Ideology in Friction

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Ideology in Friction is the story of two knights, Clacier and Annette. They're forced into an impossible situation where they must make a decision that would change their entire lives. What will become of these two knights? Find out in Ideology in Friction!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 209 reviews

story62 positive mentions

grinding10 negative mentions

The game features a well-written story with multiple endings and character development.
The art and animations are of high quality, enhancing the overall experience.
The choices made throughout the game significantly impact the narrative and character interactions.

The gameplay is overly simplistic and lacks challenge, making it feel more like a visual novel than an RPG.
There is a significant amount of dialogue that can feel tedious and detracts from the gameplay experience.
Many players found the grinding for H-stats to unlock scenes to be excessive and frustrating.

story
212 mentions
29 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players praising its depth, character development, and engaging plot twists, while others criticize it for being overly linear, filled with excessive dialogue, and lacking meaningful choices. Many reviews highlight the strong character arcs and emotional weight of the narrative, particularly in the knight route, but some feel that the story becomes convoluted or loses its grip as it progresses. Overall, while the story can be captivating and well-written, it may not appeal to those primarily seeking a straightforward adult experience.
- “The story is deep; it literally is still worth it even without the h-scenes.”
- “This game is a masterpiece; what's better than the h-scenes was the story.”
- “The story features three different routes, with 10 different endings and many optional side events.”
- “The story is really boring though.”
- “The combination of subpar story, weak writing, and god awful combat made this game a very shallow experience that I could not bring myself to even finish.”
- “While the h content was fine, though lacking substance at times, the story itself became rather uninteresting after the first few chapters, which is a shame because it did have potential at the beginning.”
gameplay
40 mentions
20 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by traditional turn-based RPG mechanics typical of RPG Maker titles, offering a straightforward experience that some find engaging while others deem shallow and repetitive. Players appreciate the blend of story and art, but many criticize the lack of depth in combat and mechanics, with some noting that the game serves more as a vehicle for narrative and adult content rather than a challenging gameplay experience. Overall, while the gameplay may not be groundbreaking, it provides a comfortable backdrop for the engaging story and visuals.
- “A well-written dark tale with your usual turn-based RPG fight mechanics.”
- “Not only is the gameplay satisfying, the story is amazing, and the visual arts and illustrations are great!”
- “Gameplay is closer to old school JRPG turn-based combat, with a wide variety of skills and spells.”
- “The gameplay loop is the classic RPG Maker one, where you have only one character and can't really customize the build, which makes it feel quite boring.”
- “The gameplay is here as a comfy exercise between story bits, but does little to really engage you otherwise.”
- “There are no strategies utilized by any enemies, and no special states or mechanics that you'll need to manage around.”
music
24 mentions
63 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its quality and ability to enhance the storytelling experience, with many reviewers highlighting the soundtrack as a standout feature. While some noted that certain tracks can become repetitive, the overall composition is described as catchy and mood-capturing, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere. The blend of diverse musical styles, including unique and interesting original tracks, further elevates the game's appeal.
- “The soundtrack for this game is fantastic, especially its voiced tracks.”
- “Great soundtrack, the music kicks in during pivotal scenes and it's quite good.”
- “If I heard the music that played in the h-scenes outside of the game, I would honestly just feel depressed.”
- “You'll probably hear the same tune over and over again, but the music is catchy, so I'm not going to give it too much of a bad rating.”
- “The music really does capture the mood, and is hard to get tired of.”
graphics
16 mentions
31 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the art style and animated vignettes as aesthetically pleasing, while others criticize the overall quality as dated or blurry, particularly in the overworld. While certain cutscenes and character designs are noted for their detail, there are complaints about graphical glitches and inconsistency in art styles. Overall, the visuals are seen as a blend of decent quality and areas needing improvement, particularly for fans of more polished graphics.
- “This game has far more polished graphics - featuring some decent animated vignettes - and a load more going on, but nothing interesting in the way of depth.”
- “Sometimes I found myself staring at the artwork, looking at the attention to detail.”
- “This game is very aesthetically pleasing.”
- “The visuals are so-so.”
- “I love their games; they are great. The only problem I have with most of their games is that the graphics are blurry and there's no way to fix it. The only game I have of theirs that has perfect graphics is Treasure Hunter Claire; other than that, the rest are a bit blurry. I hope that they read my review and fix this problem ASAP because I'd love to replay these games with better graphics.”
- “Some pictures are drawn in a different art style.”
grinding
10 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding in the game to be excessive, particularly for unlocking erotic scenes and developing character stats, often comparing it unfavorably to other games. While some appreciate the need for grinding to strengthen their characters, many feel that the effort required for the lewd content detracts from the overall experience, making it feel tedious at times. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a significant but polarizing element of gameplay.
- “The grinding for h-stats to see ero scenes is greater than the average Tony Hawk Pro Skater levels, jfc.”
- “This game's combat is too easy, and it feels like when doing the lewd path, it takes too much work and grinding for mostly vanilla stuff.”
- “Only problem is that the spicy route is a lot grindy to get into.”
emotional
7 mentions
86 % positive mentions
-29 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players find the narrative disconnected and lacking depth, leading to a lack of emotional significance in certain scenes, others appreciate the wholesome elements and character development, with some even reporting a touching experience that elicited tears. Overall, the emotional impact varies significantly depending on player engagement with the story versus the adult content.
- “Instead of going for the h-scenes, I ended up staying for the plot and got a wholesome ending.”
- “It ranges from catchy to touching.”
- “First adult game that made me shed a tear.”
- “I spend more time with poorly animated pictures telling me a rather boring story (the usual high fantasy) than actually playing.”
- “The emotional depth of the characters is lacking, making it hard to connect with their struggles.”
- “The story feels generic and fails to evoke any real feelings or investment in the outcome.”
humor
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its over-the-top villains and absurd situations, such as the protagonist teleporting without the necessary items and bosses dealing laughably low damage. Players find the game's ease of play amusing, with some noting that the comedic elements enhance the overall experience, making it accessible and entertaining for newcomers. Despite some repetitive elements, the humor remains a strong point, contributing to the game's charm.
- “So after trying to lose on purpose (it was the hardest challenge this game has to offer), the protagonist just uses a teleport stone to teleport back to the HQ, even though hilariously, I have none in my inventory... so... did I unlock a different story branch?”
- “Great RPG, really easy for newcomers to pick up and quite funny.”
- “The villains are so over-the-top edgelord evil, it's hilarious.”
replayability
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
-25 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through its branching narrative and multiple endings, with over five possible outcomes. However, some players found that achieving certain endings required playing in less enjoyable ways, which could detract from the overall experience.
- “The game features an amazing story and high replay value.”
- “The multiple possible routes add significant replay value.”
- “The branching narrative and multiple endings on each branch provide excellent replayability.”
- “In a way, the 5+ possible endings add replayability to the game, but getting all but 2 of the endings meant playing the game the worst possible way, and I didn't have fun getting them.”
- “The multiple possible routes add replay value.”
character development
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight that the game features strong character development and meaningful interactions, indicating a well-crafted narrative that prioritizes both plot and character growth. However, some users feel that the potential for deeper storytelling may not be fully realized.
- “Do you want a great story with a heavy emphasis on character development?”
- “Nice character development and interactions.”
- “It's a shame, because oneone1 clearly had a story to tell and prioritized plot and character development with this one.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Overall, users note that the game's stability has improved significantly with the DLC, which addresses many existing bugs and glitches.
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
- “There are numerous bugs that disrupt gameplay, and stability seems to be a major issue.”