Emily: Between Shame and Desire

A brief introduction to a clicking marathon. But there is also light at the end of the tunnel. Emily looks pretty, and the writing is decent enough so far. Unfortunately, however, you are once again met with the same old tropes you’ve been told countless times before: The weird neighbor. The elderly landlord (at least this time, not a fat, unkempt bald guy). The slutty friend who leads you down the path of debauchery. A nerdy college classmate. A job at a general store. And all of this happens within just the first two in-game days. The choices you are allowed to make are currently represented solely through visuals—a slightly different glance, a different gesture—but there are no obvious status stats to track. This can be a good thing, as it means you don't have to grind to reach, say, 50 "Corruption" points just to unlock a specific scene. However, it can also be a hindrance; for instance, you might make a choice that establishes you as a "horny vixen" right from the start, only to then try playing the role of an "innocent wallflower" immediately afterward. This will require a great deal of narrative finesse to ensure a sense of continuity is maintained. It remains to be seen where the storyteller will lead us. In any case, it’s going straight onto my watchlist. I’m actually torn: three stars feels too low, given that the game is above average, yet four stars feels a bit too generous, as there are still several issues that need to be ironed out. Ultimately, though, I’m going with 4 stars; all things considered, it’s a solid start—even if it does tread along very familiar paths.