Somewhat of a review for Monster Brothel
So I just want to say before I start that this is a fun and well written game. Thoroughly enjoy it so far (Still playing, I’m probably gonna make a guide for myself bc things can get confusing and you end up right were you started a lot.)
Anyway I say somewhat a review bc this isn’t a review so much as a critique.
First off, props to @geekinglikeaboss for even making this and being as inclusive as possible. It’s ambitious for sure and that’s where part of my (grain of salt) issue comes in.
For starters, the story is partially linear, you have to go through certain events to get to others. However, certain events that you NEED to go through in order for part of the story to make sense....can be sidestepped.
example 1: if you decide to adventure off w/out getting your pin, you get chased by the wolf pack who are trying to kill you bc you’re an intruder (be sure to get you pins folks!). However you are “saved” by the harpies. Now between flying through the are, and going to their nest, you can ask about a selkie pelt... Wait huh? Where did that come from. Okay well whatever. You go to their nest. After satisfying them, you somehow know the selkie’s name and they give you the pelt (I love Innis by the way~). so that’s confusing. Luckily I had already met her in a separate playthough and knew what was going on.
Example 2: Right before meeting Asim ( a sweetheart) your character mentions getting lost in caverns. I have no clue what this is referring to. I’m assuming its from getting the jewelry from wherever to break your wolf curse (which in this particular play through I did not have).
example 3: Now saying that, I obviously did not go get this necklace or w/e and when I got back to the wolf pack and they ask if I wanna cure myself or the feral werewolf, my only option was “Myself!” Color me confused.
it’s also slightly jarring to go from being a trans male with puck in the rose bushes, to female with the satyre, to female in the orgy, and etc (this is the order I played, or I think puck’s bush scene may have been at the end? idk). I’m never sure what I am in the scene until the genitals are mentioned. So while props for inclusivity, it loses some points for continuity. And honestly it would be a HUGE undertaking to do the whole “Choose your gender/sex” because it’s not just pronouns being changed, entire scenes that would have to be wrote separately to work.
As of right now I’m working through chapter 2 and trying to figure it out (bc right now I’m very very lost) but this review could change, for better or worse.
At the moment, I’d give it a solid 8/10