So "Where The Heart Is" is one of your porn visual novel games. But this one feels quite different from the usual. It's got a lot more content than the others and it's one of the best in the genre.
Generally high quality writing all around. You go to stay with a friend of your mother's and her 2 daughters who you used to live with years ago. The building up of the relationships is done really, really well. A problem i would say in the beginning is that it feels too quick. Like over a few days you're already very, very close to them. What i would have liked is the exact same writing but spread out over many days or a few weeks or more, to make it more realistic, even if it's a few screens that say "a few day passed" or "a few weeks passed" then i would be more understanding of how their relationship currently is. In the game it's like as soon as you go to live with them it's like 10 years haven't passed and you have been living with them all along. But in the end it's fine really. The writing and characters are done really well. The choices are pretty good too.
The progression with each of the main characters, the story of their progression is great. The building up of romance with them.
I like the slow buildup to having sex with the 3 main women. Well, except Monica because it never happens (after 18 fucking chapters). The route for Monica, the milf character, is way slower than the others. They're all kinda slow really, but Jenna's route is pretty slow, yet when it comes to sex itself that felt rushed, same with Katie. And yet, Monica's route had a good progression for sex but it draws it out unnecessarily to an absurdly large degree and length. And it still hasn't even happened. Probably to keep stringing people along. There was even a point when it was a perfect opportunity for it to happen, and in the same chapter built up to it so much, then the game just ends your romantic relationship with Monica. It's very purposeful in denying you the satisfaction in finally having sex with Monica and stringing you along more, but it's more spiteful than stringing you along because it cuts to a black screen and says your romantic relationship with her is ended. That's it. Literally. What an utter let down. It's sad to see one of your favorite porn games do something like this. More stringing along, when, like where the other routes are going, it should be more focused on the continuing or advancement of the relationship. The Monica situation was basically a fuck you to Monica fans. Not cool man.
It's just ended and there is little to continue it. Even though with every other route you can be strongly in pursuit of the character or not that much. It's a varied spectrum. But even with Monica and choosing a strong focus on the romance options, it's just a "Nope, the route is ended" No more continuance of the leftovers for a while. It's a fuck you to Monica fans. Why bother doing that. Probably to extend the route and keep stringing people along.
The route resets, you wasted your time. Now do it again. Basically just skip the Monica route for now until the game gets far enough into development/finished when the route is complete. Otherwise you're just wasting your time and you'll end up disappointed, even dropping the game like i did.
Continuing on from a reset route is boring and annoying. The whole carnival thing made me drop the game until it's finished. The whole thing was pretty boring. Monica's route end is a dark stain on the game and it's ruined the game for me to be honest since what happened is always in the background and how bad the route ends is always there (although it's not ended as we know). It doesn't make me want to play the game anymore.
How many years has this game been in development? This is something you just don't do from a story perspective and a development one.
The main plot isn't that good really but it's decent. The side plots though range from good to decent. Katie's party was probably the best plot event in the game and that was right at the beginning.
It's funny i criticized things going too fast, but in the double digit chapters (around that time is when it starts) things progress too slow and everything is drawn out.
It's really sad to see one of my favorite porn games to end up like this.
Most of the dialogue between the mc and debbie in the double digit chapters is pretty redundant and just constantly full of useless jokes, useless dialogue that just goes on and on. It's actually like this with a lot of characters in the double digit chapters.
In the single digit chapters it actually felt like things were moving with the characters and their stories. The dialogue and conversations felt more natural. Then the plot with the will kicks in more and things grind to a halt and everything starts to become more drawn out.
Choices and reactivity is pretty good. Choices moreso. You constantly get choices and it's enjoyable to mold the main character's behavior more rather than always being a personality you can't change. Plus seeing the reactivity from other characters from your choices.
The reactivity in the sense of continuity is less good than the choices i think, but it's still pretty good. You'll be surprised at some of the little choices you make get referenced later down the line.
The choices and reactivity is pretty good, maybe a tad too superficial, but i think it can't be helped much since there is a lot of content in here. A lot of dialogue and a lot of characters. Though a lot is drawn out.
Since this is one of my favorites i would have loved to have done an extensive review. Going through all the plot elements. Commenting on each character and their journeys and growth. But the Monica situation really bummed me out. So much so it made me drop the game.
Even though i said a lot of the dialogue is redundant, there is still a lot of dialogue that is really good, and especially the characterization and character behaviors. With so much dialogue in the game there's a lot of good and a lot redundant. I just don't want to go into the good stuff. Just know it's still a really good game.
