VN - Ren'Py - Defending Lydia Collier [v0.16.2 Hotfix] [White Phantom Games]

Absolutely Top Tier Storytelling. This game goes to lengths when it comes to its worldbuilding, plot and solid characters. Enough to make you realize that its not the run of the mill random quick fix adult game, but an actual mystery thriller which keeps you on the edge of your seats, and completely immerses you in its plot.
The Character wrting is done excellently, the art is pretty, and Writing is pretty Good as well. The Protagnist is one I can get behind and how the story progresses i.e. the Pace is what really made me admire the effort put into this game. Sure the Sex scenes could use more polish, but beside that, this is one hell of an adventure.
All characters feel distinct, the world feels REAL and The story flows so naturally as if we're watching it real time. Kudos to the devs and I can't wait to what they bring next. Excellent Effort.

I have more than one reason to give five stars. First of all, nearly all girls are fiting my taste, looking excellent. Second, the different ways of entering into relationships with the different women result in a high level of replayability. And last but not least, the name giving main story is very exiting. Looking foreward for the updates.

For me the writing is some of the best I've experienced for AN's. Loads of variety makes it possible and even enjoyable to do multiple playthroughs. I like the escalation options too that open if as you get more comfortable with your chosen.

TL;DR: Play this game for the kinks, the character interactions and the story.

Pros:

• Mature protagonist, a bit of a macho-man but not the ridiculous exaggerated alpha-protagonists that we get in most adult-games
• A very large choice of kinks, all avoidable.
• Multiple paths that really affect you play-through
• Plausible character interactions. There are some times that the scenario will stretch you sens of disbelief but the characters feel like human beings, not just plot devices. They all have a distinctive voice, a life outside of the MCs actions, etc. This is the best part of the game
• The plot is interesting, there is an investigation going on but not the whole focus of the game. Just enough to keep your interest while letting you "play" with the girls

CONS:

• The biggest cons is the renders. Well the girls are fine but the sex scenes are quite lacking on the graphic side. There are not many animations and sometimes very few images. I've seen far worse games though, but this is a part that could definitely be improved
• The sex scenes can sometimes feel a bit short. They are not always satisfying. But I've also seen far worse.

Thank you White Phantom for this game. This is something refreshing, not set in the US and with a different perspective. A mature, interesting, well thought-out plot and character interactions. Thanks!

Easy five star and easily one of the best games on here. Good story, smart dialogue, great renders and filthy protagonists/antagonists. And since the plot develops nicely, you can actually engage with some of the characters, or at least empathise with them. Well worth your support, currently the only dev worth it imho.

I have to admit i really enjoyed the story most. It has an interesting plot and a lot of exciting females for everyones tastes.
The only negative point would be that it is not finished, yet. But if the dev can wrap up the story good as he had been i am looking forward for a grand finale.
5/5 for me.

good game.. even without many animations this one really benefits from a good story,the amount of kinks (that ALL are completely avoidable) and good looking Renders.

player decisions really have an impact. i mean after i played several playthroughs i still find new dialogues or scenes^^ almost every girl has more than 1 path so that you can play her differently. the only criticism would be that the animations should be at least have an infinte loop instead of a 10 sec animation where you need to click on "replay" to enjoy the animation a bit more.

edit for Version 0.15.9

the game is turning into a pretty boring direction as pretty much every (thressome)path leads to lydia. steph/lydia,ellie/lydia and now jenna/lydia for people who have absolutely no interest in lydia but wanted a threesome with someone else, well not gonna happen. furthermore is jenna's story timeline totally mixed up seems like it has a lot of bugs. bc of that and the long wait for content of your fav LI i have to remove another star.

In a world where adult games are tiring repeats of the same niches made by creators with good intentions, but a scarce sense of creativity, Defending Lydia Collier grips you with murder, mystery, and and dames so beautiful that you'd think you were thrown back to the golden days of the PI.
Yes, sure, its got some stuff like scat, but its all avoidable and frankly not that bad as far as scat scenes can go, but I mean I get it. Its shit. You're not supposed to like it.

The amount of attention given to this title is quite impressive.

Story, Renders, Character arcs are all top shelf material. When I was checking out the description of this VN, it looked too good on the surface. But damn have you delivered.

I'm loving the mystery side of the story, very immersive. I can see how much effort you're putting into trying to satisfy all types of readers. And to be honest, I think you've knocked it out of the park.

I'm not one for the lewd scenes, so I for one, appreciate the liberty you give your reader to keep it at a strict minimum should one chose to do so. So thank you for that.

So aside from a few literary mistakes (which I'm not really bothered to enumerate), you've done a stellar job concentrating on the story content. Just one tiny suggestion though, I'd relax on the word "whilst". I've only noted 3 instances where it's actually correct to use. And many other times where it's just out of place. other than that 6/5 stars if that rating would be possible.

Keep up the fantastic work.
A title absolutely worth getting.
Eagerly waiting for more.

Well , I didn't expected it ,but this game is surprisingly good , there are different paths , numerous choices that affecting outcome which making playing it a vast experience and charming characters, beautiful artwork, polished story , lawyer and crime theme is refreshing , it's preferable to repetitive inauthentics.
Story has a good potential to captivate , because we expecting investigations reaching an answer or mysteries to be solved , that is keeping us hooked always , sometimes choices can be overwhelming and difficult to be made, but not if we really dig into story .

Defending Lydia Collier is definitely a unique remarkable game.

An excellent game/story if you don't mind a slow burn or thinking. This review is for v0.15.2 and I'd guess there are over 5 hours of gameplay here if you try all of the romance paths.

Defending Lydia Collier is easily one of the most successful crime dramas made into an eroge. Without spoiling anything, it's the kind of game where your character starts out by just trying to do a good thing while making a paycheck, but then increasingly finds that things are not what they seem. The author does a good job of making you feel like you're in over your head.

While juggling that intrigue, you're also given the choice of several different love paths which are also not exactly simple either. You have several love interests with which you can encourage bimbofication and submission, you can do some crazy family corruption, or you can go for wholesome romances.

It's honestly kind of crazy to think about how many different paths the author is managing between the romances, types of romances, and the semi-open-ended nature of the main story.

The only complaint I have about this game is that the graphics are a bit dated compared to some of the stuff coming out now, but that hasn't stopped me from enjoying this game on any level.

I highly recommend checking it out even before it's complete.

This is definitely a must play.

+ The setting is cool, based in UK rather than US. MC is a middle age lawyer and acts laid back and appropriately, showing life experience. Plot is interesting and feels original for this genre. Mockery and humor is existent but not overwhelming. You can feel overwhelmed by the flow of information pertaining to various topics, just like in life The sound is used to good extent for immersion. Laptop and smartphone interface feels good and immersive. The LIs are round characters and loaded with emotional baggage and relatives, letting the player feel good attachment and play loyal. On the other hand, kinky options are there and there are plenty but you can still avoid it completely if you can. Each LI feels like another game. There is definitely min 10-15 hours worth of content if you'd like to try all paths.

- Sex scene animations are scarce and the quality is meh. But this is: "play it for the plot, scenes are bonus" kinda game so it doesn't keep me from giving 5 stars.

If you are definitely tired of young adult college drama AVN trope, then this is the right AVN for you. A true adult visual novel. I felt sad, funny, frustrated, horny in the same playthrough. I recommend buying it on steam to support devs.

One of the finest games I've ever played. Excellent decision influencing the tale and how the characters evolve. Beautiful work of art. And the Steph character is fantastic. It's a lot of fun. Definitely give it a go.

v0.14.1
Longer than I expected, to say the least.

Really, the characters could have easily been a stand alone game I would have played.
I am disappointed that
There was some bloat with the computer stuff that really could've just been made into some scenes the MC viewed without all the clicking around tbh.
It wasn't too horrible and I realized I could just click through real fast and ignore the laptop after for the most part.
I did like that the social media accounts added pics over time. Nice touch.

Models: 5/5
There are a variety of types and all of the characters are easily distinguished. Well, mostly. Many times I was like, "who is- oh. The nametag shows it's that character" lol. Especially for the neighbor (jane?) and Lydia.

Art: 5/5
Everything looks very good in this. No complaints.

Setting: 4/5
It feels like a place, but I don't have a mental space of the world they use. It does seem like a place though.

Plot: 4/5
Tbh the title and overarching plot is just... the day job. Or more like weekend job it feels like lol.
It feels a lot more like a romance than anything else.

Sex: 4.5/5
I enjoyed it and some scenes have some specific options which is nice.

Sex frequency: 4/5

I felt like nearly all if not all sex scenes had story or character behind them. Little to no sex for sex sake with random people.
That said, sometimes I wish there was more sex because I'm greedy like that.
That wall over there? Good sex spot.
Going to open the door? Heh, maybe in 10 minutes... anyway ya.
One thing I kinda wish was there but totally isn't needed:
tldr:
It's worth trying. If nothing else, for the amount of content it has.

Errrrm, What?!?

An adult, interesting story with good writing and adult interactions between believable characters.

I'm only in the beginning of the game, but already see I am witnessing the gold standard for writing and pacing. Damn, please go commercial and make many games

I rarely give 5 stars to VNs that don't have a lot of animation or incredible rendered images but this one tops the lot atm with the number of fetishes, the level of completion and the amazing game scenario. Plus all the LIs are exciting and highly corruptible. Replayability is another major factor as game locks other girls out if someone special is chosen on most routes. Also this is a Brit game with Brit expressions and not a Russian dev setting the game in the U.S. Love the way Steph uses the word 'arse'.

Fantastic! Really, really, really good! Really interesting plot, with really interesting characters! Can´t recommend this game enough!

Just go play it!
If you wanna read a rant about stuff i think about this game just read on:
- It has a plot! A real one! Not a porn one! No sisters, no mommies, no long lost whatevers! You´re a lawyer and there´s a murder mystery and many secrets! Like a good cop show!
- Choices! You can´t have all the girls! You can´t date 2 at the same time! You have to choose! But i´s ok! Just start over! There is a lot content for everyone!
- Kinks! A few nasty ones... Perfectly avoidable! Big warnings! Thanks for that!
- Proper kinks! Steph is an expertly built character! She as a sub makes perfect sense! The damaged past, the strong attitude! Yes guys; your sub girlfriend will talk back and will break up with you. She´s only a slave in the bedroom. And what a perfect slave she is. You see her go to the limit and it´s exhilarating!
- It´s big. The 3 main LIs have very different paths set in very different locations! You dont get the same party with 3 different girls; you get trips to the mall with one and tropical vacations with another. It fits perfectly with the main crime theme: it´s all part of the puzzle!

Damn! That's what I'm talking about. This is probably the best game on here. The models look great. The story is original and has a bit of a mystery to it that you gotta solve. The sex scenes are awesome. It has a lot of replay value too allowing you to go back and choose different women to be with. Your choices matter. You can be a honest or a cheater. You can make love or break a heart. You can even do the really nasty stuff or keep it a little cleaner and avoid that. It allows for a wide range of appetites and allows you to play how you want to.

I really like the story of this game. You can really fell the heaviness of your choice, which will change the story accordingly.
You can chose 1 of 3 main female characters and she also change her route by your choice which make the game rich of content.

v0.13.7 (or the previous, idk)
strong 4 to light 5 - actual game with romance and sex, mature in nature (as much as you can expect an indie porn game to be). incomplete, but has fair amount of content - especially considering alternative routes.

it's a proper game, well thought out, with distinct paths having unique content, both sexual and plot wise. i did replay and was actually surprised how much difference there is. choices actually matter, even the ones that seem insignificant, so it might be tricky to hop into the one you desire. it's not rocket surgery, but walkthrough is advised, if a little guesswork is no fun, only a frustration to you.
i appreciate the avoidable fetishes, tho it doesn't offer anything vanilla as an alternative, just ends the scene. technically fine, but would benefit immensely from a parallel track with some steam for the normies.
characters are 3d both in decent renders and good writing. very distinct in looks as well as personalities. a bit of uncanny valley here and there, but nothing to scream home about. some cliche, not much. might consider tropey? possibly, if you're on the picky spectrum, because it's all established by the story pretty well.

anyway, great effort by the dev/team, honest to god game, salt of this site. not perfect by any stretch, but very fuckin' decent. defending lydia collier, forever. peace.

p.s. gave it 5 stars, because i root for honest and decent, also fuck you, that's why