Overall 2.5/5
There is a foundation for a great VN, however, the setting and exposition really threw me off. Firstly, the MC's house is somewhat modern on the inside, but on the outside, it looks very out of place. A lot can be told through environmental storytelling, and I think the dev wasn't aware of this.
Moreover, the disjointed portrayal of the MC’s house continued to the rest of the other character's which made it difficult to immerse myself in the world. Consistency in environmental design is key, as it helps ground the story and makes the characters’ surroundings feel authentic. A well-crafted setting can do wonders for storytelling, offering subtle hints about the characters’ lives, personalities, and even the overarching themes of the narrative. It attempts to do so with a few of the LI's but hasn't fully fleshed it out.
Additionally, the exposition felt rushed and, at times, a bit heavy-handed. Instead of letting the story unfold naturally through dialogue or action, it seemed like the dev opted for lengthy info dumps that disrupted the pacing. A “show, don’t tell” approach could have made the world-building more engaging, allowing players to piece things together on their own.
There is a foundation for a great VN, however, the setting and exposition really threw me off. Firstly, the MC's house is somewhat modern on the inside, but on the outside, it looks very out of place. A lot can be told through environmental storytelling, and I think the dev wasn't aware of this.
Moreover, the disjointed portrayal of the MC’s house continued to the rest of the other character's which made it difficult to immerse myself in the world. Consistency in environmental design is key, as it helps ground the story and makes the characters’ surroundings feel authentic. A well-crafted setting can do wonders for storytelling, offering subtle hints about the characters’ lives, personalities, and even the overarching themes of the narrative. It attempts to do so with a few of the LI's but hasn't fully fleshed it out.
Additionally, the exposition felt rushed and, at times, a bit heavy-handed. Instead of letting the story unfold naturally through dialogue or action, it seemed like the dev opted for lengthy info dumps that disrupted the pacing. A “show, don’t tell” approach could have made the world-building more engaging, allowing players to piece things together on their own.