CaliaQuest

CaliaQuest is a narrated visual novel with a focus on voice narration. I decided to buy this game to see if someone could create a good hypnosis videogame, spoiler ahead: they couldn't. [h1]Akchually[/h1] The gameplay is almost nonexistent, it all boils down to choosing to sacrifice some will points to take a different path. The game description talks about rolling a d20, but the roll is automatic, making trying out different endings difficult (although one could save scum to get through it); with this premise, it's easy to see how the game ends up being something very close to a playlist of erotic hypnosis audio tracks, spaced out by few clicks and sporadic choices. The voice actress is surely talented, and the audio quality is overall very good, the same can't be said for the graphic, which is not always as it's supposed to be, and most importantly is AI generated. [h1] ... but does it... [i]work?[/i][/h1] First off, let's quote the author herself to get down straight what [i]is[/i] hypnosis, and what someone who doesn't know anything about it should expect: [i]Hypnosis is a means to bring someone into a trance state, a state of extreme focus, often to the point of eschewing what’s going on around them. You may have the idea that hypnosis is like sleep, but that’s only partially true. It’s actually a state of almost total focus on a single thing, for example the voice of the hypnotist or the concept they’re introducing to you.[/i] https://mistresscalia.com/what-is-hypnokink/ The audio tracks that play throughout the game [i]can[/i] be quite hypnotic, but whether this makes a good game is another sport: I don't think that this game remotely manages to bring hypnosis, and particularly the erotic hypnosis kink, into the world of video games; it is simply too lacking as a game, built on the -wrong- presupposition that it would be enough to hammer together a user interface and a start menu with erotic hypnosis audio files, to make an erotic hypnosis videogame. The gameplay is simply lacking, as in [i]it's not there[/i]. There is nothing to play in the game, nothing at all. [h1]So, are we going to hung and burn Calia, or not?[/h1] Well... Not so fast: the feat is an ambitious one; I've seen dozens of more or less skilled developers try to make a videogame about hypnosis (and erotic hypnosis), a videogame which actively plays with hypnosis to hypnotize the user, and all of them are pretty lacking in one aspect or another, with CaliaQuest being no exception. The reality is that to hypnotize someone it is necessary to create a state of relaxation and lack of thought that quite crashes with the concept of video game. The only game that almost managed to do this, is Sublime Compliance, yet that one too ends up just being a glorified interactive hypnosis induction. [h1]Lesson(s) learned[/h1] This is the first attempt by CaliaCorp at making an erotic hypnosis videogame, and it's as much clear that this time they didn't deliver, but there are lessons to be learnt here, for CaliaCorp as well as for anyone else who's producing or looking to produce a video game based on hypnosis. First things first: if it is a game, it [i]has to[/i] be interactive. The way I picture a visual novel to be more interactive would be, for instance, giving many more choices to the player, creating plenty more of shorter audio tracks, perhaps resetting the mouse x,y position on the first option of the multiple options to pick, so that it would be automatic for the hypnotized player to just click and go forward. This would probably amount to many more hours of recording, and a much more complex game, and given Calia's statement that [i]"It's priced more in line with erotic hypnosis audio content, than with games"[/i] I've my doubts that she's willing to either fix it or create a sequel that addresses all the weak points of this title. Another idea would be to have an option to roll the dice in-game, or to input the result of the dice roll in a field on the screen allowing the player to choose to fail (or win) a certain roll, and therefore to explore a different path. [h1]We done beating Calia up?[/h1] Almost. Just a couple of things that really made me wrinkle my nose. 1) You can't call a game a roleplaying game when there is no roleplay, but everything is predetermined: it's simply misleading, deceiving. This game is a visual novel, as simple as that. 2) AI. That's enough said. The fact that it is -at least- written on the store page gives me enough respect for the author to acknowledge her position (more on this later) and buy it regardless. Otherwise, AI-generated content in a video game is for me and should be for everyone an instant pass. [h1]Closing thoughts[/h1] Calia is a small internet content creator focused on erotic hypnosis; I don't know exactly why she decided to open herself to video game developing but I can only be happy to see someone with the bravery of trying to connect these worlds. The task is not easy, and the possibility of failure are many and scattered all around. As for the game aspect, the menu, and, overall, anything that is not audio, is at Digital Homicide level, or in other words looks like either an alpha or (and this is the case) the product of a green game developer. I don't think that the retail price is justified by the value, I fully disagree with the idea of pricing a game [I]"in line with erotic hypnosis audio content"[/i]; it's like going to eat a sandwich and paying it the price of a dinner at the restaurant because "it's priced in line with a restaurant meal". Regardless, I personally felt that not even the 70% discount justifies the price for me: I appreciate the effort (and the fact that this game [b]DOES NOT USE DRM[/b]) but for what this is I wouldn't pay more than a dollar, or two at most. During the gameplay I've also encountered a couple of bugs which, although not game breaking, make clear that the game hasn't been polished. CaliaCorp tried to accomplish an epic feat: finally making a good hypnosis videogame. Unfortunately: it failed; the erotic hypnosis is still pretty good tho! If you need ratings: Graphics: 1/10 Sounds: 9/10 Gameplay: 2/10 Longevity: 4/10 Overall: 4/10 I can recommend this only to Calia's fans, who wish to encourage her to make more games, or people who have never explored hypnosis or erotic hypnosis, and desire to dip their toes in. For everybody else, should be an easy pass.