I’ve recently played through Town of Passion 1.1.2 and loved the game. It kept me glued to my computer until I’ve completed most of the game as is currently developed. I would recommend the purchase of this game but desire to give more detailed feedback:
WARNING: THERE ARE EXTENSIVE SPOILERS FOR ANYONE READING THIS.
This post is not for purposes of a review but rather to give Siren feedback that I hope is helpful. I apologize if I’m arrogant in giving feedback. I know that that is a problem I often have. I did enjoy the game and am looking forward to future additions.
What I liked:
1) The interesting setting: I am eager to see how the main storyline finishes. When the gods fight it is humans who are harmed the most. I am a sucker for stories set on a grand stage and there are signs that the mythology is well thought out (it hasn’t all been revealed yet). I don’t know how much detail the game will get into but I am intrigued to figure out more of how this world works.
2) The pervasive blasé attitude regarding sex: If the player character (PC) is the only male for some time it makes sense that he would be popular with the women. Given the setting it shouldn’t be surprising that it’s not that hard to get them to have sex with the PC. It is a nice touch that the unrealistic sexual dynamics can be explained by the game’s background.
I also appreciate games (and other media) that are either clearly about presenting sex or have a realistic depiction of sex. I tend not to like games (and other media) that are a vehicle for presenting sex but try to be convincing that they’re not. I like pornography that also has a story attached to it (and the more story the better) and I like the honesty that media such as this game has about its purpose.
3) The characterization: I like how the characters are set up. Each of the characters interacted with have a relationship to the PC that is relevant to the interaction. Even from the start most offer hints of being sexually interested (after all the PC is the only male that has existed for a century; I have thought of a way this makes sense to my satisfaction but I don’t know how close my head cannon is to being correct) but have other reasons for interacting with the PC. Both motivations drive the stories forward.
I like how each of the relevant NPCs are eager for sex, open on a conscious or unconscious level for sharing the PC, have tendencies to be jealous of others and/or possessive of the PC that they struggle with, and struggle with their own conflicts regarding fulfilling the sexual needs with other responsibilities that they have reason to value.
4) The dialog: The lines are well written. The plot elements fit in together and are part of a comprehensive and compelling story. Each person has been effected by the curse and the closure of Valencia in their own way and each have been waiting for the prophesied savior to arrive. Some of the dialogue can sometimes seam sparse to me but (as I’m sure you can tell) I tend to be verbose and I like reading more than most people. I acknowledge that I may not be not a typical target audience member.
The dialog are the best part of the sex scenes. The eroticism that they bring to the encounters should not be discounted.
5) Outfit design: Well-designed clothing can be much more erotic then nudity. Some of the default outfits fit this description (or come close) already. The additional costumes also add to this. If the women of Valencia wore clothing such as this, I would want to live there even if I wasn’t the only male around. The design really adds to the game.
6) The sprite artwork: I honestly don’t have a lot of experience with RPG maker games but they’re growing on me (both erotic and not erotic). This is the best spritework that I’ve seen thus far. The sprites themselves are attractive no matter what they’re wearing (although the PC always looks like he’s exhausted and ready to pass out but that might just be a natural result of how I play him) and when they’re undertaking an action (other than standing around, walking, etc.), it is clear what they are doing and it’s compelling. I also like how few people are just standing around motionless for no reason.
7) The artwork: The still visuals and animations are really compelling. I’m not a great art critic so I can’t explain what I like about it but I do really like it. If this was instead in, say, a comic form, it would be one of the best drawn comics that I read on a regular basis.
Things I think could use some improvement:
1) The isolation of the characters: There are times when the characters interact with one another but each person’s story is its own story. I focused on completing one or two character’s story at a time and probably didn’t play through the story in cannon order (I understand that such flexibility is a positive). It would be harder to write a game where nobodies story can be completed in isolation and that there are advantages to having mostly isolated stories, but I did get a large feeling of playing lots of separate standalone games that have been put into one game. Some individual stories are worked in well into the main story (and in general, the story somewhat organically requires the PC to complete the individual stories).
There is some of this in the book pages (there is conflict and love between Mary and Rose in the Sakura Forest Storyline for example) but there is none in the main game. I’m not saying that Mary and Rose need to be actively fighting each other but it makes sense that each would keep track of what the other is doing. Some of the dialogue when clicking on the “Talk” button could reference attitudes the characters have on the PCs relationships and activities with the other characters (the game keeping track of who the PC had sex with in the past, say, three days could help drive this). An NPC could be actively jealous, supportive, teasing, drop hints of hidden possessiveness, etc.
2) The consistency of the dialogue: The “Talk” button always reveals the same statement every time at the same point in a character’s story. There’s little talk of the weather, or the progression of the main story, or the town, or the curse, or the NPC’s life outside of their story, or the PC’s recent actions/progress. Perhaps there could be a “Talk” button, a “Small Talk” button, and a “Gossip” button available. Not all need to be active all the time for every character and clearly the responses would get respective but it would add good atmosphere to the game if the NPC’s resting dialog had more variety.
3) The mini-games: I understand that they add to the story. I like that they don’t revolve around martial prowess for the most part. That shows real creativity and is refreshing. I think they could be improved. Getting through some of them can be frustrating. There are times where it seems I need perfect button pushing and finding all of the chickens was annoying. More than once I’ve been frustrated by being slightly slow in moving from one arrow to another arrow. The timing can also be frustrating. The spotting mechanics for enemies that react on sight is also inconstant.
One thing that I would like is, that once I learn shadow walking from Akane, the ability to use it elsewhere. It might be too difficult to program in as far as I know and I guess I could understand not having the technique available when I am in someone’s mind, but it would make sense story wise to have the ability when, say, trying to avoid Goo Girls. It would make it easier and a player who wants a challenge could refrain from using it but I would like the game better if I didn’t spend so much time on the mini-games.
I understand the mini-games add to the story and I want to see them kept. I don’t know if I’m a fan on using the same stealth games to resolve an internal conflict as I am for navigating the forest but some mini-game makes sense. The pursuit games makes more sense to me for an internal conflict. I don’t want to be mean but I do hope my honest feedback is helpful but in general, the mini-games are not a selling point for me.
4) The lack of tension: From my understanding of the story, the cursed town of Valencia is anxious for the prophesized “boy” to free the town from the curse. I can understand if at the start of the game everybody is up-beat and positive and nothing but supportive when talking with the PC but as the game progresses there is ample reason for impatience and tension to subtlety show themselves.
As the PC develops and goes on adventures some people could want to push him to go even faster in solving the town’s problems. Some people might also get possessive. This is both in terms of their problems being put on the back burner (the more quests that are completed, there might be a greater chance that a NPC passively aggressively might complain that their quest has not been completed for example), and in terms of the PC not fucking them enough.
This could be especially problematic when the PC has completed several characters stories and cannot actually satisfy everyone on a timely basis. If the game keeps track of the player’s recent activities NPCs could drop hints that they’re really horny and want the PC to satisfy them or express jealousy of other NPCs that have been recently satisfied.
If something like this is implemented it wouldn’t be a problem at the start (after all none of the character stories would have been started, much less completed) but would naturally become more problematic as the game goes on. This could add a nice atmosphere of urgency to drive the story forward and add to the triumph if the lifting of the curse brings men back to Valencia. (The PC, being the hero that he is, would still be able to bed the women he was previously able to but he would not be relied upon to satisfy everybody).
5) The sparseness of Valencia: The atmosphere is very much of a town that is too large for its population. I am divided on this one. Valencia is a town that was ravaged by war and then cursed. There is every reason to understand why it would be sparsely populated. The only background character I think is in the game so far is the chick that spends her time at the tavern. If you’re deliberately going for this atmosphere then good job, otherwise adding in some more minor characters who don’t contribute but can say something when talked to could liven up the place.
6) The economics. I earned enough money in my first couple of weeks of level grinding that added to money I found, easily satisfies any amount that I would ever need. I also seem to have a surplus of Goddess Coins. I actually like this. I think I would rather focus on the story and on the sex without having to worry about money, or health points, or resting enough, or other typical RPG worries. I can see how someone else might not like this part of the game though.
Summery so far
These are the main points on what I specifically like about the game and what I think could be better. I understand that some of my desires might be contradictory and things that please me might be a detractor for someone else. This is how humans work. It is imposable to make a perfect game for an individual player (because people are complex enough to have contradictory desires) much less a perfect game for everyone in the target audience.
There is a lot more that I like about the game then things that I find frustrating etc. I was always eager to find the next thing to discover in the game. I have to admit some disappointment that there is much more to discover that has yet to be implemented and I await in eager anticipation. I am hesitant to download the recent update immediately as I just spent a few days spending all my free time with the game and think a break would be good.
I have already revealed some suggested additions/changes. I gather that you have a plan and I don’t want to interfere. I don’t know how much you are receptive to such suggestions. In the case that you are, I will leave more bellow. I don’t have any expectation that any of these will be implemented and some suggestions might actually make things worse. I also know enough about programing that a seemingly trivial addition might break something else significantly and thus I understand that an improvement that naïvely seams simple could be very difficult to implement. The suggestions range from minor interface improvements to major element additions.
Desired features:
1) That the save file information include information on the time of day.
2) That Rose’s quests be added to the journal.
3) That the game credits either be visible on the title or accessible through the title menu.
4) The ability to autoplay the cutscenes and sexscenes. Perhaps pressing the “tab” button could toggle autoplay mode with a subtle indicator. It would be easy to add a description at the start of the tutorial dialog.
5) That the dialog be added to the theater scenes. Perhaps the last option would be for which version of the dialog (including a no dialog option) would be played.
6) That one could be able to ask the mansion bunnies for help. If the player gets stuck in either the main story or a major NPC’s story (as of 1.1 the 5 characters on the relationship status screen) they can go to the mansion and ask a bunny for advice. The bunny would then offer a useful suggestion on the next action the player could take to advance the particular story.
…or perhaps, say, a hint ghost who wanders around the fountain late at night…
7) That the PC can ask Minerva (??? Why Minerva? She doesn’t strike me as particularly easy or passionate. Not like Aphrodite or Hera for example.) for another of those big goddess hugs, not just a titfuck.
8) That sometimes (not all the time) if the PC comes home late at night, Mary could me masturbating (not just when it advances her story). The scene would advance with Mary’s story like the other sex scenes. Perhaps the last could have Mary spot the PC and tease him in order to get him to jerk off and cum on the floor. I like catching her masturbate in the PC’s bed on a rainy day though so…
9) That after completing Evelynn’s story that the PC can get her to blow him while she’s tending the shop. It would require a different background to be drawn, I know, but I want her to be able to have some fun during the day too without making a big excursion. Perhaps, Rose could sometimes interrupt looking for fabric if her own story has progressed to at-least two hearts.
She could tease the pair about how difficult but satisfying it is to get the PC down her throat, could encourage Evelynn to go faster and Sulla to enjoy himself, could complement both on their anatomy, and could ask Sulla to shove his cock into her later. Evelynn could remark (to herself of course, she wouldn’t be in a position to talk) how exciting it is to be caught blowing Rose’s nephew in front of her and could tease the PC on how much of a naughty boy he is blowing his load all over her/down her throat with her auntie watching.
10) That Mary, Rose, and Evelynn all get diaries/journals. These would be in private places (the attic, the sewing room, and the bedroom respectively) that could only be read when the PC gains access to them. Just a few simple passages would add to the erotic atmosphere of the stories.
11) That all the player have the option of dressing all the characters in their birthday suits when their wardrobes are unlocked. Mary would stay home, of course, as would Rose (She’s adventurous but I don’t see her being that adventurous). (In the evening when she’s ordinarily at the tavern she could be masturbating on her bed, maybe). Raylene would dress normally during most of the day except at night where should would be waiting, in her bedroom, for the PC, in the buff. Evelynn could either be nude while tending the store (perhaps her people don’t have to same aversion to nudity that humans do), or dressed normally during the morning/day/evening. At night she could be dancing naked under the starts illuminated by the moonlight off the town fountain. If the PC askes she could either take him back to her home for some love, or have some love on the town green.
12) That during the “Halloween Horror!” that these be a sprite animation of Rose and Raylene 69ing when the PC picks up the key to the ghost’s room across the lake. I don’t think dialog need be appropriate (though the PC’s reaction certainly could be) but couldn’t hurt. There could be moaning sound effects. When confronted later they could ask if the PC is enjoying the adventure because they sure are (without actually admitting to anything).
13) A dickgirl character. I know it might not be in enough people’s kinks to be added but it’s something I would like to see. Perhaps a monster in the haunted forest could qualify and sulk around nude. It could drop hints it wants to let the PC hunt it and each time the PC catches it (the “prey” would infectively try to elude the PC), the PC could extract a blowjob, a titjob, or an assfuck from the monster. The monster would be flaccid during the meet and chase, and erect during the sex scene. It could even cum when the PC does. I would not have this be plot central so those wishing to avoid it can.
Most eagerly anticipated update:
I got to tell you. The women who grabbed my attention the most before the PC started having sex with anybody was Fey, the librarian. I’ve always enjoyed all types of nerds in just about anything (friends, lovers, co-workers, characters, etc.). To see what she’s like when getting amorous and to see her characterization would be great. Right now she’s just teasing me, with her glasses and her bow… and her chest window in what is an otherwise completely modest sweater. It would also be a good place for an intelligence skill check.
Summery:
I love the game. I’m sure to love whatever you end up developing for it. A lot of good work has gone into it so far and I am eager to know how the story ends. I hope you don’t focus on my quibbles (which are intended to give you honest feedback) because they’re really just nit-picking. I also hope that I didn’t annoy you with too many or inappropriate suggestions. Some creators like them and some don’t. I don’t know about you.
I hope you’all keep up the good work. I wonder how long I can resist downloading the update and playing through the game again.