But Fable has always said that Alex will not be a doormat, unless you choose to make him that way (Route 3 or 4)
In Route 1 & 2, he is supposed to be a "man who actively participates in a loving/open relationship - sharing his passions with his equally loving/open wife"....So, where is that guy? And how does the game develop without Neil getting his way? Is Alex still supposed to just be a doormat, leaving this avoidance option entirely up to Sarah? Come on...surely not....the guy must grow some balls and whip Neil outta the picture somehow?
Otherwise, its just gunna be the Sarah Game, or the Neil Game....a shit choice to make really imo
I understand some of the criticism, to a degree.
Alex isn't a pussy, unless you play him that way...
And Sarah only goes "too far", making Alex seem like he has no agency, if you play her that way...
I get all the above sentiments as well. In truth I am newer to these NTR games than some. I like their potential to bring tension, but there are a few things about them that have always felt off, but I could not really put it into words. The more I play and talk with other, the more some things come into focus. One of which is Male MCs in these games. I agree that Alex is largely ok, but there are a few moment that are glaring examples of a response generated for game/plot.
1) The late night text message. This was my top WTF moment. So his wife's boss, that he knows/suspect to be a player, gives her a gift card to buy a dress. Then asks her to send a photo to which he reply "Oh that must have been a joke". Later...in the middle of the night, said boss makes the request again, very directly. And Alex says...nothing. He waits to see what Sarah will decide. That is the type of agency loss I feel Cursed is referring to. What non doormat husband stays silent there. I realize my personal response is not what any and all would do. But I am out of the bed, putting on clothes and about to drive to someone's home residence to have a "discussion". At the very least most husband would go "He said what?!?".
2) The video. After the above you find and see a video of him in the office, with another female employee. So now you have proof of a history of a certain behavior. Call HR, call our attorney, call the cops to stop me. And hence the reason why the MC has to be somewhat generic. The non doormat choices end these plots too quickly or write themselves into a corner of conflict due to the tag line that serves as Cursed's signature.
3) In general: Instances to negative relationship points just for expressing concerns or what your boundaries are.
4) NTR themes and scenarios invoke a wide range of possible responses. Too many to typically portray in a game and so the agency of characters feels limited as a result. This is further compounded when you do not get a choice at all because it is considered a moment of dialogue as opposed to a fork in the plot. But character personalities are defined during those dialogue moments just as much, if not more so, as in those plot fork moments.
