My Thoughts on Roommates

A dating / life sim for all tastes set in college http://www.winterwolves.com/roommates.htm
suburbantimewaster
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My Thoughts on Roommates

Post by suburbantimewaster »

When Anne and Max signed up for dorm living at their college, they had no idea how chaotic it would be. Can they accomplish their goals while dealing with their crazy roommates?

Remember when I said that this game was a spiritual successor to Summer Session? Believe me when I say that this one is a huge improvement. One of the differences is that instead of a shy guy trying to get a girlfriend, you can play as shy girl trying to break out of her shell or a rebel guy trying to make sure his band gets a big break. Anne and Max both have four romance options with Rakesh and Isabella being romance able for both while Dominic and Sally are only romance able for Anne and Max respectably. Anne and Max can also romance each other and the story differs depending on whose point of view you play from. One thing I really like about this game is that the characters are unique in their own ways. They're also considered attractive in their own ways instead of following one standard of beauty. In the games Always Remember Me and the first two Heileen games, Marie and Amy were both considered average looking at best. Anne is not a case of Hollywood Homely but rather I'm Not Pretty. The difference between the two is that the former has the other characters agreeing with the character that says she's not pretty. The latter has only the character thinking this while everyone around him or her disagrees. Another thing I like about this game is how characters like Isabella and Sally are portrayed. Any other writer, such as the writers of That 70s Show, would portray a woman like Isabella as a bitchy slut with no morals or standards. Instead, she's portrayed as a woman who acknowledges her sexuality but will not do anyone who asks or do whatever her current significant other wants. She's just a sexually active young woman and there's nothing wrong with that. Sally is a vegan animal rights activist who would either be portrayed as a nutcase for her beliefs or as in the right all along and everyone should follow her example. Instead, like Isabella, she's just different and there's nothing wrong with that. The other characters are also different, such as Dominic with his rule upbringing and Rakesh with his art. The only things that bother the other people about them is that Dominic is too strict while Rakesh has no respect for people's boundaries when it comes to his art. Anne and Max also develop throughout the game without changing their core identities. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just leave it at that. However, I will say that Anne's a nice change from the female characters that usually star in dating sims, at least the ones made by Winter Wolves. Many of them, like Nicole, are outgoing and love fashion. Anne is shy and prefers the comfort of a quiet library to a loud party. I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with Nicole but it's nice to have something different and more relatable to me for once. In addition, there's this one scene where you find out that Dominic likes video games and Anne admits that she herself has played them. It's a welcome change to shows like the Big Bang Theory where even the scientist girls have no interest in video games, D&D, or comic books and makes a big deal about them doing those things for the first time.

The game play is that of your typical dating sim. You have to plan the schedule of the character you're playing while trying to romance one of the other characters. You do have the option of skipping events in order to save energy. If you want to successfully romance a character, you have to raise your stats high enough for them to take an interest in you. You can do that through part time jobs or pay to partake in certain activities. You can also attend class and study in order to keep your grades high. Max and Anne's storylines are sold separately in case you would rather just play as one of the characters instead of exploring the game through both of their perspectives.

This game is addictive and hilarious. I give it 10 out of 10; it definitely didn't disappoint.
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jack1974
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Re: My Thoughts on Roommates

Post by jack1974 »

Thanks :) Yes probably could be considered the spiritual successor to Summer Session but I agree that is much better under every aspect (and well since that game was in 2008, I would hope that I've improved in 6 years!)
suburbantimewaster
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Re: My Thoughts on Roommates

Post by suburbantimewaster »

You definitely have, no offense. It's just that when I reviewed Summer Session, I said that the only reason I was playing it is because you said that Roommates was its spiritual successor. I didn't want any of my readers dismissing the latter because of my bad review of the former.
ShyGuysAreTheBest
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Re: My Thoughts on Roommates

Post by ShyGuysAreTheBest »

I definitely agree with some of your points. The characters were nice, though I honestly thought Dominic needed to be even stricter. I was disappointed in him when he was letting everyone drink. The art and music was quite nice too.
There's too much drinking and fornication in this game, when I was expecting something cleaner like Nicole.
Also, the endings are disappointing. Game-ruining almost. I was looking forward to romancing Rakesh until I found out his endings suck. I got Max's best ending and it was nice, but I don't even like Max. (He's annoying). Plus I had to play on easy to do it, and I haven't been able to get Dominic's best ending even with multiple tries.
This game has it's good points, but so far it has left a bad taste in my mouth.
suburbantimewaster
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Re: My Thoughts on Roommates

Post by suburbantimewaster »

You did bring up points that never occurred to me. In all honesty, I wasn't expecting anything deep from this game. I just wanted something to kill time and make me laugh. On that part, the game succeeded. I liked the Anne Max romance because they felt like a gender-flipped Leonard and Penny from the Big Bang Theory (before they both took a serious level in jerkass). As for the drinking and fornication, that never really bother me but that might be because I've seen a few shows on HBO and Showtime that make this game look tame, no offense.
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jack1974
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Re: My Thoughts on Roommates

Post by jack1974 »

What version are you playing? did you buy from my site? maybe you have an old version. Asking because you're the only person who said that "endings sucks".
ShyGuysAreTheBest
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Re: My Thoughts on Roommates

Post by ShyGuysAreTheBest »

I got it from your site, yes. I think it says version 1.0.1 in the corner.

From another thread:
Spoiler:
They stay together for 8 yrs in one (deception), and in the other they stay together through college (truth). I'm thinking maybe they are the good endings, since they're not sad or anything. Just want to see if I should keep trying different things for an even better one :)
And you told them, those were the best endings. Plus, I find it offensive that deception nets the better of the disappointing endings. So I'm just really irritated since supposedly all the characters have "good" endings. They don't. Breakup=bad.

Oh, one thing I definitely like is how scenes can differ slightly if you are dating someone or not.

Edit: And I managed Dominic's best ending finally (along with 999 grades) and I really enjoyed it.^-^
spyfox321
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Re: My Thoughts on Roommates

Post by spyfox321 »

[Roommates] is the most amazing game I ever played.
because I played dating sim games frome the past, I see how much these dating sim game genre has demoted into a porn game.
UNTIL NOW. Roommates have blown my mind. it's amazing how much dedication has went into this game, while other dating sim games are made from scrap into crap
this game has Genuine SoundTrack, At least 1 event a week, every character has it's own personality (slry some DS games are strange) , And 16 CGs.
SO amazing.
I am a great fan of non-fantasy Dating-Sim games, since there are not so many of them. also the comedy/romance theme is perfect.
I will be honest, I could not get my allowance and couldn't buy the game and I Torrented it. now I feel bad for it. I will buy your games in a matter of time.
I really wish you would make more games like this.
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jack1974
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Re: My Thoughts on Roommates

Post by jack1974 »

spyfox321 wrote: I really wish you would make more games like this.
Well, and I really wish you would buy more games like this :wink: as posted in my blog, I make VERY NICHE games, so unless enough people buy, I'm in trouble. Every little sale counts! :)
spyfox321
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Re: My Thoughts on Roommates

Post by spyfox321 »

O really? I thought I acidentally deleted my own comment. well any ways. I 'll buy the game as soon as possible!
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