Loredump section, I approve. I am kind of hoping for a b-plot with a vampire villain, since they have the “evil lore”.
I choose reading for the hobby choice, Eva route on full blast I hope. My friend chose gaming. She asked for customization for Gabe in some way, not sure how that would work since we do not know how he looks.
The philosophical messages in the game are interesting. I personally do not believe in moral objectivity, but I can see how that makes sense if your perspective is based on faith. I do think my general conclusions concerning how someone should live their life and treat other people are not that different from the ones I think the game is generally trying to convey however, if you exclude the ones that directly relate to god.
I base my moral assumptions on a sort of practicality of progress I guess, what I think is most useful for a person and for society at large.
Sympathy is better than selfishness, pure nihilism and self-indulgence does not lead to a higher amount of happiness in the world, pretty much sums it up.
I skipped basketball btw, my friend went to martial arts.
There is some visual bug I have noticed, screen flashes black sometimes and gets some sort of visual noise, not sure what triggers it but it seems to happen while changing from one image to another.
Game recommendation section. Quite like the type moon games as well, never played Muv Luv.
Thanks for the further update! Yeah, the Catholic view heavily affirms moral objectivity because without objectivity ideals will ultimately conflict and truths can become untruths. You're not wrong that sympathy for others is good, hence why the ultimate rules preached by Jesus were "Love God and Love others" including your enemies. Keep me up to date if you continue!
omg I closed the browser and lost all my feedback I wrote up. Ok let's see what I can remember.
This section is hard to visually figure out. At first I thought the options were horizontal so "Window" or "Unseen Text". I'd recommend using dropdown menus or framing the two options so there's more visual separation.
The period after "say" feels off to me. Perhaps a ":" or ".." or "...".
I like how unique this is, there's a lot of attention put into the Catholicism aspects.
When Aria looks down at her phone, she looks cross-eyed.
It's a little confusing that Gabe goes by Gabe but the text bubbles always say Gabriel. Also Gabe as a character doesn't seem to have much complexity besides his religious journey.
That's all fair. Yeah, Gabe in the demo is mostly about his spiritual journey, but in each route later he'll develop a skill that will help him support the girl whose route he's on to uplift her and support one another.
I really liked this VN. I respect the level of detail and care with the religious influence. The girls are cute and the story was solid. Cant wait for full release
Playing through this a bit more properly this time, we shall see how far I get. I will be writing down my thoughts along the way.
Early bible quotes, even as an atheist, I am in favor of this. If your game goes bible, might as well go full bible. Interesting transition into the monstergirl lore as well.
I like the protagonist so far, Gabriel has a good mindset.
Father John works out. Damien looking sleepy, very good.
The expressions on the characters are really well done and creative.
Clover and Eva are both lovely, not a Sera fan, yet.
Background visuals are all extremely well put together.
Aria is nice too, the confessional scene was interesting. Overall it is an interesting premise, Catholicism and a "dating-sim style VN". Writing is steeped in it, which makes it fresh and different in a way.
This is even more evident with the teaching of the nun in the first classroom scene. There is a lot here I would not agree with, but that does not really impact my appreciation of this work.
Gabe does seem to be a bit of a blank slate, not a lot of personality going on here just yet, except for being a representation of the morals the game wants to convey. I get that some personal flaws, or some quirkier characteristics might not fit the purpose of this project, and it's a bit too early for me to form any more definitive opinion concerning the story and the characters overall.
Except that Eva is the best, this is evident right away.
I should mention I am playing this alongside a friend, I chose socializing for the first major choice, she took gaming.
Not that impressed with the music, kind of bland, but I have some offbeat sensibilities. I think the songs do get the job done and fit a VN. Perhaps a really strong main-theme or two might be good to mix things up, this might already be in as far as I know. I am at the gym sequence.
The basketball query is funny, you get Wren path points if you choose Bruce Lee? Stephen Curry, naturally. My friend chose Bruce.
Clover library scene very good, not gonna lie. Eva scene even better. This art is gorgeous.
Book recommendation section, now this I can get behind. I have read a surprising amount of these titles, just a few of the philosophy ones though. But no romance recommendations? After having it being teased earlier? For shame. Have not read Earthsea either, although the series has been recommended to me, really should. I think you might like the Ender books and some of the Atwood works.
Thanks for the honest review! As for not agreeing with stuff, that's okay as long as you still like the rest! I read plenty of VNs whose philosophies I may not agree with, but get what it's going for. So long as it doesn't seem like I'm trying to push it down anyone's throat!
Gabe does seem to come across as a blank slate, but that's part of the intention. He's a weak Catholic, but that might not be apparent to most people at first glance. I also need him to be somewhere in the middle to able to relate to the wide variety of interests such as gaming to basketball and martial arts, etc. I'm sure there's room for me to do better at least.
It's a shame you don't like the music. That's one of my favorite things to direct musicians on. It could be that it's too safe, but I made sure to put in examples similar to other works that I enjoyed to make sure to fit the themes for different directions of the game. Maybe once I get unique character themes in, it'll have more personality?
I'd highly recommend Earthsea as LeGuin has been a great fantasy author. I'm sure I would like Ender series and perhaps Atwood.
Hope to hear more opinions when you and your friend finish!
I think some character themes might do this game very well. Concerning the music it does have very high production values, its clean and well put together, but what I felt it lacked was indeed personality. Out of the tracks I have heard so far they all fit the scenes but there was not much I latched on to or something that made me feel: I want to hear this again.
Character themes is probably a perfect solution, even a solo piano with some clear cut and distinct melodies will probably add that extra feeling. Such melodies, depending on how they are put together, could also fade in and out over other songs as a character has a specific moment.
I would also consider creating a strong main theme eventually, something to use for trailers and such. I would go full cathedral pop if I were you, a blend between organs and something like a classic anime intro. It would fit the blend of themes the game has as well and you could reuse melodies from the theme in key scenes. Just a thought.
Hopefully I will feel I have some time to read this summer, Earthsea will be put on the list. The Ender books has some religious themes running in the background of the narrative which you might appreciate , even though the author is a mormon and not a catholic. This is more apparent in the second book than the first. Among Atwoods works I think my favorite is the Oryx and Crake trilogy, it portrays a very specific and dystopian view of the future, but she is overall just an excellent writer, although her thoughts concerning things do not always align with my own.
I think as I get closer to an actual release and have more content to show off in a more full trailer, I can get a more full main theme going based on the already present le motifs going on between tracks. The music in game is only 1/3rd of what's planned anyways so hopefully later more complete sections of the games will inspire emotion and connection to the game
Thanks for the fanart! I won't ever encourage unwholesome art of the game because I'm genuinely against it for the same reasons I'm making the game wholesome in the first place. My policy is "if it's posted here or anywhere I have control over, I'm taking it down, but don't have control elsewhere so I'll let it be because I know pursuing it won't do any good."
Either way, I'll check out your game later as thanks!
As a Dostoevsky enjoyer I would not mind if the protagonist was a bit less perfect from the start - the morning workout routine was plain ridiculous. :) The first confessional and the inner monologue before that would be a good opportunity to reveal more things about the life and mind of the protagonist, that we do not know yet from the intro.
The setting and lore I think are very good ideas. But do note that a "Cathedral" in Catholicism is very specifically a church containing the seat of a Bishop. The church building found at boarding schools would usually be a Chapel. But I feel you have a really good grasp on Christian values and living them. Make sure you get all the details right and have a game that actual faithful Catholics can endorse.
We are told the school consists only half of monster people, but we do not meet any non-monsters. Having a few "normal" people (as side characters) on screen could help pronounce the monster nature of the rest even more. Anyways the girls are cute and I sure wanna get to know some of them better. Hope you have only wholesome non-sinful interactions in the game.
Text mistakes I noticed: "My eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling", "I back to", "pick form one of these"
I've had comments on both the work out routine before and calling the church a Cathedral, but both of these things are based on things I did in real life. As for the Cathedral, we have a local middle and high school attached to the local Cathedral (not chapel in this case), but since it keeps coming up and I don't plan to show a bishop, I may as well just replace the name to avoid the pedantry. For the workout routine, I still kind of want to keep it because he needs to be at a "certain" level of fitness to be able to keep up with Sera and Wren on their routes or fall into laziness during the other three's routes.
Good point for the protag being less perfect. I've even had a suggestion that Gabe should read how to confess properly as a lukewarm Catholic rather than just know to drive home the point that this is his main flaw.
Some "normal" people do show up in the extended routes, but so far it's very incidental since each character sprite costs me more funding.
I assure you that all of the interactions with be non-erotic, but minor sins (as is normal in every day life) will occur. Nothing lewd though and nothing that would drive faithful Catholic/non-Catholic Christians away.
I'll check back over those instances of text mistakes. Thanks for reading!
As for the Cathedral, we have a local middle and high school attached to the local Cathedral
Ah, nice, fair enough. It would be cool in the game, only currently the interior does not look the part at all. (The interior also doesn't match the outside of the church that is shown, which looks a lot more like one would expect a Cathedral too look, albeit somehow miniature.)
For the workout routine, I still kind of want to keep it because he needs to be at a "certain" level of fitness to be able to keep up with Sera and Wren on their routes or fall into laziness during the other three's routes.
Oh, this sounds very cool, I thought the protagonist would never do anything questionable. :) Maybe you can just omit the hard numeric details of the morning routine, then it also feels less like bragging by the protag. (If that is not intentional - as in the confession we also wonder if the protag is not perhaps prone to bragging.)
By the way, I never read VNs, so take it all with a grain of salt.
Comments
I saw you on the new and popular section on itch. Congrats Yomic! :D
Thanks! Itch really seems to like VNs so I'm rolling with it!
Loredump section, I approve. I am kind of hoping for a b-plot with a vampire villain, since they have the “evil lore”.
I choose reading for the hobby choice, Eva route on full blast I hope. My friend chose gaming. She asked for customization for Gabe in some way, not sure how that would work since we do not know how he looks.
The philosophical messages in the game are interesting. I personally do not believe in moral objectivity, but I can see how that makes sense if your perspective is based on faith. I do think my general conclusions concerning how someone should live their life and treat other people are not that different from the ones I think the game is generally trying to convey however, if you exclude the ones that directly relate to god.
I base my moral assumptions on a sort of practicality of progress I guess, what I think is most useful for a person and for society at large.
Sympathy is better than selfishness, pure nihilism and self-indulgence does not lead to a higher amount of happiness in the world, pretty much sums it up.
I skipped basketball btw, my friend went to martial arts.
There is some visual bug I have noticed, screen flashes black sometimes and gets some sort of visual noise, not sure what triggers it but it seems to happen while changing from one image to another.
Game recommendation section. Quite like the type moon games as well, never played Muv Luv.
Monsterdev gacha-addict confirmed.
Played until clubactivity choice for now.
Thanks for the further update! Yeah, the Catholic view heavily affirms moral objectivity because without objectivity ideals will ultimately conflict and truths can become untruths. You're not wrong that sympathy for others is good, hence why the ultimate rules preached by Jesus were "Love God and Love others" including your enemies. Keep me up to date if you continue!
omg I closed the browser and lost all my feedback I wrote up. Ok let's see what I can remember.
This section is hard to visually figure out. At first I thought the options were horizontal so "Window" or "Unseen Text". I'd recommend using dropdown menus or framing the two options so there's more visual separation.
The period after "say" feels off to me. Perhaps a ":" or ".." or "...".
I like how unique this is, there's a lot of attention put into the Catholicism aspects.
When Aria looks down at her phone, she looks cross-eyed.
It's a little confusing that Gabe goes by Gabe but the text bubbles always say Gabriel. Also Gabe as a character doesn't seem to have much complexity besides his religious journey.
That's all fair. Yeah, Gabe in the demo is mostly about his spiritual journey, but in each route later he'll develop a skill that will help him support the girl whose route he's on to uplift her and support one another.
I really liked this VN. I respect the level of detail and care with the religious influence. The girls are cute and the story was solid. Cant wait for full release
Playing through this a bit more properly this time, we shall see how far I get. I will be writing down my thoughts along the way.
Early bible quotes, even as an atheist, I am in favor of this. If your game goes bible, might as well go full bible. Interesting transition into the monstergirl lore as well.
I like the protagonist so far, Gabriel has a good mindset.
Father John works out. Damien looking sleepy, very good.
The expressions on the characters are really well done and creative.
Clover and Eva are both lovely, not a Sera fan, yet.
Background visuals are all extremely well put together.
Aria is nice too, the confessional scene was interesting. Overall it is an interesting premise, Catholicism and a "dating-sim style VN". Writing is steeped in it, which makes it fresh and different in a way.
This is even more evident with the teaching of the nun in the first classroom scene. There is a lot here I would not agree with, but that does not really impact my appreciation of this work.
Gabe does seem to be a bit of a blank slate, not a lot of personality going on here just yet, except for being a representation of the morals the game wants to convey. I get that some personal flaws, or some quirkier characteristics might not fit the purpose of this project, and it's a bit too early for me to form any more definitive opinion concerning the story and the characters overall.
Except that Eva is the best, this is evident right away.
I should mention I am playing this alongside a friend, I chose socializing for the first major choice, she took gaming.
Not that impressed with the music, kind of bland, but I have some offbeat sensibilities. I think the songs do get the job done and fit a VN. Perhaps a really strong main-theme or two might be good to mix things up, this might already be in as far as I know. I am at the gym sequence.
The basketball query is funny, you get Wren path points if you choose Bruce Lee? Stephen Curry, naturally. My friend chose Bruce.
Clover library scene very good, not gonna lie. Eva scene even better. This art is gorgeous.
Book recommendation section, now this I can get behind. I have read a surprising amount of these titles, just a few of the philosophy ones though. But no romance recommendations? After having it being teased earlier? For shame. Have not read Earthsea either, although the series has been recommended to me, really should. I think you might like the Ender books and some of the Atwood works.
Will be playing more soon, it's a big game.
Thanks for the honest review! As for not agreeing with stuff, that's okay as long as you still like the rest! I read plenty of VNs whose philosophies I may not agree with, but get what it's going for. So long as it doesn't seem like I'm trying to push it down anyone's throat!
Gabe does seem to come across as a blank slate, but that's part of the intention. He's a weak Catholic, but that might not be apparent to most people at first glance. I also need him to be somewhere in the middle to able to relate to the wide variety of interests such as gaming to basketball and martial arts, etc. I'm sure there's room for me to do better at least.
It's a shame you don't like the music. That's one of my favorite things to direct musicians on. It could be that it's too safe, but I made sure to put in examples similar to other works that I enjoyed to make sure to fit the themes for different directions of the game. Maybe once I get unique character themes in, it'll have more personality?
I'd highly recommend Earthsea as LeGuin has been a great fantasy author. I'm sure I would like Ender series and perhaps Atwood.
Hope to hear more opinions when you and your friend finish!
I think some character themes might do this game very well. Concerning the music it does have very high production values, its clean and well put together, but what I felt it lacked was indeed personality. Out of the tracks I have heard so far they all fit the scenes but there was not much I latched on to or something that made me feel: I want to hear this again.
Character themes is probably a perfect solution, even a solo piano with some clear cut and distinct melodies will probably add that extra feeling. Such melodies, depending on how they are put together, could also fade in and out over other songs as a character has a specific moment.
I would also consider creating a strong main theme eventually, something to use for trailers and such. I would go full cathedral pop if I were you, a blend between organs and something like a classic anime intro. It would fit the blend of themes the game has as well and you could reuse melodies from the theme in key scenes. Just a thought.
Hopefully I will feel I have some time to read this summer, Earthsea will be put on the list. The Ender books has some religious themes running in the background of the narrative which you might appreciate , even though the author is a mormon and not a catholic. This is more apparent in the second book than the first. Among Atwoods works I think my favorite is the Oryx and Crake trilogy, it portrays a very specific and dystopian view of the future, but she is overall just an excellent writer, although her thoughts concerning things do not always align with my own.
Speaking of a main trailer theme:
I think as I get closer to an actual release and have more content to show off in a more full trailer, I can get a more full main theme going based on the already present le motifs going on between tracks. The music in game is only 1/3rd of what's planned anyways so hopefully later more complete sections of the games will inspire emotion and connection to the game
NGL I wanted to make an unwolesome fanart, but the hangover is terrible, so here a fanart, I will play game another dd. Any lewd of it?
Thanks for the fanart! I won't ever encourage unwholesome art of the game because I'm genuinely against it for the same reasons I'm making the game wholesome in the first place. My policy is "if it's posted here or anywhere I have control over, I'm taking it down, but don't have control elsewhere so I'll let it be because I know pursuing it won't do any good."
Either way, I'll check out your game later as thanks!
Very wholesome indeed
As a Dostoevsky enjoyer I would not mind if the protagonist was a bit less perfect from the start - the morning workout routine was plain ridiculous. :) The first confessional and the inner monologue before that would be a good opportunity to reveal more things about the life and mind of the protagonist, that we do not know yet from the intro.
The setting and lore I think are very good ideas. But do note that a "Cathedral" in Catholicism is very specifically a church containing the seat of a Bishop. The church building found at boarding schools would usually be a Chapel. But I feel you have a really good grasp on Christian values and living them. Make sure you get all the details right and have a game that actual faithful Catholics can endorse.
We are told the school consists only half of monster people, but we do not meet any non-monsters. Having a few "normal" people (as side characters) on screen could help pronounce the monster nature of the rest even more. Anyways the girls are cute and I sure wanna get to know some of them better. Hope you have only wholesome non-sinful interactions in the game.
Text mistakes I noticed: "My eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling", "I back to", "pick form one of these"
Best of luck to you!
Hey, thanks for the honest review!
I've had comments on both the work out routine before and calling the church a Cathedral, but both of these things are based on things I did in real life. As for the Cathedral, we have a local middle and high school attached to the local Cathedral (not chapel in this case), but since it keeps coming up and I don't plan to show a bishop, I may as well just replace the name to avoid the pedantry. For the workout routine, I still kind of want to keep it because he needs to be at a "certain" level of fitness to be able to keep up with Sera and Wren on their routes or fall into laziness during the other three's routes.
Good point for the protag being less perfect. I've even had a suggestion that Gabe should read how to confess properly as a lukewarm Catholic rather than just know to drive home the point that this is his main flaw.
Some "normal" people do show up in the extended routes, but so far it's very incidental since each character sprite costs me more funding.
I assure you that all of the interactions with be non-erotic, but minor sins (as is normal in every day life) will occur. Nothing lewd though and nothing that would drive faithful Catholic/non-Catholic Christians away.
I'll check back over those instances of text mistakes. Thanks for reading!
Ah, nice, fair enough. It would be cool in the game, only currently the interior does not look the part at all. (The interior also doesn't match the outside of the church that is shown, which looks a lot more like one would expect a Cathedral too look, albeit somehow miniature.)
Oh, this sounds very cool, I thought the protagonist would never do anything questionable. :) Maybe you can just omit the hard numeric details of the morning routine, then it also feels less like bragging by the protag. (If that is not intentional - as in the confession we also wonder if the protag is not perhaps prone to bragging.)By the way, I never read VNs, so take it all with a grain of salt.
I really love the art style here. The characters are all adorable and vibrant.
Thanks for reading!