HimeYoku: A Sacrifice of Lust and Grace
- September 8, 2022
- Escu:de
- 40h median play time
Get on Steam"HimeYoku: A Sacrifice of Lust and Grace" is a visual novel set in a dark fantasy world, focusing on a man's quest for revenge. With over 20 hours of gameplay and Japanese voice acting, the game features two main female characters: Fiana Clewing, a high-minded princess knight, and Theresa Elminia, a zealous cardinal. Each character has their own motivations and backstory, contributing to the game's complex narrative.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features interesting and challenging gameplay mechanics that appeal to fans of strategic approaches and resource management.
- The art, voice acting, and overall presentation are well-executed, creating an immersive experience.
- The story effectively portrays complex themes of revenge and moral ambiguity, with characters that are flawed yet relatable.
- The gameplay can become repetitive, and the tutorial is unhelpful, leaving players confused about mechanics.
- The story feels incomplete, with significant plot points ignored after diverging routes, leading to a lack of resolution for certain character arcs.
- Performance issues, such as poor frame rates and unresponsive UI, detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay24 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by interesting and challenging mechanics, but it suffers from repetitiveness, making it less appealing for those who dislike such gameplay styles. Players can expect 20-40 hours of straightforward gameplay with a focus on filling gauges and achieving high scores, alongside a variety of endings. While the combat mechanics are simpler compared to other titles in the genre, the tutorial lacks clarity, which may hinder the overall experience.
“The game mechanics are very interesting and fun in a challenging way.”
“You get 20 - 40 hours of gameplay time (depending on whether you decide to skip reading text) with 4 different possible endings (2 priest endings + 2 princess endings; each with good and bad endings).”
“Art is very good, the story is interesting enough, and the gameplay you get is based around filling gauges and using the right techniques to get the highest number out of them, which is fun if you enjoy watching the numbers go up.”
“On the other hand, this is definitely not for you if you dislike repetitive gameplay.”
“While more options and tweaks are introduced as the story goes on, the overall gameplay is very straightforward, simple, and unchanging.”
“But the gameplay was very repetitive, and there are too many endings for a repetitive gameplay like this.”
- story23 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The story is centered on themes of revenge, pain, and despair, and while it effectively follows its dark premise, many players find it lacking in depth and completeness. The narrative features two distinct routes with varying endings, but the overall gameplay remains straightforward and unchanging, leading to a sense of emotional disconnect. Despite its interesting premise and good art, the dialogue and decision-making elements are criticized for being weak and underdeveloped.
“Exactly as it says on the tin, this is a story about revenge, pain, despair, and hate.”
“So for the most part, the story follows its premise faithfully through to the end.”
“The plot is split into two routes with a good and a bad ending for each.”
“I've been playing for almost an hour and the story is dull, the dialogue weak, and I haven't gotten to make a single decision yet.”
“Dark story, solid, emotional, but somehow feels like it's not complete.”
“While more options and tweaks are introduced as the story goes on, the overall gameplay is very straightforward, simple, and unchanging.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of dark storytelling and wholesome elements, creating a unique contrast that resonates with players who appreciate both. While the narrative is solid and impactful, some feel it lacks a sense of completeness, leaving a mixed emotional experience. Overall, it appeals to those who enjoy a satisfying balance of intensity and warmth.
“On the other hand, I'm also a huge sucker for wholesome stuff and happy endings.”
“Everything is just 'brutally wholesome'... which might sound contradictory but is actually pretty satisfying if you are into that kind of storytelling.”
“Dark story, solid, emotional, but somehow feels like it's not complete.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been heavily criticized, with users describing it as reminiscent of outdated DOS software, leading to significant performance issues even in windowed mode. Many players have requested refunds due to these performance shortcomings, despite acknowledging the quality of the voice acting.
- graphics2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics have been criticized for feeling outdated, resembling a DOS-era game, with performance issues leading some users to request refunds. Even in windowed mode, the visuals and text do not function reliably, detracting from the overall experience.
“Even in windowed mode, it functions like a DOS relic. At least those had text and simple graphics that popped up when they were supposed to. Refund requested just based on performance, or the inability thereof.”
