itch.io

ren'py gives you the opportunity to save regularly!

for things like rng stuff (like the practice room or library) there's always savescumming (which is, if you're not experienced with ren'py, saving before your choice and then reloading until you get the outcome you want)

the back button also lets you immediately undo a choice

I don't think Ren'Py allows for this, unfortunately (or if would take a professional coder). Besides lackslyricism' tips (especially savescumming), I'll also point out:

- scrolling back/up with the mouse will let you go back quite far, often multiple choices back

- Skip mode (via the menu, or with the Tab button for me) makes it faster to zoom through previously-played sections again if you do need to restart or pick up from an old save. Especially useful with the "Seen text" setting from the options menu - this will make the game stop skipping when encountering text you haven't previously seen, which helps in confirming that you've unlocked a new thing.

- Doing a few casual playthroughs in story mode just to complete a few routes and get the New Game + stat bonuses helps a lot for cases where you keep cutting it just too close (esp helpful for things like getting best dialogue options from multiple characters at the welcome feast, like the critical last few Courage points to accept Zarad's invitations, extra Intelligence to help nailing Lyon's first date, or a little Manipulation to help out the backgrounds that can't get much from character creation)

Aside from that, yeah, you just gotta accept that it's very much a Game Played With Spreadsheets if you're going for perfection (especially if you're playing Challenge mode with no NG+). Personally I love that!, but unfortunately it's not everyone's thing.

I’m so sorry for your frustrations!

Unfortunately, Ren’Py (the game engine) doesn’t allow for that. (And the game branches so much that even if it did you would be navigating through hundreds and hundreds of checkpoints)

You’ve  gotten some good tips (re: saving and skip mode) that will hopefully help.

The game actually isn’t generally structured where you need to pick a ‘right’ answer that often. Instead almost every challenge/check is about cumulative choices. There is usually a ‘best’ answer as opposed to one right and three wrong. You just need to have done good enough towards your goals (relationships, event success etc) to succeed. (So rather than picking one exact thing, you might need to have boosted a relationship by 15 and have had several different ways to do that)

There are a few things in the game that are more stringent in their requirements (the fate of Revaire, certain epilogues, perfectly solving the mystery, legendary outcomes) but they are intentionally challenging with the intent that players will work towards mastering them in later playthroughs. Although a perfect run is possible (even on challenge mode) the first time through, it wasn’t designed with that expectation. 

Some more tips that will hopefully help your experience to be less frustrating:

- story mode doesn’t just prevent bad ends, it makes it easier to get better results in challenges and events, great ways to boost relationships and reputation 

-there is a quick save/ quick load option that makes going back easy, and the back button or making the scroll on your mouse go up will take you right back if you don’t like the results of your choice

-the 7kpp booklet tells you exactly how to raise each stat if you want to use your free time strategically

-befriending your servants may have unexpected rewards

-you might want to avoid Revaire as a background/romance destination on your early playthroughs

-investing in manipulation during character creation is super helpful if you want to convince people to do what you want

-secret hunting is occasionally very important for certain outcomes- especially Revaire. You might want to dedicate some time to snooping 

-if there is something specific you are struggling to succeed with, the hints and tips thread and the guide thread will probably help

I hope that is useful <3

Thank you for playing and I hope your experience improves!