VN - Ren'Py - Where the Heart Is [S1 Rev1] [CheekyGimp]

Art is ugly. Besides the terrible models there's something seriously off about the lighting here. Need better ray tracing or skin materials or something!

My main problem with this game is that even if these women hit on me in real life I wouldn't want to sleep with them. There's really nothing seductive about their personalities or alluring about their circumstances. Anybody can go to their local walmart and pick up some lower middle class and undersexed housewife. It's really missing that aspirational quality of sleeping with a woman that's excellent in some way.

That being said I'm only part way through this game, maybe it gets better. But I'm not sure if I can bring myself to finish this. I'll edit if I do.

This review is being wrtten as of Chapter 14.

TBH I'd love to give this a 4.5 instead of the 5, but here's a free .5.

The renders are good, the girls are pretty, and the dialogue is solid.

It starts out a little bit slow which is absolutely fine and then picks up a real nice pace by about Chapter 9 or 10 IMO. The story in the early chapters felt just a tad vanilla but as I said it picks up.

Towards the later chapters the animations take a bit of a step up which is cool, whether the creator is getting additional resources or is learning how to create even better content as the game is being created is definitely a good sign.

All in all, it's a good play and definitely recommended with plenty of content as of right now with several hours available.

This is just another typical game on this site, which is not a good thing. From the okay renders to every girl tossing themselves onto the MC, it does very little to separate itself from other games on here.

The plot is like many others as well, the brother comes home after living with their asshole father to live with the mother and two siblings. Once home he starts seeing his family as more than family because apparently that what happens when you do not see them in years.

The thing I would never understand in these games is Incest is frown on, yet, everyone around them seems to be okay with the relationships, finding it hot or cute.

Amateur writings and mediocre storytelling. Not horrible, but...meh. It just makes me question: "Why am I spending time reading these texts of such quality that I myself can pop out a thousand words of within twenty minutes?" Doesn't appeal to me at all. The depiction of characters just didn't impress me thus I failed to like those girls. I've truly enjoyed quite a few well-written VNs but this unfortunately fails to be one of them.
Renders and sex scenes are NOT enjoyable. At least not charming and/or arousing to me.
Music and sound effects non-existent.
I'm sorry that my standards are probably higher than average. Not Recommended.

One of the best adult VN at the moment.

Pros:

• Awesome renders
• Good animation
• Lots of H action
• The female characters are stunning, and they vary to cater to different tastes
• Plenty of romantic option to choose from
• There is depth to all the character, not just the main ones
• Well written
• Updates are cleverly balanced, while most games eventually tend to focus on one or two characters while ignoring the rest, Gheekygimg makes sure that every one of the girls we love gets to shine

Cons:

• None

I remember playing this when it first came out and thinking that this game has real potential. But wow, it far surpassed my expectation.

The thing that makes this game stand out from the others in my estimation is the writing. Usually when I play these types of games, I play with one hand on the skip button. Skipping 90% of the dialogue, since it’s usually so boring. But not here, the story is so well written and captivating, not to mention the humor. Every time I play this game, I crack up laughing. CheekyGimp has a wicked sense of humor, which he’s infused into all the characters, especially the MC.

The only problem I have, is that the girls are so fantastic that I find it impossible to just choose one. So far, it hasn’t been an issue, but I have a feeling it’s going to bite me in the ass pretty soon. Hopefully CheekyGimp will have sympathy for all us perverts and give us a harem ending.

This is definitely a game to play and for those who can afford it, to support on patreon. Keep up the great work CheekyGimp, I look forward to seeing what you have in store for us

While some of the renders of the girls aren't my cup of tea (Zarah, the neighbor in particular, especially once she cuts her hair), this is a good story featuring a wide range of choices. I have enjoyed every chapter, even if it can border on cliche at times.

Renders:they are very good for the most part i'd say one tier below the best for much of the game..at times though there is some wonky expressions..lol backgrounds and such are nicely filled out usually and decently detailed..do not discount this because it is second tier graphics..we will get to why this is a top 10 all timer Story:This is why it is a top 10'r alltime..there is SO much good about this story its hard to say anything without sounding like a fanboy...you are an adult MC who returns to his old town after his dad dies to spend time with the dame and her daughters who you lived next to and grew up with..while there..mystery abounds due to your father's will and you also get to romance and boink TF outta the dames(plus many others) will you boink them all?..or focus on one or two?..it is all your CHOICE..yes..choice..and this is choice done right..it all matters and it definitely crafts the story you want to do...this game is a players game..you make it your own..you immerse deeply because of it and then spend days theorizing with pals about what could happen..thats why this is so damn good...it totally involves you. Gameplay:VN easy peasy lemon squeezy..zero surprises..all choice based with consequence..no mini-games or sandbox..just pure unadulterated smooth sailing perfection ..Extremely recommended 5/5

A very good game with a smooth evolution, animations rather well done, various characters with different body type for all tastes.
There are enough secondary characters so that the story can take its time with the primary characters while still offering h-scenes without waiting for 15 episodes.
Several hours of play now and this one is not finished. The only point that can be annoying is that if you make a bad choice of answers in a previous scene you may not have enough points with a character to unlock a scene afterwards (and not know where you have screwed so the saves are pretty useless). If some games are easy enough without walkthrough for that one it is very useful.

So, this is the first game of this type I ever played, so I don't have a great frame of reference here. However, from a lot of experience reading erotic fiction and having at least glanced over the art in several games, there are a few things I can say.

The Art - Definitely great. The girls are beautiful and pretty varied. Katie, Jenna, Lily and Elaine deserve special mention. Animations are good as well.

The Writing - This, in my opinion, is where the game truly shines. This story could easily have been a very successful piece of erotic fiction. The writing (the story, the dialogue, and the characters) is just fantastic. There is a real, compelling story that exists independently from the sexual part of the game. The dialogue is great, particularly the main character's banter with Katie/Elaine and the role playing aspect with Jenna. The characters also feel like real people. They are complex, very few are what your first impression of them would lead you to believe. (Katie seems like the confident badass, and she is, but she also wants romance and to be treated affectionately, Lily seems dumb, but in reality while she isn't the most intellectual, she is very self-aware and knows how to get what she wants, just a couple of examples).

Honestly, I can't think of a single negative thing to say about the game, so in my opinion it definitely deserves a 5 star rating.

The start of the game is rather slow, but from episode 6-7 the game really starts to pick up its pace. It is definitely one of the better made stories of its style and gives a lot of nice girls to fiddle with.
One of the better surprises has been how many different styles can be used while playing the game - and how nice it has been to interact with each of the girls.
The storyline actually has some meat on it and is not just tits and vagina,, luckily.

Review of Episode 13

You never forget your first time.

This VN was the first VN I chose to play when I discovered F95 and fell down the rabbit hole of adult VNs and porn games. Monica was my first love and probably will remain so, even if she turns out to be a gold digging whore who's teased me for 13+ episodes just to get her hands on my inheritance.

This game doesn't feature music, sound effects, galleries, or achievements. It features the rarest thing found in VNs - outstanding writing.

Briefly, after the death of the MC's shitbag narcissistic father, you are contacted by an old friend of your mother who had a hand in raising you until your mom's untimely death. You are happily reunited for the first time in over a decade and move in with her family in a motherly gesture on the friend's part that promises to heal old wounds. Along with the old friend are her two daughters of whom you have childhood memories. Around this cast of three is a baker's dozen of available slam pieces including the dad's toxic but tasty widow, various models with various degrees of mental stability, and a coffee shop owner with tits that could put Starbucks out of business. Here's the rub: there's an inheritance worth millions at stake if the MC only follows an outrageous posthumous demand from his father, but is that sacrifice worth the millions of dollars the MC stands to gain? Worse yet, there are other people who have a chance at the inheritance, some of whom the MC may be trying to seduce or, conversely, may be trying to seduce the MC. Can the MC trust anyone else's motives? Can he trust his own?

The active discussions around the game with each release are a testament to the thrilling nature of the story. That, by itself, would make this a five-star game. But fortunately, the teasing is among the best I've encountered in a VN. Quite often, I save scum my favorite dialogue, in addition to my favorite sex scenes. I find it that hot at times.

You may recognize the DAZ models from other games, but you won't mistake the characters. Each one is unique and individual and, as a player, I find it quite hard to choose my favorite among them. (Still pulling for that Happy Harem ending!) I find the characters' personalities as attractive as the physical assets of the models.

While the writing is not always perfect and the dialogue can cause the occasional cringe (mostly due to the overuse of homophobic "humor"), not to mention a controversial plot outcome in Episode 8, the thrilling nature of the mystery and the nuance in the story far outweighs any imperfections.

Do yourself a favor and play this game. Now.

Highest recommendation!

Very entertaining.
Interesting and pleasant ladies, and a solid story-line.
The real charm is in the dialogue - It reads like an Aaron Sorkin screenplay. Lots of sharp, quick, witty banter.
My only issue would be with the "animations", most of which are just two frames bouncing back and forth. However, there are a couple of fairly smooth animations in the later chapters.
I also liked the fact that this was less about "corruption" than most similar games, and more about "women think about sex too".

PROS:

+Great characters and designs
+Good storytelling. This is a VN, you'll read a lot
+Adult scenes are satisfying
+If you're looking for a well-deserved awaited wank, after investing time in story/characters playing, this game is for you

CONS:

-Game is very silent. Sound and music is non-existent
-Gameplay is also non-existent. You're just reading the Dev's VN
-If you're looking for a quick wank, this game isn't for you

6/10 The story and characters are honestly great. The characters are and visuals are very appealing; But that's it. It's a quintessential VN. You're just playing thru the developer's novel. If you're expecting a game, look somewhere else.

Also Zarah need improvements. Currently she's unseemly. She looks like my left nutsack.

This is a good game, with snappy dialogue, good renders (though they took a bit for me to get used to) and pretty likable characters.

It's interesting to me though, there's a surprisingly dark undercurrent to this game. When I first played this game, it seemed like a warm, heartfelt romance game where the hero rediscovers his home. Home is where the heart is, after all. But.. that's not really the case.

Each female character has their own distinct personality, and the main character is rewarded for taking a slightly different approach for each one. While it's pretty subtle at first, the further you get in on this game the more it seems the MC is lying to every female characters as he seduces them all. It's really kind of discordant how the words he is saying are warm and kind, but then his actions are cold and calculating.

It makes me wonder if the author intended this as another reading of the title. Where the Heart Is. For the main character, it's nowhere to be found.

very complete experience, a bit too easy. you can basically get every girl on the first playthrough but that was actually nice. the plot isn't ridiculous, characters are beliveable but way too overzealous. renders are wonderful but monica and katie's noses are identical and imho pretty ugly. I wish the romance parts lasted longer since the sex ones were often too abrupt. also I wish I didn't have to constantly lie about my tastes, contradicting during different scenes just to get points with different girls, without consequences. for instance I DO prefer pale girls but I had to say jenna looked better with a tan.

Alright first of all the sister's wicked ass banter with the MC is hot as hell. I love the way the story plays out and they way you gradually corrupt them all. The models are sexy as hell the sex scenes are rewarding and almost every woman is on the table. Love it can't wait for incest update. Oh shit can I say that already been reported once today?

love this game. story is great. girls are hot. only thing is the animation with the sex scenes is not on par with how good the game is. i would put this in my top 3 of games played. played it all in 1 go that is how good it is.

A step above the usual porn game. There are characters you will care for, some you will fall in love with and an actual story. Actually a really good story. Actions have consequences and thus far they have been coming slowly but surely. You could horndog you way through this but keep an eye, that light at the end of the tunnel is probably a loaded freight train.

Pros
+ The characters are a varied group covering different body types, personalities, motivations, and race/ ethnicity.
+ The character is as nice a guy or as big of a douche as you like.
+ Actions have consequences.
+ The renders are pretty good
+ The main three characters are a slow burn romance, but the secondary characters provide full coital action to spice things up, if you choose too.
+ A story a real story.
Cons:
- Renders vary in quality from average to really good.
- Gamer guilt when you make a douche bag choice.... (but that's me)

Excellent renders. Very good story. I especially like the story lines with Monica and Looking forward to more of Katie. All the characters are different, with their own personalities and quirks.

The Katie character is propably my favorite all-time in any adult game. Smart, Funny, Irreverant, Sassy, Sarcastic; yet still can be vulnerable. AND she's open to sharing the player with other female characters.

The plot line with the Father's will has got me on the edge. Will the player choose the money, or the girl(s)? I'm intrigued.

So far, this is my favorite adult game.

This game is amazing not only are there tones of sex scenes but also the option to not have sex with people you dont want to wich is quite refreshing when your not forced.

the renders are amazing and the animations are good. the story is intresting with some revelations still to come.