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As some of you might know, just recently AGL studios released their 18+ erotic adventure RPG/VN/dating sim “Faulty Apprentice” for PC. Well, long story short.
I have spent quite some time with the game since it’s release. So now I feel ready to write a fair and balanced review of “Faulty Apprentice” 😉
And with that said, let’s start off with a short introduction of the game’s backstory:
The choices you make will not only affect your fate, but your choices will also affect the fate of those around you as well (will you be good or evil? It’s all up to you!).
Given a scroll, you’re sent to deliver a message at a nearby castle called “Stars Reach”. That might sound like a walk in the park kind of job, but that’s not the case here.
You see, you need to be trained in a suitable discipline as you have failed all of your previous jobs.
The character designs and visuals look very stunning and well-made for the most part throughout the game.
So, do you have what it takes to help save the people of this castle against an oncoming war, and perhaps start a relationship with some of the occupants?
You can interact with the game’s characters in the main courtyard (there are +30 different characters that you can meet and talk to in the current version of “Faulty Apprentice” ).
And straight out of the gates, “Faulty Apprentice” is mostly a visual novel game, with a little bit of inventory management and mini-games thrown in as well (which features quite a few interesting characters, including a bunny and some doll guards).
The game’s nude scenes are nice but rather static for the most part (let’s just say that there is room for improvements with no doubt).
The prologue for “Faulty Apprentice” is optional, but is certainly worth going through if you haven’t played the game before. Because once you reach the castle and have been given a (dark and damp) room, the main story progresses over several weeks.
Believe it or not, but your magic instructor actually starts off by being afraid of you when she first meets you.
Other than that, through (initially at least) various tests that the captain of the guard puts you through, you gain basic equipment, at which you get to choose your role.
This is what the map of the castle looks like in “Faulty Apprentice” (since there are over fifteen locations that you can visit in the game, the map is very much needed).
These tests including cutting up wood, and a simple Simon Says game (although they get steadily more complicated). A fair warning though, urgent missions given by a merchant or a guard will end the game if you fail…So it’s a good idea to save before doing those.
If you like thick Elf booties, then you’re not going to get disappointed on that front for sure *cough cough*
So, what about visuals then? Well, graphically the game is quite nice – characters are large and detailed with nice facial changes, but do take a bit of getting used as the can take up a fair portion of the screen.
It’s also worth pointing out that the game’s backgrounds aren’t quite as good as the character visuals, but they are pretty okay nevertheless.
“Faulty Apprentice” offers a nice and interesting story plus quite a lot of entertaining dialogs, meetings and characters.
As for Faulty Apprentice’s character roster, the characters you meet are generally animal based. For example, there are ram and fox guards, and a bird merchant, for example, all of which makes a nice change from everyone being human.
“Nice! But what about voice acting then?” So you might wonder. Well, all the characters (except the protagonist) are partially voiced. However, most of them just usually spout random sentences which can be odd at times.
There are all sorts of hot babes that you can flirt up in “Faulty Apprentice”, and some of them are even thick and sexy monster girls :3
Things look a wholt lot better on story front though, because “Faulty Apprentice” offers a very nice story with the ability to occasionally improve relationships with characters multiple times a day.
Even so, the guard tests do get annoying after a while though as you can’t seem to abandon them once started, and they get progressively trickier.
“Faulty Apprentice” does offer some truly nice lewd content. Even so, it would have been nice if there had been a bit more erotic scenes in the game.
Now, as for the erotic aspects of the game. The adult CG’s are nicely drawn, if rather static, although you can occasionally cycle through various stages of a character being undressed.
I would also like to mention that since “Faulty Apprentice” is a Unity visual novel, you don’t the usual controls that you would find in a Ren’Py visual novel, so whilst there is a log file, you don’t get all the niceties as with other engines (you can’t easily skip text for one, which does get annoying if you have to re-do something).
“Faulty Apprentice” got a lot of positive things going for itself. However, the game does suffer from a handful of downsides as well. For example, the game’s background graphics could have been a lot better, and training missions and some side quests can get pretty darn annoying over time.
“Faulty Apprentice” is also very similar (story-wise that is) to ”
Love Esquire“. So whilst “Faulty Apprentice” is amusing, “Love Esquire” is funnier overall.
Nevertheless, “Faulty Apprentice” is with no doubt a good-looking, fun and charming 18+ erotic adventure RPG/VN/dating sim. So if you’re into games of that kind, then you might want to pick up and give “Faulty Apprentice” a fair chance.
Pros:
+ The character graphics are very nice.
+ Nice music (if somewhat repetitive).
+ The game’s story is good.
+ There are plenty of sexy babes.
+ The lewd content is nice (I just wish that there had been more lewd scenes in the game).
+ Ten dateable characters
Cons:
– You can only save at the protagonist’s room.
– The game’s character voice does just consist of random phrases.
– Bit pricey.
– Training missions and some side quests can get annoying.
– The background graphics leave a lot to desire.
Gameplay: 4/5
Graphics: 4/5
Sound and music: 3/5
Controls: 3/5
Replay value: 3/5
Story: 4/5
Verdict: 4/5
“Faulty Apprentice” is certainly not a bad visual novel/RPG/dating game, because it’s not. However, whilst characters are nicely animated they do take a bit of getting used to. Furthermore, all the memory games do get annoying after a while, especially as they end the game if you fail.
Even so, at the end of the day, “Faulty Apprentice” is still a good-looking and charming 18+ erotic adventure RPG/VN/dating sim that might be worth getting in a sale later on.
Title: Faulty Apprentice
Developer: AGL studios
Format: PC
Genre: Visual novel/dating simulator
Resolution: User-defined
Release date: 2019-11-12
Difficulty: Tricky at times
Spent time: + 2 hours
Average grade internationally: N/A
PEGI age rating: 18+
Price: 18.19 Euros via Steam
***UNCENSORED NSFW IMAGES FOR DOWNLOAD!***
Credit:
Robin Ek – Editor
***Disclosure***
The product was provided by AGL studios.
Nicholas Kingsley
The Gaming Ground
Twitter: @sku_te
More by Nicholas Kingsley:
Tags: AGL Studios, Dating Simulator, Faulty Apprentice, Indie games, Lewd games, PC review, Visual novel
