Post by ⋆° 🀦 𝑅𝑜𝒷𝒾𝓃 🀦 °⋆ in *Story Review* - Major Romance Issues.

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Reading this actually helped me because you've put into words something I wanted to express when I first made this review but either felt like I was wrong or simply couldn't word it properly. After looking back over my review and thinking of Gabe's romance, I honestly think the way the author has done the poly route actively *invalidates* the monogamous route.

The reason for that, as you and other have put it;
- Throughout the story Belladonna and Gabriel have multiple scenes of them arguing, fighting etc. The MC is often involved and their choices effect the reconciliation of each-other. The problem is that these scenes are also used as a way to build the Poly route. Unless you actively try to make them dislike each-other then any 'friendly' choice is also a 'Poly' choice, regardless of the route you're on.

- We learn that Gabriel was in-love with Belladonna and wanted to admit that too her, but she rejected him (In a cruel way). And it's extremely obvious he hasn't forgiven her... the whole story around them two is their animosity because of that rejection and subsequent falling out. so again, regardless of the route he has unresolved romantic feelings (If he didn't he wouldn't be ready to enter a poly the moment they stop arguing)

- Because of the way that's handled, and the fact the poly route really only comes down to one scene, one decision, then it's obvious that *you* are the only reason they don't end up together. This pretty much *proves* that even in the monogamous route, Gabriel want's to be with, or at least involve Belladonna, which completely invalidates the monogamous route and really does prove that we're a "second" choice.

레오17 days ago(+3)

I’m so glad my words helped articulate what you were feeling!

Honestly, it’s kind of wild how the author handled the romance in this game. I get that they were probably trying to explore complex relationship dynamics, but the execution? Well, let's just say it didn’t quite hit the mark. If you’re going to give players the option of a monogamous route, at least actually make it feel like a valid choice, right? Instead, the game sets it up where you’re always secondary to the poly route, even if you’re supposedly on the monogamous path. It's like they said, “Hey, you can romance this character, but also, here's this other person who matters more, and you’re just kind of here for the ride.” That’s not romance; that’s just being the backup dancer to a show you’ll never headline.

Now, I get the whole “trauma and unresolved feelings” thing, but if you're going to have your character wrestle with their past, maybe give the MC a shot at feeling like they’re actually the one in the relationship, not a placeholder while the character works out their issues. In Gabriel’s case, it feels like you’re just... well, waiting for the moment where he turns back to Belladonna, because deep down, that’s where his heart is. And don’t even get me started on the “poly route choice.” It’s one decision that feels more like the game is saying, “Hey, either accept this mess or watch them go back to each other. Your choice!” Except it’s not really a choice when the game practically forces you into that situation, and it leaves you wondering if the author actually understood what the term monogamous means.

And the way it’s all handled with this big dramatic tension—like, yes, we get it, Gabriel and Belladonna have issues—but do we have to be involved in this melodrama, constantly pushed into a corner where we can never win? It’s one thing to explore complex relationships, but it’s another thing entirely to leave the player feeling like an afterthought, like they're just the person standing in the background while the real drama unfolds.

It’s such a shame because the world-building and atmosphere are so immersive, but this handling of the poly and monogamous routes feels like a betrayal. The romance should be empowering, but instead, it feels like the MC is caught in a relationship that they can never truly win. Hopefully, this feedback will get the attention it deserves, and maybe the author can address these issues in a way that makes all routes feel equally valid and fulfilling.

⋆° 🀦 𝑅𝑜𝒷𝒾𝓃 🀦 °⋆17 days ago(+3)

The author is actually *very* aware of this, and my post specifically because they complained about it on Tumblr, instead of trying to understand the feedback, which, as we can see many people here and in other reviews have... they double downed and it just became an echo chamber of fans telling them to ignore it and try to justify all of the things people here have brought up and so on,

This was made nearly five months ago though, looking at another review which the author *did* reply to, they seem to be e open to criticism now than they were so we'll see, the only change I've seen about this at all though is that they added a little description telling people Milo was Poly locked on steam so I don't know

레오17 days ago(+3)

Oh, wow, that’s honestly disappointing to hear but not entirely surprising. It’s such a bad look for an author to respond to legitimate feedback by complaining on their platform instead of actually addressing the concerns in a meaningful way. Like, doubling down and dismissing valid points as just “haters being haters” or using their fanbase to create an echo chamber? That’s not how you grow as a writer or improve your work. It’s especially frustrating because the issues you and others have brought up aren’t nitpicks—they’re fundamental flaws in the way the romances are structured.

The fact that they only recently added the poly-lock disclaimer feels like a band-aid fix rather than taking responsibility for misleading players who don’t enjoy that kind of dynamic. It’s great that they might be slightly more open to criticism now, but if that’s the only noticeable change, it’s hard to feel like they’re genuinely listening to feedback rather than just doing the bare minimum to avoid backlash.

What’s worse is the damage has already been done for so many players who invested time and emotional energy into these romances, only to feel blindsided by how poorly the routes are handled. It’s not like people are saying “Poly bad” here; it’s about how the dynamics are written in a way that actively makes players feel invalidated and secondary, even in the supposedly monogamous routes.

If they’re truly open to criticism now, hopefully, they’ll take a hard look at how these issues affect the player experience instead of brushing it off or just pandering to their most vocal supporters. But yeah, considering how long it took just to put a disclaimer on Steam, I wouldn’t hold my breath for anything substantial. At the end of the day, authors who prioritize echo chambers over constructive feedback are only limiting their own growth—and, honestly, their audience too.

kay9 days ago(+3)

thank you all for this thread !! was planning on playing this as its been in my backlog for a bit, but after reading this thread and a few others, i think i probably wont enjoy this one. its not just because i'm here for romance, but if i'm playing something that has romance and the romance isn't well executed, it really sticks out and distracts me from the overall story.

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