I was trying to figure out how to get Mark's route and even the good ending to his route but the steam layout was quite a bit confusing to me, it seemed a little jumbled in my half awake brain, is there another walkthrough or anything that includes Mark's that may make more sense to me?
This game looks like a lot of fun, but unfortunately I couldn't play much because whenever I click to the next text box or hover over a menu option, parts of the screen will flash grey. Do you happen to have a fix for this? Thank you!
I expect that there isn't anything that can be done, but the Android version gets stuck on the screen where you enter your name, because the keyboard covers the submit button.
While we look into adding an option to hide the keyboard - pressing the Enter key on the on-screen keyboard submits the name input screens and that should let you continue.
i wanted to play this game for so long cuz the art is amazing BUT........... i have two brothers and their names are Theo and Luca. BROOOO whyyyy skdlkjfkasdf im giving it a shot after so many months eyeing the game, wish me luck XD (i'll be probably cringing into oblivion while i play)
i never go for the tsundere characters in otomes because they’re usually too aggresive, too cold or simply too annoying, but damn mark was the perfect mix of chaos, vulnerability and genuine affection. when the mc called him on his bs he actually did some introspection and improved instead of falling back into his old, self-destructive persona, and i think he had the best evolution out of the 4 LIs (also the way he’s the only one who truly tries to understand mc’s passion for otomes and buys a big collection to play with her.. ye i love him!!)
i picked his route last and he turned out to be my fave boy. that’s how you recognize a good visual novel!
I get it but Otome is actually about female protagonists if i remember correctly that's why many Otome's have women as MC's and some don't which technically isn't an Otome but it doesn't really matter if it's not accurate either way
oh man... I never expected to play a dating sim that hits so close to home, being now more than halfway past my 20s. this was like a slap in the face, but the loving kind lmao, and the kind that reminded me that life is far from over for me at my age
Which character was your favorite? Why? Theo for sure, though Luca was a pretty close second. Tristan was my first route, and I thought he'd be my favorite, but the way the other 2 pushed the MC to pursue her dreams again is what did it for me. Between the two, Luca definitely won me over with the piano thing, but Theo won in the end because he was just... too adorable? Endearing? Comfortable?? Safe??? With Luca it felt like I'd lose him if I tried to get "too close too fast", but with Theo it felt like it was ok to expect something out of the relationship.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color? Yes. Wasn't sure I wanted to go for Mark at all, but the ending of his route was surprisingly nice.
What's your favorite moment in the game? Adopting a cat with Tristan and watching Mark slowly become a bit of a nerd. Also every time Theo said "hus-ban-dos".
Definitely a tossup between Luca and Theo... with Luca coming out on top by just a hair (if Theo was a bit more forward/dominant he might be my #1, but I understand why he isn't, for story reasons.) I usually go for the confident/forward flirt archetype if there isn't a dominant/possessive archetype available, so Luca fits into the former quite nicely!
My least favorite was probably Tristan. He was just... too innocent and boyish for me, especially for a game like this that seems to really be going for a more relatable adult tone. I didn't really get any sense of passion from him. Normally with these types of characters part of the payoff is seeing them finally break out of their shyness due to how overcome they are with emotion/passion for MC, so I was surprised when he stayed pretty much the same throughout the route.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
Yes! But I have a weird thing about otome games where I don't like to see bad endings haha so I haven't gotten any of those (if I feel like I am starting to get a bad end I will panic and go back lol)
What's your favorite moment in the game?
I found the good ending scene with Luca to be my favorite. It's just incredibly sweet and you did a good job of conveying his affections, how strong his feelings were, etc.
There were multiple times I laughed out loud, which rarely ever happens when I'm playing an otome game, so hats off to ya'll. (Theo's line delivery of 'husban...dos...?' sent me into orbit)
I appreciate what you guys did with Mark's character! He's not my favorite, but I definitely respected him by the end, and I really related to his struggles of feeling trapped in something that seems safe and predictable, but also is slowly killing you inside.
Misc thoughts:
I would be interested in paying for like an 18+ patch or 18+ DLC, I'm sure a lot of others would, too (I think we all saw that big survey on the otome games subreddit where like 70% said they wanted to see 18+ content lol). Just something to think about :)
I also would like to see you guys try out writing in second person rather than first person! It's not often used it's my favorite format, and I was thinking I would love to read this game in second person pov.
And it would be nice to be able to change the eye color of your sprite :)
Great work! I had a great time with this one and you guys should be proud!
This was a really great game. I was actually dreading Mark's route so I saved it for last, but when I played it, I actually think it might be my favourite route! He is such a sweetie and not as harsh as he seems. I really loved Luca's route as well. Theo was okay, and Tristan came in 4th place. I did not find Tristan's route romantic or thrilling. Overall, the game was awesome! Highly recommend.
Played the game on Stream n had a blast. A really amazing game for a free one at that. The MC's personality n relationship with best friend is so realistic n relatable to me.
Luca's routes is my personal favorite, his charming, confident, up front yet respectful personality is just on point. The fact that you don't get a bad end if you reject sleeping with him really shine a light on how much of a green flag he is.
Theo is also super loveable, definitely the older brother type, like how the MC described him.
Mark's personality is the kind I dislike the most. Of course girls who like to dig deeper for an inner mushy parts will like him. For me, I don't find being rude as attractive. Given the fact that he wasn't meant to be a capture target until newer release, I could totally understand why. But having to be non confrontational n acting as if i'll love him no matter what, for us to reach happy end is a bit eeky.
I haven't done Tristan yet, but I can't wait to go home n figure out all endings there is.
All in all, a wonderfully well written short game with realistic adult relationships
Theo is the best boy. Very mature, I didn't expect that? however I'm not sure that Theo has time for developing relationship with MC having so tight schedule. I guess Tristan is the kind of guy I would like to meet IRL, he's the most fun to be around. I've only played the latest version of game, and I was really surprised that MC is even deciding to give Mark a chance. But now I got that he wasn't a love interest from the beginning. Anyway, I like how we start the game with casual fling that is developing and turning to something deeper, and no one is head over heels about another from the start like in usual otomes.
Hi! I really enjoy playing this game but this is a genuine question. Is it just my laptop having an error or is this an actual bug or it is supposed to be like this? I'm referring to the black bg after the kissing scene. Thanks!
Tristan <3 I’m a sucker for nerds, and long hair. (SPOILERS) and the good end cat ending was absolutely perfect, I found his character to be pretty relatable. <3
Also Theo, but haven’t played his route yet. ALSO can I ask, Is it possible to get a dirty/raunchy end with anyone in this game? Even just text with no imagery.
This isn't critism! Before someone decides to attack me, I had to put this out first. Just read until the end okay?
I think I just experienced culture shock? Or should I say game shock? The MC's personality is WAY different compared to mine and oh boi was I thrown out of loop. Maybe it's bcs I grew up in asian household but the MC is VERY bold. Even in her thoughts. I wouldn't even dare to have those thoughts irl. And everything was so fast paced, first day meeting and I was already jumping in bed with him (although I love my boy Tristan). I was really caught of guard and my head immediately turned into a jumbled mess. This is absolutely not hate, just wanted to share how shellshocked I was in certain aspects of this game. And maybe bcs english is my second language but I don't understand the intention or hint(?) of the dialogues option at all. I thought [Of course] and [If that's what you like] had the same meaning but wow was I wrong. And now I'm a puddle of confused mess lol
Hi! I first played this game back in 2022 but never finished all routes. When I heard you guys got a Steam release, I decided to get back into it but I wanted a clean slate so I fully deleted the old game folder and then downloaded it on Steam. After launching the game tho, it turned out all my game data was still there along with my old saves. While I understand most people would be glad to see this, I got sort of confused. Does the game write data in windows registry? Or is there some mystery folder I didn't discover (cause I tried haha)? Thank you for the game btw (and the chaotic Mark route!!), it's lovely.
The game data is stored in a different directory, depending on the operating system you're using. First you have to find the RenPy global save folder on your OS:
Windows - %APPDATA%/RenPy/
Mac - ~/Library/RenPy/
Linux - ~/.renpy/
And there the savefiles should be in the UnderMaintenance-1651390449 folder.
Hey! Just wanted to say I got all the good endings for the boys~ I felt like they were really well-written and I loved that they felt so fleshed-out! I had a blast with this game and I hope to see more from you guys :)
Which character was your favorite? Why?
Honestly I expected it to be Luca but it turned out to be Theo. I'm a sucker for characters who love their family so intensely, and I could relate since I actually had a similar life situation to him (putting things on hold to be a caretaker to a beloved family member.) He felt like a realistic representation of someone who's had that kind of history.
Did you manage to make all the guys regain their color?
Yes, I did! I was kind of surprised too, since I got all good endings without a walkthrough.
What was your favorite moment?
The moment when Tristan adopted Mr. Steal Your Girl. Tristan's route was the last one I played and by that point I had almost been SCREAMING for the MC to adopt the cat everytime he popped up on screen. This is why I have four cats
Do you want a Mark route?
Mmmm not a full romance route but I think it might be interesting if you had a platonic route with him where he gradually learns to be less gross and manages to become something resembling a friend? Just... he comes on WAY too strong and creepy for me to feel any interest in pursuing a romance with him. Maybe if you toned down some of his blatant misogyny in the other routes...?
Would you replay the game if it was fully voiced?
Having it fully voiced wouldn't matter to me personally, I usually have the voices turned off anyway. That said I would replay it since it's well-written.
Just as a bonus.... if ever you decide to make other games, I'd love to have the option of having a nonbinary MC!
sorry i cant find your ending guide. Do you mind giving me a step by step process to access your itchi.o main page so that i can find it.... i cant even see the love interest caeds
I've gotten all endings but Tristan's second bad ending - help a girl out? I feel like I've tried all combinations and if it follows the pattern of Theo's and Luca's, it should be an immediate bad end somewhere between meeting Mark and the kitty scene at the end.
Thanks for playing! There is an ending guide! posted on our itch.io main page, right before the love interest cards! Hopefully that helps out - let us know if you have issues accessing it
Such a fun jam game! I had a blast and loved the slice-of-life, modern day rom-com vibe of Under Maintenance. Very impressed with how polished it is. Loved the art, the comedic vibe, the sassiness of the protagonist, and the three love interests were great as well.
Which character was your favorite? Why?
LUCA. I love a charming flirty boy in fiction, and Luca did not disappoint at all. He was self confident in a non-offputting way and I love how respectful he is - such a sweetie. He's also super sexy. >.>
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
Yessss. We play all routes unless a dude is horribly offputting, which none of these three lovelies were.
What's your favorite moment in the game?
*cough* I did like both scenes in Luca's route during their first "date."
Do you want a Mark route?
I don't want it - he's gross in a horribly irl way - but I would play it if it existed. :) I'm sure he has some repressed pain and trauma to "explain away" the azzhole.
Would you replay the game if it were fully voiced?
Heck yeah! Probably just Luca's route though. I loved his VA. <3
Please tell me there is a walkthrough for this game that isn't a video walkthrough
Game is great so far but I really want to get all the CG's and best ending in one go ! please!
If there isn't one please someone make one ! I hate going threw routes more then twice to try and get the CG's because then I start to get bored and annoyed and I really love this game so far the characters are beautiful/handsome and story so far is great but like I said please give walkthrough !
I loved this game! I'm glad I stumbled upon it! Also, A++ on the "Bork" reference!
1. Which character was your favorite? Why?
I thought it would be Tristan because I love the shy, blushing types, but it ended up being Theo. I really appreciated his focus on getting to know each other and taking things seriously.
2. Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
Yeah!
3. What's your favorite moment in the game?
Anything with Mr. Steal Your Girl
4. Do you want a Mark route?
I didn't until after playing Theo's route. There's a lot of potential there with what he said about Theo and the MC and being a small town and stuff, so yes!
5. Would you replay the game if it were fully voiced?
I prefer non-voiced, so probably not. But that said, all the actors did amazing!
Theo, definitely Theo. I however didn't like MC too much in his route. She was a bit pushy to jump into bed with him and some of the options made me uncomfortable and MC reaching for his belt a second time made me sad.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
Yes I did.
What's your favorite moment in the game?
In Tristen's route where you are given a quest, I really liked it. It reminds me of my favorite match in MeChat the Roleplayer.
Do you want a Mark route?
I can live without it. He's a bit too rude for me.
Would you replay the game if it were fully voiced?
I think I am okay with the semi-voiced ones. I prefer to have no voice at all. even though the VA's did a good job.
ohhh boy, i thought this was gonna be a hard one when i first saw them, but my fave was, by far, theo. i was feeling iffy about him because i had read all the comments calling his route forced and the mc pushy but i just... don't see it? she backed off as soon as she understood what his boundaries were and that he truly meant what he was saying, and i actually consider their relationship to be the most organic one? it's a sweet short game but from what i remember they actually had the most dates and actual conversations.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
yesss and it was immensely satisfying
What's your favorite moment in the game?
meeting theo at a bar and him assuming you're depressed about your bedridden husband lmao
Do you want a Mark route?
kinda? luca seemed to imply he was going through it so i'm curious as to what his backstory really is
Would you replay the game if it were fully voiced?
maybe? i don't really care about this sort of things, but i'm not ruling it outt
this is such a cute game, keep on doing what you're doing cause you're obviously pros <333
Really wish the Theo route wasn't so forced and the MC wasn't so pushy. She says he's overbearing but she's trying to rush things and not trying to get to know him at all. If she's only interested in a hookup why doesn't she say so?
Played this game a while ago but forgot to rate it. Hopefully I don't get anything wrong (⊙_⊙;)
1. Theo and Tristan. I honestly can not, for the life of me, choose between these two. They're routes were sooo cute! Luca's route was also great but the "teenage love" vibe didn't really float my boat. Plus, the MC just felt more mature in Theo and Tristan's route. Though in Theo's route, I hated that scene where the MC was trying to undo Theo's belt, Theo said no but MC didn't listen first time around. That was.... not great.
2. I did! It was super satisfying
3. When in Tristan's route, they go to the MC's apartment the first time and Tristan asked to just cuddle. To me, that scene felt very intimate without involving sex, which I really liked
4. I hate this guy. Buuuut, if he gets a route in the future, then I will play it
5. YES
Thank you for this amazing game, I look forward to what you guys have stored for the future!
I like Theo but think the MC is pushy in a bad way. He holds her hand and tells her to slow down (she's trying to undo his belt) and her response is basically "no" and she tries again...
Finally got around to playing this game!! 😊 Time to answer the questions! 👀
1. My favorite ended up being Theo! I actually thought he was going to be my least favorite because of his app profile but then it turned out it wasn't him who wrote it lmaooo xD I felt that the relationship he had with the MC was the most natural and cute and the fact that he wanted to take things slow was a breath of fresh air, I loved that <3
2. Yes, captain! I managed to get all the good endings! Woo! 🥳
3. I think my favorite moment was in Theo's route when he tells the MC that he doesn't do casual anymore, that he only really wants to sleep with the person he commits to. And it's my favorite moment not only because of this but also because, while the MC respects his boundaries, she also calls him out on how he should have communicated better cause there's no way people are going to know if he doesn't tell them first. It made so much sense when she said that communication without words takes yeaaaaars, how people should communicate with words. I loved this whole scene ❤️
4. Honestly? Hell yeah, bring it on xD I love romance routes that start with LIs being jerks and then they fall hopelessly in love.
5. Absolutely! That'd be amazing!!
Thank you so much for making this game, I had a lot of fun!! ✨
Ok, this might be absurd but I already decided who is going to be forever my favorite character...Tristan!
I mean, he is what I always wanted in a guy and I don't understand how you could nail all the details and small things that I like to see.
He is tech-savvy, he has an old a** car, which reminded me of a Green Fiat panda (the old one) lmao, but most of all, him being a total geek and knows the technical names🥺 (it takes so little to make me fall in love).
Green is also one of my favorite colors and his eyes omg, and fluffy hair...double omg.
I won't share any further details...but I'll say only one more thing, the date...I cry.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
Nope, not at all right now.
Only Tristan regained his color, and that being said I played the game at 1:00 am...And I had to go to sleep, so...
What's your favorite moment in the game?
The graveyard date, my inner goth self screamed.
Do you want a Mark route?
NO THANKS.
Would you replay the game if it were fully voiced?
I had such a hard time choosing, but I would probably have to say, Theo. I loved his story and him playing the drums is honestly an attractive trait-- i mean whA? haha, but I loved the way MC and Theo met after the bar, haha props to that friend! I love how much Theo cares for his family, its honestly quite adorable.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
I did! It was a fun time doing so too haha!
What's your favorite moment in the game?
Honestly, my favourite moment had to be at Theo's party when MC says “I wanna take a ride first” and Theo chokes on his drink! It was such a funny interaction and an adorable reaction from him!
Do you want a Mark route?
To be completely honest... I really do! I know that Mark is an absolute asshole but I feel like he could have some great development if MC spends more time with him. And tbh... I think Mark is super attractive 😳 So I would absolutely LOVE to see a Mark route!
Edit: I just played the little Mark scene that was mentioned in the game files... and oh my god I loved it! Even though it was short, it was honestly really cute and definitely increased my want for a Mark route!
Would you replay the game if it were fully voiced?
Absolutely! I loved the voice acting in this game, it honestly made the experience so much more enjoyable, so if it were to be fully voice acted, I would love to replay it!
Overall:
100% one of my favourite dating sims! I loved each of the characters stories and the way MC and the boys helped each other in their own ways. If i had to critique anything... it would have to be to add more Mr Steal Your Girl interaction scenes!!!
it's a pretty hard choice, but i think i lean just enough towards theo to mark him as my favorite! i like the fact that he has his own life set: there's no need to "save" him, so to speak? he has a majority of his life together, and has a solid sense of independence! i liked that his route was about open and honest communication, even if it was difficult to bridge that gap sometimes.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
i did!
What's your favorite moment in the game?
absolutely when tristan is doing his stand up routine and brought up the fact that ricky rodent stole his wife lmao i think i was straight up dying of laughter at that point
Do you want a Mark route?
lmaooooooooooooooooooo no, i think i'll pass. not to say that i don't think the writers could write a very compelling story for him! but he is just not my type, and i genuinely feel he has more important things to process before entering any sort of relationship :')
Would you replay the game if it were fully voiced?
probably not, only because i don't care much for voices! i just skip through the line since i read faster than the line plays.
Final notes:
in general, i really enjoyed this game! i loved how all of the writing felt very real, and the conflicts in each route was something that anyone could relate to. i also was a huge fan of the protagonist being able to stand as her own character: she was a good balance of understanding and kind, but also upfront when necessary. i love main protagonists that aren't submissive / pushovers! everything about this game was just *chef kisses* wonderful.
if i could request any additions for games going forward, i think the possibility of a gender neutral (or even choosing pronouns) for the protagonist would be amazing!
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I was trying to figure out how to get Mark's route and even the good ending to his route but the steam layout was quite a bit confusing to me, it seemed a little jumbled in my half awake brain, is there another walkthrough or anything that includes Mark's that may make more sense to me?
hi! There is an ending v. 2 on this page if your scroll up!
This game looks like a lot of fun, but unfortunately I couldn't play much because whenever I click to the next text box or hover over a menu option, parts of the screen will flash grey. Do you happen to have a fix for this? Thank you!
I'm so sorry to hear that.
Could you tell more about what you're playing the game on? E.g. your operating system and the specs of your device?
I expect that there isn't anything that can be done, but the Android version gets stuck on the screen where you enter your name, because the keyboard covers the submit button.
Hey there. Thanks for letting us know.
While we look into adding an option to hide the keyboard - pressing the Enter key on the on-screen keyboard submits the name input screens and that should let you continue.
Okay, I was hella apprehensive of Mark, but the route was so good. I'm glad I'm usually checking out every route, would be sad to miss this.
For me, Luca was the hardest to figure out the ending for. My first choice was Tristan, but I did like all the guys.
The game is short, but character growth was still shown and nobody left me dissatisfied.
Also, I was hyped for MC to be in her thirties and being open about liking otome, sadly I could never, but good for her, good for her
Before I even play, Mr. Steal your girl caught my attention.
But fr his name suits him
<3
AAAAAAA!!! so precious!!
but my favorite was either theo or luca
10/10
i wanted to play this game for so long cuz the art is amazing BUT........... i have two brothers and their names are Theo and Luca. BROOOO whyyyy skdlkjfkasdf im giving it a shot after so many months eyeing the game, wish me luck XD (i'll be probably cringing into oblivion while i play)
i never go for the tsundere characters in otomes because they’re usually too aggresive, too cold or simply too annoying, but damn mark was the perfect mix of chaos, vulnerability and genuine affection. when the mc called him on his bs he actually did some introspection and improved instead of falling back into his old, self-destructive persona, and i think he had the best evolution out of the 4 LIs (also the way he’s the only one who truly tries to understand mc’s passion for otomes and buys a big collection to play with her.. ye i love him!!)
i picked his route last and he turned out to be my fave boy. that’s how you recognize a good visual novel!
I haven't played this but it looks amazing and Tristan looks so cute but i wish there was a option for guys or pronouns at least </3
I get it but Otome is actually about female protagonists if i remember correctly that's why many Otome's have women as MC's and some don't which technically isn't an Otome but it doesn't really matter if it's not accurate either way
same...</3
oh man... I never expected to play a dating sim that hits so close to home, being now more than halfway past my 20s. this was like a slap in the face, but the loving kind lmao, and the kind that reminded me that life is far from over for me at my age
Which character was your favorite? Why?
Theo for sure, though Luca was a pretty close second. Tristan was my first route, and I thought he'd be my favorite, but the way the other 2 pushed the MC to pursue her dreams again is what did it for me. Between the two, Luca definitely won me over with the piano thing, but Theo won in the end because he was just... too adorable? Endearing? Comfortable?? Safe??? With Luca it felt like I'd lose him if I tried to get "too close too fast", but with Theo it felt like it was ok to expect something out of the relationship.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
Yes. Wasn't sure I wanted to go for Mark at all, but the ending of his route was surprisingly nice.
What's your favorite moment in the game?
Adopting a cat with Tristan and watching Mark slowly become a bit of a nerd. Also every time Theo said "hus-ban-dos".
Which character was your favorite? Why?
Definitely a tossup between Luca and Theo... with Luca coming out on top by just a hair (if Theo was a bit more forward/dominant he might be my #1, but I understand why he isn't, for story reasons.) I usually go for the confident/forward flirt archetype if there isn't a dominant/possessive archetype available, so Luca fits into the former quite nicely!
My least favorite was probably Tristan. He was just... too innocent and boyish for me, especially for a game like this that seems to really be going for a more relatable adult tone. I didn't really get any sense of passion from him. Normally with these types of characters part of the payoff is seeing them finally break out of their shyness due to how overcome they are with emotion/passion for MC, so I was surprised when he stayed pretty much the same throughout the route.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
Yes! But I have a weird thing about otome games where I don't like to see bad endings haha so I haven't gotten any of those (if I feel like I am starting to get a bad end I will panic and go back lol)
What's your favorite moment in the game?
I found the good ending scene with Luca to be my favorite. It's just incredibly sweet and you did a good job of conveying his affections, how strong his feelings were, etc.
There were multiple times I laughed out loud, which rarely ever happens when I'm playing an otome game, so hats off to ya'll. (Theo's line delivery of 'husban...dos...?' sent me into orbit)
I appreciate what you guys did with Mark's character! He's not my favorite, but I definitely respected him by the end, and I really related to his struggles of feeling trapped in something that seems safe and predictable, but also is slowly killing you inside.
Misc thoughts:
I would be interested in paying for like an 18+ patch or 18+ DLC, I'm sure a lot of others would, too (I think we all saw that big survey on the otome games subreddit where like 70% said they wanted to see 18+ content lol). Just something to think about :)
I also would like to see you guys try out writing in second person rather than first person! It's not often used it's my favorite format, and I was thinking I would love to read this game in second person pov.
And it would be nice to be able to change the eye color of your sprite :)
Great work! I had a great time with this one and you guys should be proud!
This was a really great game. I was actually dreading Mark's route so I saved it for last, but when I played it, I actually think it might be my favourite route! He is such a sweetie and not as harsh as he seems. I really loved Luca's route as well. Theo was okay, and Tristan came in 4th place. I did not find Tristan's route romantic or thrilling. Overall, the game was awesome! Highly recommend.
Wowww, what an amazing game! The characters were so relatable, I really loved it!
Which character was your favorite? Why?
Theo was my favorite! He's probably the one that I would choose irl.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
Yes!!!
What's your favorite moment in the game?
Surprisingly, I think Mark's route gave me the best experience!
Played the game on Stream n had a blast. A really amazing game for a free one at that. The MC's personality n relationship with best friend is so realistic n relatable to me.
Luca's routes is my personal favorite, his charming, confident, up front yet respectful personality is just on point. The fact that you don't get a bad end if you reject sleeping with him really shine a light on how much of a green flag he is.
Theo is also super loveable, definitely the older brother type, like how the MC described him.
Mark's personality is the kind I dislike the most. Of course girls who like to dig deeper for an inner mushy parts will like him. For me, I don't find being rude as attractive. Given the fact that he wasn't meant to be a capture target until newer release, I could totally understand why. But having to be non confrontational n acting as if i'll love him no matter what, for us to reach happy end is a bit eeky.
I haven't done Tristan yet, but I can't wait to go home n figure out all endings there is.
All in all, a wonderfully well written short game with realistic adult relationships
Theo is the best boy. Very mature, I didn't expect that? however I'm not sure that Theo has time for developing relationship with MC having so tight schedule.
I guess Tristan is the kind of guy I would like to meet IRL, he's the most fun to be around.
I've only played the latest version of game, and I was really surprised that MC is even deciding to give Mark a chance.
But now I got that he wasn't a love interest from the beginning.
Anyway, I like how we start the game with casual fling that is developing and turning to something deeper, and no one is head over heels about another from the start like in usual otomes.
My full review
https://tigermousse.tumblr.com/post/712410969106694144/under-maintenance
Hi! I really enjoy playing this game but this is a genuine question. Is it just my laptop having an error or is this an actual bug or it is supposed to be like this? I'm referring to the black bg after the kissing scene. Thanks!
Hi, thanks for bringing this to our attention! We'll fix it in the next patch release. :)
Tristan <3 I’m a sucker for nerds, and long hair. (SPOILERS) and the good end cat ending was absolutely perfect, I found his character to be pretty relatable. <3 Also Theo, but haven’t played his route yet. ALSO can I ask, Is it possible to get a dirty/raunchy end with anyone in this game? Even just text with no imagery.
I really liked this game. I was having fun when playing this VN.
Which character was your favorite? Why?
Definitly Theo, he is just my cup of tea. He is cute and very caring. Also I like tatoos, so from visuals down to character, everything is perfect.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
Yes :)
What's your favorite moment in the game?
In Theo route, special event for MC after garden party
This isn't critism! Before someone decides to attack me, I had to put this out first. Just read until the end okay?
I think I just experienced culture shock? Or should I say game shock? The MC's personality is WAY different compared to mine and oh boi was I thrown out of loop. Maybe it's bcs I grew up in asian household but the MC is VERY bold. Even in her thoughts. I wouldn't even dare to have those thoughts irl. And everything was so fast paced, first day meeting and I was already jumping in bed with him (although I love my boy Tristan). I was really caught of guard and my head immediately turned into a jumbled mess. This is absolutely not hate, just wanted to share how shellshocked I was in certain aspects of this game. And maybe bcs english is my second language but I don't understand the intention or hint(?) of the dialogues option at all. I thought [Of course] and [If that's what you like] had the same meaning but wow was I wrong. And now I'm a puddle of confused mess lol
Hi! I first played this game back in 2022 but never finished all routes. When I heard you guys got a Steam release, I decided to get back into it but I wanted a clean slate so I fully deleted the old game folder and then downloaded it on Steam. After launching the game tho, it turned out all my game data was still there along with my old saves. While I understand most people would be glad to see this, I got sort of confused. Does the game write data in windows registry? Or is there some mystery folder I didn't discover (cause I tried haha)? Thank you for the game btw (and the chaotic Mark route!!), it's lovely.
Hey there.
The game data is stored in a different directory, depending on the operating system you're using. First you have to find the RenPy global save folder on your OS:
And there the savefiles should be in the UnderMaintenance-1651390449 folder.
Ahh, thanks so much! I totally missed that one, didn't think to look for RenPy folder. I will remember it for the future :)
This was so fun! And kinda heartbreaking when I did all bad endings. One of them is outright scary 👀
I found myself liking Mark's route as a game experience. In reality I wouldn't go with him to a party (it was my quickest end lol ).
Love Tristan's game at the beginning.
Love Luca's route, even though I got a happy ending only after two failures lol Theo is also charming. And their voices! So cool!
Thank you!
Hey! Just wanted to say I got all the good endings for the boys~ I felt like they were really well-written and I loved that they felt so fleshed-out! I had a blast with this game and I hope to see more from you guys :)
Which character was your favorite? Why?
Honestly I expected it to be Luca but it turned out to be Theo. I'm a sucker for characters who love their family so intensely, and I could relate since I actually had a similar life situation to him (putting things on hold to be a caretaker to a beloved family member.) He felt like a realistic representation of someone who's had that kind of history.
Did you manage to make all the guys regain their color?
Yes, I did! I was kind of surprised too, since I got all good endings without a walkthrough.
What was your favorite moment?
The moment when Tristan adopted Mr. Steal Your Girl. Tristan's route was the last one I played and by that point I had almost been SCREAMING for the MC to adopt the cat everytime he popped up on screen. This is why I have four cats
Do you want a Mark route?
Mmmm not a full romance route but I think it might be interesting if you had a platonic route with him where he gradually learns to be less gross and manages to become something resembling a friend? Just... he comes on WAY too strong and creepy for me to feel any interest in pursuing a romance with him. Maybe if you toned down some of his blatant misogyny in the other routes...?
Would you replay the game if it was fully voiced?
Having it fully voiced wouldn't matter to me personally, I usually have the voices turned off anyway. That said I would replay it since it's well-written.
Just as a bonus.... if ever you decide to make other games, I'd love to have the option of having a nonbinary MC!
sorry i cant find your ending guide. Do you mind giving me a step by step process to access your itchi.o main page so that i can find it.... i cant even see the love interest caeds
here's a link to their ending guide https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rDGkLz8PsNV9g_ugPCtas0kYK5JAQCoj/view
if you are on mobile, you sometimes can't see the love interest cards and other info. i had that problem myself LOL
Thank you for this
no problem!
I've gotten all endings but Tristan's second bad ending - help a girl out? I feel like I've tried all combinations and if it follows the pattern of Theo's and Luca's, it should be an immediate bad end somewhere between meeting Mark and the kitty scene at the end.
Thanks for playing! There is an ending guide! posted on our itch.io main page, right before the love interest cards! Hopefully that helps out - let us know if you have issues accessing it
Such a fun jam game! I had a blast and loved the slice-of-life, modern day rom-com vibe of Under Maintenance. Very impressed with how polished it is. Loved the art, the comedic vibe, the sassiness of the protagonist, and the three love interests were great as well.
Which character was your favorite? Why?
LUCA. I love a charming flirty boy in fiction, and Luca did not disappoint at all. He was self confident in a non-offputting way and I love how respectful he is - such a sweetie. He's also super sexy. >.>
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
Yessss. We play all routes unless a dude is horribly offputting, which none of these three lovelies were.
What's your favorite moment in the game?
*cough* I did like both scenes in Luca's route during their first "date."
Do you want a Mark route?
I don't want it - he's gross in a horribly irl way - but I would play it if it existed. :) I'm sure he has some repressed pain and trauma to "explain away" the azzhole.
Would you replay the game if it were fully voiced?
Heck yeah! Probably just Luca's route though. I loved his VA. <3
Please tell me there is a walkthrough for this game that isn't a video walkthrough
Game is great so far but I really want to get all the CG's and best ending in one go ! please!
If there isn't one please someone make one ! I hate going threw routes more then twice to try and get the CG's because then I start to get bored and annoyed and I really love this game so far the characters are beautiful/handsome and story so far is great but like I said please give walkthrough !
Hey there! There is an ending guide posted on the itch.io page, right before the Love interests. Let us know if you have issues accessing it!
I loved this game! I'm glad I stumbled upon it! Also, A++ on the "Bork" reference!
1. Which character was your favorite? Why?
I thought it would be Tristan because I love the shy, blushing types, but it ended up being Theo. I really appreciated his focus on getting to know each other and taking things seriously.
2. Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
Yeah!
3. What's your favorite moment in the game?
Anything with Mr. Steal Your Girl
4. Do you want a Mark route?
I didn't until after playing Theo's route. There's a lot of potential there with what he said about Theo and the MC and being a small town and stuff, so yes!
5. Would you replay the game if it were fully voiced?
I prefer non-voiced, so probably not. But that said, all the actors did amazing!
Which character was your favorite? Why?
Theo, definitely Theo. I however didn't like MC too much in his route. She was a bit pushy to jump into bed with him and some of the options made me uncomfortable and MC reaching for his belt a second time made me sad.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
Yes I did.
What's your favorite moment in the game?
In Tristen's route where you are given a quest, I really liked it. It reminds me of my favorite match in MeChat the Roleplayer.
Do you want a Mark route?
I can live without it. He's a bit too rude for me.
Would you replay the game if it were fully voiced?
I think I am okay with the semi-voiced ones. I prefer to have no voice at all. even though the VA's did a good job.
Hey there. Thanks for your comment, we really appreciate the feedback.
Since we realized it's not conveying what we wanted to show, the scene in question (in Theo's chapter 1) has been adjusted.
Okay just replayed it and it is much better!
Which character was your favorite? Why?
ohhh boy, i thought this was gonna be a hard one when i first saw them, but my fave was, by far, theo. i was feeling iffy about him because i had read all the comments calling his route forced and the mc pushy but i just... don't see it? she backed off as soon as she understood what his boundaries were and that he truly meant what he was saying, and i actually consider their relationship to be the most organic one? it's a sweet short game but from what i remember they actually had the most dates and actual conversations.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
yesss and it was immensely satisfying
What's your favorite moment in the game?
meeting theo at a bar and him assuming you're depressed about your bedridden husband lmao
Do you want a Mark route?
kinda? luca seemed to imply he was going through it so i'm curious as to what his backstory really is
Would you replay the game if it were fully voiced?
maybe? i don't really care about this sort of things, but i'm not ruling it outt
this is such a cute game, keep on doing what you're doing cause you're obviously pros <333
hear me out..... I wanna date Mark lol
me too lol
Really wish the Theo route wasn't so forced and the MC wasn't so pushy. She says he's overbearing but she's trying to rush things and not trying to get to know him at all. If she's only interested in a hookup why doesn't she say so?
Played this game a while ago but forgot to rate it. Hopefully I don't get anything wrong (⊙_⊙;)
1. Theo and Tristan. I honestly can not, for the life of me, choose between these two. They're routes were sooo cute! Luca's route was also great but the "teenage love" vibe didn't really float my boat. Plus, the MC just felt more mature in Theo and Tristan's route. Though in Theo's route, I hated that scene where the MC was trying to undo Theo's belt, Theo said no but MC didn't listen first time around. That was.... not great.
2. I did! It was super satisfying
3. When in Tristan's route, they go to the MC's apartment the first time and Tristan asked to just cuddle. To me, that scene felt very intimate without involving sex, which I really liked
4. I hate this guy. Buuuut, if he gets a route in the future, then I will play it
5. YES
Thank you for this amazing game, I look forward to what you guys have stored for the future!
I like Theo but think the MC is pushy in a bad way. He holds her hand and tells her to slow down (she's trying to undo his belt) and her response is basically "no" and she tries again...
I'd dump her right there.
Finally got around to playing this game!! 😊
Time to answer the questions! 👀
1. My favorite ended up being Theo! I actually thought he was going to be my least favorite because of his app profile but then it turned out it wasn't him who wrote it lmaooo xD I felt that the relationship he had with the MC was the most natural and cute and the fact that he wanted to take things slow was a breath of fresh air, I loved that <3
2. Yes, captain! I managed to get all the good endings! Woo! 🥳
3. I think my favorite moment was in Theo's route when he tells the MC that he doesn't do casual anymore, that he only really wants to sleep with the person he commits to. And it's my favorite moment not only because of this but also because, while the MC respects his boundaries, she also calls him out on how he should have communicated better cause there's no way people are going to know if he doesn't tell them first. It made so much sense when she said that communication without words takes yeaaaaars, how people should communicate with words. I loved this whole scene ❤️
4. Honestly? Hell yeah, bring it on xD I love romance routes that start with LIs being jerks and then they fall hopelessly in love.
5. Absolutely! That'd be amazing!!
Thank you so much for making this game, I had a lot of fun!! ✨
I'm in love with Theo 😍
not played yet,but 🐱🐈🐈⬛
Which character was your favorite? Why?
Ok, this might be absurd but I already decided who is going to be forever my favorite character...Tristan!
I mean, he is what I always wanted in a guy and I don't understand how you could nail all the details and small things that I like to see.
He is tech-savvy, he has an old a** car, which reminded me of a Green Fiat panda (the old one) lmao, but most of all, him being a total geek and knows the technical names🥺 (it takes so little to make me fall in love).
Green is also one of my favorite colors and his eyes omg, and fluffy hair...double omg.
I won't share any further details...but I'll say only one more thing, the date...I cry.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
Nope, not at all right now.
Only Tristan regained his color, and that being said I played the game at 1:00 am...And I had to go to sleep, so...
What's your favorite moment in the game?
The graveyard date, my inner goth self screamed.
Do you want a Mark route?
NO THANKS.
Would you replay the game if it were fully voiced?
Yep, but I also like it now.
Anyway, I should rename myself as:
1# Tristan fan
lmao ;3
Which was your favourite? Why?
I had such a hard time choosing, but I would probably have to say, Theo. I loved his story and him playing the drums is honestly an attractive trait-- i mean whA? haha, but I loved the way MC and Theo met after the bar, haha props to that friend! I love how much Theo cares for his family, its honestly quite adorable.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
I did! It was a fun time doing so too haha!
What's your favorite moment in the game?
Honestly, my favourite moment had to be at Theo's party when MC says “I wanna take a ride first” and Theo chokes on his drink! It was such a funny interaction and an adorable reaction from him!
Do you want a Mark route?
To be completely honest... I really do! I know that Mark is an absolute asshole but I feel like he could have some great development if MC spends more time with him. And tbh... I think Mark is super attractive 😳 So I would absolutely LOVE to see a Mark route!
Edit: I just played the little Mark scene that was mentioned in the game files... and oh my god I loved it! Even though it was short, it was honestly really cute and definitely increased my want for a Mark route!
Would you replay the game if it were fully voiced?
Absolutely! I loved the voice acting in this game, it honestly made the experience so much more enjoyable, so if it were to be fully voice acted, I would love to replay it!
Overall:
100% one of my favourite dating sims! I loved each of the characters stories and the way MC and the boys helped each other in their own ways. If i had to critique anything... it would have to be to add more Mr Steal Your Girl interaction scenes!!!
Which character was your favorite? Why?
it's a pretty hard choice, but i think i lean just enough towards theo to mark him as my favorite! i like the fact that he has his own life set: there's no need to "save" him, so to speak? he has a majority of his life together, and has a solid sense of independence! i liked that his route was about open and honest communication, even if it was difficult to bridge that gap sometimes.
Did you manage to make all the guys on the main screen regain their color?
i did!
What's your favorite moment in the game?
absolutely when tristan is doing his stand up routine and brought up the fact that ricky rodent stole his wife lmao i think i was straight up dying of laughter at that point
Do you want a Mark route?
lmaooooooooooooooooooo no, i think i'll pass. not to say that i don't think the writers could write a very compelling story for him! but he is just not my type, and i genuinely feel he has more important things to process before entering any sort of relationship :')
Would you replay the game if it were fully voiced?
probably not, only because i don't care much for voices! i just skip through the line since i read faster than the line plays.
Final notes:
in general, i really enjoyed this game! i loved how all of the writing felt very real, and the conflicts in each route was something that anyone could relate to. i also was a huge fan of the protagonist being able to stand as her own character: she was a good balance of understanding and kind, but also upfront when necessary. i love main protagonists that aren't submissive / pushovers! everything about this game was just *chef kisses* wonderful.
if i could request any additions for games going forward, i think the possibility of a gender neutral (or even choosing pronouns) for the protagonist would be amazing!