I'll be honest, I have never played a sex game before and probably never would. However, after reading this article on Kotaku, I was more than intrigued and downloaded Cute Demon Crashers. It's the first sex game I've heard of that totally focuses around consent. In a world and time where consent seems to be a confusing issue, Cute Demon Crashers is a breath of fresh air.
Cute Demon Crashers is a visual novel created and developed by SugarScript that focuses on a main character who wishes to have a spring fling. Only, she can't lose her virginity to just anyone and needs to feel a connection with them first. Moments later a succubus and three incubi appear and say they are willing to help her out. She has two days to get to know the demons and decide if she actually wants to have sex with any one of them.
As a game, one playthrough lasts around 20 minutes. It's a short game that packs a lot into it and with four demons to choose from, theirs obviously at least four playthroughs to get done. On my first attempt, I chose to speak with Akki (the red haired guy) because you can find him in the living room with a bunch of video games.
There are three chances to chat with the demons and you don't have to pick the same one every time. I chose to stick with Akki to get to know him the best, to see what his route is like, and its safe to say I wasn't disappointed. There's pizza, video games and a demon's misunderstanding of how food delivery services work. Cute Demon Crashers is first a foremost a lighthearted comedy. It doesn't take itself too seriously and I think that is its best feature.
Even in the final interactions with the demons, after you (possibly) choose to experiment sexually with one of them, it's still very lighthearted and comfortable. And there is always the option to stop. Actually, I scratch what I said about the comedy element being the game's best feature. It's best feature is its sensitive care around the subject of sex and the phrase "no pressure".
From the start the demons urge you that it is totally your decision whether or not you have sex with one of them. In the sexual part of the game, each new action is increasingly explicit but before every new action you are asked by the demon if you want to continue and there is always the option to say no. If you decide to stop, you are thanked for being honest and respected for your boundaries. No matter how far you've gone already, there is no pressure to continue or go the whole way.
And that's why Cute Demon Crashers is such an important game. It teaches you that you have every right to say no. No matter how much you've already done, no matter how "warmed up" the other person is, you can still say no and they need to respect that. These are important principles but with games like GTA, Rapelay and Artificial Academy 2 that almost show non-consensual sex as a norm, these principles can get lost.
In terms of Cute Demon Crashers as a visual novel and an otome game (one made for girls), although it's only relatively short it's of the highest quality. Particularly its artwork. Out of the hundreds of otome games, there are only a few with such a high standard of art. The character sprites are phenomenal with such detail (I mean look at Mirari above!). It's even rarer to see this quality in a free game.
Once you have played through the game once, you get access the gallery feature which lets you look at any artwork you've managed to unlock. I'd say the only downside to the game is that if you want to complete it 100% then you have to go all the way with each demon at least once, and you need to choose every combination of options in the bedroom to unlock every piece of artwork. You don't have to complete the game to get the most out of it. However if you want to and you're uncomfortable with some of the scenes there's the option to add an 18+ filter, which adds hearts in front of everyone's privates.
Another of my favourite aspects of the game is its partial voice acting. For one, the sound quality seems like something plucked from a professional, mainstream game, and for two, it's in English. You almost NEVER find an otome game with an English voice over. It really adds to the whole experience; as well as reading the text, the characters speak a phrase aloud, or they'll laugh or yell. It makes it so much easier to become attached to the characters when you can hear them in your native tongue.
I find with games that have been translated from, say, Japanese to English in subtitles only, where they keep their original voice-actors, it's hard to feel as connected even if the graphics are stunning. Amnesia: Memories, I'm looking at you. You too, Sword Art Online Hollow Fragment and Lost Song. You all have English dubbed animes. There is no good excuse.
So yeah. Cute Demon Crashers is a sexy visual novel that is so much more than just sex. The writers have created four unique characters that are so easy to get on with. I laughed so much in some parts, and felt my awkwardness melt away at others. The game not only explores intimacy and consent, but it understands that sex is not just a straight forward, serious affair. Things can go wrong and people can be insecure and Cute Demon Crashers tries wholeheartedly to make you laugh and enjoy when things don't go to plan.
Want to play it yourself? 18+ only, please. Find the download here.
Peace until next time!
Sarah
Sarah
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