Alright, so I played
The Missing Part after all these recommendations. It's definitely the best game of the year so far!
Like most here, I didn't see
that twist coming in the prologue, nor did I see the cliffhanger at the end of chapter 2. The game was increasingly becoming a dating sim with no overarching plot line, but that definitely changes things. The writing overall is very good, despite the occasional grammar issues. It's well-paced, heavy on the dialogue and feather-light on exposition.
Surprisingly for me, I like all the characters. There are no cartoon villains, perverts or rapists. In fact, the supporting cast is all compelling. They are all three-dimensional, real people. Ben and Victoria especially make a nice couple. They reminded me of Sean and Donna Lee from
Leaving DNA. I'm also charmed by Charlotte Williams - her tough love speech at the bridge, with all that wit and snark was like a drug to me. And to have that immediately followed up with Sandra's lovely lecture to Sarah was just pure bliss!
On to the LIs, then.
I wasn't sold on Sarah initially. The nurse with a big heart who just feels too much is a boring trope. But I really liked her as a woman. Confident, bold, not willing to bend herself into something she's not for a man. Pushback of any kind is rare to see in an LI, so I quite liked it when she said
"Evening wear? I'm really not a dressy kind of girl. Have you ever seen me wear a single bit of makeup or do my hair in anything other than a bun?" And the rooftop scene was wonderful. She even looked like a woman who doesn't use make up put on some make up! And yet, even in an environment where she's completely out of her element, she's still confident and sexy and very much in charge. There is no talk of romance or commitment or anything of the sort. She can tell he's not remotely ready, and he knows she can tell, so it's just two people enjoying each other's company and bodies. So refreshing to see!
Hailey I liked from the start, but not as an LI. Ambitious, driven, cocky. All things I love in a woman! Very much type A, but secretly a country bumpkin scared shitless, just faking it till she - hopefully - makes it. Unfortunately, the power dynamics are bad and the optics are worse, doubly so with her backstory. Just the boss working long hours alone with the attractive new grad who is already disliked by her cohort would be enough to get the rumour mill going, and in the post-metoo world, a
hint of impropriety is enough to make a scandal. And that's all without Hailey being an LI. Her past also makes this storyline a saviour narrative, which makes the age gap even more inappropriate and icky. Just... no.
Lisa is... interesting. She is a surprisingly grounded heiress. Smart, kind, charming. Gives off old money vibes. But she has a dark past, and I'm worried it's worse than Hailey's because of what Charlotte said on the bridge:
"[...] life has given her wounds that will never heal. And I am condemned to walk next to her and see her hurt every day." I hope it's nothing too horrible, or worse, something MC could jump in to save her from. Still, she's a compelling LI and the one most socio-economically matched with MC. I'm excited about her path.
The one thing I don't like is that if you pursue all three at the same time, MC doesn't seem to have any thoughts about that at all. It's like he has split personalities that switch between dates, each unaware of the other women. I hope this will be rectified in future chapters. Honestly, the writing is so good I'd be surprised if it wasn't.
Anyway, I'm sure it'll come as no surprise when I say that the OP has been updated
