I bought this game as part of a bundle with three other games by SuperWriter, those being Picture Perfect, Secret Summer and Reconnecting. It was a pleasure to marathon through them all, although I must admit that Sun Breed, as the latest and most polished of the four, also stands on its own. I was a bit sad not to see the usual cameos (although the protagonist taking the ladies on vacation was very welcome) but the drastic change in tone probably works better without them.
The music is good, the visuals and animations are good, the character designs are more detailed than usual (especially on Najah and Aditi, I got the feeling the author was waiting to go all out to give the vampires a distinct look).
The characters are likeable and have very distinct personalities, with enough similarities so they can connect and get along, but without being so similar that they end up blending together. I just wish we had some more time to spend getting to know them, as even with several scenes dedicated to just that, I was left wanting for more.
On the other hand, other characters have less memorable appearances. While Rex, Jordy, Katherine, Fareeda and even May Dorn are very distinct, the two Directors, the Twins and the Beast really leave something to be desired, For the Beast in particular, I was expecting a truly monstrous opponent, not an almost humanoid figure. But maybe that's just me.
The story, and especially its pacing, show that SuperWriter learned a lot from previous games. In the beginning I was ready to call this the best-paced game in the collection, but after playing to the end I'm afraid it falls behind Secret Summer, if only slightly - it's better in some places and worse in others.
To clarify, I feel like the game greatly benefits from all the mystery and action scenes that give it direction and momentum. It's a really gripping storyline that had me reading for hours, anxiously awaiting every scene. But every story needs some calmer moments to cool down after the intense fights, and that's where bonding with the girls, the romance and the sex scenes come in - they felt more natural this way, without having to carry the weight of the entire plot. I'm hoping to see more of this style in future games, because it really seems like SuperWriter knows how to get that mix right.
It's not perfect, of course, but it's definitely going in the right direction. If I could make one suggestion, it is to use the 'summarize a scene and move on to the next one' technique sparingly. The Dominion event was hyped up so much, that the race and the puzzle room deserved to have their own, lengthy scenes, full of juicy descriptions, with fast-paced racing gimmicks and dodging enemies plus brain-teasing puzzles and riddles of their own. Something to match the battle event that followed, rather than skip straight to it. I realize that's a huge ask, but the game would've been better off for it, I feel.
On a similar note, I feel that there should've been a few more scenes with Camilla and Valentine, specifically showing some bonding / teasing / coming to terms with the growing attraction between them and the protagonist, on both sides. The massage and mud bath scenes were great for this, but one or two more that come after the Dominion, particularly once they discuss their feelings toward the protagonist, but before they contact Najah and Aditi to ask for their help with the Union ritual, would've made it feel more natural - instead, the progress feels rushed. Having those scenes inserted somewhere between figuring out what the bottle from Sharon meant and the party searching for May Dorn would've made the overall progression more natural and not so abrupt - it was disappointing to see the protagonist drive around fruitlessly only to be contacted by May Dorn and given the address to meet her. But, that was one of few weaknesses in an overall strong story.
I have mixed feelings about the split with the Paragon and Renegade paths this game features. I love that in principle, and the two routes feel different enough, but the execution on this idea leaves something to be desired. It was fairly good for the first half of the game, particularly up to winning the Dominion, but afterwards it faltered, with the battle in the cave really lacking the impact it was hyped up to have, on both routes. The Paragon events leading up to the reunion, particularly the burial ceremony, didn't land with me, but the Paragon confrontation with the Directors was clever and satisfying. On the other hand, the Renegade execution of the Directors left me wanting, but Rex's confrontation with Jordy was excellent and worth playing that part. And of course, the vacation and epiloque on both routes was great.
It could be summarized that, I feel SuperWriter is excellent at building up expectations and deepening the lore for the world and story, but it gets to the point that sometimes the payoff fails to meet those expectations. The longer the build up, the more epic the resulting payoff scene needs to be. I'm hoping to see more great scenes as I move on to Follow the Leader next, however.
At any rate, this is a good game. Just mind the content warnings, but if you're fine with the themes, then this game won't disappoint. Bonus points for writing a protagonist that isn't a jerk just because he can be, as too many games tend to do - a good guy, even if he has a mean streak too, is refreshing and very welcome.
