'Respite in the Core' is a sweet fluff gay romance vignette within an interesting bigger fantasy world. This visual novel is just a really charming little thing, with all the custom art sprites and backgrounds, it really carves out an aesthetic for itself. The characters are really well explored, and there's just enough context clues in the dialog to really get a sense for the social dynamics that each lives in. This artist definitely has a body type they enjoy and I am here for it, very appreciative of the body positivity message that permeates through the story. In a way, this is very much a 'high-school/college' drama, but set in the ancient era, where robes and loincloths are the fashion, and a lack of plumbing and electricity are it's defining traits.
You have Lyla the meek lower-class but hardworking guy who's striving to be better, who has a crush on Hati, the hot jock new student who moved into town last year. After getting protected from the haughty high-class bully, the two young loves go on a picnic, and Lyla gets to watch Hati take a bath in the river, and then join him, so teasingly hot and erotic, but also sweet. So good that they get to have a moment of intimacy, before just falling asleep with each other, still barely dressed. My one critique is to add more sprite expressions and outfits for the characters, just to help give that extra bit of detail. It's not re-inventing the wheel of a good budding gay love story, and that's fine, sometimes it's good to appreciate a classic formula, especially one that has such great world building and lovely art at all the most important moments.