VN - Ren'Py - Not Going Back [Ch.1] [Cicada]

This looks promising.

I appreciate the effort invested in the first chapter. You get to know a bit about the characters and the relationships between them; which rarely happens in a VN this huge. Yes, the graphics aren't something to write home about, but definitely not horrible - they're expected to improve over time. The dialogs are a bit long but it's understandable, most times when you see all these characters they're pretty shallow and you only get depth with heavy dialogues and slow burning.

I am definitely looking forward to see where this is going.

The production values are beyond bad. The assets used look impossibly cheap. The stock characters; the drab clothes; the empty interiors; the exteriors, which are just plain blocks with old, ugly, white brick textures applied. By the way, speaking of white, there's a general lack of color throughout the game, which makes the renders ugly, and dull and just constantly pull you out of the game.

I'm sorry to report the characters and the dialogue don't fare any better. None of the characters talk or act remotely like real people. They simply exist to connect one thing to the next, and most of them don't have a single identifiable personality trait, never mind a full-fledged personality. Which is kind of good, since anytime there's an attempt of infusing them with some flavor, the end result is embarrassing.

Fantastic start!
There's a decent range of looks for the girls, which is always a treat. The posing in the renders is good. I didn't notice any awkward "acting" at any point. That's something that's hard to get right and I think they got it right on this one.
I was very impressed by the writing. It feels like it was written by someone who has actually attended a college in the United States, which is refreshing. All the characters feel rounded and real in a way that's unusual for a first chapter. Even the MC has an interesting backstory, giving him a little bit of an excuse for being a blank slate. The dialogue is sharp and make me chuckle aloud at multiple points.
Not much erotic content in the first chapter. I managed to grope a boob in the shower but maybe I'll try playing through again and making different choices to see if there's anything else. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Imogen in future chapters!

A good start.. the renders of the girls are great.. nice writing.. also a decent amount of content for an initial release. Looks like the DEV has thought out what he wants to do and has a plan to bring that to fruition. Enjoyed the diversity of characters introduced so far. Looking forward to more.