Powergaymer review

A fantasy yaoi dating sim set in the world of Aravorn https://www.winterwolves.com/heirsandgraces.htm
kadakithis
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Re: Powergaymer review

Post by kadakithis »

Probably the background does make it more noticeable, also Lord Sandor seems to have really cool detail in his face which can make the other characters look less polished in comparison. Two drawing styles can make the less detailed version stand out. I also think so many people are praising Kamal is because usually Gay Love and Boy Love genres distinguish each other visually by having more buff guys while BL have usually more slender pretty guys, Generally the former is made for gay men while the later is made for straight/Bi women. Also the site was a LGBT one who usually avoid manga art due to the vast majority of yaoi for women only.

Here's an example of the type of art found in the most recently "big" gay dating sim. It's certainly not better, but enough of a difference to create a bias against/for a type of art.

Image
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jack1974
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Re: Powergaymer review

Post by jack1974 »

Yeah I know the developer of that game. We even chatted a bit some years ago.
But basically it seems (apart what mastro said which is true, I remember that quote about internet by Eco haha) that some people seem to think that something "must be like that" (art, music, whatever) and if it's different, it's bad.
Well, at least I'm quite sure that both Queen Of Thieves and Undead Lily art will meet people's expectations :)
kadakithis
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Re: Powergaymer review

Post by kadakithis »

But that just explains the naysayers, it really was a great game, with good themes, a phenomenal main character, a good cast and a really wonderful plot. It's a game to really be proud of.

I love that the MC had his own motivations and depth. After romancing all 4 guys I do feel perhaps Berges and Victor were a bit too similar (two nice guys who you need to take care of because they won't take care of themselves) but the game was solid, and more than that, emotionally moving in a way none of your other games have quite reached because it's so relateable. I rarely ever get emotional over media but remembering my own father, I couldn't help but cry.

A beautiful game and a fantastic job.
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jack1974
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Re: Powergaymer review

Post by jack1974 »

Cool :)
Yes I'm almost sad that it was a yaoi-only game, because I know many people won't play it just because of that (I cannot blame them, I wouldn't play a yaoi only game either) so they are all missing a great story. That's also why in future I'll always have at least two romance combos in a game.
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DarkWolf
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Re: Powergaymer review

Post by DarkWolf »

kadakithis wrote:Probably the background does make it more noticeable, also Lord Sandor seems to have really cool detail in his face which can make the other characters look less polished in comparison. Two drawing styles can make the less detailed version stand out. I also think so many people are praising Kamal is because usually Gay Love and Boy Love genres distinguish each other visually by having more buff guys while BL have usually more slender pretty guys, Generally the former is made for gay men while the later is made for straight/Bi women. Also the site was a LGBT one who usually avoid manga art due to the vast majority of yaoi for women only.

Here's an example of the type of art found in the most recently "big" gay dating sim. It's certainly not better, but enough of a difference to create a bias against/for a type of art.

Image
What you call gay love is a genre called Bara (meaning rose) and while it is true about what you said distinguish it from Yaoi/Shounen-AI/Boys-love I was always skeptic about it because it is like saying that all strait girls have a same taste and that all gay guys have a same taste.
mastro wrote:Or maybe are just people being ass**les :wink:
I've seen a lot of angst against developers lately, in particular indies. Totally gratuitous offenses, I don't get it. Don't let this get at you (or your collaborators).
The writer Umberto Eco a while ago said about internet, that it gave any random idiot on internet the possibility to talk, even if was drunk (something like that if I remember correctly). He was right!
Well part of it is that people feel that they can have more influence on indie developers then on big companies since talking to big companies is like shouting at mountains but indie developers are often right here with us listening to what we have to say and many people misuse that.
kadakithis
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Re: Powergaymer review

Post by kadakithis »

DarkWolf wrote:
What you call gay love is a genre called Bara (meaning rose) and while it is true about what you said distinguish it from Yaoi/Shounen-AI/Boys-love I was always skeptic about it because it is like saying that all strait girls have a same taste and that all gay guys have a same taste.
Oh obviously different people have different taste, I just mean it seems like yaoi is usually made with women in mind and Bara is usually made with men in mind and that can create an art preference, especially when one type targets you as an audience rather than another. Most gay guys I know won't touch anything labeled yaoi, because the main character is usually made to be a stand in for women and get many things wrong. Not all of them, obviously, but enough that all I have to do around them is mention seme/uke or yaoi hands to get a collective groan and an immediate rant. (Something, I might add, this game doesn't do, but people always have preconceptions)
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Ryocchi
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Re: Powergaymer review

Post by Ryocchi »

DarkWolf wrote:
kadakithis wrote:Probably the background does make it more noticeable, also Lord Sandor seems to have really cool detail in his face which can make the other characters look less polished in comparison. Two drawing styles can make the less detailed version stand out. I also think so many people are praising Kamal is because usually Gay Love and Boy Love genres distinguish each other visually by having more buff guys while BL have usually more slender pretty guys, Generally the former is made for gay men while the later is made for straight/Bi women. Also the site was a LGBT one who usually avoid manga art due to the vast majority of yaoi for women only.

Here's an example of the type of art found in the most recently "big" gay dating sim. It's certainly not better, but enough of a difference to create a bias against/for a type of art.

Image
"What you call gay love is a genre called Bara (meaning rose) and while it is true about what you said distinguish it from Yaoi/Shounen-AI/Boys-love I was always skeptic about it because it is like saying that all strait girls have a same taste and that all gay guys have a same taste."

If we go, from reviews, populariy all in all, at the end of the day that kind of art was a really REALLY big hit with both, guys and girls, also Kadakithis wasn't wrong calling it gay love, because that label includes both genres yaoi and bara on it, and this game has elements from both, anyway, as Jack said on his blog post, Undead Lily art direction is good, Love Bites is also good, and that is the important thing.

I'll buy Heirs & Graces nex weekend, but Jack already knows I have a favorite guy in that game so no worries for me. XD
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jack1974
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Re: Powergaymer review

Post by jack1974 »

Ryocchi wrote:as Jack said on his blog post, Undead Lily art direction is good, Love Bites is also good, and that is the important thing.
Yup, I think the next 2-3 games that are out are definitely in the right direction, at least for the art :mrgreen:
Ryocchi wrote: I'll buy Heirs & Graces nex weekend, but Jack already knows I have a favorite guy in that game so no worries for me. XD
Haha yes! Thank you 8)
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DarkWolf
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Re: Powergaymer review

Post by DarkWolf »

Ryocchi wrote: also Kadakithis wasn't wrong calling it gay love, because that label includes both genres yaoi and bara on it, and this game has elements from both,
kadakithis wrote:usually Gay Love and Boy Love genres distinguish each other visually by having more buff guys while BL have usually more slender pretty guys, Generally the former is made for gay men while the later is made for straight/Bi women.
Kadakithis wasn't using Gay Love as a term to label all gay genres together but as a replacement term for Bara genre.
lost_erias
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Re: Powergaymer review

Post by lost_erias »

I love this game so much that I made an account here just to tell you guys
what I thought of it.

Music is great - I adore the main screen music. The plot is so good and sad at the same time. ;_;
I cried a lot while playing this (or maybe I'm a sap and on my monthly lol) I've only played Eloy's route
including getting that 90 Decorum stat (had to replay quite a bit) but worth the silliness of the "sexy" scene.
As well as unlocked 90 Rep, Passed all main plot Skill Check and trigger Jealousy scene (many of them xD)
Even though the art was on par with the other games, I felt like it fit the story and the timeline of the game.
It felt really appropriate. Love all the references to Loren throughout the game. :)

I didn't expect Eloy to have so much character development and now I adore him even more~
I would love some voices but I know that its hard and would make the game more expensive.

Love this game and will go back and get through the other men's routes. As a fujoshi (yes I only got this game b/c of the yaoi tag)
this game is really deep, a bit cliche parts (but that is okay, I love it anyway) and I love how Marcel interacts with
everyone. You can really relate to him almost all the characters are likable in their own way.
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