Their Majesties' Pleasure

Tl;dr has entertaining moments, but I prefer stories that give me compelling reasons to care about their cast before romancing them. It relies too much on telling, not showing, and doesn't meaningfully develop its characters (including the player's) beyond their tropes. [b]Warning for unmarked spoilers![/b] [h2]Gameplay[/h2] Probably the best part: relatively smooth gameplay and clear, straightforward descriptions for choices. Stat checks are fair. The way stat increases are handled is odd, though I would not consider this a flaw. The logic is basically "the stat associated with the topic increases". If you mention fighting or weapons, your Blades skill increases. Or a funnier example: merely thinking about a character increases your relationship with them. [h2]Plot and Writing[/h2] The plot itself wasn't confusing or overcomplicated. Most plot threads have a clear resolution. The prose is mostly good, neither lacking nor convoluted. However, the opening essentially railroads you into someone else's pleasure trip, and player agency for the rest of the game isn't great either. It's also strange that one character who drives the plot and causes the inciting incident (a faerie attack on human miners) never actually shows up on-screen. Also, for a story with civil unrest, threats of war against faeries, and a player character who is a soldier, there isn't much action or adventuring. I had to find out by digging through the code that you can get into fights if you fail the game's main goal to prevent war. Also, despite going out without disguises or guards, the royals only get threatened and are somehow never attacked/kidnapped by bandits or hostile faeries. The story rarely lives up to the promise of danger, leading to the impression that the stakes it set up are fake. The story has a tendency of bringing up themes and issues to make its love interests sound cool, not to say something actually meaningful. For instance, one character (the princess) is concerned for the faeries/wildlings because humans have killed many of them. In Chapter Five, the player character can kill a wildling threatening them and the royals. The princess makes no comment about this, nor does she try to stop them. The prince (also someone who's meant to care about the oppressed) even praises their knife-throwing instead of being horrified. It's treated with no gravitas whatsoever.* (More examples in the comment below.) [h2]The Player Character[/h2] The player character's background only comes up here and there. This would be fine if they have strong characterisation, or at least a wide variety of personality traits in the form of choices/responses. This is a role-playing game, right? But they don't. Despite being in a setting with class and wealth disparity, the PC is never given the chance to resent, envy, or distrust the prince/princess, or to be uncomfortable with open displays of wealth. This is most noticeable in Chapter Two, where we see people at makeshift camps outside the city, forced to make a home there. Afterwards, we go to an upper-class theatre/bar/brothel, and there's no opportunity to comment on the disparity, or to be unable to enjoy things because the PC would rather do their job or help those people find a home. Once again, a real-world problem is treated as a prop. The PC is also not given enough backstory or development to justify the love interests liking them. What makes them unique from the other guards? What if their personality and beliefs aren't compatible with those of the love interest? They're a war veteran, but it rarely comes up. For instance, if the PC decides to do their damn job and be vigilant to protect the royals, this choice is never connected to their past, even though it's a possible symptom of combat PTSD. No one recognises the PC for their reputation. They feel like an accessory to the love interests and their goals. We're left with the impression that the only reason people respect them is not because of their own accomplishments (if any), but because they happen to be acquainted with the royals. This puts them in this absurd situation where they're not even a knight, but everyone—from a master assassin, a demigoddess, a general who has fought in seven wars, and the king—asks for their opinion and listens to them. [h2]The Love Interests[/h2] A lot of fanfiction differs from original work by skipping the part where it develops its characters. The reader has already seen their journey, so their investment in these characters is taken for granted. It's for this reason that the story reads like fanfic. Yes, the LIs have personalities and treat you nicely, but none of them really have flaws or vulnerabilities; they don't go through situations that truly make them grow or learn. They don't do anything surprising either, never moving beyond their respective tropes/archetypes. I would be fine with this if the characters themselves are complex and memorable, but I'm not sure if I would describe them as such. It especially doesn't help that they are all leaders/royalty with similar values and goals, resulting in a simple dynamic with each other and the player. They end up blending together instead of being distinct. The story only occasionally shows the characters' actions. It presumes that some descriptions and dialogue are enough for you to want to romance them (as another review mentioned). The writing even keeps reusing descriptors for traits that have already been established. "This person is determined, so we'll hammer in how she has willpower, makes demands, etc." At one point, the prince is described as looking "battle ready"... in a meeting about a peace treaty. In my view, this repetitiveness only reveals an insecurity and lack of trust in the reader's perceptions of something as basic as character attributes. Still, I think these things can be excused if the player character can at least dislike or disagree with the love interests. But it seems the PC is not allowed to defy—or even just to be annoyed by—the royals who keep pulling rank on them and insisting on keeping their escapes a secret. Even though these escapes put their lives—and the PC's—at risk. These characters are put on a pedestal, with the underlying assumption that everyone must want to get along with them. You might enjoy it if this is your first foray into interactive fiction (or romance for that matter), but I've read better stories that put more effort into characterisation and interactivity.

Not for me. The story starts off with you doing 2 things that someone in your position should not ever do, and you have no choice, because you just do it (no spoilers sorry, have to take my word for it, or try the demo). In a word it is an unbelievable start. From there you go on, meet someone in the forest to satisfy someone else's curiosity and little else. Then you head back to town to go 'party'. The 'party' scene is hard to believe as well, nor does the two people you are with frequenting the place as they do make a lot of sense either. All that aside, I stayed sober and watchful, doing my job to keep the people im with safe despite all the temptations on offer. And my reward for doing so? Immediately being put in a compromising position as soon as we leave the 'party' place = / And of course the options offered to choose from to handle the situation play against my weakest skills. I closed the book so to speak at that point. I had not found anything interesting in the characters, nor the story line, and I didnt appreciate being blindsided into an unavoidable situation despite my efforts to be a responsible, upright guard just doing his duty. As always YMMV, and you might find something of interest where I did not. But I prefer a story that honors my efforts to play the role that was offered me (Upstanding, Duty bound guard caught up by misbehaving royal heirs) and that actually gives me a reason to be interested in someone before they offer to let me join in their 'fun'.

Decided to pick this one up since I noticed the lack of reviews, and now here I am! Overall, it's a good story. I consider myself to be relatively critical when it comes to these types of things, especially romance-heavy IFs. Fortunately, I can say that I had a decent time and that the romance didn't come across as forced, which I think is fairly common in IFs. In this story, it felt as though I could move things along at my own pace, which I appreciated. Actually, overall, this IF offers a decent array of general freedoms when it comes to the romance aspect of the story, or at least it did on the path that I chose to play. It was nice feeling that my choices lead to results that I intended, where the consequences of my choices were clear and predictable. I also didn't feel locked into something after any single choice. The story really seemed to want to make sure that I was doing the things that actually I wanted to do. The characters were enjoyable. This is a fantasy story, but I don't really count it as an epic adventure or anything like that; it's a story that's more character-driven. I mean, you're here for the wholesome romance, essentially, and wholesome it is. Though, It can get a bit spicy too, if that's your vibe. Overall, a solid read. Definitely good for the price point, I'd say. Would recommend.

one of the best romantic if's out here. it has good storyline, nice pacing and amazing cast of RO's. 10/10 will leave my job again to live with my fae lover

Are you tired of only romancing a single person? Wishing you could have two-somes, hell, even three-somes, if not more? Are you really cocky and overly determined that you can take over the world and make peace... Just by existing? This game gives you that ability. Heads up, IF you prefer to romance just a SINGLE person... Then know that ALL the love interests already HAVE a lover or two. So if you want to be alone with them? Hmm... You will be taking them away from their lovers. If you ask them what they want... They wish to have polygamy. Which means ya gotta go into the game wanting to bang as many people as possible. Because why not? That's what I did the first time and guess what? The character % flew through the roof! There is also politics and I may have not been able to understand a word of what was going on... I may or may not have zoned out... Politics... Yeah... Then in the end? Epic ending. For all sides. AND MY MC GOT KNIGHTED?! Like seriously... HOW?! Either way... I took it and did it and went on with it! Great game for people who love polygamy/sleeping around or just frolicking with the Fae. Also reading politics I suppose... Nah kidding, I don't even know how much of that is in there lol. Yeahhhhhhhhhh... 'S not a bad read. Not bad at all. Thank you!!! :D =) >:3

It's a truly lovely game! Well written, nice pacing and I do adore the characters!

Great story, exciting events, and fun well-developed characters. can be played with 0 spice. if you love romfantasy, you'll like this. took about 8 hours for 1 play-through, but will be going back to replay.

"Their Majesties' Pleasure" was a sometimes hot and exciting read that I enjoyed a lot. While the mature content might have been a little on the tamer side, I loved the romance and found many of the characters engaging and appealing. Not to mention, the plot was more than good enough to keep me interested throughout. My only minor complaint has to do with how quickly the story occasionally developed early on, with new characters, events, and concepts getting introduced at a rapid pace before I felt fully immersed in the story. (9/10)

I have played this 2-3 times. It's a "Heart's Choice" game, meaning it's a text only CYOA game. BUT it includes detailed "adult romance" scenes. You are a human soldier in a fantasy kingdom surrounded by a forested fey kingdom. You have to help keep the peace between the two while romancing the Prince, Princess, the "organized crime king" or the fey Queen. I have always played the straight male romancing the Princess so I can't speak for the other paths. In all, one of my favorite CYOA games : good length, lots of sizzle.

I made common sense decisions and got a good result. i usually play these type of pick your own ending stories more than once but in this case there is no incentive to do so. I would have to make foolish decisions or play a character I don't have any interest in playing -so the replay value is not great unless you are just curious.