Got some interesting projects I usually don't see in these threads that I think are worth sharing.
Soulstream Expansive
https://soulstream-industries.itch.io/soulstreamexpansiveremakeThis is what got me into WG games. The gameplay is a bit strange and floaty, but it's workable and not too frustrating. Something about how these sprites animate really does it for me. Most characters are furry-adjacent if that's a red flag for you. I'm not into furry stuff myself and was able to enjoy all of the scenes just fine.
The big "innovation" if you can call it that are the interactive QTE scenes. "Failing" the QTE's gives you the spicy content you're here for, and once you've had enough ogling, succeeding will proceed the story. I'm really hoping more WG games do this. I feel like this project isn't as influential as it should be! Of course, once the game is finished you have access to all the scenes for replay.
It's 5 bucks and I can't find a free version on Kemono (IMO, that's fine, the dev deserves it. Lots of bang for your buck). If you want a look at what the dev is capable of and to see if you're into this kind of thing, the Prologue is free (
https://soulstream-industries.itch.io/the-soulstream-expansive).
Optional gas toggle too! Another thing that should be standard.
Ebony Floe (
https://puff-knight.itch.io/the-tale-of-ebony-floe-preview-demo-v3)
This is a very strange project with a lot of the design at odds with itself. This is meant to be a Mario 64-esque expressive platformer with a Tony Hawk-style trick and scoring system. The good news is that the platforming, wall running, jump-diving gameplay works really well! The bad news is that the game takes place in a pretty non-descript English town with very limited platforming expression opportunities.
I'll try to give you a rundown but the game is complicated. In this game you play as a... british woman. You are meant to talk to NPC's around the town and take quests from them. To complete these quests, you have to touch floating boxes in the town, which will trigger a score-attack minigame...
You know what... there's a lot here. A lot of it confusing... most of it bad. But! The actual platforming is fun!
At random intervals your character will start to swell up. The size and shape depend on the food you purchase at restaurants around town. The shape actually modifies your platforming. Big tits allow you to bounce when you do a Mario jump-dive, a big belly lets you wall-jump automatically for quick vertical ascent, and full-body inflation turns the game into Katamary Damacy.
The animation, size, and shapes your character can take are excellent. For my tastes, it's one of the most *alluring* projects I've played. Shame about the level and quest design being basically incomprehensible. Oh, and don't waste you time playing the conversation minigames with the NPC's. It's not at all worth the time.
It may also be more of an "inflation" game than a WG game if I'm being honest. Still comes recommended. The game is still in development and the demo is free.
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As an aside, how do you guys rank the different WG game projects you've played in your head? For me, the three pillars are engaging gameplay, decent pacing, and AWOOOGA factor (animations, wobbly assets, kinky situations, and decent writing all kind of pile up here).
Also, maybe this is just me, but I'm tired of clicking through renpy visual novels. I appreciate it's a great way to get a creator's foot in the door, but at this point I need an actual "game" to play, even if it's not "good".
What are yall's top WG Games that aren't visual novels? How to they stack up in Engaging, Pacing, and AWOOGA ?
