Rent-a-Vice

Started off well enough, and hooked me enough to purchase the game, but my excitement quickly tapered off as the story progressed. Characters aren't as fleshed out as i would like, and as some others have said, the actual Rent-A-Vice system was a plot device. Was disappointing, as I was hoping for a deeper in-depth level of world building. Was also kind of unclear about why I had to pay child support, when your ex spouse and you share custody(?). Romance could also have been worked better. At the end of my first playthrough, I was surprised when I ended up with a specific character, despite only having been polite and friendly (never romantic!!). Not the worst game I've ever played, but would give a pass.

Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 485: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ (8/10) I see the reviews are mixed, and I totally understand why. It's dark. You play as a semi-defined protagonist. The endings range from bitter to bittersweet. It's short. But that's why I like [i]Rent-a-Vice [/i]so much—well, everything except the last part. Even with its pacing flaws, I found myself thinking about this little IF long after I closed the window. For those not familiar with interactive fiction, most protagonists are "blank slate characters," i.e. you can easily self insert. They don’t have strong opinions, backstories, or personalities, so you can mold them how you see fit. In [i]Rent-a-Vice[/i], you play as the complete opposite: you are a grizzled detective with an ex-partner, young child, and a crippling amount of debt. When you’re approached by an attractive, mysterious individual who offers you a huge payout to solve a case, you already know this isn’t a simple cheating-spouse stakeout. Of course not. Why would anything be easy in this world? No, [i]you[/i] are going down the deep, dark underbelly of “virtual experiences”—a technology that makes VR look like a baby's first …

[h1] Rent-a-Vice [/h1] It’s hard to leave a review for this game. In one sense, it achieves what it aims to achieve. It’s well-constructed, and the writing has particularly beautiful moments. However, because of the actual content in the game, it’s not something I would actually recommend to anyone. To me, Rent-A-Vice is an experience you need to stumble upon, read the summary, and use your best judgement about whether you as an individual can enjoy this type of content. [h2]Summary:[/h2] In a world where virtual experiences can feel real, the ethics of feeders and users opens up a labyrinth of mystery. As a divorced P.I., your life is turned upside down by your newest case. Searching the underground world of virtual experiences for a man pronounced dead, you experience firsthand how and why these experiences are important to the world you live in. Find out the truth, deal with your past-trauma, solve your case and try to stay alive between warring factions. [h3] The Good: [/h3] - [b]I like that you can opt-in to trigger warnings. [/b] I didn’t think I’d necessarily need them (I did. Good gracious), but I turned them on by chance. From self-harm to police brutality and so many…

I see the reviews are mixed on this game but it is actually very thought provoking and deep if it is too short for my liking but has wonderful replayability, good writing, ethical dilemmas, and many different kinds of MC's you can personalize. I would like to play it some more but it finished up a good Saturday night. I recommend playing "The Administrators" if you feel depressed or weirded out by this game. I understand the problems with VE and I honestly feel conflicted. You can't have everything in this game and you have to choose one thing over another which is disappointing to me. I liked the ending I got and like any choice of games text adventure everything is completely customizable to whatever life you want to have. I ended up with a partner who is super concerned and a failed business plus a lot of debt. Reminds me of the pandemic and world issues where there is no right answer but I can't think of any real life parallels. I don't understand the story yet but I am interested to replay it. I played the game and it is definitely pretty philosophical. I think I got the best ending I could have wanted on the first try. Honestly, it's very good although short. I ag…

In classic Theodoridou fashion, this immersive tale is dystopian, mystic and enthralling! Can't wait to see and feel where the story goes. Because this story give me the chills!

"Rent-a-Vice" is a cyberpunk noir interactive novel where you play a private investigator navigating debt, custody of a child, and a missing persons case tied to a deeply unsettling virtual reality technology. It's on the shorter side for a Choice of Games title, but engaging enough that I've finished it multiple times. The writing is strong, the premise is genuinely interesting, and the interactions with other characters feel grounded and real. Worth noting is that I tend to play morally straightforward characters, and the game accommodated that well. Those who push against the grain may find the experience less satisfying, and your mileage may vary depending on the choices you gravitate toward. (8/10)