Pleasure Thieves

My Pleasure Was Indeed Stolen

As a journalism student, you'll dive headfirst into a world of love, secrets, and enough drama to make a soap opera blush. This comedy-NSFW visual novel promises plenty of laughs and tantalising moments, but does it live up to the hype? Before we jump in, let’s keep in mind that comedy is subjective. The humor used in this game does not resonate with me hence why it’s a negative review as these are my opinions. You might have a completely difference experience as you enjoy this kind of humor.

About This Game

Storyline

In Pleasure Thieves, you step into the shoes of a troubled journalism student at Cumlombia University. Your love life is a mess, and your academic life isn’t much better, but things take a turn for the interesting when your nosy roommate uncovers a juicy secret. It seems Cumlombia is hiding more drama than a daytime soap opera, and you’re about to become the star of the show. From the moment you decide to play detective, you’re thrust into a series of events that have you juggling romantic interests and uncovering university secrets..

Despite its intent to be a comedy-adult visual novel, the humour often misses the mark. Instead of witty banter and laugh-out-loud moments, the dialogue frequently feels awkward and forced. The attempts at risqué humour can be more cringe than funny, making interactions with characters uncomfortable rather than entertaining. The story has potential, but it could benefit from a significant rework to polish the writing and make the humour land better.

Gameplay Mechanics

Choices, choices, and more choices – that's the name of the game here. Every decision you make affects how the story unfolds, leading to different paths and outcomes. This sounds thrilling, but there’s a catch: the game lacks a back button. So, if you make a wrong move, there’s no going back. The in-game achievement system is robust, encouraging multiple playthroughs to see all the possible story branches, although they didn’t add Steam Achievements yet for some reason. However, the game’s dialogue can feel awkward, and the story sometimes seems rushed, making it feel like it’s trying to juggle too much at once.

Visuals & Audio

Visually, the game has some decent-looking characters, but the overall presentation feels cheap. The animations are minimal and often resemble a PowerPoint slideshow more than a dynamic visual novel. This lack of actual animations can pull you out of the experience. On the audio side, the game does use a lot of sound effects to add to the humorous approach they took. It does sound good but gets dry and annoying real quick.

Pros

Some attractive character designs.
No significant render issues.
Humorous, if sometimes awkward, presentation.

Cons

No back button to undo choices.
Short and feels incomplete.
Limited and unimpressive animations.
Awkward dialogue and sex talk.
The storyline feels rushed and underdeveloped.

Conclusion

Pleasure Thieves feels like someone’s first crack at making a visual novel, and while there's a certain charm to its earnestness, it doesn’t justify the $10 price tag – maybe $5-$6 at best. The game is short, the animations are lacklustre, and the dialogue can be pretty cringe. The extras DLC isn’t even working properly, as hilariously noted in the Steam Store description. Overall, unless it's on sale, you might want to pass on this one and find another game to keep you entertained.

Rating: 5/10

(Could be better if they improved the story and added more animations, there’s still hope)

Cumlombia…wtf??