Posted: May 22
Early Access Review
At the time of review, I've only fully played through one route (Cirrus) with the fully released second chapter. But hands down, a fantastic game. It advertises itself exactly as it is: a mature, 18+ visual novel with darker themes. The content inside is handled incredibly well and there was never a point where I thought that anything was done with poor taste. It's a lovely blend of banter and a well-driven plot, and it's clear that each love interest has a deeper character than meets the eye - and not the typical "I have a tragic backstory that makes me the way I am". Each character feels impressively real, from their humor to their manipulative tendencies, and it drew me in from the get-go. While the market generally isn't safe, no one you meet is 100% sane, and there are times where the lines of consent get blurred, the the BDSM etiquette in-scene is phenomenal (with one bad ending exception) and aftercare is always a priority.
The other highlight of this game is their safeword system. At the beginning of the game, you are prompted to pick a safeword, which becomes an interactive button in the top right corner of your screen that is always there for use. It starts out hidden until hover by default, but a setting can make it always visible. And it functions as, well, a safeword. If you are ever feeling overwhelmed or find that the content is too much, too dark, or you simply need a break from the atmosphere, the button will take you to an out-of-script menu where you are free to take all the time you need to breathe, reset, and let yourself be comforted before getting back into the game or saving your file and taking a break. It's an incredibly thoughtful feature!!
Vesper [MC] is also fantastic and I'm in love with the fact that the devs have given them their own mini route as an extra. Vesper stan for life <3