I hope you don't mind if it's too pretentious or blabbery, but here's me yapping (HEAVY SPOILERS)
"Iron blooms in acid rain..."
Love blooms in the wasteland. Or at least, what seems to be the roots of love: trust, empathy, and hope. And that's precisely what I love—no, what I admire—about this story. It tries (at least from my point of view) to tackle one of the big questions in life: what's our purpose? Purpose. In a nuclear wasteland, there is very little purpose to "live" when everything's about "surviving", survival of the fittest. Killing means surviving, and morality is a vulnerability. Or is it? All of these changes when the MC meets Harlie. And it's clever how it all started with a mysterious lady named "Purpose". In a world prioritising survival above all, a catalyst, a "Purpose" is needed to lead up to the series of intertwined events that will evolve into an epic tale, a tale of hope and trust, a tale whose very novelty is beauty.
Plot dynamics 9/10
They say first impressions matter most but to also not judge an AVN by its first scenes, so what is it? But that doesn't matter here because first impressions, last impressions, and all the impressions in between were good. The way the story begins is captivating. No flashy visuals, no crazy cliffhangers, just the description of the five senses as the MC gains consciousness. Together with the white noise in the background, the exposition is oddly alluring, raising so many questions like: Why? Where? And what in the wasteland? (The descriptive style reminded me of another AVN, Divinity by toasterkun) It's instant immersion without needing to go through all the "My name is (insert name) and I grew up in (insert city) where my life was (insert adjective)" like in some other AVNs. On the subject of exposition, at first I thought the non-linear time skips were weird and was concerned if the rest of the story would be like that. But now, looking back, the choice to begin with the MC captured is better than beginning with the "Purpose" lady. At least in my view, the non-linear plot in the beginning allows the post-apocalypse world to be introduced first (the explanation of The Cataclysm was vivid enough to be convincing while avoiding politics) so it would make more sense when the purposeless MC meets the literal Purpose lady. In short, the exposition is executed nicely. Sure, it is not shocking or attention-grabbing, but it's thought-provoking and purposeful.
Then there's apathy. The writing really excels here. Especially at the beginning, there's a subtle tone of the purposelessness of the MC. With his "unique sense of humour" and laid-back attitude for a life-threatening situation, it all sells the atmosphere of another normal day in the wasteland. Honestly, the way the MC speaks reminds me of a good old friend of mine. It's almost robotic in the sense that he doesn't show a lot of reaction, which makes sense for the MC because of the wasteland setting. This also applies to the dialogue of other characters. They all, apart from Harlie, come off as grounded and short to the point, speaking very little of their thoughts, riddled by distrust and caution. The dev manages to leverage this by slowly increasing the characters' emotions in their dialogue as they slowly gain trust in each other. This is perfectly executed in the fireplace scene with Skylar where her emotions slip out from under her mask of "marshal". Talking about the fireplace scene, this brings us nicely to the next aspect.
Pacing. Many AVNs and stories in general suffer from pacing issues where action and progression outbalance character and emotional development or vice versa, but not this one, at least not yet. There is a right balance of tension and relief, and the moments of relief are well utilised to develop characters or summarise the situation. For example, the scene where Harlie reminisces about her childhood, and how she "hid among books" having always felt like an "Outsider" is crucial to build the personality of her character while also contrasting with the tension during their first encounter where she held the MC at gunpoint. Right afterwards, there is a rise in action again where the MC and Harlie meet Skylar and chaos ensues. Then, according to the pattern, there is a moment of chill where the quartet camps in one of the utility rooms followed by the neat fireplace scene where Skylar reveals some of her personality and character. Some romantic (sort-of) stuff happens, and then they are plunged right into the action again. This alternating pattern is effective for instilling past information (like how the MC regularly recounts his purpose, yet is taken up by the chaotic series of events which, as we know it, allows the plot to occur) and developing characters.
Now let's talk about themes. I'm already a sucker for anything apocalypse related, but it seems (a bit too early to judge) that this story is trying to do something different compared to the typical apocalypse genre. The themes of violence are much tamer than, say, Fallout (as of now) partially because it's an adult visual novel, but in the place of that muted violence grows themes of compassion, hope, and friendship. They are best demonstrated in the scene where Harlie reunites Skylar and the MC for a while. The game gives readers the choice to pull the trigger or show some empathy for Skylar and let her live. Of course, it's not much of a choice because you too will die if you pull the trigger but that's not the point here. The point is that even though Skylar had betrayed the MC and Harlie, Harlie forgives her, showing the naivety of her character which is precisely what is special to the story. It's not about taking wrathful revenge, it's about realising that everyone else is human like you, trying to survive out in the wasteland. It's this juxtaposition of having people you can trust while surviving in a wasteland that stands out for me. Now, it might sound mushy (because it is) but that's just what stands out to me. Oh, and one other theme that I almost forgot is morality. I'm sure the dev intentionally emphasises it from time to time, especially when it's mentioned in the prologue (it's when I realised the story could be nuanced). Morality in the wasteland is a complicated subject because you kill or get killed. Losing one's morality is common as it's survival of the fittest. But it seems that the story is a middle finger to long-dead Darwin himself as morality is suggested to be the very driving force of the plot. The MC cannot choose to abandon morality and pull the trigger on Skylar or Flex or he dies. It's a nice feeling, going against the very forces of nature of survival to literally find love in the wasteland.
Some curious details that weren't mentioned (or I just missed them):
- The power source in the subway station. It's questionable how several decades after The Cataclysm, there is still power supply with lights and all underground. Even if the Voodoo gang brought batteries or had solar panels, why would they power the rest of the subway station? Yeah, I know, I'm nitpicking here. After all, the lights make the lighting in the scenes naturally sourced.
- The epic automatic tracking of the MC's pistol. This is more of a fun mystery than a missed detail. How does it even track the subject? Mind control? Can't be heat signatures because it could kill the wielder. The plot twist of the automatic tracking system in the beginning made me chuckle good. I bet it's magic or some supernatural stuff, considering the being Christy was talking to, and the magical elements suggested so far.
- Either Skylar must be really really good with her hands or the MC is a deep sleeper, because how else would she take his clothes without waking him up. Sure, you can say she used some kind of sleeping potion to make them unconscious, but then she could've taken the gun as well in that case. Maybe she's into stab stabs instead of pew pews?
Characters 10/10
The Character Tales are AWESOME. Instead of having an H scene in the first few hours of gameplay, the dev chose to flesh out the backstories and thoughts of the characters. I don't know for others but for me, it's just perfect. It allows readers to empathise with the "main" characters and explains the root of their personalities.
- Harlie: Harlie, the harbinger of change. She is the personification of all things lost in the wasteland: innocence, morality, and trust. Being the daughter of a successful tribe leader, books and comics containing vast worlds just like this one shielded her from the harsh realities of the world she lived in. She has never killed. While this is a weakness, the story manages to turn her weaknesses into a strength, a beacon of hope, of change. Like an oasis in the middle of a wasteland, Harlie's character forces the other characters to grow from their old ways of violence and vulgarity. Perhaps this line perfectly sums her up: "They're [comic stories] vessels for human dreams, telling us what we can become—even in the darkest times." The scene where she reunites the MC and Skylar in a rather grounded way by essentially saying they need each other to survive WITHOUT using her Pathfinder ability (eye flashy thingy) fleshes out her character to be much more than a naive little girl. It shows that she could grow into a strong tribe leader like her father. Similarly, other characters feel very three-dimensional and, well, like actual people with actual struggles surviving in the wasteland.
- Skylar: Skylar the sly. Once again, just like the others, her deceptive skills grew for survival, and she's actually a sweet girl at heart. She cares deeply for her brother Flex. After all, protecting Flex became one of her "purposes" in the wasteland after her parents died. I grew really empathetic to her character, especially after the fireplace scene (and the Character Tales), where she expresses the toll the responsibility of her brother is taking on her, wishing to live a carefree life like the MC. She also goes through intense character development after almost momentarily losing her brother, apparently showing her trust in the MC. But, of course, "bad habits" take over and before we know it, she's gone with all the money and clothes. Classic. It's a way to introduce an interesting character at the beginning only to take it away, teasing readers just enough to anticipate a future encounter where they will play a pivotal role like saving the MC's arse or something like that. It also makes more sense this way because it would be less rewarding to have all the girls around the MC permanently right from the beginning. Essentially, they need to be "won over", especially in a wasteland setting like this. Characterwise, her "betrayal" contributes to the complexity of her personality, and her conflicting feelings of trust and doubt. It shows that the effects of surviving alone in the wasteland are more serious despite the lighthearted facade of adventure. This allows more room for satisfying character development where she grows to truly trust the MC, making her the pErFeCt love iNtErEst! It's no surprise that Skylar ends up being the most-liked character for me. Not only is she the most nuanced and developed character as of yet, but her appearance is also pleasant. Or in other words, she's hecking pretty. (Bear with me here) The shape of her eyes makes her look cunning and soft at the same time (like she's about to cry and had enough of this world), deceiving her way into readers' hearts.
- Seraphina: She appears tough on the surface, but what's on the inside? Just like the box of glucose... Seraphina's backstory tells us that even though she had a rough childhood and is the ruthless Bone captain of the Voodoo gang, she still has strong morals at heart, contrary to stereotypes of gang leaders such as in similar genre like Mad Max. The line "The moment you start believing people deserve to die is the moment you lose yourself to the wasteland" is not only stuck in my brain forever now but also basically sums up her personality: she's brutal for survival, not because she enjoys it. This is important as it will allow her to become a "love interest" in the future, as with other characters. The notion of morality sewn throughout the plot and characters like Seraphina elevate the plot to the next level in terms of emotional nuance.
- Lana: Everything about her screams yee-haw. In other words, she is an adaptable wasteland scavenger who also just happens to speak like stereotypical cowgirls and dress like one too (but more revealing). Her minty hair and eyes are a striking reminder of radiation exposure, not only making her appear "exotic", but also suggesting the rough life she had which explains her personality. By first impressions, she appears to be rather similar to a curious wild animal (like a wild cat), her morals overcome by the instinct to survive, and is highly opportunistic. She's like the duller counterpart of Skylar. It'll be interesting to see how she gets close to the MC.
- Emily: A blind katan-wielding assassin-ish girl. The fact that she has survived in the wasteland using only her sense of hearing is truly unique from others. It seems that she knows the MC closely before even though he has no recollection of such memories. I suspect an epic plot underneath all of this, perhaps having to do with simulations like in 1899 (A Netflix series) or a secret organisation of people who found a way to reverse the wasteland (sorry, I pulled this out of my ass). Either way, once again, the story manages to turn her weakness of being blind into a skill that could even further develop the plot in the future (such as her backstory that led her to become blind or the mysterious tribe or faction where she learnt such skills). It's good knowing that love interests or characters in general won't be there just for the sake of it or to serve a fetish or stereotype. Also, she gives me Zero Two but with 2B hair vibes.
- The MC: Good lad. One of the best MC character designs. I know how most MCs are soulless shells for the player to INSERT themselves into, and maybe it's because I've grown tired of that, but I'm glad that this MC isn't. He has his own backstory, which of course, is not revealed early yet, but it is hinted at when he is asked why he hides his face. And one thing I've noticed about the kind of MCs I like is that they usually have inner monologue. I guess that's what allows me to connect to their thoughts deeply. He's actually quite enigmatic, there are no character tales for him and questions like what's under the helmet, where he got the gun or the books, and how he grew up remain unanswered. Even though the choice for the helmet is probably because the faces of most male models in Honey Select are sub-par, the helmet is clever in the sense that it removes a lot of humanity from the MC. Paired with his dark humour and "purposeless" demeanour, this helmet MC appears almost robotic. This is perfect because it juxtaposes with the humanity and "purposefulness" of the girls. Yes, it's the cliche of girls brightening up the boring life of the MC in almost every AVN, but this is done in a way that is unique because surviving alone in a wasteland shelter will guarantee you a soulless, boring life. Realistically though, such miracles of meeting beautiful girls in the wasteland do not happen by chance, bringing us nicely to the next character, "Purpose".
- "Purpose": Like I've mentioned above and time and time again, this character—if you even consider it a character instead of a personification of a plot-driving force—is what piqued my interest, and elevated the emotional nuance of this game to the next level. She’s not just a character named Purpose—she is the catalyst of the story.
Flair 8/10
These are the "fun" aspects of the game such as humour, music, lighting, and the little things. First of all, the way the ability to save and load is given by the "Purpose" lady is quite meta (fourth wall breaking) which can come off as jarring to some, but I appreciate it. Not only does it justify the MC's daring behaviour (strapping on the explosives) which would otherwise be absurd when the wasteland is all about surviving, but it also makes room for creativity. In the future, the save and load functions can be momentarily taken away when, for instance, the "Purpose" lady suddenly disappears and the MC finds himself in a life-and-death choice: risk his life to save his team or run away. It will be an intense moment both for the player and the MC, and the choice will be pivotal.
Another major point is the attention to detail. Right from the start, I noticed Lana's quirky dialect and the MC's peculiar way of describing things such as his body "leaking". And it's when the MC started talking about the Cataclysm and houses, it all clicked: education became almost non-existent after the Cataclysm. Other examples of attention to detail would be the flowers growing underground, the clever commentary on the way humans treated the world before the Cataclysm, and the Coca-Cola can (flashbacks of Nuka Cola). It's one of those things that will not degrade the plot if absent but just gives the story that much more soul and "purpose" when implemented in subtle ways. It's the kind of nuance that makes the world feel real.
They say beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, but maybe it's also in the hands of the developer because I've never seen an AVN or a dating sim game with characters that are all pretty (apart from Eternum). Not only that, the facial appearance of each character fits their personality: Harlie with the innocent deer-like eyes, Lana with the slightly stupid smile indicating her lack of education, Seraphina with the strong eyes and red hair, and Skylar with the narrow foxy eyes that are easily deceiving. I can go on about how good-looking the characters are but you get the point, they're like wasteland wildflowers.
The visual quality of scenes is mixed. At times, some textures are blurry, pixelated, and over-scaled, especially in the concrete and rocks at the beginning. But, oddly enough, it taps into my nostalgia for old Honey Select AVNs so maybe that's good? The lighting is decent and frankly, it's more realistic than I anticipated which is always nice (at least the dev didn't Mad Maxed it out with jaundice colour grading). I'm not a lighting professional but I do like me some nice ambient occlusions and shiny specular highlights on metal surfaces. The variation between focal lengths (short for intense moments) and zooms also really sells the look of a grimy post-apocalyptic wasteland. The skin material is just right—there is perfect diffusion and the details are not lost in the highlights (although Christy's face is a bit off, but maybe it's just the light angle). But most importantly, the contrast direction is good; bright spots lead the reader's eyes towards the point of focus and the background stays dark. And I'm glad that the dev is not afraid to completely flood some scenes with the glow of lights like in Seraphina's cigarette scene which wouldn't be as intense without the harsh white light on her back. The fireplace scene had the best lighting (also carried by the sweet moment) in my opinion. Also, I notice the glint in the knives mid-air every time they are thrown. Once again, attention to detail, bravo. I'll conclude so I don't keep going on forever: the lighting and composition are top-notch, the only nitpick is the texture quality.
As for the sounds, they are related to timing in a way and the game executes it epically. Again, referring to Seraphina's cigarette scene, I will remember the particular moment when the music queued in with the clink of her lighter. It's just too satisfying and it screams coolness. The music and sound effects are decent, not much to say about that. There's also white noise, especially in the beginning, which is interesting because I don't notice it anymore later on. Maybe the dev simply decided not to use it anymore or maybe it could represent the change in the MC's life from empty white noise to something more interesting. Either way, the songs for emotional moments like Harlie finding a flower and the fireplace scene are perfection.
Final Thoughts 9/10
I've never been so excited for the development of an AVN—not even for Eternum. Apocalypse 2059 is not just an Adult Visual Novel. It's a world, a wasteland you can escape into. But in hindsight, I might just be over-romanticising the thought of finding hope and purpose in a grim world, but that's fine. It's moments like these when I realise that it can be easy to view the world as a "wasteland", easy to lose all hope and "purpose" in life. That's why I think finding purpose in an otherwise bleak reality is beautiful. After all, it's what we've been doing since the dawn of humans: family, tribes, stories, dreams. That's what makes us human, warm-blooded creatures in a cold bloodless universe. Perhaps that's what makes me fond of such types of stories so much. I really like the direction this game is heading. You can feel the passion that was put into making this. At this point, there are just so many paths the plot can take... as long as it follows its "purpose", and is perhaps led by a small "pathfinder" with a golden eye and a golden heart.
Now, if you read all of my crazy blabbering then thank you I suppose. It might be a bit misleading to call it a "review" as it's more of a collection of thoughts. Either way, I hope it was worth your time. And to the developer, I admire your passion and story-crafting skills, and I hope this feedback will not give you some sort of artistic block or pressure. Best of luck on your development journey and remember to have fun telling your stories above all!