Uh, Serenity (the first chapter) is a complete game, so... 1 - none 2 - There aren't any more updates to this one, it is complete. 3 - no 4 - I only can support English. There are others out there who have translated to other languages.
I feel like the game is missing a significant amount of prologue/intro material. It all happens too fast. It's like, all story and no character. The world you've created is fun, going all-in on a personal fantasy is great. No pretense, no false sense of reality, just pure fantasy. And the character models are cute.
But everyone is just too bland, too easy. I want a reason to pick a favorite character, I want the conflict with Morgan to be much longer and more intense, etc. The whole "can't be hurt here" thing ruins all sense of stakes, I think it would be interesting if his mom purposely made it a little dangerous. And having every girl be a neko also reduces individuality quite a bit.
It's got the bones of a great VN, just needs a lot of fleshing out IMO
Yeah... You're not the first to say this. I started on this like 4 years ago (first time making a VN). Serenity got changed a LOT from my original draft. Unfortunately, it isn't the story it really should be now. And that is my fault of course. When you're just learning, its easy to get caught up in what people critique and how they think something should be. I would have been better off never listening to any of that from the beginning. But here we are.
I don't know if you played Serenity Chapter 2 yet, but I'm currently in the writing phase for episode 3 of that one now. And you'll definitely be seeing some pretty dramatic changes as the story goes on in chapter 2. Especially starting in episodes 3 and 4. We're getting into the "dark light" arc right now in chapter 2 (something that really should have happened a long time ago in the first game). I'm hoping with this, I'll get it back on track. This won't be something that gets resolved after 10 lines of dialogue. I'm trying to do complete episodes where they may start with some dramatic situation, and sometimes resolved by the end of the episode. Other situations may take longer (the 'dark light' stuff for example).
Check out Last Human (my other game) also, if you haven't yet. The latest release will drop here on itch on Wednesday of next week.
Thanks for the feedback (and for not being a dick about it - many just get ugly with their criticism and it's counterproductive). I hope you don't let the crappy start to Serenity ruin it for you and keep following Chapter 2. Take care, ...Fire
Your a genus! Man I was iffy to try this Serenity title. Emotions all over the spectrum and gorgeous girls, storyline, Damn, I was on the edge of my mouse wanting more! I actually took my time for Chapter 1 and took me a couple days to finish it, Chapter 2 0.1 was a great start to cliff hanger me haha!
I was surprised tp see you incorperated Last Human and well as a few others. never heard of those other titles mentioned aside from MNF.
Your story line was rich and thick with more details Ive ever seen in a title. Quite rare to see a DEV put that much love into their stuff! Just amazing!
Karen being a typical mom sowing some sexual discomfort makes me wonder if she will enter the harem.
You have put blood, sweat, tears, heart and soul into this game! And your still adding more! 6 stars if it was possible haha. Sorry for all your hardships through it all, in the end it makes us stronger for it and wear it like everything else with pride!
The reason I do this is because of comments like yours. Admittedly, Serenity is not for everyone. I've seen my game reviewed quite harshly. At one time, that used to hurt. Today, I don't really care about reviews. This was my first attempt at making an adult visual novel. It has plenty of flaws that I could go back and fix. But I decided not to do that. Instead, there will be an alternate version that will be quite different... where Camilla is not your sister, and Mom has a bit less impact in later parts of the story. I plan to do that because as my first time making an AVN, I ended up writing a lot of stuff that wasn't ever part of my original draft of the story. So keep following... Re:Serenity is going to be a project I'll start later.
And thanks so much for the kind words. I'm happy you enjoyed it :)
I know what you mean, I saw in one situation someone complained about the rape-ish situation. But in your defense, there was a skip for it so it would continue the storyline but wouldnt affect the emotions.
I know some people will have issues with it but thats what warnings and skip settings are for. If there are those with issues regarding that situation, then they should honestly stay away from it. I honestly thought it was handled rather well in game, not even sure (im no expert in the matter mind you) it didnt get to a deep matter in your title.
anyway, I am happy to give my feed back, been reviewing titles “unofficially” for a few years and HAD 4 favorite titles. As for Karen and Cam, plenty of titles have infamily love. Its just what you desire to put into it.
lastly, i know chapter 1 1.6 is the newest release with some possible changes, I’ll keep the 1.5 version! I like it as is.
Great story and game. I appreciate it. One point though, there are grammar issues, particularly with using I versus me. Use I when its the subject, use me when its the object. For example, your text says "leaving Morgan and I alone." It should say, "leaving Morgan and me alone."
That kind of grammar issue is subjective. If I change "I" to "me" in that sentence, others would argue it should be the other way. Not every grammar issue is actually an issue. Keep in mind that there are MANY different people from different speaking languages that play this. I research grammar the entire time I am writing dialog. And in this situation, we are both right. To me, it sounds more correct to use "I" in your example sentence (and to you and others, maybe it doesn't). This is one of those situations where it isn't worth changing that just to rebuild, reupload, change the links... etc., you get the point. To me, it doesn't sound right to write it the way you mentioned so I won't do it. It isn't that I think you are wrong... and it isn't that I think I am right. I just think it sounds better as I wrote it.
I have never played a game so wholesome and nice! I loved every second of it! Thank you for making this Fire, you brought some positivity in my life this year! I hope to see more like this. Feed the Fade, friend <3!
Thanks for that! If you didn't already know, there is a chapter 2 I just started on with one episode (almost ready to release episode 2 now). https://n2thefire.itch.io/serenity-chapter-2
All of my AVN's are kinetic (no choices). A few choices come now and then but nothing that changes the story/endings. Chapter 2 is done the same way. I also have a sci-fi AVN: Last Human which I just started on. I will be working on a very short 'choices matter' game involving Camilla (from Serenity) next year. Glad you enjoyed, thanks for commenting :)
Oh common not another great avn going down the hill , just because dev thinks everyone loves to play as a passive loser as main character.
Yeah sometimes being idiot is okay but this avn shows mc idiot on ridiculous lvl,he is just too much forgiving to villains of this avn,like literally he doesn't even ask them for giving even a shitty reason for doing all the nonsense thing they did,instead ask for forgiveness from them.
like seriously are u dumbest person on earth? and he doesn't even do a shit that can be said about him to make it worth all he's getting,this mc with power of some sort of God,still acts as a teenager and afraid of getting hit by a girl,how can mc be this loser? Acting or trying to be funny is one thing but he actually shits in his pants, whenever any of his girls say they will beat him in a joking manner.
So i guess you don't give a fuck about your players review? And just a sissy who likes to portray mc as stupid dumb bitch.
Didn't wanted to spread hate,loved your avn actually but only annoying thing was playing as loser mc,but i think i was right about you,you like loser dumb mc, but it's not everyone cup of tea.
Hard pass for me and fuck you for not even giving a shit about issues with this avn.
Let's get something straight Chad23. I do care about my followers and how they feel about my game. Just check my F95 thread and you'll see that I respond and act on just about all reviews, good or bad. And I take criticism just fine. But I could give a FUCK about someone who posts such an ugly, unusable opinion on my game. Write a proper, civil, and useful review that I can actually make use of and you wouldn't get the response you got from me. The fact that you responded the way you did tells me you have absolutely NO clue about me or how I operate. I've taken many things from reviews that were negative (that weren't as ugly and confrontational as yours) and actually changed things for the better over the course of development. I am sick to death of people like you who think you have the right to come in my game thread and shit on everything as if I owe you something when you can get the game for FREE for just waiting a bit longer. You don't like something? Fine. Tell me what you didn't like without being a complete asshat and I'll listen - otherwise, move on to the next game. Thanks for playing.
yeah thanks for creating something good and without any trouble a vanilla avn for a change, but same typical loser dumbass mc,teenager perv who is too naive and act innocent, nothing new there.
I m sorry for coming harsh to you but this same trend got on my nerve now,from your avn description i got that it has new variety and mc is some powerful dude, actually had too high hopes for once to play as a character with spine and knows his shit,got totally disappointed there, nothing too distastrous but had high hopes,that's why reacted that way.
But now this is getting too much for me,i can't take it anymore, playing as same typical nerd,asshat,loser dumb, naive who don't know a shit mc,i m quitting playing any avn from now on,best of luck to you.
You know, I'm honestly puzzled at where you think the MC is this way. I actually hate games like that as well. Did you stop playing halfway through it? You do know that he grows and changes as the story continues, yes? You're describing the very thing I also hate about some AVNs. My stories do not instantly show people at their best because to me, that is unrealistic. So, you have to read it all to get the whole picture.
Early in the story, he IS a dumbass. I wanted to show him growing and changing. So, without you getting snippy and rude, try speaking normally and give me an example from the story. Because what you're describing is exactly what I abhor about other games. I know I made him a little naive through the beginning. And there is a part where he (understandably) doesn't want Kat to get pissed off. This is a fairly human situation. You describe him as a baby, crying in a corner sucking his thumb. I know damn well I didn't write him THAT bad. I admit I fucked up a lot of things through the beginning of Serenity, it was my first VN after all. Much of it will be getting rewritten.
If you don't want to respond, and just want to move on, that's fine too. But this is how criticism works my friend. You tell me what you like and don't like, and I add things to my list of things to fix later down the road. Try having a conversation like this with other devs and getting a response. For most, you won't even hear back. I make it a point to engage with my followers and work to improve and learn what people like.
Finally, no offense, but small advice: When you go on a dev's site and post your critical review, try being nice maybe? And then you get a nice response and maybe even help make the game better rather than pissing off the dev. Keep in mind that making these things is NOT easy. Most devs are not professional writers - I am definitely not, but I think I improved over the course of making my first VN, given the work and time I put into it and all the shit I dealt with to even complete chapter 1.
Because that particular hairstyle was a real pain in the ass. It clipped horribly and I hated that there wasn't really any way to stop that since it had very limited controls for moving it around.
Just go and play your regular cuck fantasy avns buddy,If you can't appreciate a great avn,here less shit than one you think as top avn,stories are linear doesn't mean they are bad,it's just you don't have to keep with others shit and make stupid choices which doesn't makes sense,go and play avns where you have to select one less fucked bitch out of whores,don't play a harem avn they are not for you.
You know this is one of the best , everything is perfect, character are nice looking and good story is amazing and everyone is loveable almost flawless game buddy amazing work,i know this is one of best avn and can't ask for more
But the stupidity and not knowing anything type behaviour of mc is hilarious and funny bit after too much it gets in nerves,heck even after becoming king he acts as looser,i know it is kinetic but i wish for choice like saying fuck you camillia or at least doing something like man and not always be stupidily forgiving which mc dies
Don't take it to heart bro just my thoughts,mc is kind of okish could be better but i guess his character will never develope he will remain stupid man child, funny sometimes,other times getting too much but all acceptable due to other nice things
It sounds like you're still early in the story. He gets a bit better. My early writing in Serenity is pretty rough but as I learned things, you should notice that the writing improves further in, as well as the MC's personality.
Thanks for the kind words, I'm glad you're enjoying Serenity. Remember that I've also started Serenity Chapter 2. I've already released the first episode of that one.
i totally appreciate not just your avn bit also your sincerety towards players,you are not obligated to acknowledge anyone but still you do and reply one your best thing that many dev doesn't have i have my high words for you, you are truly best not the best avn but surely one of the best,bit as a creator you are surely best and will forever remain in many people ❤️❤️
And as for mc yeah there is arc and development but you too know even after becoming stronger and few changes he still too weak at heart not wanting him to become an asshole who uses other,but he definitely needs to be more confident and dominant since that master and all thing,but as I said before overall a truly god level avn only flaw is whinny mc which you can't deny no matter what, a guy too good at heart is not the one gonna survive till last,he needs to be a little tough else irl he would end up dead soon.good thing is he lives in dream but there too he is too much of weak heart considering his power,very less self conscious and always going to be ordered by others.
Hey N2TheFire You shouldn't have to stop development just because one person decides that chapter 1 in Serenity isn't good enough. I personally thought it was EPIC. Serenity so far is Perfect, As for Last Human, I am also a Star Trek fan, So when Spock and Tuvok say "The needs of the many, Outweigh the needs of the few" That saying might have some standing here too. I think your work is Perfect and I don't care what anyone else says.
Thanks Grey. There are a lot who agree with you. Still, there is precedence here to at least offer an option to skip a scene if some find it offensive. So that's what I'll do. I'll be working from home again tomorrow and get that added in and uploaded here. It will have little affect on current fans of the game. If you don't want to skip it, just hit 'no' and it will go directly into the scene as normal. No biggie. ;)
No buddy no need to change something like that it is okay as it I know some scenes are not everyone cup of tea but if for story they will occur skipping would just confuse the story and skip button is already available for us to do that don't add anything,it will Just take your time focus on something else or relax for fe days.
Sorry, I somehow missed your question. My game cannot go on Steam because of the software I use to create the graphics. It is a license/trademark issue. Most adult VN's you find on Steam were done using a program called DAZ3D, which does not have this limitation. I don't use DAZ because I don't like the way the characters look.
Honestly, this is absolute gold. You dont see many VNs with no heartbreak, evil or sadness. Its a nice change. I usually Uninstal games that dont have choices but i got hooked lol. That being said i definitely would love to find a VN like this that let the readers control the story if anyone knows one? Lol
Clear it? Do you mean how to make it so you can see everything in the gallery? I've provided a file that will fill out the gallery - check the post below (read all of it as it explains how to use the "persistent" file). The "persistent.zip" file is attached to the post at the bottom. Just unzip the file into your "saves" folder (replace your current "persistent" file). Serenity Chapter 1: Version 1.4 (update) (EDITED) | N2TheFire on Patreon
I have no idea why you would want to do such a thing. And I only know how to do it on the Windows PC version. I am not responsible if you break your PC by doing the wrong things here, so make sure you're going into the right folders.
Make sure you're not running the game. Go into the game 'saves' folder: (Serenity-1.4-pc/game/saves) Rename the file named "persistent" to anything: (ie: persistentOLD) - note that it does not have an extension Now go to your appdata folder (C:/users/<yourusername>/AppData/Renpy/Serenity-1597420954) Inside that folder, rename the "persistent" file the same way you did above. Start your game... the gallery should be all locked again.
The normal version is larger in size. Make sure you have enough space to download it on your device. Also note that the normal version doesn't work on older devices. That is the reason there is a compressed version.
While I did like this game, this last final update for C1 left a lot to be desired.
C1 should have ended with Demitre at that very last point, with a better focus placed on the harem as an ending plus touching bases with all of the girls (many who have been grossly neglected to this point) and perhaps a very small glimpse into C2 as that would have been a more concrete and solid ending, but rather instead goes on into something out of left field and almost unrelated and even contradictory at points. MC also seems to be lose a lot of significance in the story.
The changes are so obvious and drastic it literally all of the sudden feels as if you're playing an entirely different game but with the same characters.
That said, I did understand the memo about the hardships and can relate. Hopefully things are looking up a lot better than they were.
Overall, not bad for a first project. I did enjoy these past few updates after revisiting from some of the very early builds. Well done.
Ok, just got to the end of final build. It realy was awesome. I think my English will not be enough to say everything I want. This game... Serenity... is very special in compare to everything else I played. N2, I bet you yourself are very bright and kind person in reality. To create such a wonderful story... Im happy people like you exist in our world, it is thanks to existance of people like you I still didnt lost hope in this world. I wish you all the best and looking forward to your other creations and, ofcourse, most of all I will wait for return of Serenity story :)
P.S. I noticed that people complain about lack of suffering and challenge in the story.... F off guys, there are enough storyes about suffering. Enough storyes with helpless MC's. This game is great as it is. I realy like that MC is almyghty and he can solve any problem fast (ofcourse with help of other characters). I like that this game is bright. No need to change this.
Thank you! And you're so right... there is enough suffering and drama in the world. It's hard for me to make something really bad happen and not want to fix it right away. That is a challenge between the writer in me, and the person that I am.
Thank you so much for your kind words, I'm glad that you enjoyed the first Chapter. Stay tuned for more :)
Just finished. I really enjoyed so far but this last update..... well.... how should I put it.... well it felt a bit out of place for me. It felt like there were too many sudden changes made to the story and it didn't connect so well.
Disjointed... disconnected... wow, that sounds exactly like my life the last three months while writing that. I guess I didn't meet the challenge of writing while keeping my life separate in this case. Glad you enjoyed the story so far though.
well this certainly wasnt my usual type of game, i tend to enjoy more choices of actions in my games. with that said i still found this to be a fun story to just pass some time with.
I NEED more yandere Kathryn moments that shits just to damn good.
i certainly noticed the quality of the sex scenes and the story writing improved as i played the game further and further. just like anything else in life you get better at it the more you do it.
with all that said thank you for putting this out here for free, so that us poorer bastards of the internet can have some fun.
PS
im certainly looking forward to chapter 2 mainly just because i wanna see Kat lose her shit when she finds out about Triss
The compressed version was created because older android devices don't seem to handle app bigger than 2gb. The difference is that the quality of the images/videos may suffer a bit in the compressed version.
Man, I really want to play this game BUT something went wrong during or after the download, something about analyzing the package. I downloaded the normal android version because I wanted to experience the full quality of renders and shit, but my phone is forcing me to download the compressed one. For fuck's sake...
Nah, it's cool man, and the problem is my phone, it just sucks. It's a fucking Samsung J2. Yes, I have a goddamn J2 in 2022. This thing is what, 5 years old? More?
And on that note: here is my full review on the game.
What can I say except awesome? Outstanding game. I know that people complain a lot about the overly wholesome experience with a super nice MC, but not me. Hey, I played games like My New Family for hours and hours so give me that super, ultra corny shit. I'll take it. Especially since here there's a reason for all the wholesome stuff, it literally gives power to all of the characters. A nice lesson for real life, if only more people (me included) would learn that...
As I said, I played using the compressed version, and honestly the renders amazed me, not like my previous experience with Sisterly Lust (yep, I play a lot of incest games. Call me a weirdo), I just had to find a way to play the normal version on that one.
And the characters had their own special thing, every single one of them. And the ascension is a genius thing, their designs are beautiful and intimidating.
About the story... well... it has it's ups and downs that a lot of people already mentioned in the few comments I read. I have to point them out BUT for good reasons!
First, because I noticed how the game improved later on at least writing-wise, dialogues felt really weird and rushed in the beginning, specially with Kat. So congratulations for your progress. And second, because I see a lot of potential in this game, even more after it's first moments. I would say that the overall improvements start a little bit after Kat's ascension and it gets better from there onwards.
The big problem is that something which is super cool lore-wise kind of makes the lewd scenes too... forced? Which is the fade and it's effects. I get it that it's like a good, never-ending cycle of the characters feeding the fade with positive feelings and sexual energy, then it gives them their gifts (magic, immortality, etc.), amongst other things. But the scenes feel way too rushed, one after another. As I said, it is super cool lore-wise but brings some problems to the feel of the game.
As for relationships, it doesn't bother me. You made explicit the fact that this is a harem game and, in-game, the characters comment on how the MC attracts females of any species very early on, it is inborn in him, it isn't like he's brainwashing anyone.
And personally, there's one thing that bothered me from start to finish: the scenes of characters commenting about stuff that both MC AND player shouldn't know. I'll use the scene of Cam and Karen talking about the ritual to make the MC the god-king of Serenity as an example. That scene leaves 0 suspense to the player, and so do other scenes. It should just allude to the possibility of someone being lost after the ritual, and without the use of words, just the context of the scene. If the game ever gets a 2.0 super update after you finish it, these scenes need to be modified or just removed for the sake of story telling.
But all in all, with pros and cons, the game is great. I love it, it definitely became one of my favorites and I can't wait for more!
Oh btw, on the matter of multiverse stuff, I really hope that we get to see Lucy from My New Family in the game. There were a few moments with images of the game and her on screen so... nothing more apropriate than a visit from her to a land full of cat girls right? ^^" I hope Killer allows this.
Thanks for the review. I agree on all your cons. Playing back through my own game (which I reviewed myself actually), I cringed a lot. The entire first 3 days may be rewritten at some point down the road. Anyway, version 1.3 (the next update to Serenity) will be the last update to this particular build/zip file. It will continue in chapter 2 (new build) and hopefully be much better from start to finish - with what I have learned so far. But before I start on chapter 2, I will work on the first release of my next project, Last Human, which is a sci-fi/Neko series (ehh, Star Trek with Nekos? Yeah, something like that). As for putting Lucy in my game, I did get Killer's blessing to do so but I don't know if I am going to (beyond the few images I already put in). I'm not as big a fan of MNF as I used to be. That's not to say I don't appreciate the wholesome nature of his game, I'm just not an incest fan. I remake those characters in HS2 myself when I bring them in. So, Celeste from Sylphine and Melody (from Melody of course) were my own version of those characters. It takes a while for me to get those right. I'll be adding a few more in chapter 2.
I had the feeling that Demitre wasn't going to be a one and done kind of fight, and Karen did talk about roles and stuff near the end of 1.2. So it only makes sense that you're planning a Ch2 for the game, and it really helps on every front including file size. About Last Human, I planned on reading more about it after I was finished with game, so I'm gonna take a look at the posts but I'm already hyped after seeing all your work and progress in Serenity.
Abour Lucy, I 100% understand your position, man. Neither I am a big fan of incest, it's not even a matter of liking it or not for me, it's more about not minding it. I don't mind incest irl and that standing kind of transfered to AVNs. I just like the deeper intimacy between the characters, feels stronger than the standard dating sims. out there, not that they're bad either.
And I knew that the game wasn't standard HS, I kept asking myself which software it was. I didn't play Melody but did play Sylphine quite some time ago (0.2 I believe, way back then), so I was like "Why is Celeste looking so different?" and it must take quite a lot of work to make these "special guest" things. And it makes sense that there weren't many during the whole game as of now, only 2 (or 3 if Cinnamon is from an actual existing game). But all in all the game is still one of my favorites, man. Really hyped to see what's next, the universe you created here is something completely new and fun to see.
Oof, the game's story goes at break neck speed and the MC is one of the biggest Gary Stue's I've seen in a VN to date. There is some sort of mystery/threat going on in the background, but the MC has no troubles or challenge with any of it. Makes the story kinda uninteresting and boring if there is no real danger, which the characters even mention themselves within the game. "Oh, don't worry. They aren't in any danger because of reason XY" is literaly what they say whenever something happens. I know it's probably meant as a power fantasy kind of thing, but other games/stories have done this much better. The girls just look at the MC and fall for him almost instantly (with very minor buildup). Other than that it's not bad for a first try, but I would suggest to not go all Gary Stue in future projects. Make the MC flawed, make them overcome threats and challenges that push them past their limits. Make them also loose, so they can pick themselves up etc, making the payoff better.
Okay, I had posted my own rant back at you but thought better of it, so I am editing it. Anyway, you spent your whole comment on "there's not enough struggle" and "game pacing" (both of which I am fully aware of already). But you never mention what you liked about Serenity. So, no positives at all? I mean, did you think the girls were at least cute? Throw me a bone here! Most reviewers usually give credit for effort on other things and mention what they did like.
Well, anyway... You're entitled to your opinion. Just wish when people post negative tirades in my comments, they would at least put some positives in there as well because I know Serenity isn't THAT bad.
It's your own game. If you like what you've created that's all you really need. If people enjoy your creation/story that's great. Opinions are always subjective. And I never said it was bad... see my sentence "for a first try it's not bad". It's nowhere an awful game, not even close. It's flawed, sure, but you are learning and growing as a creator and writer and will improve (as it does in this project). You have passion for your work, based on your reaction, and that's good. Some storybeats I liked, like Morgana's, but they always felt too rushed or too short, making me wish there were more of those quiet personal moments.
You should have worded your post this way. It sounds much better. Yes, I got a little defensive but it is because I bust my ass on this. And if you followed my Patreon and all the stuff I post out there (I really am a long-winded fucker), you'd know that everything you said has been said so many times now, I just get sick of hearing it. I even said it myself about my own work, and even went back and fixed certain things that I knew I could fix in a pinch. Suffice to say, I listen to reviews, the reviews where the person is actually giving me a proper review and giving me critique that I can actually work with. I note these things down, most devs don't care. I note it down to keep in mind for later updates and my next project. Anyway, thanks for the reply. Hope you will still check out the final update to this build (this is just chapter 1 - Chapter 2 will come in a few months once my next project gets a first release).
Right, where to begin with this one..... lets take it from the top.
Not gonna lie, i went into this one with not much in the expectations department, particularly in the early part of the game. Then again, i usually dont expect much from games of this nature, helps with pleasant surprises. As such, I never expect a good story, not the best character design or music choice to fit scenes. Boy howdy, this game was all of that and then some. and by some i mean a metric fuck tonne. This game pulled me in in like few have managed to, both with the story as well as the design. I know its a job very well done when i have a hard time deciding the best gril (white lena is winning but by a very slight margin, with trixy at 2nd) lol.
The story while good was by no means a masterpiece, but it got pretty damn close. It definitely pulled me in, but i didnt find myself completely enthralled by it due to the nature of the content covered. Dude goes from inexperienced yet "gifted" to harem king in 2 weeks? its a little short to really get the depth of character portrayed but thankfully there was enough there to still make the girls loveable and see their individual personalities. thats the only major gripe i have with this game, and even then its not a huge deal. the rest, well that shit was stellar. The setting, the background, overall plot, like dude if this game was produced in japan by a major studio with all those annoying ass mosaics over the fun bits, then id fully expect this to get an anime a few years down the road. Hell, the fate series got that treatment as did MuvLuv, why not you? Speaking of which, I am glad to know you are a fellow man of culture dev, i actually recognised every anime you used for the scenes that involved watching tv, and a handful of the VN screenshots you used as well. Knowing that all i can do is /bow. id give the story a solid 8/10.
As for the art, i couldnt ask for much better tbh. A lot of other games have a tendency to go a little uncanny valley with CG rendering, but you sidestepped that beautifully. Each girl is fucking adorable, and I sincerely regret not having the power to reach into the screen and give them all headpats (among other things if theyll have me lol). The backgrounds are all nice and bright, if a little primitive but they dont look bad and are well lit in a convincing way. i can imagine that its pretty hard to pull that off. the art gets a 9/10 from me. id comment and rate on gameplay as well but frankly the story more than makes up for that, while choices would be cool to see i dont think theyre necessary in this case. i had plenty of fun just reading thru.
All in all, an absolute banger of a job there dev. I can see the love thats gone into this project and if it was possible for me to fund it completely I would, but sadly im just another schmuck with a penchant for one handed gameplay lmao.
I saw your recent posts and im sorry to hear of your struggles, but i wish you the absolute best of luck for all of your projects both current and future. Also, please take care of yourself, and enjoy the well earned rest you currently are getting. I await with bated breath for future updates, and i am patient so take all the time you need. All the best man, and a job very very well done
Wow thank you for your kind words. This was my first project. No, I didn't expect to write a masterpiece, and I'm sure it isn't the best I can do. But you're right... I've given a lot of love to this story, along with a lot of stress and long nights. My hope is that with each different, new story I write, I'll improve my writing (and also my graphics work). And speaking of graphics work, I had to poke through the software and pretty much learn it on my own. There aren't a lot of devs out there who will take the time to teach you step by step. With that said, if not for the help I received from new friends I made in a few other devs, I wouldn't have made it. Anyway, thanks again for the kind review. Keep an eye out for my other project which should hopefully have a first release within the next few months. :)
oh I already saw the post for the next one and I'm so getting it when it drops. As for this being your first project, I didn't know and that makes it even better. I got a lot of respect for u for being to pull off such a good story, can't wait to see what u got in future. Ngl I played it thru beginning to end in 1 sitting and forgot to save till the very end. Not many games can make me do that considering I'm an obsessive saver lol. Once again, very well done bud, hope ur recovery is coming smoothly
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NTR？
I only have 4questions does anyone know
1.) girls "who became pregnant and gives birth"
2.) so i was wondering will pregnancy be added within the next update?
3>)Can you add more girls yto this game ?
4>)What languages are currently available in the game?
Uh, Serenity (the first chapter) is a complete game, so...
1 - none
2 - There aren't any more updates to this one, it is complete.
3 - no
4 - I only can support English. There are others out there who have translated to other languages.
I just completed the game (amazing game btw.) But the gallery is still completely locked.
I feel like the game is missing a significant amount of prologue/intro material. It all happens too fast. It's like, all story and no character. The world you've created is fun, going all-in on a personal fantasy is great. No pretense, no false sense of reality, just pure fantasy. And the character models are cute.
But everyone is just too bland, too easy. I want a reason to pick a favorite character, I want the conflict with Morgan to be much longer and more intense, etc. The whole "can't be hurt here" thing ruins all sense of stakes, I think it would be interesting if his mom purposely made it a little dangerous. And having every girl be a neko also reduces individuality quite a bit.
It's got the bones of a great VN, just needs a lot of fleshing out IMO
Yeah... You're not the first to say this. I started on this like 4 years ago (first time making a VN). Serenity got changed a LOT from my original draft. Unfortunately, it isn't the story it really should be now. And that is my fault of course. When you're just learning, its easy to get caught up in what people critique and how they think something should be. I would have been better off never listening to any of that from the beginning. But here we are.
I don't know if you played Serenity Chapter 2 yet, but I'm currently in the writing phase for episode 3 of that one now. And you'll definitely be seeing some pretty dramatic changes as the story goes on in chapter 2. Especially starting in episodes 3 and 4. We're getting into the "dark light" arc right now in chapter 2 (something that really should have happened a long time ago in the first game). I'm hoping with this, I'll get it back on track. This won't be something that gets resolved after 10 lines of dialogue. I'm trying to do complete episodes where they may start with some dramatic situation, and sometimes resolved by the end of the episode. Other situations may take longer (the 'dark light' stuff for example).
Check out Last Human (my other game) also, if you haven't yet. The latest release will drop here on itch on Wednesday of next week.
Thanks for the feedback (and for not being a dick about it - many just get ugly with their criticism and it's counterproductive). I hope you don't let the crappy start to Serenity ruin it for you and keep following Chapter 2. Take care, ...Fire
Is there a way to access the earlier sex scenes as they aren't in the gallery?
Is there a chance to get the character pregnant?
Not at this time. It will probably be put in for the last one or two episodes of Serenity Chapter 2
OKay thank you just need to know that all
loved the game👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
OMFreak,
Your a genus! Man I was iffy to try this Serenity title. Emotions all over the spectrum and gorgeous girls, storyline, Damn, I was on the edge of my mouse wanting more! I actually took my time for Chapter 1 and took me a couple days to finish it, Chapter 2 0.1 was a great start to cliff hanger me haha!
I was surprised tp see you incorperated Last Human and well as a few others. never heard of those other titles mentioned aside from MNF.
Your story line was rich and thick with more details Ive ever seen in a title. Quite rare to see a DEV put that much love into their stuff! Just amazing!
Karen being a typical mom sowing some sexual discomfort makes me wonder if she will enter the harem.
You have put blood, sweat, tears, heart and soul into this game! And your still adding more! 6 stars if it was possible haha. Sorry for all your hardships through it all, in the end it makes us stronger for it and wear it like everything else with pride!
The reason I do this is because of comments like yours. Admittedly, Serenity is not for everyone. I've seen my game reviewed quite harshly. At one time, that used to hurt. Today, I don't really care about reviews. This was my first attempt at making an adult visual novel. It has plenty of flaws that I could go back and fix. But I decided not to do that. Instead, there will be an alternate version that will be quite different... where Camilla is not your sister, and Mom has a bit less impact in later parts of the story. I plan to do that because as my first time making an AVN, I ended up writing a lot of stuff that wasn't ever part of my original draft of the story. So keep following... Re:Serenity is going to be a project I'll start later.
And thanks so much for the kind words. I'm happy you enjoyed it :)
I know what you mean, I saw in one situation someone complained about the rape-ish situation. But in your defense, there was a skip for it so it would continue the storyline but wouldnt affect the emotions.
I know some people will have issues with it but thats what warnings and skip settings are for. If there are those with issues regarding that situation, then they should honestly stay away from it. I honestly thought it was handled rather well in game, not even sure (im no expert in the matter mind you) it didnt get to a deep matter in your title.
anyway, I am happy to give my feed back, been reviewing titles “unofficially” for a few years and HAD 4 favorite titles. As for Karen and Cam, plenty of titles have infamily love. Its just what you desire to put into it.
lastly, i know chapter 1 1.6 is the newest release with some possible changes, I’ll keep the 1.5 version! I like it as is.
👍🏻👍🏻
Great story and game. I appreciate it. One point though, there are grammar issues, particularly with using I versus me. Use I when its the subject, use me when its the object. For example, your text says "leaving Morgan and I alone." It should say, "leaving Morgan and me alone."
That kind of grammar issue is subjective. If I change "I" to "me" in that sentence, others would argue it should be the other way. Not every grammar issue is actually an issue. Keep in mind that there are MANY different people from different speaking languages that play this. I research grammar the entire time I am writing dialog. And in this situation, we are both right. To me, it sounds more correct to use "I" in your example sentence (and to you and others, maybe it doesn't). This is one of those situations where it isn't worth changing that just to rebuild, reupload, change the links... etc., you get the point. To me, it doesn't sound right to write it the way you mentioned so I won't do it. It isn't that I think you are wrong... and it isn't that I think I am right. I just think it sounds better as I wrote it.
I have never played a game so wholesome and nice! I loved every second of it! Thank you for making this Fire, you brought some positivity in my life this year! I hope to see more like this. Feed the Fade, friend <3!
Thanks for that! If you didn't already know, there is a chapter 2 I just started on with one episode (almost ready to release episode 2 now).
https://n2thefire.itch.io/serenity-chapter-2
Sure! Is Last Human going to be as cute as this?
That is the plan ;)
Absolutely loving it so far! Between the story, art and characters it's a A+ game for sure!
Will chapter 2 let us influence the story more, or will it be similar to chapter 1?
All of my AVN's are kinetic (no choices). A few choices come now and then but nothing that changes the story/endings. Chapter 2 is done the same way. I also have a sci-fi AVN: Last Human which I just started on.
I will be working on a very short 'choices matter' game involving Camilla (from Serenity) next year. Glad you enjoyed, thanks for commenting :)
Oh common not another great avn going down the hill , just because dev thinks everyone loves to play as a passive loser as main character.
Yeah sometimes being idiot is okay but this avn shows mc idiot on ridiculous lvl,he is just too much forgiving to villains of this avn,like literally he doesn't even ask them for giving even a shitty reason for doing all the nonsense thing they did,instead ask for forgiveness from them.
like seriously are u dumbest person on earth? and he doesn't even do a shit that can be said about him to make it worth all he's getting,this mc with power of some sort of God,still acts as a teenager and afraid of getting hit by a girl,how can mc be this loser? Acting or trying to be funny is one thing but he actually shits in his pants, whenever any of his girls say they will beat him in a joking manner.
So i guess you don't give a fuck about your players review? And just a sissy who likes to portray mc as stupid dumb bitch.
Didn't wanted to spread hate,loved your avn actually but only annoying thing was playing as loser mc,but i think i was right about you,you like loser dumb mc, but it's not everyone cup of tea.
Hard pass for me and fuck you for not even giving a shit about issues with this avn.
Let's get something straight Chad23. I do care about my followers and how they feel about my game. Just check my F95 thread and you'll see that I respond and act on just about all reviews, good or bad. And I take criticism just fine. But I could give a FUCK about someone who posts such an ugly, unusable opinion on my game. Write a proper, civil, and useful review that I can actually make use of and you wouldn't get the response you got from me. The fact that you responded the way you did tells me you have absolutely NO clue about me or how I operate. I've taken many things from reviews that were negative (that weren't as ugly and confrontational as yours) and actually changed things for the better over the course of development.
I am sick to death of people like you who think you have the right to come in my game thread and shit on everything as if I owe you something when you can get the game for FREE for just waiting a bit longer. You don't like something? Fine. Tell me what you didn't like without being a complete asshat and I'll listen - otherwise, move on to the next game. Thanks for playing.
yeah thanks for creating something good and without any trouble a vanilla avn for a change, but same typical loser dumbass mc,teenager perv who is too naive and act innocent, nothing new there.
I m sorry for coming harsh to you but this same trend got on my nerve now,from your avn description i got that it has new variety and mc is some powerful dude, actually had too high hopes for once to play as a character with spine and knows his shit,got totally disappointed there, nothing too distastrous but had high hopes,that's why reacted that way.
But now this is getting too much for me,i can't take it anymore, playing as same typical nerd,asshat,loser dumb, naive who don't know a shit mc,i m quitting playing any avn from now on,best of luck to you.
You know, I'm honestly puzzled at where you think the MC is this way. I actually hate games like that as well. Did you stop playing halfway through it? You do know that he grows and changes as the story continues, yes? You're describing the very thing I also hate about some AVNs. My stories do not instantly show people at their best because to me, that is unrealistic. So, you have to read it all to get the whole picture.
Early in the story, he IS a dumbass. I wanted to show him growing and changing. So, without you getting snippy and rude, try speaking normally and give me an example from the story. Because what you're describing is exactly what I abhor about other games. I know I made him a little naive through the beginning. And there is a part where he (understandably) doesn't want Kat to get pissed off. This is a fairly human situation. You describe him as a baby, crying in a corner sucking his thumb. I know damn well I didn't write him THAT bad. I admit I fucked up a lot of things through the beginning of Serenity, it was my first VN after all. Much of it will be getting rewritten.
If you don't want to respond, and just want to move on, that's fine too. But this is how criticism works my friend. You tell me what you like and don't like, and I add things to my list of things to fix later down the road. Try having a conversation like this with other devs and getting a response. For most, you won't even hear back. I make it a point to engage with my followers and work to improve and learn what people like.
Finally, no offense, but small advice: When you go on a dev's site and post your critical review, try being nice maybe? And then you get a nice response and maybe even help make the game better rather than pissing off the dev. Keep in mind that making these things is NOT easy. Most devs are not professional writers - I am definitely not, but I think I improved over the course of making my first VN, given the work and time I put into it and all the shit I dealt with to even complete chapter 1.
Why did Rin change so much in appearance in the 2nd chapter from the 1st chapter?
Because that particular hairstyle was a real pain in the ass. It clipped horribly and I hated that there wasn't really any way to stop that since it had very limited controls for moving it around.
can anyone tell me the Lyrical music to this gamne? im obsessed
What is the game with Celeste (Pink hair)?
She is from the game Sylphine by Glacerose
Does this games have choices, where it will allow you to influence the story?
It does not (my games are kinetic). But give it a try anyway... many who prefer games with choices have actually enjoyed Serenity. ;)
"kinetic" - that would make it a story, not a game
Just go and play your regular cuck fantasy avns buddy,If you can't appreciate a great avn,here less shit than one you think as top avn,stories are linear doesn't mean they are bad,it's just you don't have to keep with others shit and make stupid choices which doesn't makes sense,go and play avns where you have to select one less fucked bitch out of whores,don't play a harem avn they are not for you.
i would get you a towel for all that raging drool, bu im not that much of a gentleman.
just because you dont know what "chad" or "cuck" mean, doesnt make you less of a whiney little cuck bitch, fake-chad.
Who said anything about cuckolding? Where did scrounge up that colossal dog pile from?
And a kinetic novel is just that. A story. No choices. Get a clue.
You know this is one of the best , everything is perfect, character are nice looking and good story is amazing and everyone is loveable almost flawless game buddy amazing work,i know this is one of best avn and can't ask for more
But the stupidity and not knowing anything type behaviour of mc is hilarious and funny bit after too much it gets in nerves,heck even after becoming king he acts as looser,i know it is kinetic but i wish for choice like saying fuck you camillia or at least doing something like man and not always be stupidily forgiving which mc dies
Don't take it to heart bro just my thoughts,mc is kind of okish could be better but i guess his character will never develope he will remain stupid man child, funny sometimes,other times getting too much but all acceptable due to other nice things
It sounds like you're still early in the story. He gets a bit better. My early writing in Serenity is pretty rough but as I learned things, you should notice that the writing improves further in, as well as the MC's personality.
Thanks for the kind words, I'm glad you're enjoying Serenity. Remember that I've also started Serenity Chapter 2. I've already released the first episode of that one.
i totally appreciate not just your avn bit also your sincerety towards players,you are not obligated to acknowledge anyone but still you do and reply one your best thing that many dev doesn't have i have my high words for you, you are truly best not the best avn but surely one of the best,bit as a creator you are surely best and will forever remain in many people ❤️❤️
And as for mc yeah there is arc and development but you too know even after becoming stronger and few changes he still too weak at heart not wanting him to become an asshole who uses other,but he definitely needs to be more confident and dominant since that master and all thing,but as I said before overall a truly god level avn only flaw is whinny mc which you can't deny no matter what, a guy too good at heart is not the one gonna survive till last,he needs to be a little tough else irl he would end up dead soon.good thing is he lives in dream but there too he is too much of weak heart considering his power,very less self conscious and always going to be ordered by others.
Hey N2TheFire You shouldn't have to stop development just because one person decides that chapter 1 in Serenity isn't good enough. I personally thought it was EPIC. Serenity so far is Perfect, As for Last Human, I am also a Star Trek fan, So when Spock and Tuvok say "The needs of the many, Outweigh the needs of the few" That saying might have some standing here too. I think your work is Perfect and I don't care what anyone else says.
Thanks Grey. There are a lot who agree with you. Still, there is precedence here to at least offer an option to skip a scene if some find it offensive. So that's what I'll do. I'll be working from home again tomorrow and get that added in and uploaded here. It will have little affect on current fans of the game. If you don't want to skip it, just hit 'no' and it will go directly into the scene as normal. No biggie. ;)
That just shows N2 is great as a person as well as a great game author -caring for others and all-
No buddy no need to change something like that it is okay as it I know some scenes are not everyone cup of tea but if for story they will occur skipping would just confuse the story and skip button is already available for us to do that don't add anything,it will Just take your time focus on something else or relax for fe days.
given how long the chapter is, have you considered steam? they have other VNs there and might get the series a bit more attention.
Sorry, I somehow missed your question. My game cannot go on Steam because of the software I use to create the graphics. It is a license/trademark issue. Most adult VN's you find on Steam were done using a program called DAZ3D, which does not have this limitation. I don't use DAZ because I don't like the way the characters look.
Honestly, this is absolute gold. You dont see many VNs with no heartbreak, evil or sadness. Its a nice change. I usually Uninstal games that dont have choices but i got hooked lol. That being said i definitely would love to find a VN like this that let the readers control the story if anyone knows one? Lol
Fucking amazing. Can't wait for the next chapter
You mean this?
Serenity Chapter 2 by N2TheFire (itch.io)
First episode of Chapter 2 is already public. :)
Holy shit I didn't even realize.
N2TheFire how do i clear event gallery
Clear it? Do you mean how to make it so you can see everything in the gallery?
I've provided a file that will fill out the gallery - check the post below (read all of it as it explains how to use the "persistent" file). The "persistent.zip" file is attached to the post at the bottom. Just unzip the file into your "saves" folder (replace your current "persistent" file).
Serenity Chapter 1: Version 1.4 (update) (EDITED) | N2TheFire on Patreon
I Meant fully clear all pics from Event gallery
I have no idea why you would want to do such a thing. And I only know how to do it on the Windows PC version. I am not responsible if you break your PC by doing the wrong things here, so make sure you're going into the right folders.
Make sure you're not running the game.
Go into the game 'saves' folder: (Serenity-1.4-pc/game/saves)
Rename the file named "persistent" to anything: (ie: persistentOLD) - note that it does not have an extension
Now go to your appdata folder (C:/users/<yourusername>/AppData/Renpy/Serenity-1597420954)
Inside that folder, rename the "persistent" file the same way you did above.
Start your game... the gallery should be all locked again.
Does anybody knows the games from the MCs screensaver? c:
It's melody
Oh YES! First of all Amazing job on C2. And second, A text opacity is a HUGE Plus. Nice job! I'd say C2 launch is a massive S-U-C-C-E-S-S
Hello, are there anal things in the game?
how many days are there in chapter 1?
What's the difference between the compressed android version and the normal android version?
one is smaller in size, but the animations and images are lower quality
The normal android version doesn't allow me to download it since it keeps saying forbidden. Do you know how I can download it?
The normal version is larger in size. Make sure you have enough space to download it on your device. Also note that the normal version doesn't work on older devices. That is the reason there is a compressed version.
This is truly a wonderful creation, I can't wait for more content.
While I did like this game, this last final update for C1 left a lot to be desired.
C1 should have ended with Demitre at that very last point, with a better focus placed on the harem as an ending plus touching bases with all of the girls (many who have been grossly neglected to this point) and perhaps a very small glimpse into C2 as that would have been a more concrete and solid ending, but rather instead goes on into something out of left field and almost unrelated and even contradictory at points. MC also seems to be lose a lot of significance in the story.
The changes are so obvious and drastic it literally all of the sudden feels as if you're playing an entirely different game but with the same characters.
That said, I did understand the memo about the hardships and can relate. Hopefully things are looking up a lot better than they were.
Overall, not bad for a first project. I did enjoy these past few updates after revisiting from some of the very early builds. Well done.
Ok, just got to the end of final build. It realy was awesome. I think my English will not be enough to say everything I want. This game... Serenity... is very special in compare to everything else I played. N2, I bet you yourself are very bright and kind person in reality. To create such a wonderful story... Im happy people like you exist in our world, it is thanks to existance of people like you I still didnt lost hope in this world. I wish you all the best and looking forward to your other creations and, ofcourse, most of all I will wait for return of Serenity story :)
P.S. I noticed that people complain about lack of suffering and challenge in the story.... F off guys, there are enough storyes about suffering. Enough storyes with helpless MC's. This game is great as it is. I realy like that MC is almyghty and he can solve any problem fast (ofcourse with help of other characters). I like that this game is bright. No need to change this.
Thank you! And you're so right... there is enough suffering and drama in the world. It's hard for me to make something really bad happen and not want to fix it right away. That is a challenge between the writer in me, and the person that I am.
Thank you so much for your kind words, I'm glad that you enjoyed the first Chapter. Stay tuned for more :)
Just finished. I really enjoyed so far but this last update..... well.... how should I put it.... well it felt a bit out of place for me. It felt like there were too many sudden changes made to the story and it didn't connect so well.
But it was a fun ride.
Disjointed... disconnected... wow, that sounds exactly like my life the last three months while writing that. I guess I didn't meet the challenge of writing while keeping my life separate in this case. Glad you enjoyed the story so far though.
damn dude.. I hope you get better soon. I mean it
well this certainly wasnt my usual type of game, i tend to enjoy more choices of actions in my games. with that said i still found this to be a fun story to just pass some time with.
I NEED more yandere Kathryn moments that shits just to damn good.
i certainly noticed the quality of the sex scenes and the story writing improved as i played the game further and further. just like anything else in life you get better at it the more you do it.
with all that said thank you for putting this out here for free, so that us poorer bastards of the internet can have some fun.
PS
im certainly looking forward to chapter 2 mainly just because i wanna see Kat lose her shit when she finds out about Triss
Well hang in there... There will be plenty more of that as well as some other fun stuff ;)
I'm not entirely sure i told you before, but i really enjoyed your VN.
Wouldn't have guessed it was your first.
Hard criticism is no fun.
Just wanted you to receive good comments too.
Is there any difference between compressed and normal file for Android?
The compressed version was created because older android devices don't seem to handle app bigger than 2gb. The difference is that the quality of the images/videos may suffer a bit in the compressed version.
And how much actually big is normal size for Android 2.0? GB?
Man, I really want to play this game BUT something went wrong during or after the download, something about analyzing the package. I downloaded the normal android version because I wanted to experience the full quality of renders and shit, but my phone is forcing me to download the compressed one. For fuck's sake...
I'm so sorry buddy. I really wish I had more power over how the android version works but I've done all I can do.
Nah, it's cool man, and the problem is my phone, it just sucks. It's a fucking Samsung J2. Yes, I have a goddamn J2 in 2022. This thing is what, 5 years old? More?
And on that note: here is my full review on the game.
What can I say except awesome? Outstanding game. I know that people complain a lot about the overly wholesome experience with a super nice MC, but not me. Hey, I played games like My New Family for hours and hours so give me that super, ultra corny shit. I'll take it. Especially since here there's a reason for all the wholesome stuff, it literally gives power to all of the characters. A nice lesson for real life, if only more people (me included) would learn that...
As I said, I played using the compressed version, and honestly the renders amazed me, not like my previous experience with Sisterly Lust (yep, I play a lot of incest games. Call me a weirdo), I just had to find a way to play the normal version on that one.
And the characters had their own special thing, every single one of them. And the ascension is a genius thing, their designs are beautiful and intimidating.
About the story... well... it has it's ups and downs that a lot of people already mentioned in the few comments I read. I have to point them out BUT for good reasons!
First, because I noticed how the game improved later on at least writing-wise, dialogues felt really weird and rushed in the beginning, specially with Kat. So congratulations for your progress. And second, because I see a lot of potential in this game, even more after it's first moments. I would say that the overall improvements start a little bit after Kat's ascension and it gets better from there onwards.
The big problem is that something which is super cool lore-wise kind of makes the lewd scenes too... forced? Which is the fade and it's effects. I get it that it's like a good, never-ending cycle of the characters feeding the fade with positive feelings and sexual energy, then it gives them their gifts (magic, immortality, etc.), amongst other things. But the scenes feel way too rushed, one after another. As I said, it is super cool lore-wise but brings some problems to the feel of the game.
As for relationships, it doesn't bother me. You made explicit the fact that this is a harem game and, in-game, the characters comment on how the MC attracts females of any species very early on, it is inborn in him, it isn't like he's brainwashing anyone.
And personally, there's one thing that bothered me from start to finish: the scenes of characters commenting about stuff that both MC AND player shouldn't know. I'll use the scene of Cam and Karen talking about the ritual to make the MC the god-king of Serenity as an example. That scene leaves 0 suspense to the player, and so do other scenes. It should just allude to the possibility of someone being lost after the ritual, and without the use of words, just the context of the scene. If the game ever gets a 2.0 super update after you finish it, these scenes need to be modified or just removed for the sake of story telling.
But all in all, with pros and cons, the game is great. I love it, it definitely became one of my favorites and I can't wait for more!
Oh btw, on the matter of multiverse stuff, I really hope that we get to see Lucy from My New Family in the game. There were a few moments with images of the game and her on screen so... nothing more apropriate than a visit from her to a land full of cat girls right? ^^" I hope Killer allows this.
Thanks for the review. I agree on all your cons. Playing back through my own game (which I reviewed myself actually), I cringed a lot. The entire first 3 days may be rewritten at some point down the road. Anyway, version 1.3 (the next update to Serenity) will be the last update to this particular build/zip file. It will continue in chapter 2 (new build) and hopefully be much better from start to finish - with what I have learned so far. But before I start on chapter 2, I will work on the first release of my next project, Last Human, which is a sci-fi/Neko series (ehh, Star Trek with Nekos? Yeah, something like that).
As for putting Lucy in my game, I did get Killer's blessing to do so but I don't know if I am going to (beyond the few images I already put in). I'm not as big a fan of MNF as I used to be. That's not to say I don't appreciate the wholesome nature of his game, I'm just not an incest fan. I remake those characters in HS2 myself when I bring them in. So, Celeste from Sylphine and Melody (from Melody of course) were my own version of those characters. It takes a while for me to get those right. I'll be adding a few more in chapter 2.
I had the feeling that Demitre wasn't going to be a one and done kind of fight, and Karen did talk about roles and stuff near the end of 1.2. So it only makes sense that you're planning a Ch2 for the game, and it really helps on every front including file size. About Last Human, I planned on reading more about it after I was finished with game, so I'm gonna take a look at the posts but I'm already hyped after seeing all your work and progress in Serenity.
Abour Lucy, I 100% understand your position, man. Neither I am a big fan of incest, it's not even a matter of liking it or not for me, it's more about not minding it. I don't mind incest irl and that standing kind of transfered to AVNs. I just like the deeper intimacy between the characters, feels stronger than the standard dating sims. out there, not that they're bad either.
And I knew that the game wasn't standard HS, I kept asking myself which software it was. I didn't play Melody but did play Sylphine quite some time ago (0.2 I believe, way back then), so I was like "Why is Celeste looking so different?" and it must take quite a lot of work to make these "special guest" things. And it makes sense that there weren't many during the whole game as of now, only 2 (or 3 if Cinnamon is from an actual existing game). But all in all the game is still one of my favorites, man. Really hyped to see what's next, the universe you created here is something completely new and fun to see.
Oof, the game's story goes at break neck speed and the MC is one of the biggest Gary Stue's I've seen in a VN to date. There is some sort of mystery/threat going on in the background, but the MC has no troubles or challenge with any of it. Makes the story kinda uninteresting and boring if there is no real danger, which the characters even mention themselves within the game. "Oh, don't worry. They aren't in any danger because of reason XY" is literaly what they say whenever something happens. I know it's probably meant as a power fantasy kind of thing, but other games/stories have done this much better. The girls just look at the MC and fall for him almost instantly (with very minor buildup). Other than that it's not bad for a first try, but I would suggest to not go all Gary Stue in future projects. Make the MC flawed, make them overcome threats and challenges that push them past their limits. Make them also loose, so they can pick themselves up etc, making the payoff better.
Okay, I had posted my own rant back at you but thought better of it, so I am editing it. Anyway, you spent your whole comment on "there's not enough struggle" and "game pacing" (both of which I am fully aware of already). But you never mention what you liked about Serenity. So, no positives at all? I mean, did you think the girls were at least cute? Throw me a bone here! Most reviewers usually give credit for effort on other things and mention what they did like.
Well, anyway... You're entitled to your opinion. Just wish when people post negative tirades in my comments, they would at least put some positives in there as well because I know Serenity isn't THAT bad.
It's your own game. If you like what you've created that's all you really need. If people enjoy your creation/story that's great. Opinions are always subjective. And I never said it was bad... see my sentence "for a first try it's not bad". It's nowhere an awful game, not even close. It's flawed, sure, but you are learning and growing as a creator and writer and will improve (as it does in this project). You have passion for your work, based on your reaction, and that's good. Some storybeats I liked, like Morgana's, but they always felt too rushed or too short, making me wish there were more of those quiet personal moments.
You should have worded your post this way. It sounds much better. Yes, I got a little defensive but it is because I bust my ass on this. And if you followed my Patreon and all the stuff I post out there (I really am a long-winded fucker), you'd know that everything you said has been said so many times now, I just get sick of hearing it. I even said it myself about my own work, and even went back and fixed certain things that I knew I could fix in a pinch. Suffice to say, I listen to reviews, the reviews where the person is actually giving me a proper review and giving me critique that I can actually work with. I note these things down, most devs don't care. I note it down to keep in mind for later updates and my next project.
Anyway, thanks for the reply. Hope you will still check out the final update to this build (this is just chapter 1 - Chapter 2 will come in a few months once my next project gets a first release).
Right, where to begin with this one..... lets take it from the top.
Not gonna lie, i went into this one with not much in the expectations department, particularly in the early part of the game. Then again, i usually dont expect much from games of this nature, helps with pleasant surprises. As such, I never expect a good story, not the best character design or music choice to fit scenes. Boy howdy, this game was all of that and then some. and by some i mean a metric fuck tonne. This game pulled me in in like few have managed to, both with the story as well as the design. I know its a job very well done when i have a hard time deciding the best gril (white lena is winning but by a very slight margin, with trixy at 2nd) lol.
The story while good was by no means a masterpiece, but it got pretty damn close. It definitely pulled me in, but i didnt find myself completely enthralled by it due to the nature of the content covered. Dude goes from inexperienced yet "gifted" to harem king in 2 weeks? its a little short to really get the depth of character portrayed but thankfully there was enough there to still make the girls loveable and see their individual personalities. thats the only major gripe i have with this game, and even then its not a huge deal. the rest, well that shit was stellar. The setting, the background, overall plot, like dude if this game was produced in japan by a major studio with all those annoying ass mosaics over the fun bits, then id fully expect this to get an anime a few years down the road. Hell, the fate series got that treatment as did MuvLuv, why not you? Speaking of which, I am glad to know you are a fellow man of culture dev, i actually recognised every anime you used for the scenes that involved watching tv, and a handful of the VN screenshots you used as well. Knowing that all i can do is /bow. id give the story a solid 8/10.
As for the art, i couldnt ask for much better tbh. A lot of other games have a tendency to go a little uncanny valley with CG rendering, but you sidestepped that beautifully. Each girl is fucking adorable, and I sincerely regret not having the power to reach into the screen and give them all headpats (among other things if theyll have me lol). The backgrounds are all nice and bright, if a little primitive but they dont look bad and are well lit in a convincing way. i can imagine that its pretty hard to pull that off. the art gets a 9/10 from me. id comment and rate on gameplay as well but frankly the story more than makes up for that, while choices would be cool to see i dont think theyre necessary in this case. i had plenty of fun just reading thru.
All in all, an absolute banger of a job there dev. I can see the love thats gone into this project and if it was possible for me to fund it completely I would, but sadly im just another schmuck with a penchant for one handed gameplay lmao.
I saw your recent posts and im sorry to hear of your struggles, but i wish you the absolute best of luck for all of your projects both current and future. Also, please take care of yourself, and enjoy the well earned rest you currently are getting. I await with bated breath for future updates, and i am patient so take all the time you need. All the best man, and a job very very well done
Wow thank you for your kind words. This was my first project. No, I didn't expect to write a masterpiece, and I'm sure it isn't the best I can do. But you're right... I've given a lot of love to this story, along with a lot of stress and long nights. My hope is that with each different, new story I write, I'll improve my writing (and also my graphics work). And speaking of graphics work, I had to poke through the software and pretty much learn it on my own. There aren't a lot of devs out there who will take the time to teach you step by step. With that said, if not for the help I received from new friends I made in a few other devs, I wouldn't have made it. Anyway, thanks again for the kind review. Keep an eye out for my other project which should hopefully have a first release within the next few months. :)
oh I already saw the post for the next one and I'm so getting it when it drops. As for this being your first project, I didn't know and that makes it even better. I got a lot of respect for u for being to pull off such a good story, can't wait to see what u got in future. Ngl I played it thru beginning to end in 1 sitting and forgot to save till the very end. Not many games can make me do that considering I'm an obsessive saver lol. Once again, very well done bud, hope ur recovery is coming smoothly
Could someone tell me the name of the song that is playing at the end of day 9 when MC carries a sleeping Trixy to bed?
It is called "Dangerous" by Emorie. Dangerous - YouTube