the visual novel database

Report an issue on this page.

Review of HaremKingdom

SubjectHaremKingdom
ByHelpfulness: 0
Vote: 4
x3h0n on 2021-07-09
ReviewThe usual over-the-top gags SMEE is known for fell flat for me in HaremKingdom. It's not just the comedy, but the romance and worldbuilding as well, it's all really weak compared to their other works and creators of similar caliber. The harem/polyamory aspect felt extremely forced and formulaic. The arcs were sharply divided among the girls and their interactions felt lacking. The fact that the fandiscs were specifically non-harem non-fantasy focused, seems like an admission that SMEE is unwilling and/or unable to deliver a proper harem fantasy VN. This combined with the mediocre worldbuilding, that serves only as a paper thin backdrop, makes me think that this is just a cash grab chasing popular trends. I could not make myself to finish it.

At least the art was good, I guess.
0 points
#1 by Mrkew
2021-07-09 at 14:31
< report >
The arcs were sharply divided among the girls and their interactions felt lacking
That is wrong. For example, if you pick "Charlone's route", more accurately wind route, the whole route takes place in Marrou's pub, with everyone constantly interacting with each other and all the H-scenes being group (with Kiki having the most H-scene appearances total in that route). The single heroine events are more of a side thing.
#2 by x3h0n
2021-07-09 at 16:00
< report >So what you're saying is that if I were to slug through the rather boring common route I might enjoy one of the branching routes? Ugh, I hate this pattern. It might make me look like I'm judging the VN unjustly, but on the other hand the common route burned me out with how boring and predictable it was. There's very little there to motivate me to play far enough to actually get to some point in the VN that I might enjoy. It would've been better if it had an amazing common route and garbage branching routes, at least then I would've had something to enjoy up to that point.
#3 by Mrkew
2021-07-09 at 18:56
< report >So you made a review of a game you dropped in common without even mentioning that. Cool.
#4 by x3h0n
2021-07-09 at 20:01
< report >
I could not make myself to finish it.
So you made a comment on a review you didn't properly read. Cool.
#5 by Mrkew
2021-07-09 at 20:30
< report >Dropping in the common route and dropping after 1 or 2 routes is a huge difference. Simply said, it's completely idiotic to make a review like that. Saying that you couldn't bring yourself to finish it, when you were like 30 hours away from the end, is ridiculous. You couldn't bring yourself to START it is more accurate.Last modified on 2021-07-09 at 20:32
#6 by x3h0n
2021-07-09 at 20:59
< report >AFAIK the common route in this VN is well over half the length of a full playthrough from the start to an ending. I played through at least one arc for each heroine and quite a few sex scenes. That was enough for me to conclude that this VN wasn't for me. I'm not going to play through a game I don't like just to make a review and I'm not going to ignore reviewing games I didn't find enjoyable enough to play to the end. I consider user reviews from people who didn't enjoy a product enough to finish it just as valid as those who did. Both have value. If you think that this review does not represent your experience with the game, you're free to write your own review. But don't expect me to accommodate you when you start whining just because I don't accommodate your opinions.
#7 by Mrkew
2021-07-09 at 21:12
< report >Yes, negative reviews are valuable. However, your review holds zero value. It's completely inaccurate for 75% of the game, because you experienced only a small part which is quite different from any of the actual routes. If deleting reviews is possible, I recommend that you do so to hide yourself from the shame this brings you.
Or will you review a 10 hour game after reading the trial next time?
#8 by sakurakoi
2021-07-09 at 22:24
< report >
Or will you review a 10 hour game after reading the trial next time?
That is actually by far not as bad as conjuncture and speculation masked as totalitarian 'this is definitely what it is!' (aka a rant), which this indeed is.

Rarely one should read just one review anyway and partial/short/mini reviews can serve as introduction and initial expectations+impressions or summaries. A review is the more helpful the more truthful/honest it is. Completeness is actually not that valuable when one can just read another review, hence even being concise/structured (to skim/skip points) is more important.
#9 by funnerific
2021-07-10 at 10:26
< report >You should mention it in your review how much of the game you played IMO, it's pretty dishonest otherwise.
#10 by arlez13
2021-07-10 at 11:16
< report >I really don't understand what you're talking about, the game is great for me atleast for smee's standard, I even gave it a 10.

Maybe because I came from yubisaki connection and hajirabu, that this one feels refreshing. Still, I won't plan to change my opinion on it on the near future. It's a great game by smee.
#11 by AmanoKaze
2021-10-25 at 04:25
< report >
admission that Smee is unwilling and/or unable to deliver a proper harem fantasy VN
I know this is a bit late but before this game got released, the writer actually made a statement that "he/she had not interest with making a fantasy setting, so don't expect much". Hence why the weak setting that got completely removed in the FDLast modified on 2021-10-25 at 04:25