A Review: Critical Point, PC 1998 (18+)

*** ATTENTION **
As per my review standards, I have to note that this game is an adult-only title and therefore, I am talking about adult subjects and sexual behaviours.
Thank You!





Critical Point is a sci-fi horror mystery-themed erotic visual novel in which the protagonist is sent to investigate the strange happenings and security breaches on an isolated space station. The main character arrives to find discipline and morale has cratered among the almost entirely female staff of the station, many members of which have resorted to degenerate and violent sex acts to alleviate the tension and sense of mania that have gripped them. The gameplay is standard for a visual novel, with branching routes affecting the outcome of the story, including which of the women the protagonist has encounters with.

When I first read about this game, I saw the same things over and over, and the numerous warnings that this game was just hentai filth were very common. I was led to believe that this game was similar to Bible Black (don't) and School Days (really, don't!) in terms of content. When I finally secured a copy, I went into it expecting a gory, sick, and twisted mess of a game. Instead, what I found was something that, if played in the 'right' way, was actually rather enjoyable. If you found a guide and played the game, choosing the options for the 'True Route', you were rewarded with a romance plot with lots of twists and turns. Yes, you still need an open mind, as even with the 'True Route' there are some rather grotesque and unpleasant moments. Yet with persistence, I honestly think that this game can be quite fun and interesting to play through. The characters and their personalities were mixed and varied, with the girls each having their own desires, drives, interests, and quirks. I didn't like that some of the girls seemed to die needlessly; I just didn't see any reason for them to. It just seemed that their deaths were just a way to deliver a gut punch to the player. There were some minor issues with the game audio falling out of sync sometimes if you read faster than the girls voice actors talked, I found. The twists and turns of the plot were well written, and I can respect the mental fortitude that the developers and writers must have had with the direction of some of the routes. I liked the settings and backgrounds of the game world and found the subplot to be well thought out and added to the main. Adult content wise, there was a lot on offer to the player, and the replayability factor for this game was pretty high if you are the type that likes to see all of the various routes and endings.

From a visual point of view, this game was very pretty for the time of release, and while the menus and dialogue boxes weren't the best, they could have been a lot worse. The various girls were all unique in their appearances, with different styles applied to their uniforms and overall looks. They each had different body structures, muscle tones, and shapes, and all had differing breast, hip, and bum sizes. I couldn't see a single reused model or drawing between the girls. The various positions and poses given to them during the sex scenes were really good. Though I did think that the lack of detail for the main characters' penis was a little bit odd, on some screens, his manhood just looks like some organic, living sausage, and I found that a little off-putting. The shadows and lighting work were very good, and I liked the effort that the artists had gone to with regards to giving the player a sense of direction with the source of the various lights. Expressions and emotions were very well portrayed, and I liked the action scenes and thought they were about right. Even the more disturbing images of gore and violence were nicely done, and it must have taken some serious grit to get through some of them. The backgrounds and environments looked good, and I liked that they weren't just stock images or assets from another game or something. One thing that I thought was amazing was the work that went into Elise's body towards the end of the game. Drawing her like that must have taken a long time and a lot of effort.
 

Overall, this is a solid visual novel if played right and approached with an open mind.

 

== TAGS ==

Anal / BDSM / Creampie / Drugs / Graphic Violence / Group Sex / Lesbian / Male Domination / Female Domination / Male Protagonist / Multiple Endings / Oral / Rape / Romance / Sci-fi / Sex Toys / Teasing / Titty Fuck / Urination / Vaginal / Virgin / Virginal Blood / Voiced/ Voyeurism / Death And Gore /


8/10 – A Good Game!

Signed Off – Leonardo – PSJ