Doki Doki Blue Skies - First Impressions (Natsuki route)
Hi, I'm new here, since the idea of modding DDLC never actually crossed my mind. However, I've been waiting for Blue Skies for a long time, and after a long overdue I finally got to play it.
I'll rip the band-aid off and say, that Blue Skies is and excellent mod - so good in fact, it could be viewed as canon. But after completing the Natsuki route, I have to vent, and say there are some major plot flaws in this specific route, that ruined the experience a bit. Everything from now on will be SPOILERS for NATSUKI ROUTE, so continue at your own risk.
"So let's start with the things I don't like."
The storyline suffers from some heavy Everlasting Summer syndrome, where in order to get the "true ending" - which we all strive to get on our first playtrough - you have to make some choices, that somehow contribute to the grander scheme of events, which will result in a "happy ending". Now, this is a double edged sword, that I will bring up later, but how is me sitting with Sayori at lunch, or buying her food contributing to the relationship I have with Natsuki? It makes no freaking sense and I can be only grateful, that I did all of those things, otherwise I'd have to replay a good chunk of the game. What the developers should've done is make a separate secondary route, where your relationship with Natsuki would be uneffected, and your friendship with Sayori would either strengthen, or crumble, making for a much better "bittersweet ending", in case you've done everything regarding Natsuki well, and only screwed up in some events regarding Sayori. I get that there are always some budget boundaries and such, but man, was it really annoying to find out, that I was this close to completely ruining my defacto whole run, just 'cause I originally didn't want to take Sayori out for food in the city (Thanks MomC, you made me load a save and rethink my decision). Where I flopped, was at my house on the Valentine's Day. Defending Sayori was an incorrect option. May I know why? Sayori's clingy, Natsuki knows that and I won't compromise on behalf of someone's jealousy. Also, if you donate the money to her and her dad, you also won't get a good ending. It is explained why, but that doesn't make it a logical step for the sad ending to happen.
TL;DR - Some choices don't make much sense in the grander scheme of things and it's hurting the game's otherwise very well written plot.
"It's good, it's really good. There, I said it."
On the other hand, I'm glad that the devs wanted to make it more, than just "Go with everything, that's gonna appeal your partner and get a good ending". I just wish there were some more obvious hints what is actually a right thing to do. Surely it makes sense to spend some good time with your childhood friend. And it isn't very appliable to real life to give away 25 000 Yen to your girlfriend, that you know for about 6 months. However a lot of these choice are pushed on you as the good thing to do, or they just doesn't have any repercussions, until the very end. However, I digress. All in all, I was ultimately blown away by Blue Skies, everything from the soundtrack, the background, the new characters and of course the whole storyline, it was really fenomenal. So fenomenal in fact, I will just consider Blue Skies canon from now on. Fight me.
Anyway, I'm free for discussion, so please do actually fight me. I might never recover from the break up with Natsuki, and the true ending wasn't really super satisfying, so imma head out and go for Sayori route now.