Seriously, this is the only game where I feel I'm battling demons. Like, actually evil hellspawns. Yeah, you have Doom and whatnot, but demons are supposed to be cunning, vicious, depraved... For a game to nail this so well, it must not only construct a good story, but the rest of the delivery must be near perfect too.
That sinking, ominous feeling when you fall for a trap or make a stupid decision with permanent consequences... That's not something just anyone can make. It's not the trap itself, it's every line of dialog, the build-up only such carefully crafted characters can make.
The only other piece of media that could convey this demonic dread to me was Berserk's ending. But, due to the demons being able to corrupt the mind itself, this game feels not only more... well, demonic, but a lot deeper as well.
Haven't found anything quite like it.
Ah, good to know! Still, the build-up is the biggest part of the presentation. The music only has its full effect when the tension is already at its peak, after all. Nothing beats a good story. :)
Speaking of, there are some anime-grade plot twists in there. Couldn't believe my eyes when I read that thing about Rich's and Alicia's past when meeting the goddess again. Can't wait to see how this plays out!
By the way, I've got a question... I don't want to waste your time, so feel free to skip it. But, what inspired you to make this game?
I downloaded it expecting the fun to last about 10 minutes, but according to Itch I've already been playing it for 59 hours and I'm still hooked.
I read some complaints about the time it takes to get to the H-scenes, but in my opinion this is what makes it a good NTR. Personally, I find most NTRs off-putting precisely because they rush the action. I mean, it would feel out of character if a pure, virgin maiden in a loving relationship decided to sample every male in town on day 2, as in "poof, you're a whore now". Instead, you have to gradually corrupt her mind from the inside with mental gymnastics and ludicrous situations, until she starts assuming this new, disgusting persona who's able to accept (and partake in) the most vile depravities her enemies can imagine.
Honestly, I think no other game has captured corruption this well... and a big part of it is the lewdness itself. Sex makes the story deeper for a change; it makes the corruption able to cross a line that should not be crossed. It messes with the characters' sense of morality and justice. Imagine that- sex and nudity not being just sex and nudity? I think that's the hallmark of art.
Another thing I really like is how the story is decided by the player. You can literally save the world, or turn the heroine into Roya's equivalent of a crack-whore. And both paths are equally valid. As Hermann would put it, "if you control both sides, then there is no way to lose!".
That being said, compromising a bit for both parties can be quite challenging if you don't think before you act. I remember selecting the "Story" difficulty and thinking I could just tank every enemy with physical attacks. Took crack-whore Aura a full Greed curse with no emerald teas for her (or, ahem, me) to realize how much debuffs matter in this world. After learning I could easily take down humans with thunder, I felt compelled to start over.
My second run was just as fun, which says a lot about the gameplay. I usually don't like how RPGs handle turn-based fights, but this one's got... something. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's really fun. Could be the depth of the system, or the amazing sprites, or the epic music... Seriously, when a high ranking demon shows up with a name like "Hi-Demon General of Lust: Asmodeus" and a song that conveys that power, the fight just sucks you in. The build-up makes you pray all your preparations will suffice.
I especially like the choir in the background that plays whenever Richard shows up. It truly feels like you're standing up to a great evil, with the whole fate of humanity at stake. Unfortunately. when I ran the song through Shazam it was unable to fetch its name. Is it, perhaps, custom made? Whatever the case, the music and SFX are impeccable.
Even if it hasn't yet been completed, this game feels polished. In a burner run, after making Aura dislike books, I'd gone to the formula peddler and I was surprised to see they had an extra dialog for that situation. Details like those make the story come alive. Unlike most "decision-based" games, your actions have real, tangible consequences. I'm amazed the team managed to pull that off in a full-blown RPG.
Sorry if the text is getting too long. I just think playing this has been an incredible experience, and I wanted to let you know you're doing an excellent job.
Thank you for sharing this work of art with the world.
Oh, and thank you for making a native Linux build. :)
