Thinking for yourself, is such a hassle these days, don't you agree? Sometimes I wish someone would do it for me. The first time I heard about the idea of an utopic society, where humans don't make decisions, and are released from the burden of free will, my reaction was: "My days, that sounds positively awful". Yeah... I may have been hasty! As I get older, the idea gets more and more appealing. Mind you, I'm not one of "dem fellas" who thinks they can do better than the others, and never puts in the work, but a real life skip button (it's that Adam Sandler movie, and he probably copied someone) just sounds so tempting.
So, lets' fight that alluring, yet venomous notion, and conjure up some flair: *PI, MA, LO ,FA FA, DUSH*, and have a proper review (pfft... no, we're not! ) like your chosen deity intended to. It will be a one night stand of "wham bam shang-a-lang" (or a lot of reading) sugar lips!
Disclaimer: I have played MG1K, and had a great time with it (I need to buy it, but my conscience and my funds, are in eternal conflict. Most deepest, "heartfeltest" apologies, I WILL distribute divine retribution on my own wicked ways... in time). The other 2 (ponies, college?) were a quick uninstall. How's this relevant, and why I'm wasting your time with this: SUBJECTIVITY "homey", and perspective lad. That's what's missing in a number of the reviews present here. Why did I like MG1K? Cause it has monster girls, and I love that tag. (Monster girls are facing a "critical world ending crisis of extinction" in this website, let me tell you... Breaks my heart, please send money to the folowing account, is for a good cause).
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The point? Who knows? Logical Continuity? What's that? Shut up! Drop your pants, and prepare your behind for the "Choo choo train of neutrality"(and "pseudo-intellectuality") that's coming your way.
NTR is up first, cause everyone here has a PHD on the matter, and I graduated "some cum Laura", so regard me as a self proclaimed divine authority, on the subject. It's ok to rise now.
There are only 2 types of "good NTR": The one that turns you on (obviously), and the one that gives homicidal tendencies (makes you feel something). "Voyeurism" and anger at ugly fat bastards/or sex crazed-addicted women, can fit this classification. Thing is, they are also the quickest, laziest and most profitable side of NTR, and the place where quality doesn't seem to reach more, often than not. What is great NTR then? Great NTR is the build-up to a loving realtionship with your wife, and a very nice friendship with your best buddy. Both of them really love you, no lie, but they are effing each other on the side, and you the reader know it's coming, (because it's NTR, and a good writer gives subtle hints), while your chair is really crossed with you, and can't take any more "fidgeting", or "huffing". That's great NTR at it's core (because it mimics something tangible). The feelings and the self-insertion peak at the thought of such a scenario.
(Yep... gonna start talking about the game 7 paragraphs in. I'm a daredevil!) What we get here doesn't work as "Netori", because the target (your brother) is presented as a "wanker" (in all senses of the word) and nobody gives a flying eff about him. Let's say that the guy was a traditional hero of prophecy, a regular virgin, Mr. nice guy, someone who's capable, treats the maids like friends, and is actually close to defeat the "demonlord". Notions of stealing the girls, harming someone good, or interfering with the world being saved (peace), would make good "Netori". Right now, we have the poor bastard being the target of an unending roast, for some reason. If this was supposed to be a strong theme here, then "private Ryan" was not saved, and his decaying skeleton is not pleased, at all, with this predicament. Perhaps the dev wasn't going for that, and the criticism is out of place. It's still a missed opportunity, and with this premise you could have propelled this to the clouds ("NTRwise"), specially if you had the maids feeling bad about cheating, and the MC being friends with the hero.
Speaking of premise, that's coming up next, cause I "googled" the notion of logical continuity (while you were reading this), and like a 2d girl, I'm nothing if not adaptable, and "bendy". Also throwing in setting, and worldbuilding to the cocktail, cause they all go hand-in hand, and make good pals. Now... Have you heard of YouTube? What about 20 mins videos on a subject, where they have the gall of using the word LECTURE, and genuinely believe they know what they are talking about? Friends, Friends...Friends, I will refer you to one of those videos to (probably not) find out what is wrong with the premise, setting and worldbuilding, of Unveiling the Unknown.
Let me be "piss yellow clear": Two factions, in a contained world, fighting a war for hundreds of years, makes zero sense, and does NOT make good fiction. You just wrote yourself into a trap that never allows you to say goodbye to mediocrity. The world does not seem to be in any danger; Humanity and the monsters(demons) should just kiss and make up; And any sense of gravitas wasn't even evicted, it never lived there. But, but, but.. what about stuff like "triangle strategy", they have the details, and intricacies, and the politics, and the motivations, and it's also a contained world, and many people like it. NON, NON, NON!!! What they have is the collection of addled brains (some exceptions, like in all things), that makes up the world of steam reviews, and "Square Enix", can pull rank thanks to past exploits (and ooh boy! that rank, is starting to show some wear and tear, let me tell you). That crap is mind numbingly boring, and I'm a huge fan of reading convoluted shenanigans.
I'm getting worked up, and that's not good for my health, so let's take a couple of deep breaths, before we address the greatest flaw of this game (I'm now anaesthetized, and functionally impartial)
The goddess being a real and accepted entity is downright preposterous. How do you think faith works? Everything that is weaved in this title regarding religion fell apart at the premise. God can only exist (to us) through eternal doubt, and anthropomorphic lenses. The existence of a deity is not your personal playground to spread ideology. When you make a piece of entertainment, a product that is meant to sell, you are no longer just venting your own opinion, like I'm doing right now.
Here, mental exercise:
Imagine that tomorrow God appears and says this to everyone on earth: I'M GOD, I'M HERE. I'M REAL. Even if you are asleep, or in the middle of the ocean, or watching porn with headphones. Everyone knows God is real from now on. Work from this absurd notion to realize where you went wrong. It's impossible to say that what's presented here is wrong, but "cringey", bathed in the most simplistic of common senses, and infused with trendy modern sensibilities, while also wearing an appalling disguise of seriousness? That much I can state with certainty. Stay away from religion, stop being preachy! If you absolutely must out such notions, do it through subtext, symbolism, allegory, or what have you. Not like this. Hopefully that's constructive criticism, and if someone took the time to create a world, while putting some thought and effort to it, then it is my righteous quest to tell them what's wrong with it. I'm always right 60% of the time, so listen to me young "padawan".
There... it's all unicorns and rainbows from now on.
Regarding "padawans.".. just kidding, stunts come in sets of 1, ideally. 1 trick ponies are the real deal. Regarding characters: The dev skipped "leg day"; Basics were skimmed over; Foreplay was thrown aside like a ragged doll; The moon landing was hoax; The hell do I mean? "Look Joe I've been whoring in this exact same corner for 50 years" so I know my Visual Novels, and character progression arcs, trust me (Never trust someone who says trust me, btw). First you introduce the archetype of your choosing; Then you go against it, at least once to escape the one-dimensional slur; Then come the everyday experiences designed for normalization, and empathy growth, and finally you disclose the big bad inner conflict or plot twist (both), and all its contrivances, that make fangirls squeal.
This visionary, this rebel, this reformer of the old ways, decided to say: Eff the mother effing conventions, I'm the effing law here. Result: "Undisclosed" went to war and got "headshotted", hence private Ryan's ghost still wanders the land, as you might expect. You are not allowed to just eat the meat buddy, you need the vegetables. So the pervert nun, and the shy girl, and the one who wants to end the war, and the competitive one in love... they just starting talking about their deep darkest secrets and desires. "What's your favorite color girl? I just don't know, but here are all my insecurities laid bare"... This "interview" style of presenting complex traits/aspirations on characters failed staggeringly, stupendously, and scandalously because you don't start with the complex. No one is asking for realism, but people don't talk or think this analytically, right out of the bat. How, why, who? Hubris is that you again? Stop talking crazy and go make me some soup, woman. It's back to the drawing board mate, but I WILL help you (take notes or drawings, I guess).
"Avanti"!!!
Behold the "tsundere" in her natural habitat - Major annoyance, not likable, but pays attention to you for some reason; Then she helps someone at school, (add 10 galloons of comedy preferably slapstick, in between) and she is not so bad all of the sudden; Then come similar tastes and/or a nice date; To screw things up, the premise comes into play, and drives a wedge between them; Finally, and ONLY then the big conflict emerges such as: justice and order, or love and chaos; Selfishness or moral correctness; the right choice or the right choice for me. Mix in a big sack of drama, and moving themes like bullying, to your discretion. Voilà. It's not freaking rocket science. Long story short, I just wanna hump those maids, cause their arses are perfection. If that's what you want great, if not reconsider. In "dum-dum" speech, these characters all feel "samey".
(Late Editor's only note. RIP!) - Or you could just read: Routes exist and work in a VN for a reason. Sniffing glue wasn't a good thing 30 years ago, and today it's just sad... *gunshots and screaming echo in the distance*
Violence DOES solve problems, Ghandi was wrong (or was it Buddha?). Let's move on to the RPG (mechanics, not story) side of things, and start with my own tragic, yet unrevealed backstory. I am "mathematically impaired", and it has been a burden on my existence ever since the first grade. To put in a way you cannot misunderstand, all those zeros just seem so shiny and dopey, they make me fall asleep. It's like the truth behind the universe, you can tell it's there, but it's just beyond your current intellect. An INT potion might help, taking an IQ test would just bring my ego down, so I'm thankful for calculators on cellphones. I looked up the name of the dev, and now address it as Scarlett-Sama, (instead of the usual you, it, they), because only superior lizard people in black trench coats, and hats can produce something so good.
Let's cut the crap for a second here: This is "fight-loot-upgrade-fight harder-more loot- better upgrade" done with professional quality. I will admit that the whole thing echoed with me, probably because my mentality towards videogames is very traditional or even "oldschooled", but there's no denying that this system Just Works ™. You want proof? Once I understood it, the number of floors I could traverse per run, the gold I got, the heat stat (It's a scaling mechanism), and health modifiers, all increased exponentially (and I mean by U.S billions in some instances), which should illustrate that there is depth to it, but more importantly, it felt very satisfying to watch my own progression. Dare I say, I was looking forward to pushing the limits of the system, more than banging the 2d maids? Sort of, but I'm not identifying a crowd pleaser here, some folks may regard it as an "obstruction" or unwelcome diversion from their porn. Another thing, is that by day 16, I was done with the dungeon delving. The only remaining upgrades cost stupid amounts of crystals on the research tab (not sure if I broke it, or if it's supposed to be easy, but there was no need to go there again).
Ok, there's a lot more to talk about, but my engine is running low.
I will remind you that destruction is woven into the very fabric of humankind, and that you should not take what I wrote here as serious criticism (the religion bit is indeed upsetting, follow your own advice and leave God to do it's business). My vacation is about to end, and I took an hour or so of my time, to release some creativity, no more, no less. This is is supposed to reach you in amusing and/or satirical form. "Unveiling the Unknown" is a very good game, and don't ask me logistics, but I'm impressed with the whole thing on principle alone. "Allrighty", this is a 10/10, a very good time, and proof of concept for a number of things, at least for me. If you played this and have the means, please consider supporting the creator, and experience the sweet release of generosity through "cathartic based justice" (I don't even know if that means something, but I'm gonna act like it does).
I will leave you with a quote from the game, that has marked and changed me profoundly:
"Just because I'm strong, doesn't mean I have a magical vagina." Words to live by, if I ever heard any.