Since the "Rate this game" function doesn't let me copy/paste my review into its box, I'm forced to paste it into the comments instead. Keep in mind, this is the first review for a game I've ever done. This game just took hold of my brain so much that I felt compelled to write about it.
My review of Town of Magic (as of version 0.66.014)
~Short Version~
A fun game with addicting and technically impressive gameplay enveloping an interesting, overarching story and world. Graphics are impressive with fluid animation and a solid enough soundtrack. Unfortunately, I find most of the cast bland to unlikeable, with only a handful of actually likeable characters that, at this point, don't have enough content on their own. Overall, I highly recommend, just know that there are many unadvertised fetishes, most notably Non-con and...I guess you could class it as Netorare. If those aren't your thing, then definitely don't try and be a completionist.
~~Long Version~~
Gameplay:
I am blown away by how this works. This developer has managed to make a fully functioning RPG...in Renpy! I seriously do not understand how that is even possible, but the coding here appears to be of absurdly good quality. Turn based combat that is simplistic and easy to understand. Early level gains are a tad tedious, as with any RPG, but definitely be sure to stay in the safer areas until you've levelled enough, or else the next area will rock you (also know that Potions are really important and helpful in early game). However, not only is it a functioning RPG, but also a dating sim proper, with relationships that you can build, independent from the main story, and there are a LOT of them. That said, if you're looking for diverging paths in these relationships, there aren't any to be found here, at least not yet. One of the best points of the gameplay, however, would have to be what I've referred to as "Auto-Grind." After a certain point in a character's relationship, you can have said character freely take control and grind player experience, item experience, and treasure while you do something else. It removes a lot of the tediousness and can really help if you're, like me, not a fan of classic RPG grindfests.
Story:
This is a fascinating world, and I do want to know more about it, specifically the demons and celestials. Thankfully, that seems to be what the main focus of the overarching story is, so I imagine we'll get a lot more of that for now. In the meantime, discovering this world and more about our main character, Celica's, heritage is intriguing, as well as the history of this world and in inhabitants. I've always been a big fan of fantasy worlds, and this game does a great job of encapsulating that from all regions, with a variety of mythologies mixed in.
Graphics:
While the UI takes up most of the screen, it's not nearly as invasive as I initially expected. Playing in fullscreen is definitely the way to go. The pixelated artwork, while not usually my thing, looks really good and clean, with very fluid animations. This game has been in production for over 3 years now and it shows (in a good way). Character designs are diverse and detailed. The backgrounds are all nicely distinct from one another, with a wide variety of locales being drawn beautifully and with intricate detail. The day and night cycle is also really effectively done as time passes, giving visual indication of the time without even having to look at the clock. If there was any one thing I'd ask for, aesthetically, it'd be more costume choices for Celica. Even though I would eventually get the Witch's Outfit + way into the late game, I'd still look at outfits like Evie and Galiene with envy. Other than that, it looks like this game nails the aesthetics it's going for.
Music:
Kudos to all of the music sources for this game, as every track fits their respective locations and battles well. Not a whole lot to say here, honestly, it's just a good soundtrack overall. Though, there are a couple of tracks that are off putting at times, as they sound like barely off covers of other songs. For example, I'm fairly certain that one of these battle tracks is just Requiem for a Dream with slight differences to avoid copyright.
Characters:
(Warning, there will be major spoilers for a lot of these characters going forward, so tread cautiously)
This is where the game became difficult for me. Multiple times did I have to step away for a little while, simply because these characters would anger or frustrate me, relentlessly. This is actually going to be the meat of this review, as I feel compelled to dive into each one, individually, rather than a simple blanket statement for them all.
Edgar: Right out the gate, know that male characters are practically pointless. This appears to be a lesbian-based dating sim, first and foremost, so there are no male characters you can romance in it, at least not yet. I don't know if there are plans to flesh this character out more in the future, but at the moment, aside from later learning that he lost his wife, Edgar has no personality outside of "virtuous guild leader" and is mostly bland.
Bert: This is a wall that talks and drinks. Bert does little except guard Edgar's office and accept some beer if you offer it to him after a certain point in the game. He shows up for story moments occasionally, but does and says very little to matter. What little personality we get out of him makes me feel like he'd be comparable to Gobber from How to Train Your Dragon, but I don't know if we'll ever see more character development out of him.
Galiene: Genuinely wonderful and sweet character. Not only is she a powerhouse in most battles, but she's honestly caring, willing to stand up to her elitist family, and is one of the most likeable characters in the game. The concern she shows for Celica at any given moment is commendable and I wish Celica would have spoken to her about the ghost situation sooner. The only downside is that, at the moment, she has very little material to work with on her own and ends up becoming more of a gateway to Captain Ceres, who ends up having more development in the end, rather than a romanceable option in her own right.
Evie: Evie...may very well be the absolute worst character in the game, at least as far as the "protagonists" go. She comes off as a spoiled brat at the beginning, fawning for Edgar, but as things progress, we learn that she's also very self-centered, doesn't take her job seriously at all, and pays no attention to anyone around her. When she's put in charge of a mission regarding a ghost, she bails on it. When said ghost possesses one of the people she interacts with most, Celica, Evie doesn't even notice or question the drastic difference in personality and just goes with it, even falling for the Nel-Possessed MC. Even worse, at a much later point, when Celica is taken over by a suit of armor, all Evie does is question why she's wearing such an outfit, doesn't show any concern for her not talking, and then doesn't bat an eye when she's acting like an entirely other person, separate from the other two personalities she's already exhibited, and this is after Evie has become Celica's (Nel's) girlfriend. You'd think she would notice such drastic changes in personality, but no. So long as she gets to feel good, she doesn't seem to care that the main character is not in control of their own body. She has the worst personality, is downright unlikable for most of the game, and is also the most useless in combat outside of being a second (or third) target. Honestly, if there ever comes a chance to add her to Captain Ceres's ghost crew, I will likely do so and never look back.
Barkeep: At first, he annoyed the crap out of me for obvious reasons. After a while, though, he started to grow on me and his repeated joke started to become funny. He feels like if Kaepora Gaebora from Ocarina of Time was played for a laugh.
Lily: The fairy at the tree. Initially, I wrote this character off as an early game Inn that lost its usage later in the game, but it turns out I was wrong. Waaay into what is currently the late game, she suddenly comes back into play and is not only guardian of the tree she's at, but is also a really good support character, with the ability to heal the whole party. That said, she seems to be bullied by the other fairies, and now I just want to protect her.
Nel (The Ghost): Thank goodness for the flashback! Nel is a character that I had been shaky on for most of my playthrough. The line between liking and disliking this character was like a tightrope walk. At this point, and I hope I don't regret saying this in the future, I can say that I actually like Nel. At the start, she comes across sketchy as hell and I did not trust her. I was fully prepared for her to try and keep Celica out of her body and simply take up permanent residence. I was fully ready to dislike this character, almost as much as Evie. In some respects, there are aspects I still don't like about her. She's very flippant with Celica's body and, despite Celica's constant protests, will simply have sex with whomever, whenever she wants, be they monsters or Evie. I think this would technically fall under non-consensual, but I'm uncertain. That said, the sexual aspect is a two-way street that I'll get more into during Celica's section. After a flashback in what is currently the late game, we learn that Nel is a genuinely good person who had a very unfortunate run-in with a demon. This moment really solidified my trust in this character and I do believe she loves Celica now and wants to help/protect her. She's also great for the auto-grind feature, especially when it comes to items that need to be upgraded, as she will equip whatever isn't fully leveled and proceed to grind out the SP for you. But seriously, right down to the Celestian meditation, why is Nel better at being Celica than Celica? That's more an issue I have with Celica herself, and I'll get to that, but it's infuriating at times.
Selena: Much like Galiene, we have a sweet character here whom I will gladly state that I like, but gosh dang, is there too little content for her at the moment. I really want to know more about her and get closer, but there's not really anything to do with her outside of saving her from Squidward and taking her on duo-exclusive monster hunts. Hopefully, in future updates, we'll get more time with our studious succubus, and even get to add her to larger parties, but for now, she's simply a means to obtaining a ring and a spell. (Side Note: Speaking of the Darknova spell, Celica has had the "Mind Takeover" effect continuously. I don't know if this is a known bug, but it's there)
Godrin: This dwarf deserves so much better.
Toymaker: At first, I thought he was just a creepy old man. I was right, but then, waaaay later down the line, I learned he's also a thief and a liar on top of it. Kind of wish he'd get more comeuppance.
Candy: I know it's not the purpose, but I would genuinely like more of this adorable Mannequin without having to possess her.
Silver Jack and Joanna: This package deal surprised me. I did not expect to like them, but they grew on me over time, and I now see them as a slightly more competent Team Rocket. The Royal Twist behind them was also a pleasant one, and I hope we get more time with them in the future.
Violet: Violet fell similarly in place with Nel for a while. The difference is where they ended up. I want to like this character, I really do. She's one of the biggest victims of circumstance; an innocent yet rare Mimic Slime that was abducted by the Magic Guild and experimented on with demon materials, turning her into who she is. She didn't deserve what happened to her. That said...it's hard to like who she becomes. Unlike Nel, Violet doesn't seem to actually care for Celica. Yes, she protects her, but I feel that's more in a sense of self-preservation rather than care. By the time she reaches her 4th clothing form (which is the final one, as of this build), I was just getting more and more frustrated with her removal of Celica's autonomy and didn't want to have to deal with her anymore. Ultimately, once I completed everything with her, I ended up giving her to the demoness and leaving her there, which works, since the demoness looks damn good wearing Violet. Currently, the best thing about that 4th clothing form is putting it on Nel and watching them fight each other for control while battling. I probably shouldn't find that as entertaining as I did, but I did.
Fisherman: Can I push him off the dock?
L: The proprietor of the Wandering Wagon of Wonders is a treat. I don't trust this person one bit, but they seem so fun in a chaotic neutral sense that, were they not limited to being a shopkeeper, I'd love to spend more time with them.
Magic Guild: So far, I've only seen 3 characters, but they can all be covered by a blanket statement. The magic guild's entire purpose is to show up, complain about not being included, and leave. One of them tries to get close to Edgar as a masquerade ball, but is only annoying about it. What they did to Violet also tells me that, despite their preaching to Edgar about "learning about demons," they likely want to do less dialogue with Demons and more experimenting on them. I do not like these guys, I do not know if they'll ever play any sort of larger role, but I'm currently ok with them having as little screentime as they do.
Liam: I don't know who he was prior to his memory being erased, but if he's anything like he is now, then I'm glad the demoness got to him. The arrogance off this man is actually comedic at times. When he eventually went to the treasure cave to find the real sword, I knew it was going to be good for a laugh, and I was right. It is weird that his is the first (and so far, only) human penis we see in the game. I do wonder, though, with the heavy focus on feminine characters, and his overall design, if we'll get any feminization content in the future.
Demoness: What does it say that, out of the 4 major characters I like, half of them are Demons? Don't get me wrong, "Mistress" Domenea, I'm fairly certain, is evil. However, she is also the most open and honest person with Celica. At no point am I questioning what Domenea wants. This demoness wants to dominate Celica and put her tongue to work. Yes, she has Celica sign a contract that removes some autonomy, but Celica willingly does so. Any time Domenea controls Celica, there's never any malice behind it, never any removal of her spirit, never any knocking unconscious. The worst thing the demoness does is, after using Celica's tongue for a bit, she sends her home to sleep for the day, losing her the rest of that day. Outside of that, she never does anything to hurt Celica unless prompted to fight, and even then, is usually quick to pleasure. As time goes on, we as the player get to overhear her conversations with her King and learn that she is growing genuine attachment and concern for Celica, wanting to protect her. I don't know how, but in this game all about control, with elements of Non-Con and NTR, this actual evil demon Dom has, arguably, the healthiest relationship with our submissive Celica. If characters like Selena or Galiene were more fleshed out, I might like them more, but as it stands, Mistress Domenea is my favorite character of the game.
Apparently, there is a limit in comments from Itch.io, so I will leave the rest in a reply.