https://drogowit.itch.io/iron-borders

Hi everyone,

I need some honest and brutal reviews (positive vibes are also ok!)

Lead a day in life of Sonia Yagodnaya in this little visual novel. Euriza is a completely madeup universe, with some loose + strict connections to the real life Cold War period Europe (you can even see that from the map).

Choose how you wish to play, side with the regime, or rebel against  it. Orlov Union never were on good terms with DRP (Democratic Republic of Pomoria, where action takes place).

Some choices are randomized, usually meaning that you have 50/50 chance to succeed or fail with an action. If you want to explore a particular option and make sure you've checked for all possible endings, remember to save or quicksave before making a choice.

The only thing to note: Please disregard the beginning mannequin-made placeholder of a developer - it is not lore friendly, but I only work with what I can create myself or otherwise source.

And YES, I am working on ensuring that graphics will maintain a set style and pallette of colours. I am a writer, and I really struggle with technicalities and handmade arts.

Don't be afraid to obliterate me, as long as it's constructive! :)

Do you like the story? How can I improve it?

Do you like the setting of the universe? If yes/no, why?

Do you like some of the graphics?

Would you rather see characters to appear like in a regular VN, on first plan, or merge them with background? I have a lot of work to do in terms of sourcing or making my own photos (I base off of photos) and remaking them into graphics.

Do you perhaps know someone who's willing to help?

Do you like the anti-war concept of the story? Whilst it may appear otherwise, my whole motivation was to show people from 1st world countries how cruel life was (and is) behind Iron Curtain, and other areas still suffering from totalitarian regimes and dictators.

Please drop any other feedback too, I will greatly appreciate it!

I've been working on and off on Iron Borders since February this year. I have crunched on a lot of stuff in last week or so, and I'd like to hear your honest thoughts on this little VN

Referring to the screenshot of this thread: I like the maps' font for regions (looks authentic like a reallife-map) & images for its mountains there.

Banner of the game's theme-page: the face's expression looks more 'staged'/for posing or quite bored than realistic/frighten to get into fictional war, etc.? First guy's right hand looks unusual how to get hold of that weapon, I guess? (even it's greenscreen or added in CGI, photoshop, etc. the clothes and accessoires look cool, same as transparent background is nice in visuals)

Nice font on that theme ...still outside of the game, maybe black on gray could be bit more adventurous in colours? I like the houses' background, gets the feeling of being within a city. But are those mirrored-scenes to get it as water reflection image (which could maybe get bit different opacity or darker colours for differing, whch looks like out-of-nowhere, starting within the building, like a cam photographic those buildings underneath a bridge looking from down-below, upwards next to a nearby lake or that it's pictured close to the water's surface to get this scene?)

I'd prefer testing webgames/viewing video-scenes than downloads, so I'd add opinions for the screenshots at itch's game-page first:

The second pic of its bottom looks cool in outfit, maybe his pose as crossed-hands gets him more confident or referred as leader of a troop? Optional stars or pins for his rank added. Similar to the female character in next screenshot there.

She looks cool, I like the shading of her outfit, just added on face/cheeks & arm sounds okay if there could be like a background or tree that connects a possible shadow, while for a transparent background her still looks more realistic if it's rather smooth than in type of fabric like the clothes? I like her facial-expression like she just defended her city or won a match against enemies.

First and third landscapes look aesthetic (the mountains quite too watercoloured in style), I adore the destroyed region & other pic of fog, both of them being my fav. of the non-people focused images of the added screenshots.

How about a trailer on youtube of failing/succeeding in missons, playing different characters or levels, how texts would look like in-game & if there are custom clothes or ranks for teams, etc.?

As controls, I'd prefer text or itch-selections and if there are translations (also choseable as itch-section) & 'multiple ending'-tag sounds cool, maybe refer to that fact as highlight, e.g. which features are included? Like boardgames or food-packaging refers to stuff, there could be either screenshots or texts:

• for updated lines or fixed bugs?

• if player could just choose 'the good ones' or even play as 'bad sided enemies'?

• are there saving-features or sound added when downloading?

• mins for reaching something? are there inventory with max. weight is it single-player or with narrator-voice in first-person but against NPC or irl-players?