I had to make an account just to comment and follow this game. I just binge read this the past couple of days and I cannot express in words how much I appreciate the fact that I can be a male MC in this. It's so refreshing to get a story like this, with a well developed male RO, that doesn't read like the MC was designed to be female and just given the option to gender selectable while still reading female. I've read so many CYOA games that suffer from that problem but I never felt here like I was "playing the wrong gender" so to speak. The only instance was Flea getting you clothes, the text referring to one article of clothing (ie: "bought this" instead of "these" and "hold it up" instead of "hold them up". "how well it hangs on you" etc) even if you pick the jeans and shirt. Kinda reads like you're supposed to pick the dress. But minor nitpick, that.
The choices in general are just fantastic, imo. I love that you can be into banging Flea in his true form and that you won't shy away from that content. The only spicy scene that I've skipped was the public one in episode 3 and I also love the fact that you had the option to do that and you get Flea being a pole dancer in return. Didn't even feel like I missed out.
My only "problem", and I don't even want to call it that because it's so insignificant, but especially in this episode and the previous one I kinda felt like the "canon" choice is probably to have/had a crush on Ted, no? Especially in the episode where Flea gets jealous, I did at times wish there was an option to express that Ted is like family to me since he's the only one who's been there since my entire actual family died. "Remember when your mom banished you and how much that hurt? Yeah that's Ted for me, he's the only family I've got. He's not a "friend", he's not competing in the same category as you" (hence why I feel like maybe the crush option is "canon"?). Also in the scene where Flea revealed to Ted he was a demon, I do wish Ted had questioned if the detective knows. Maybe he immediately figured that he must know, but considering the detective's past, it is reasonable to think why would he be okay with being with a demon, maybe he doesn't know. Idk, maybe I'm overthinking.
But like I said, that's very insignificant issue I had. I absolutely love the characterization of the MC. Usually in these type of games I do tend to lean towards a specific type of MC, either mine is always pleasant or always stoic or always sarcastic. This game, man, this game. My MC is all over the place and it's amazing. I swear Flea has called him too cold and too earnest both because I can't stick to picking just certain options. Sometimes the playful options are just too good, sometimes the stoic ones are exactly what my MC would do. I can never pick a personality type at the start of the episode, because he cannot fit into a box and I wouldn't have it any other way.
One more thing I have to comment on, which you probably get a lot of comments about already. But Flea, my baby boy. Well, he's not really a baby considering my MC is mid 30's and he's like a 100 but the must protect instinct is strong with this one. For a detective who held a knife to his throat to who is now confessing his love and getting lowkey hurt at not being told it back is just... yeah, I'm simping.
Two of my favorite scenes (apart from the scene of asking Flea to drop the trick) are the succubus scene from episode 3. I think that might've been the one where I fell for Flea. I chose to lick his shoe, to get whipped, just absolutely humiliated and I don't think I necessarily needed to (as a player) but somehow felt right to as the character try and keep appearances up by all means necessary as it felt the stakes were that high. Loved the tension in that scene, and how out of his element Flea was. And the other one, the scene where Flea tells you he'll stay in the nightmare with you. I cant believe this one was optional content only if you let your doubts get to you and don't try to escape, it was so so good.
Thank you so much for playing, and for leaving such incredible, thoughtful feedback.
I did make a concentrated effort to write with consideration for a male perspective as well as others, so I’m really glad that (mostly) paid off for you. I’ll have to look into the slip with the outfits because that might be a coding issue. Thanks for the heads-up!
And, you know, you have a good point about Ted not being very curious about the detective’s knowledge of Flea’s true nature. Maybe if I wrote it again, I’d find a way to fit it in. At the time, I think I was just impatient to get them into the dream already!
I try to make either route with Ted feel just as significant but it might be the case I have too much fun writing a doomed car crash of an unrequited love subplot sometimes and maybe that comes across a little too nakedly! I’m not sure if this will improve your view of the dynamic in Chapter 6 or not, but I will say that Flea’s jealousy there has very little to do with whether the detective’s feelings for Ted are romantic or not, it’s just the flavour and how he expresses it that’s different. The detective is Flea’s only person and the fact that he isn’t the detective’s only person sets off an explosive insecurity and terror in him. And, because he’s Flea, and sex is all he thinks he knows and has to offer, that’s what he uses to fight his corner. Honestly, he knows a romantic relationship between those two is never going to happen. In either case, it’s the fact a bond exists between the detective and Ted at all that makes him feel sick with worry and hot with jealousy.
Oh! And I don’t know if you know this, but there IS a difference in Chapter 3 depending on how you handle the undercover stuff with Flea. If you try to support him where you can, submit to humiliation to save him having to come up with a plan on the fly, help cover for him when he’s struggling to run the show, etc. he will later express how grateful he was that you had his back. If you don’t do enough of those things and basically leave most of it up to him he expresses how he felt like he was alone out there. So… those choices did matter, at least a little.
I’m so glad you’re finding both Flea and the detective so compelling! That’s honestly so amazing to hear. Thank you again for taking the time and effort to write out such a detailed comment. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate not just the kindness of it, but the critique too.