(Review is for version 4.2. Disclosure: ThorsHamster is a beta tester for Between Two Worlds.)
What happens when the real world and the fantasy world of a tabletop role-playing game begin to bleed into one another? Between Two Worlds is a fun and sometimes sexy romp through the fantasy world envisioned by a group of friends, and promises quite the adventure as the fantasy world begins to intrude on the real world.
STORY AND CHARACTERS ★★★★☆ (4/5)
The story of Between Two Worlds revolves around the main character, his girlfriend, and five other friends, along with a small ensemble of supporting characters. Each of the primary characters is well developed and interesting, and the side characters have been decently fleshed out as well. While the most interesting aspects of Between Two Worlds is the time the friends spend in their fantasy tabletop role-playing game, there is plenty of treatment given to their interactions in real life as well. Each character has their own alter ego within the tabletop game, but their personalities shine through even when they are role-playing. Consequently, between real-life interactions and in-game interactions, each of the characters is very well developed, and the reader is afforded to opportunity to invest in each of them.
The story is still in its relative infancy; as of Chapter 4, the focus has still largely been on baseline character development while laying the foundation for the core elements of the game's plot. While the progression along the main story arc is deliberate, it never feels like it is dragging. There is always something intriguing going on, and the character interactions are a treat, so even basic conversation is made interesting.
Likewise, the progression of sexual relationships proceeds at a deliberate pace. As of Chapter 4, the main character's primary interactions have been with his girlfriend, with quite a few scenes devoted to their sex life. The game promises the opportunity for encounters with other girls, but so far those have been limited to very oblique interactions in the real world and a couple of scenarios in the fantasy world. Note that, because the tabletop game is portrayed through the eyes of the players' alter egos, the sexual encounters are no less titillating than real-world encounters; and it's easy to forget that the whole thing is being narrated with the help of a game master.
Players who are just here for the lewd scenes may be put off by the amount of time the game is taking to expand the main character's scope of sexual activity, but the game strikes a good balance of story and sex while carefully teeing up for more exciting content in both departments.
GRAPHICS AND ANIMATION ★★★★★ (5/5)
Between Two Worlds features beautifully rendered real-world scenes and absolutely stunning fantasy scenes. A lot of attention to detail has been put into the settings and the character's behavior and expressions. The result is a real world that feels grounded and believable, coupled with a fantasy world that is an absolute treat to behold.
Animations are ambitious right out of the gate, and since Chapter 1, the quality has been improving by leaps and bounds. The volume of animations (as a percent of total content) is probably about average when compared to other adult visual novels that include animations at all. All of the sexual encounters contain some animation elements; only one scene fails to apply its animation where it would have been most appreciated. Sex animations are crisp and precise, with good motion and generally no discernible clipping — always appreciated when viewing activities that involve a lot of bodily contact. There are quite a few animations that help drive other parts of the story as well.
All in all, the game delivers some impressive eye candy.
SOUND AND MUSIC ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Between Two Worlds features a modest soundtrack. The music selection is good quality and generally fits the scene well. Sound effects are minimal, but what is there is well designed. Both music and sound are reasonably balanced. There is one ambient backdrop sound that I find rather noisy and distracting, but it is the exception in an otherwise enjoyable soundscape.
Note that the game is largely devoid of generic lewd sounds or other sound effects associated with sexual encounters. Use your imagination. One scene does introduce lewd sounds, but it remains to be seen whether this will become a regular occurrence.
USER EXPERIENCE ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Between Two Worlds is a fairly standard Ren'py experience, with no surprises and little customization beyond visual styling. Consequently, players of other Ren'py-powered visual novels will have no difficulties navigating the game. This is a "choices matter" game, though for many of the choices presented thus far, the impact will not be realized until future chapters. While none of the choices drastically change the overall story arc (that we are aware), a couple of choices already lead to temporary, substantially divergent branches, with entirely different scenes for the player to experience. This makes replays particularly enjoyable.
OVERALL ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Between Two Worlds is a lovingly crafted story with fun characters, rich visuals, and an imaginative story that shows a lot of promise. The sexual content of this adult visual novel is thus far quite enjoyable, although diversity of partners is only slowly forthcoming. Fans of tabletop role-play gaming will particularly appreciate the fantasy adventures that arise during the friends' regular game nights. This is definitely a story to try out!