Creme de la Creme

About

In "Creme de la Creme," a 440,000-word interactive novel, you attend Gallatin College, a prestigious finishing school, to restore your family's reputation. Choose to focus on academics, social connections, or maintaining a spotless reputation, as you navigate the world of high society. This immersive text-based game won three 2019 XYZZY Awards for its captivating story and writing.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 93 reviews

story33 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game features a rich and engaging story with numerous choices that significantly affect the outcome, providing high replay value.
The characters are diverse and well-written, with interesting dynamics and relationships that enhance the overall experience.
The writing is immersive and descriptive, creating a captivating atmosphere that draws players into the world of the game.

Many characters feel flat and stereotypical, lacking depth and development, which detracts from the overall enjoyment.
The pacing is inconsistent, with the story sometimes feeling rushed or anticlimactic, particularly in key events.
The stat system is confusing and poorly explained, leading to frustrating moments where players are unsure why certain choices succeed or fail.

story
89 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
60%
3%
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its engaging writing, character depth, and immersive world-building, while others criticize it for lacking character development and coherence, leading to a forgettable experience. Many appreciate the variety of choices that impact the narrative, although some feel that the pacing is rushed and certain plot elements feel forced or underdeveloped. Overall, while the game offers replay value through different paths and endings, it struggles with maintaining a compelling and cohesive storyline throughout.
- “I love the story and all of the possibilities in it; even re-reading it three times now, I've found things that I would never have guessed would happen.”
- “The prose was magnificent, the plot was just perfect, the characters were beaming, and the romance was outstanding and so, so sweet.”
- “This story was like a string of pearls - each part as perfect and pure as the last.”
- “The first 80% sprints by and the story barely spends any time developing characters, so it's hard to even tell them apart.”
- “Unfortunately, everything in this game, from the characters to the plot to the decisions you can make, is so boring that two weeks after playing the game, you can't remember anything about it except that you wasted your money on it, and you just feel regret.”
- “The weird lady Renaldt/Mine subplot felt rushed and out of focus, as if it were just injected into the story at the last second.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The graphics in the game are minimal, with no visuals or audio to enhance the experience, leading to a reliance on writing for character engagement. While the extensive customization options and romance arcs are appreciated, many players feel that improved visuals and sound would significantly enhance immersion and representation. Despite this, some argue that the compelling story alone makes the game enjoyable, even without graphical enhancements.
- “Of course being a man or woman shouldn't affect the overall story very much, but at least in games with visuals, you get the satisfaction of looking at a man or woman and knowing you're represented the way you want, right?”
- “Once again, visuals/sound would have helped here because it would have at least made that choice feel real like how it does for every other video game.”
- “Visuals and audio would really help here because they would flesh out the characters without having to rely so much on writing.”
- “I'm a straight man, so I played with all girls, but they could just as easily have been guys since there are no visuals to look at or voices to hear.”
- “Once again, visuals and sound would have helped here because it would have at least made that choice feel real, like how it does for every other video game.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
Gameplay is characterized by a lack of meaningful mechanics, with a notable 'no save' feature that emphasizes story finality. While there are interesting characters and branching paths, particularly in the polyamorous route, these elements do not significantly enhance the overall gameplay experience.
- “The 'no save' mechanic puts focus on the finality of a story.”
- “A lot of interesting characters and a wide range of branching gameplay.”
- “The gameplay offers a unique experience with multiple paths and choices.”
- “The writing is mediocre and the game mechanics are worthless.”
- “However, this happens only during the polyamorous path and does not really affect the gameplay itself, so, yeah, it is just a minor distraction for the most part.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the opportunity to explore different story paths and achieve various outcomes, others find it repetitive after a few playthroughs. Despite some criticisms regarding the depth of the narrative and freedom of choice, many players are drawn to the charm of the characters and the desire to uncover all the story's facets, suggesting a decent level of replay value for those invested in the experience.
- “There's a lot of replay value here.”
- “It does have some replay value, not only to get the achievements but to see completely different sides to the story. However, it can get a bit repetitive after three playthroughs.”
- “With this game, there are so many paths I haven't covered and adventures I wasn't a part of due to my choices. The replay value is impressive, and the story features an adorable character who believes in ghosts, making the experience even more enjoyable.”
- “Does have some replay value to not only get the achievements but see completely different sides to the story, but it does get a bit repetitive after three playthroughs.”
- “Played through twice; I think... it's a pointless story with little to no real replay value, no freedom, and I felt it advertised itself as a completely different genre than what it turned out to be.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
Reviews indicate a significant disparity in character development, with some players feeling there is a lack of progression and depth, while others highlight standout characters, particularly Max, who exemplifies strong development. Overall, the game struggles to establish meaningful relationships, which could have enhanced the narrative conflict.
- “That would set up an interesting conflict with potential character development.”
- “Best character and character development: max”
- “We essentially went from zero to a hundred, with absolutely no relationship or character development.”
- “The characters felt flat and one-dimensional, lacking any meaningful growth throughout the game.”
- “There was little to no backstory provided for the characters, making it hard to connect with them.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted for its unexpected and absurd moments, such as teachers quickly expelling a bully, which can disrupt immersion and dramatic tension, leading to laughter rather than engagement with the storyline.
- “I literally burst out laughing.”
- “Hilariously, the teachers immediately expelled my bully, which, while props to them, immediately broke any sense of immersion for me and removed any dramatic conflict from the game.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a charming and intriguing ambiance, heavily influenced by themes of aristocracy, royal families, and court affairs. This setting evokes a sense of mannerism and philosophical discourse, captivating players from the outset.
- “The general atmosphere is very charming and intriguing from the very beginning.”
- “As I have already said, I cannot help but fall for stories about aristocrats, royal families, court affairs, etc. There is a special charm about the whole atmosphere of mannerism, expensive whims, and talks about philosophy, right?”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly during repeated playthroughs where sideplots become repetitive. There is also a desire for a progress-saving feature to alleviate the need to restart from the beginning each time.
- “I admit that the side plot with the teachers gets a little tedious when I'm on my 5th replay and just trying to romance someone new in peace. I also wish there was a way to save progress so I don't have to start from the beginning every time.”
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the story.”
- “After hours of grinding, I still feel like I'm not making any real progress, which is incredibly frustrating.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in "creme de la crème" is minimal, consistent with other titles in the genre, which typically lack significant musical elements or illustrations. This may be a consideration for newcomers to the genre.
- “Also, just a small note for people who are new to the genre: hardly any of the Cog titles have any music or illustrations, and 'Creme de la Crème' is no exception.”