Dear Minyan, I so enjoyed The Pretenders Guild! You created lovely characters and a really exciting and refreshing story. It felt really vibrant to me and I was delighted to see the world you created (I liked the map, it provided extra support for the imagination). In addition I find your art style very appealing and the characters had a wide variety in very own loveable nature and appearance.
To possibly give you some useful feedback and not just rambling I'll answer your questions now. :D I'm not a natural English speaker, so please don't mind some mistakes.
- SPOILERS AHEAD -
1. Were you satisfied at the end of the route you played?
Yes, I was! As a minor critique point I felt like the endings were a little sudden and short compared to the rest of the game. But that's maybe just because I love fluff and would have enjoyed some more of it. :D Even so I liked the endings, especially the scenes after the credits really felt nicely fluffy and fitting for the characters. :)
2. Favorite / least favorite part?
I loved the scenes in the last night! Most of all the one with Paris was extremely hot and romantic at the sime time. In general I very much enjoyed that it felt mature (Rafael jumping out of Ash's bedroll was hilarious :D) and espacially Paris! I will refer to this later again. Back to my favourite parts: The customization of Ash is great! The different races are gorgeous: Their artstyle, the different cultures and most of all how they played out, it's brilliant how you involved them in the game. And I was really thankful for the hints, I can much more relax when I know what the "right" answer is. :)
I don't have a least favourite part, really. As I wrote before I would have enjoyed if the endings would have been a little longer, so that I can enjoy more romance, but that's it. :)
I really like all of them, but I have to admit that I completely fell for Paris. He's gorgeous. His charme and how he slowly starts using it on you (and stops to do so with others) is just so... lovely. And flattering. I think I turned red myself a few times because of this charmer. And I fell in love with his looks at first sight, too. His style is great, a tall, broad man with this cute little Cubi ears (it gets even more adorable to know how sensitive they are). In addition I felt he has a great dynamic especially with Cubi Ash - it was so rewarding to hear in that last night how long he has wanted her and how he looked at her. I think I've got a soft spot there for those Casanovas, damnit. I so liked how Paris was Ash's soft spot and seems to always have been. And the cute little gestures of him the entire journey were just so sweet. The scene in the rain was one of my favourites, too, I wold have love to hear some more of his history (and about his right eye). Oh, and the very first drunken kiss was so great, it catched my completely by surprise! I'm used to waiting at the end of visual novels before the characters are kissing. So Paris really got me by surprise there and I find it truly refreshing and hot and butterfly-y. I really fell for Paris here.
3. What made you decide to play the game?
I play a lot of visual novels (maybe too much :D) and I saw your game by accident. I was really pleasd by your artstyle and I saw that you took part in This, My Soul, which I thoroughly enjoyed, too. :)
I saw three typos (like I said I'm not natural in English, so please excuse me if I got it wrong):
1. The last evening at Paris' route: And you're always wearing that tiny *litle shirt... (by the way I really enjoyed him saying that :D)
2. At Rafael's route after the bandits: ( I don't have the complete sentence, it begins with: I want to believe him. Rafael looks at me with those clear honest eyes... and now it is probably going on with: telling nothing) but the *tuth.
3. At Rafael's route shortly after 2. (begins with I don't know Braums for long...) I can accept easier than whatever it is my heart's *decding to do with Rafael.
5. Overall thoughts/ comments or suggestions
The Pretenders Guild really is a great game! You have the characters fleshed out really well and they are all so loveable.Oh, I nearly forgot to mention the music, it was very cool! I liked the different themes and how you placed them, the feeling fitted the world and characters quite well. I already mentioned your art, but I will say it again: Your drawing style is as magnificent as your writing. :D
6. Would you consider sharing the game page on Twitter to spread the word?
I don't have a Twitter account, but I surely will tell my friends about this game. :)
7. If I made a commercial game would you consider purchasing it?
Yes, totally! This was really polished and high quality for a free game. I always appreciate when I don't have to pay (much), but you definitely deserve a reward. I don't like playing unfinished games, but I'm looking forward to buy Arena Circus Golden once it's ready. :)
So, I hope you don't mind the long post and I could express my admiration of your game (and, as you should know by now, Paris :'D) properly. I would be happy if it was helpful for you. You have my support and I'm excited to play your future games. :)