels lackluster and for a long time i wondered why, so im gonna TRY to break it up.
I want to preface this by saying that the game focusing on Harem instead of NTR is not bad per se, if anything the possibility of failure enchances the satisfaction of the Harem. But people need to be aware that this a Harem with bit of NTR and not the other way around.
Lack of interaction between MC and Chad: there is little to no interaction between them inside the game. We are told that they hate each other and why but it is rarely shown throught dialogue or interaction.
Lack of reaction from the MC: he doesnt react in any away to Chad getting close to the girls or even when he spies any of the girls getting on with Chad. This especially annoying when it happens on High Affection scenes, speaking of wich....
The true Netorare feels frustrating: in theory is the scenes where Chad blackmails girls, that like the MC, into bed its Netorare on its purest form. In practice the contrivances that would be easier to ignore with a pasive MC, become frustrating when MC is super active. Take for example Sofia Mala and Ranny, Chad creates a plan to kidnapp and save Sofia wich in High affection fails because the MC saves her. But for SOME REASON he is conviniently nowhere to be seen when Mala and Ranny need him (even thought he know their problems) wich allows Chad to take advantage.
The frustration of this scenario overrides any enjoyment one could get from the Netorare. I will talk more when i mention the "lock in"system.
Edit: looking at the gallery room i found out that there is a follow up to the scenarios described above.....if you dont sleep with the girls before those trigger.
Lets take Mala as an example.
This is actually pretty good, it gives a reaction to Chads meddling and follows up on Malas backstory, while also mentioning that the MCs is planning on gathering testimonies to report Chads behavior.
With all the girls happens the same and in 85% of the cases the result is more compelling than the original scenes. Im 50/50 between this variation and the normal scene for Vanessa Rina and Riley and im 100% not letting Chad touch Alice nor Ranny.
Now we would only need a variation /alternative to those scenes that can be triggered if the MC already had sex with the girls.
End of the edit
Active Harem creation and "but i liked them first" dont mix well: normally i defend BSS as a part of NTR but this is because the failure and humillation of the mc seing the sole focus of his affection with another person gives those NTR feelings. Those are gone when the MC can easily get other 4 girls on a bad week.
Worst case scenario Chad gets every other girls except for the two childhood frieds. He doesnt get his dream harem but gets two devoted beautiful future wives, thats a win. What even more, the MC could still steal Marida from Chad in this situation.
Therefore 98% of the low affection steals dont feel like Netorare unless those are the childhood friends and even then it doesnt 100% feel like it because the MCs lack of reaction
Netori: This is where the NTR truly shines in this game and for one simple reason, Chad reacts to getting cucked or cock blocked.
Chad shows frustration to the MCs meddling in his conquest attempts, especially so in the cases when he cant black mail his way into the girls pants, but more importantly he reacts to getting cucked by Marida .
He starts to show jelousy to both of them hanging out, even more when they start hooking up and in a final display of cuckery we get to see him REACT to them having sex.
To add insult to injury, Marida reveals that most girls dont like Chad because he is a selfish lover that more often than not ends hurting his girls because of his size rather than pleasing them.
This is the extra spice that the Netorare aspect lacks (as far as the version 0.95e) and makes the Netori shine.
At the end of the day i think the netorare is just fine and since Netori and Harem go so well together, i dont really mind that is lackluster but it wouldnt be the game i go for to scratch my Netorare want.
Now to briefly touch into other aspects.
The gameplay is fine, interactive enought withouth being a slogish grind.
I previously had a problem with point system to unlock new sex poses but the games has introduced easy work arounds.
Difficulty is weird, when its fair its easy to meta game even on harder dificulties once you get how it works. Therefore the only way to become a challange is to be random as fuck.
Hard mode is not an enjoyable experience, RNG can fuck you over no matter how good you are at planning. One morning can pontentially 3 of the girls avaible just for Chad to pick all three of them and you get jack shit, worse it can make unlocking Marida more dificult. Reloading for better rng defeats the purpouse of the mode and you just cant really enjoy yourself in this mode until you get everyone.
Only do this if you already played on normal or a custom difficulty and you're okey with waiting and potentially losing some girls.
Edit: i tried Hard mode again after understanding a little more about how Chad works and is honestly less bullshit than i gave it credit for. If you forgoe gifting until you start making money then you can have an enjoyable experience withouth having to manipulate the RNG too much or at all.
End of the edit
I like the cross system mechanically speaking but i think its absurd narratively. Yes Chad is an evil fuck but i belive that there are better way to cockblock him instead of exorcising his influence like he was Satan. Especially given that the setting is in an Inn with a tavers, buy drinks for everyone, get a party started so Chad doesnt get a chance for a 1 on 1 with the girls.
In the same way the lock in system is good in mechanically but feels lacking narratively. Half of the girls will outright ignore Chad advances at high affection, so it already feels pointless.
Better would be to give the MC a short scene (for those can be blackmailed by Chad) where he notices something wrong with the girl in question (for example Mala) and he has the option to look into it or ignore it.
This makes the mc carelessnes at fault of the situation (instead of the narritve decinding for itselft when the mc is or isnt present) and goes back to what Marida says about a true Harem requiring care and dedication.
The redone first time sex scenes are great and much better than the originals (slight audio problem where licking sounds stay even after the characters finish the foreplay)
I really, REALLY like this game and when its finished and the rought edges get polished (the dev already showed that is willing to go back and re-do things) i will happily change my score to 5 stars.
edit: also this is a nitpick but it bothers me, do travelers have forbidden to wear a fucking shirt?