Full commitment! I'm gonna start over and use the walkthrough up until the point I'm at. I don't want to miss anything, and I've made more mistakes than I thought. 😅 I still want to complete the rest of the game on my own, but I don't want to be in the hole so early.
Thanks for the walkthrough, sorry for my momentary stupidity.
I was super sad to see that Alex(andra) was abruptly greyed out after the encounter with her father... HOW DO I KEEP HER? Please, any hints would be nice; I don't necessarily need a walk-through.
Glad to see you're active right now. I wanted to say this one of my favorite NSFW games with these kinds of graphics. I like games with good story lines.
They are usually only the ones that matter toward the girls and best ending. If it is not there, you can pick what you like, sometimes you may have to choose between one of two girls to get and extra heart, but they do not grey out the one you did not pick. (Ex: best food between Dalia's and Alex's).
Alex may seem tricky (that pen choice is very tricky 'cause we don't know her yet) Once you get her personality it may not be that hard to make the right choices. She does not like to be complimented for the sake of it, she is independent, she likes to be challenged/provoked (but remind her she can rely on you) Keep pushing to get to know her better! Remember to always stand up for the girls! Defend them, stay with them, don't leave 'em behind. They gotta love you and you only!
I just finished the game or what? A door open interface came up, and the game ends there, is this is the end? Im not expecting that kind of end, 3.5 stars for you
If you want to play a completed game by the same author, check out Once In A Lifetime. It takes place in the same universe as Eternum. And it's very good.
As Caribdis said, Eternum is still in development, so the story isn't even close to finished yet.
This is by far my favorite of all the visual novels I've played, the detail and effort that has been put into this can be seen clearly. Keep up the good work! I beat .3 in a day lol
I Just downloaded this game Yesterday.Man i just flabbergasted by you increadible work.other than porn there is alot of things in this game soundtracks,animation, and the storyline
Hey Caribdis . The game is super cool and very good but i have a question the game finish after the reunion with the girls ? When its possible to have the other part's of the game ? Because the game is great and i need to continute this amazing game thx for the response.
Edit: I see you public the game in 2021 in september, the 0.2 version was in december and the 0.3 in april 2022 you thinks in 2022 we have the 0.4 version ? And its possible to know when the game is finish in 100% thanks you for ur amazing work.
Once in a life time is one of the best made adult games I've played, and I was wondering what programs you used for model creation and set piece creation. I wanna try and develop something as well, and want to know where to start.
At first I was just playing this as a porn game, but I found that it's really a novel-like work and not just a porn, it's really great! I hope the developers can continue to update, in addition, I hope to have Chinese language！
Hey Caribdis, I'm a long time fan since OITLA. I have a suggestion that might seem unpopular. It's probably too late to do this for Eternum, but for future games I was hoping you'd consider allowing us to follow girls' paths without needing to romance them and invite them to the harem?
Currently, "following a girl's path" essentially means the same thing as "trying to fuck them" since they go completely hand in hand. With a lot of games I wouldn't mind this, but since Eternum is so well written with characters that feel so real, it's kinda a double edged sword. I wanna help out all these girls through their problems, but I don't wanna have to create a whole harem of girlfriends to do so. I really feel like all these girls should find someone that gives them their full attention.
I'm not sure how unpopular this opinion will be, since a lot of people (even myself when I started the game) mainly play Eternum for the porn. But I know there's a lot of people who are interested in the plot and the writing and may agree with me. Just something to keep in mind for future games.
Is that true? That's nice then lol. I'd love to help Alex through her parents' abuse and neglect without necessarily romancing her. I don't know if that'll be an option, but it'd be nice.
Ok, altough I haven't finished the game I can already say, it was worth the wait. In the 0.3 Version, for me at least, the quality stepped waaay up.
First, something I really appreciate are the unique camera movements during conversation to bring more life into them.
Second, variant dialogues. More on the fun side but the game still mixes serious, sad and especially sexy vibes up from time to time and has a natural story progression. between many different and individuel characters the dialogue never gets boring and I actually fckng care for Luna.
I have to ask, are the models perhaps reworked? They look better and the scenes with their poses are just so well executed.
I like the character design. Your models look more cute than sexy in my opinion which I like. The girls don't look overly sexified or exaggerated in their proportions. The outfits they wear are, yes sexy but also cool or cute or relaxed. What I want to say is, I think these are the most clean models I have ever seen.
I like the use of music. You just know how to set the mood.
Back then I asked for more Luna content and this arc with her is so sweet. It made me happy spending more time with her. Thank you. I gotta ask though, does Luna also get a CG scene in the future?
I am very happy with this game. It'S fun to play it and I like every character in there. Keep up the good work!
Thank you! The girls' models are exactly the same since the beginning, I just change their hair/make-up, and maybe the lighting I use And of course, all the main girls will have several scenes!
I left a "critique" of Eternum 131 days, during the version 0.2 era. And before I jump into my next critique, might I just say the fact that Caribdis responds to virtually every comment left is almost unique in this space. That by itself, places this creator in the top tier of VN novelists and is worthy of recognition. The fact that they take the time to not only read, but respond is a level of interaction with the fan base that most fan bases can only dream of. Even if it's not necessarily true, it allows the fan base to feel like it has some say in the development of a story that they are emotionally invested in. And in this case, maybe somewhat financially invested in as well. That connection is worth gold I should think in both directions and I sincerely wish more creators would take the time to cultivate that kind of connection with their base.
Critiques/reviews being what they are, I don't wish to leave the impression that I think 0.3 was some how "bad". That couldn't be further from the truth. I binged it, I enjoyed it, and I can't wait for the next installment. As a creator, you'd have to accept that as a resounding success. But based on reading other comments, Caribdis is not in lack of high praise for their work and while I'm certain all praise is welcomed, all of my commentary for any of these VNs tends to lean towards Review and Critique. I acknowledge given the length of these posts, not many will find it useful. I do this primarily for myself and for the maybe one or two other people who do find it worthwhile. To that end, please feel free to stop reading right here if long posts are not for you.
So, what about 0.3. IMHO, from the point of opening Calypso's box, installment 0.3 begins to take on a different tone. I can't say the tonal shift was bad; as I previously stated, I can't wait for 0.4. But at the same time, I'm not yet prepared to say it was good either. Having only finished bingeing 0.3 last night, I'm still kind of processing it all. However, I'm prepared to say for the moment that the tonal shift is absolutely noticeable. Maybe by the end of this commentary, I'll have a clearer perspective.
Through 0.2, the story, for lack of better words here, sorta felt,,,,,, wholesome? The protagonist was a young innocent "Babyface" if you will. And it's not that the protagonist turns "Heel" in 0.3, but, well, lets just say he's not opposed to going a bit "alpha". Again, not a bad thing. As I previously confessed, I'm typically into darker more carnal VNs. But it's,,,,,, how to say this? If you have children, than you know that there's a transition period in every childes life where they cross a line from being purely innocent and angelic, into adulthood. And I don't know how it plays out for everyone else, but for me, that transition was a mixture of both pride and a profound sadness that comes from knowing they would never again, be children and altogether innocent. I love my children and they are my whole world. But they are adults now, and are now saddled with the curse of adulthood. The curse is that as an adult, none of us can ever be considered "innocent" again. And that's the tonal change that I perceive between 0.2 and 0.3.
Our protagonist, while still being every bit the "Good Guy", is no longer a child of innocence. When you've reached a point of maturity where you're capable of "face fucking" a woman primarily for your own gratification and sense of power, you have clearly crossed the line into adulthood. And to me, there is something profoundly sad about that. If the protagonist started out as an adult, nothing he does would much phase me. But our protagonist didn't start out as a fully fledged adult even if he was legally of adult age. He was still in many ways, a child. And we are witnessing this child transition. In a strange way, I sort of wish I could protect him from that transition, the same way I wished this for my own children. But as all children must, the protagonist is growing up, and he is not the same character in 0.3 that he was through 0.2
Hmmmm,,, so while I do indeed find this transition sad, as a bit of story telling, I have to come down on the side of this being good. The fact that yet again, the author has found a way to make an emotional impact is in my opinion a mark of a good story. While there's certainly adult content here, this for sure isn't your run of the mill VN. I don't know if this transition was intentional, or if it just organically flowed out of advancing novel. But intentional or not, it's a transition and tonally the story is shifting in (my opinion) a realistic fashion. So,,,,, now I think this was overall a real win for the story. There certainly is a depth to the story that goes beyond the surface level story we're reading. And it's a depth that I've only found in just a relative handful of other VNs. I guess on reflection, Caribdis continues killing it at this point.
I will say however, 0.3 did take some,,,,,,,,, erm,,,, turns? That at first blush seem altogether out of step with the story through 0.2. There were some points in 0.3 (as in multiple points) where I had to stop for a moment and ask myself the question; "What The Actual Fuck Is Going On Here?" It's like, how the hell did we end up HERE? Keep in mind, there is a real world mystery going on. Eternum is straight up murdering people. At the same time, all the characters are very clearly invested in, and perfectly happy too, keep enjoying the "game". Even when at times remembering that they're supposed to be digging into the sinister side of Eternum, their adventures always seem to turn into just that. Adventures. Adventures that they cherish and wish to have more of. This is a stark juxtaposition to the FACT that Eternum is literally murdering people. 0.2 felt,,,,, grounded to reality. While 0.3 is feeling like it's becoming very untethered to reality. Maybe this is being done intentionally and I'll get to that in a moment. But the transition is very noticeable, a bit jarring, and confusing.
Now at first blush, my kneejerk reaction was that this all amounted to horrible writing. I was genuinely concerned that this story that I was so invested in and looking forward too was going off the rails. But I've had some time now to absorb what's happening and I'm not so convinced anymore. The real question is; is what's happening in the story haphazard and "Shooting from the hip" because the author has lost the thread of their own story? Or, is this all very much intentional and there is a far deeper story being told than just the surface level story we're reading? I sincerely don't know. From my perspective as a consumer of VNs, one doesn't really expect a "Deep Story" out of these "smut" novels. So, when something begins looking like there's a lot more going on then what's expected, I cynically tend to lean into skepticism; like I must be reading way more into this story than the story deserves.
If I give the author the benefit of the doubt however, I could make the case that there's an underlying commentary going on concerning how such futuristic technology would impact society. The question becomes, even in the face of blatant murder, is this technology so invasive to the human mind that murder takes a back seat? "Yea, Eternum is straight up murdering people, but it's totally worth the price". And how about the very bizarre "Turns" the story takes. Those moments when you think the story is going completely off the rails? Is this meant to illustrate how the game effects or is warping peoples perception of reality?
Does Eternum have an even darker side than murder? Is Eternum actually altering peoples perception of reality and re-writing what "normal" means in the real world? Is Eternum altering the real world? While everyone is too distracted and busy seeking to be the king or queen of the Eternum Universe, is Eternum actually conquering the real world? Bending the real world towards the ends of one person or handful of persons? Are the bizarre rabbit holes 0.3 takes us down meant to illustrate this?
The fact of the matter is, I don't know and I can't really tell. If this is being done on purpose, it's hands down brilliant and something that I was completely not expecting out of a VN like this. Like, we're starting to enter Matrix 1 levels of story telling here (we won't talk about 2 and 3). Alternatively, it's also possible that the author has just lost the thread of their own story and there is no deeper subtext.
I brought up Game Of Thrones up in my last critique and I'm doing it again now. GoT circa season 2 had nothing but potential. An epic story was unfolding. GoT could have been, in competent hands, a record breaking success that future stories would aspire too for many years, or maybe even decades or more to come. But we all know what happened to GoT in the end. I'm sensing a deja vu feeling with Eternum. Potentially, this story could be epic in it's conclusion. There is nothing but potential right now (we're sort of in that season two era of GoT). Are we witnessing an incredible depth of storytelling unfolding right now? Or are we witnessing someone shooting from the hip and making "Stuff" up as they go along? Is this all just a "stream of consciousness" flowing out? Or is there a real plan at work here?
I want very much to give Caribdis the benefit of the doubt and assume that we're witnessing a really deep story unfolding that's already been planed out (more or less) to the end, and really, Caribdis is just fleshing out the bones at this point. Taken in the only context we currently have, 0.3 was,,,, weird,,,, in it's storytelling and sort of feels out of sync with the story through 0.2. But, maybe context is the key here. Maybe we simply don't have all the context needed yet to make proper sense of 0.3. I strongly want to believe that as the story advances, that context will start to come into focus and it will all come together. So, for now the game is very much Caribdis's to win or lose. The potential is all there and for the time being at least, I'm still very much onboard this ride.
Wow that was a lot to read, but it was well done! I'm not really sure if i got everything you meant, if you truly enjoyed the story from 0.2 to 0.3. I like how and where the story is going. So many things going on, so many questions. The MC is growing, so are all the girls, part of their background is now established (with still some mystery about them yet to be revealed, which is expected for a concluding arc for all of them at the end.) Now comes on how they interact with each other, relationships will keep growing, while the story slowly reveals itself. Lets say the story is on another arc, after the initial prologue/background thing, it is approaching the midpoint. I think things are going naturally, but that's my opinion/perspective. Maybe you are overthinking too much? idk.
Have you played Carabdis other VN Once in a Life time? Maybe that's why I'm used to this type of writing, pacing and story overall. So, yes, everything is done on purpose, the plot revolves a lot more than just your simplistic, average normal porn VN relationships, as you said, and I love it! He did a great job with that previous game, the ending was great. I hope he sticks to his story no matter what this time as well. I believe it's gonna be great again, so don't worry, it's not gonna be like GoT disappointing ending.
I think Caribdis already mentioned ingame one of the points you were making now. About how Eternum is killing people and people play it anyways. I'm a smoker. Smoking kills people. I know that it can cause cancer. I smoke anyway. Same with Alcohol. And Eternum as well. It's sort of this habit, the addiction that keeps them hooked on Eternum in my opinion. That's my interpretation.
Spoiler Alert btw for people who haven't played through it yet:
Caribdis also mentioned through Alex how Ulysses also covers up those deaths to not get bad publicity. They paid Benjamin's parents $150k as a NDA basically. So I doubt that people are informed about this. But as for people who do know about it for example the MC and the people he has told it to: They want to get to the bottom of it, is what I'm guessing. There's also the factor that (at least that's how I saw it) you only die in real life if you're "excommunicated" by the Praetorians. If you die normally like Jerry did for example to the ogre, you don't die in real life. So as long as you can avoid being excommunicated you're pretty much safe to play Eternum without risking death. Not being excommunicated also only amounts to not breaking the law and ethics code. You've also already said that Eternum may be the new "normal". I can see how Eternum becomes more of a desirable place to live in than the one people are currently living in. Hell, if there was a right server, I'd probably also prefer or want to swap to living that life instead of my normal ordinary one and spend too much time living in Eternum, more so than living in "real" life. Overall I'm just really astonished by this writing and the way it can make me feel, I agree with you immensely on that. The little things that Caribdis adds make such huge differences and I don't understand how some of those aren't becoming the new norm in this industry.
I don't have much to say despite what I've already said, but it really was a great, thoughtful and extensive review in my opinion!
Man... your game leave me speachless... this is not a game... this is a masterpiece. Keep doing your magic e pls finish this game as quick as you can i cant wait for the final release i become alredy addicted.
If i had thousand of money i would have alredy give them all to you.. but for now i will become a lower patreon member cuz i cant do more than this.
Sorry to bother you here, Carabdis, but I could not find all the soundtracks in the game, not even on Discord. (maybe I did not look enough) Do you have a link, or a list of all used soundtracks? Can you share this with us?
Hey Caribdis, I made this account just to say that I am a HUGE fan of both of your games. I loved Oialt so much that I played it like 3-4 times. As for Eternum, well.. let's just say that I love it even more. The amount of effort you've put in into both games is absolutely incredible. Well done!
Now, I don't wanna sound like a bad person or anything, but there's another reason why I made this itch account. I absolutely love your games, don't get me wrong, but I needed you to see this message because there's no one else I can reach out to that can help me. I was a member of your discord community for some time, however recently, I got banned by one of the mods. I can guarantee you that I did not do anything deserving of a ban, is there a way I can tell my side of the story and get this ban revoked. I understand that I will miss the upcoming competition but I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me out. Thanks!
There once was a pair of virtuous swords that got me interested in this game and then I got to the Dark Soul joke at the beginning, which unexpectedly made me laugh way too hard - so in other words: It didn't take me long to be completely hooked by the game.
I can't praise this game too much. It's just Once in a Lifetime, but better. The only inferiorities it has compared to OiaL are, that it is shorter (at the moment) and it hasn't an incredibly satisfying ending (yet).
Also, Eternum contains the cardinal sin: I have a clear favorite girl. Every single time Nova is on screen you just know you are in for a good laugh, utter chaotic randomness, and a high probability of head pats - and don't get me started about the scene in the tomb. The 5th scene from Eternum already dwarfs some of the OiaL's scenes on the last page.
But every single other girl collectively occupies a close second place. I also love how unique and well-balanced the girls are. There are no clear "levels of importance" between the girls like in OiaL. I especially like *Lara Dorren*, who is among other things, a walking Witcher reference. I only hope she will ascend to the level of a main girl soon and will not be relegated to the sidelines.
Also, the music is great and very fitting. Eternum is simply music-wise the best VN I have ever played. And yes, I am listing to "Run Boy Run" in a loop while writing this.
Furthermore, it seems like you have a background in chemistry as well, which I really like. Some very convincing comments in OiaL and the perfect parody of classical analytic chemistry in Warthogs made me think that. (You even got the dude right, who gives wrong information on behave of the professor.)
In the end, I can't really do much more, than patiently wait for update 0.4. I've already seen Alex in a maid dress / her work uniform in a Patreon preview, so I know for sure, that this update will be awesome - also because the heist cliffhanger will be resolved in this update. You just have to respect a man, who creates a masterpiece and then immediately manages to top it.
In other words: You got this - I'm sure it will be perfect.
Hi! I think you meant "I can't praise this game enough", right? Yeah, I agree with you, but I don't have a favorite girl, I love 'em all!! This game tops Once in a Lifetime by a mile, and that's saying something as OiaL is already a fking great game. I can't wait to see what is going to happen on the heist. The game got me so intrigued! Who is the founder? Why is the MC 100% compatible? Why was Calypso created and is Eternum really just a "game"? So many questions!!
i am truly astonished with what you have made, at the start i just got it for the porn. now this game is like a tv series that you never what to end. i cant wait for 0.4. thanks.
I'm Vietnamese, and it was the first time I used this much google translation just to understand a 18+ game plot. Your game is great. May be I'm gonna subscribe to your pantreon tomorrow for the 0,4 early release. Thanks for creating such an amazing game.
I'm revisiting this game in anticipation to the 0.4 release. I wanted to revisit some of the scenes and remember there being a 'gallery' or scene selection feature where you could just reload parts you've already seen. I can't find that now. So is there actually a way to do that, or am I confusing that feature with a different game?
I believe that can't be done from the menu, you have to do it during gameplay, only available for completed scenes (obvisously). In the menu where you track your progress with the characters.
Amazing! So glad I stumbled upon this, I can't stop watching more and more. I worry that I'm close to the end of the current content, and already looking forward to more! will be supporting :)
I just powered through the story thus far and hoowee I'd have to say that was the most immersive visual novel I have ever played. Especially the sound. I couldn't at least tell there was stereo panning, but I couldn't quite tell if there was directional sound. Great character models and environments as well.
Did they plug a jack into their brain in that movie too? I still get disgusted thinking about that. I would never one a hole in my head just to play a game.
Eternum is really a great improvement from your previous installment. The dialouge, the pacing, the comedic timing is superior this time. I love Once In A Lifetime due to how crazy it is but this, Eternum, is no holds barred gag novelty in a great way. The way you transition the comedy is so well done that I can't help but laugh all the way through every scenes and choices. It is almost I forget that there are s*x scenes in this game but due to how your storytelling is fun, I am hooked to wacky shenanigans instead and the spicy scenes are just a bonus.
Also, dude, any plans for a cameo of OIAL in Eternum? I wanna see President Stabb or the dildo man again.
I'm new to Visual Novels. But wow, I got hooked on this. I registered an account on itch just to tell the developer and potential players what a masterpiece this is!
I think (and hope) I'm just at the beginning of the story (I'm right after the contest for the device). The music fits so perfectly; I've shazamed almost every song. The characters and the story is amazing.
What an immersion - unbelievable! I head straight to Patreon for a subscription!
I played both of your games, they are really great, but I was wondering about something, with which program did you make the character of in a life time jasmine ?
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I gotta say... A F***ING PEN!? I LOST HER OVER A PEN!?
I'm not actually angry, it's just very odd.
She does have a really nice pen
Deadpool reference? Dalia strip: Me "Bad Me! Get a hold of yourself!"
Full commitment! I'm gonna start over and use the walkthrough up until the point I'm at. I don't want to miss anything, and I've made more mistakes than I thought. 😅 I still want to complete the rest of the game on my own, but I don't want to be in the hole so early.
Thanks for the walkthrough, sorry for my momentary stupidity.
I was super sad to see that Alex(andra) was abruptly greyed out after the encounter with her father... HOW DO I KEEP HER? Please, any hints would be nice; I don't necessarily need a walk-through.
You should check the walkthrough anyway to see where you could have missed a point, though!
I wanted to finish the game without it; I was just surprised by the fail. Can I get a link to a walk through pls?
Glad to see you're active right now. I wanted to say this one of my favorite NSFW games with these kinds of graphics. I like games with good story lines.
Quick question on the walkthrough and (by partisan) the choices. Do they all influence all of the girls, or is it just based on who is involved?
They are usually only the ones that matter toward the girls and best ending. If it is not there, you can pick what you like, sometimes you may have to choose between one of two girls to get and extra heart, but they do not grey out the one you did not pick. (Ex: best food between Dalia's and Alex's).
Ok, a little disappointed in myself, lol. The walkthrough is right under the downloads... Then, it took me a minute to understand it. 😔
Alex may seem tricky (that pen choice is very tricky 'cause we don't know her yet) Once you get her personality it may not be that hard to make the right choices. She does not like to be complimented for the sake of it, she is independent, she likes to be challenged/provoked (but remind her she can rely on you) Keep pushing to get to know her better! Remember to always stand up for the girls! Defend them, stay with them, don't leave 'em behind. They gotta love you and you only!
I just finished the game or what? A door open interface came up, and the game ends there, is this is the end? Im not expecting that kind of end, 3.5 stars for you
What?
The game is in development
Oh Sorry i don't know that, plz complete the game, I'm very excited
If you want to play a completed game by the same author, check out Once In A Lifetime. It takes place in the same universe as Eternum. And it's very good.
As Caribdis said, Eternum is still in development, so the story isn't even close to finished yet.
This is by far my favorite of all the visual novels I've played, the detail and effort that has been put into this can be seen clearly. Keep up the good work! I beat .3 in a day lol
Thank you!!
Whats the estimated playtime from 0.3 to 0.4?
It depends on your reading speed, but similar to 0.2 and 0.3, if you played those
I Just downloaded this game Yesterday.Man i just flabbergasted by you increadible work.other than porn there is alot of things in this game soundtracks,animation, and the storyline
Keep it up bro you got our support 😉🖤🖤
Thank you so much!
Hey Caribdis . The game is super cool and very good but i have a question the game finish after the reunion with the girls ? When its possible to have the other part's of the game ? Because the game is great and i need to continute this amazing game thx for the response.
Edit: I see you public the game in 2021 in september, the 0.2 version was in december and the 0.3 in april 2022 you thinks in 2022 we have the 0.4 version ? And its possible to know when the game is finish in 100% thanks you for ur amazing work.
0.4 will be available this August on Patreon and Subscribestar. I'll post the definitive dates soon
September here
Hey Caribdis,
Once in a life time is one of the best made adult games I've played, and I was wondering what programs you used for model creation and set piece creation. I wanna try and develop something as well, and want to know where to start.
I used HoneySelect for OiaLt and Honey Select 2 for Eternum :)
Thank you for replying, I'll have a look and go from there 😀
Love your work.
At first I was just playing this as a porn game, but I found that it's really a novel-like work and not just a porn, it's really great! I hope the developers can continue to update, in addition, I hope to have Chinese language！
Thank you very much!
idunno why i downloaded this...but holy sh!t i ain't complaining about this...this god off a creation!
Thanks!
Hey Caribdis, I'm a long time fan since OITLA. I have a suggestion that might seem unpopular. It's probably too late to do this for Eternum, but for future games I was hoping you'd consider allowing us to follow girls' paths without needing to romance them and invite them to the harem?
Currently, "following a girl's path" essentially means the same thing as "trying to fuck them" since they go completely hand in hand. With a lot of games I wouldn't mind this, but since Eternum is so well written with characters that feel so real, it's kinda a double edged sword. I wanna help out all these girls through their problems, but I don't wanna have to create a whole harem of girlfriends to do so. I really feel like all these girls should find someone that gives them their full attention.
I'm not sure how unpopular this opinion will be, since a lot of people (even myself when I started the game) mainly play Eternum for the porn. But I know there's a lot of people who are interested in the plot and the writing and may agree with me. Just something to keep in mind for future games.
Keep up the good work!
Well, even if you don't follow their paths they still appear in the story (less, obviously) so you can still help them with certain things
Is that true? That's nice then lol. I'd love to help Alex through her parents' abuse and neglect without necessarily romancing her. I don't know if that'll be an option, but it'd be nice.
It's really great. I have to say that this is the most immersive game I've ever played. I'm looking forward to the next version
Thank you!
Well, this one truly is a gem. I can not wait for the next release.
Soon!
Nice Lucifer reference
This is the best NSFW game I have ever seen. Do you have an estimated date of the release?
I'll announce the definitive release dates soon, it'll be on Patreon and SubscribeStar this same month!
Ok, altough I haven't finished the game I can already say, it was worth the wait. In the 0.3 Version, for me at least, the quality stepped waaay up.
First, something I really appreciate are the unique camera movements during conversation to bring more life into them.
Second, variant dialogues. More on the fun side but the game still mixes serious, sad and especially sexy vibes up from time to time and has a natural story progression. between many different and individuel characters the dialogue never gets boring and I actually fckng care for Luna.
I have to ask, are the models perhaps reworked? They look better and the scenes with their poses are just so well executed.
I like the character design. Your models look more cute than sexy in my opinion which I like. The girls don't look overly sexified or exaggerated in their proportions. The outfits they wear are, yes sexy but also cool or cute or relaxed. What I want to say is, I think these are the most clean models I have ever seen.
I like the use of music. You just know how to set the mood.
Back then I asked for more Luna content and this arc with her is so sweet. It made me happy spending more time with her. Thank you. I gotta ask though, does Luna also get a CG scene in the future?
I am very happy with this game. It'S fun to play it and I like every character in there. Keep up the good work!
Thank you!
The girls' models are exactly the same since the beginning, I just change their hair/make-up, and maybe the lighting I use
And of course, all the main girls will have several scenes!
Can't wait for a luna scene! I love your work so much, would support you if I could
I left a "critique" of Eternum 131 days, during the version 0.2 era. And before I jump into my next critique, might I just say the fact that Caribdis responds to virtually every comment left is almost unique in this space. That by itself, places this creator in the top tier of VN novelists and is worthy of recognition. The fact that they take the time to not only read, but respond is a level of interaction with the fan base that most fan bases can only dream of. Even if it's not necessarily true, it allows the fan base to feel like it has some say in the development of a story that they are emotionally invested in. And in this case, maybe somewhat financially invested in as well. That connection is worth gold I should think in both directions and I sincerely wish more creators would take the time to cultivate that kind of connection with their base.
Critiques/reviews being what they are, I don't wish to leave the impression that I think 0.3 was some how "bad". That couldn't be further from the truth. I binged it, I enjoyed it, and I can't wait for the next installment. As a creator, you'd have to accept that as a resounding success. But based on reading other comments, Caribdis is not in lack of high praise for their work and while I'm certain all praise is welcomed, all of my commentary for any of these VNs tends to lean towards Review and Critique. I acknowledge given the length of these posts, not many will find it useful. I do this primarily for myself and for the maybe one or two other people who do find it worthwhile. To that end, please feel free to stop reading right here if long posts are not for you.
So, what about 0.3. IMHO, from the point of opening Calypso's box, installment 0.3 begins to take on a different tone. I can't say the tonal shift was bad; as I previously stated, I can't wait for 0.4. But at the same time, I'm not yet prepared to say it was good either. Having only finished bingeing 0.3 last night, I'm still kind of processing it all. However, I'm prepared to say for the moment that the tonal shift is absolutely noticeable. Maybe by the end of this commentary, I'll have a clearer perspective.
Through 0.2, the story, for lack of better words here, sorta felt,,,,,, wholesome? The protagonist was a young innocent "Babyface" if you will. And it's not that the protagonist turns "Heel" in 0.3, but, well, lets just say he's not opposed to going a bit "alpha". Again, not a bad thing. As I previously confessed, I'm typically into darker more carnal VNs. But it's,,,,,, how to say this? If you have children, than you know that there's a transition period in every childes life where they cross a line from being purely innocent and angelic, into adulthood. And I don't know how it plays out for everyone else, but for me, that transition was a mixture of both pride and a profound sadness that comes from knowing they would never again, be children and altogether innocent. I love my children and they are my whole world. But they are adults now, and are now saddled with the curse of adulthood. The curse is that as an adult, none of us can ever be considered "innocent" again. And that's the tonal change that I perceive between 0.2 and 0.3.
Our protagonist, while still being every bit the "Good Guy", is no longer a child of innocence. When you've reached a point of maturity where you're capable of "face fucking" a woman primarily for your own gratification and sense of power, you have clearly crossed the line into adulthood. And to me, there is something profoundly sad about that. If the protagonist started out as an adult, nothing he does would much phase me. But our protagonist didn't start out as a fully fledged adult even if he was legally of adult age. He was still in many ways, a child. And we are witnessing this child transition. In a strange way, I sort of wish I could protect him from that transition, the same way I wished this for my own children. But as all children must, the protagonist is growing up, and he is not the same character in 0.3 that he was through 0.2
Hmmmm,,, so while I do indeed find this transition sad, as a bit of story telling, I have to come down on the side of this being good. The fact that yet again, the author has found a way to make an emotional impact is in my opinion a mark of a good story. While there's certainly adult content here, this for sure isn't your run of the mill VN. I don't know if this transition was intentional, or if it just organically flowed out of advancing novel. But intentional or not, it's a transition and tonally the story is shifting in (my opinion) a realistic fashion. So,,,,, now I think this was overall a real win for the story. There certainly is a depth to the story that goes beyond the surface level story we're reading. And it's a depth that I've only found in just a relative handful of other VNs. I guess on reflection, Caribdis continues killing it at this point.
I will say however, 0.3 did take some,,,,,,,,, erm,,,, turns? That at first blush seem altogether out of step with the story through 0.2. There were some points in 0.3 (as in multiple points) where I had to stop for a moment and ask myself the question; "What The Actual Fuck Is Going On Here?" It's like, how the hell did we end up HERE? Keep in mind, there is a real world mystery going on. Eternum is straight up murdering people. At the same time, all the characters are very clearly invested in, and perfectly happy too, keep enjoying the "game". Even when at times remembering that they're supposed to be digging into the sinister side of Eternum, their adventures always seem to turn into just that. Adventures. Adventures that they cherish and wish to have more of. This is a stark juxtaposition to the FACT that Eternum is literally murdering people. 0.2 felt,,,,, grounded to reality. While 0.3 is feeling like it's becoming very untethered to reality. Maybe this is being done intentionally and I'll get to that in a moment. But the transition is very noticeable, a bit jarring, and confusing.
Now at first blush, my kneejerk reaction was that this all amounted to horrible writing. I was genuinely concerned that this story that I was so invested in and looking forward too was going off the rails. But I've had some time now to absorb what's happening and I'm not so convinced anymore. The real question is; is what's happening in the story haphazard and "Shooting from the hip" because the author has lost the thread of their own story? Or, is this all very much intentional and there is a far deeper story being told than just the surface level story we're reading? I sincerely don't know. From my perspective as a consumer of VNs, one doesn't really expect a "Deep Story" out of these "smut" novels. So, when something begins looking like there's a lot more going on then what's expected, I cynically tend to lean into skepticism; like I must be reading way more into this story than the story deserves.
If I give the author the benefit of the doubt however, I could make the case that there's an underlying commentary going on concerning how such futuristic technology would impact society. The question becomes, even in the face of blatant murder, is this technology so invasive to the human mind that murder takes a back seat? "Yea, Eternum is straight up murdering people, but it's totally worth the price". And how about the very bizarre "Turns" the story takes. Those moments when you think the story is going completely off the rails? Is this meant to illustrate how the game effects or is warping peoples perception of reality?
Does Eternum have an even darker side than murder? Is Eternum actually altering peoples perception of reality and re-writing what "normal" means in the real world? Is Eternum altering the real world? While everyone is too distracted and busy seeking to be the king or queen of the Eternum Universe, is Eternum actually conquering the real world? Bending the real world towards the ends of one person or handful of persons? Are the bizarre rabbit holes 0.3 takes us down meant to illustrate this?
The fact of the matter is, I don't know and I can't really tell. If this is being done on purpose, it's hands down brilliant and something that I was completely not expecting out of a VN like this. Like, we're starting to enter Matrix 1 levels of story telling here (we won't talk about 2 and 3). Alternatively, it's also possible that the author has just lost the thread of their own story and there is no deeper subtext.
I brought up Game Of Thrones up in my last critique and I'm doing it again now. GoT circa season 2 had nothing but potential. An epic story was unfolding. GoT could have been, in competent hands, a record breaking success that future stories would aspire too for many years, or maybe even decades or more to come. But we all know what happened to GoT in the end. I'm sensing a deja vu feeling with Eternum. Potentially, this story could be epic in it's conclusion. There is nothing but potential right now (we're sort of in that season two era of GoT). Are we witnessing an incredible depth of storytelling unfolding right now? Or are we witnessing someone shooting from the hip and making "Stuff" up as they go along? Is this all just a "stream of consciousness" flowing out? Or is there a real plan at work here?
I want very much to give Caribdis the benefit of the doubt and assume that we're witnessing a really deep story unfolding that's already been planed out (more or less) to the end, and really, Caribdis is just fleshing out the bones at this point. Taken in the only context we currently have, 0.3 was,,,, weird,,,, in it's storytelling and sort of feels out of sync with the story through 0.2. But, maybe context is the key here. Maybe we simply don't have all the context needed yet to make proper sense of 0.3. I strongly want to believe that as the story advances, that context will start to come into focus and it will all come together. So, for now the game is very much Caribdis's to win or lose. The potential is all there and for the time being at least, I'm still very much onboard this ride.
Thank you so much for your review! I appreciate it! Everything sounded fair
As you say, I'll try my best to capture this potential!
Wow that was a lot to read, but it was well done!
I'm not really sure if i got everything you meant, if you truly enjoyed the story from 0.2 to 0.3. I like how and where the story is going. So many things going on, so many questions. The MC is growing, so are all the girls, part of their background is now established (with still some mystery about them yet to be revealed, which is expected for a concluding arc for all of them at the end.) Now comes on how they interact with each other, relationships will keep growing, while the story slowly reveals itself. Lets say the story is on another arc, after the initial prologue/background thing, it is approaching the midpoint. I think things are going naturally, but that's my opinion/perspective.
Maybe you are overthinking too much? idk.
Have you played Carabdis other VN Once in a Life time? Maybe that's why I'm used to this type of writing, pacing and story overall. So, yes, everything is done on purpose, the plot revolves a lot more than just your simplistic, average normal porn VN relationships, as you said, and I love it! He did a great job with that previous game, the ending was great. I hope he sticks to his story no matter what this time as well. I believe it's gonna be great again, so don't worry, it's not gonna be like GoT disappointing ending.
I think Caribdis already mentioned ingame one of the points you were making now.
About how Eternum is killing people and people play it anyways.
I'm a smoker. Smoking kills people. I know that it can cause cancer. I smoke anyway. Same with Alcohol. And Eternum as well.
It's sort of this habit, the addiction that keeps them hooked on Eternum in my opinion. That's my interpretation.
Spoiler Alert btw for people who haven't played through it yet:
Caribdis also mentioned through Alex how Ulysses also covers up those deaths to not get bad publicity. They paid Benjamin's parents $150k as a NDA basically. So I doubt that people are informed about this. But as for people who do know about it for example the MC and the people he has told it to: They want to get to the bottom of it, is what I'm guessing. There's also the factor that (at least that's how I saw it) you only die in real life if you're "excommunicated" by the Praetorians. If you die normally like Jerry did for example to the ogre, you don't die in real life. So as long as you can avoid being excommunicated you're pretty much safe to play Eternum without risking death. Not being excommunicated also only amounts to not breaking the law and ethics code.
You've also already said that Eternum may be the new "normal". I can see how Eternum becomes more of a desirable place to live in than the one people are currently living in. Hell, if there was a right server, I'd probably also prefer or want to swap to living that life instead of my normal ordinary one and spend too much time living in Eternum, more so than living in "real" life.
Overall I'm just really astonished by this writing and the way it can make me feel, I agree with you immensely on that. The little things that Caribdis adds make such huge differences and I don't understand how some of those aren't becoming the new norm in this industry.
I don't have much to say despite what I've already said, but it really was a great, thoughtful and extensive review in my opinion!
Man... your game leave me speachless... this is not a game... this is a masterpiece. Keep doing your magic e pls finish this game as quick as you can i cant wait for the final release i become alredy addicted.
If i had thousand of money i would have alredy give them all to you.. but for now i will become a lower patreon member cuz i cant do more than this.
However in the future i hope i can help you more.
Any amount of support helps!
Thank you so much!
Sorry to bother you here, Carabdis, but I could not find all the soundtracks in the game, not even on Discord. (maybe I did not look enough) Do you have a link, or a list of all used soundtracks? Can you share this with us?
Here you go: LINK
You can find all the songs here, yes!
Dumb me! I did not know it was available on YouTube. thank you, guys!
Hey Caribdis, I made this account just to say that I am a HUGE fan of both of your games. I loved Oialt so much that I played it like 3-4 times. As for Eternum, well.. let's just say that I love it even more. The amount of effort you've put in into both games is absolutely incredible. Well done!
Now, I don't wanna sound like a bad person or anything, but there's another reason why I made this itch account. I absolutely love your games, don't get me wrong, but I needed you to see this message because there's no one else I can reach out to that can help me. I was a member of your discord community for some time, however recently, I got banned by one of the mods. I can guarantee you that I did not do anything deserving of a ban, is there a way I can tell my side of the story and get this ban revoked. I understand that I will miss the upcoming competition but I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me out. Thanks!
Thanks!
About the discord stuff, I don't handle the moderation myself sorry, you'll have to try to reach one of the moderators.
I tried to reach out to Critphil and sent him a friend request 2 days ago, could you please ask him to look into it and take my side of the story
Is there another way to reach out to the moderators? I don't think I'm going to get a reply on discord anytime soon.
There once was a pair of virtuous swords that got me interested in this game and then I got to the Dark Soul joke at the beginning, which unexpectedly made me laugh way too hard - so in other words: It didn't take me long to be completely hooked by the game.
I can't praise this game too much. It's just Once in a Lifetime, but better. The only inferiorities it has compared to OiaL are, that it is shorter (at the moment) and it hasn't an incredibly satisfying ending (yet).
Also, Eternum contains the cardinal sin: I have a clear favorite girl. Every single time Nova is on screen you just know you are in for a good laugh, utter chaotic randomness, and a high probability of head pats - and don't get me started about the scene in the tomb. The 5th scene from Eternum already dwarfs some of the OiaL's scenes on the last page.
But every single other girl collectively occupies a close second place. I also love how unique and well-balanced the girls are. There are no clear "levels of importance" between the girls like in OiaL. I especially like *Lara Dorren*, who is among other things, a walking Witcher reference. I only hope she will ascend to the level of a main girl soon and will not be relegated to the sidelines.
Also, the music is great and very fitting. Eternum is simply music-wise the best VN I have ever played. And yes, I am listing to "Run Boy Run" in a loop while writing this.
Furthermore, it seems like you have a background in chemistry as well, which I really like. Some very convincing comments in OiaL and the perfect parody of classical analytic chemistry in Warthogs made me think that. (You even got the dude right, who gives wrong information on behave of the professor.)
In the end, I can't really do much more, than patiently wait for update 0.4. I've already seen Alex in a maid dress / her work uniform in a Patreon preview, so I know for sure, that this update will be awesome - also because the heist cliffhanger will be resolved in this update. You just have to respect a man, who creates a masterpiece and then immediately manages to top it.
In other words: You got this - I'm sure it will be perfect.
Hi! I think you meant "I can't praise this game enough", right? Yeah, I agree with you, but I don't have a favorite girl, I love 'em all!! This game tops Once in a Lifetime by a mile, and that's saying something as OiaL is already a fking great game.
I can't wait to see what is going to happen on the heist. The game got me so intrigued! Who is the founder? Why is the MC 100% compatible? Why was Calypso created and is Eternum really just a "game"? So many questions!!
Questions that will be answered eventually 😏
I can't wait!!!!!!
Thank you so much! 😍
I'm sorry, but an uncaught exception occurred.
While loading <'Image' u'images/01/sc 1.jpg'>:
MemoryError:
-- Full Traceback ------------------------------------------------------------
Full traceback:
File "renpy/bootstrap.py", line 326, in bootstrap
renpy.main.main()
File "renpy/main.py", line 620, in main
renpy.persistent.update(True)
File "renpy/persistent.py", line 366, in update
need_save = find_changes()
File "renpy/persistent.py", line 178, in find_changes
backup[f] = safe_deepcopy(new)
File "renpy/persistent.py", line 131, in safe_deepcopy
rv = copy.deepcopy(o)
File "/home/tom/ab/renpy-build/tmp/install.android-x86_64/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 190, in deepcopy
File "/home/tom/ab/renpy-build/tmp/install.android-x86_64/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 328, in _reconstruct
File "/home/tom/ab/renpy-build/tmp/install.android-x86_64/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 163, in deepcopy
File "/home/tom/ab/renpy-build/tmp/install.android-x86_64/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 237, in _deepcopy_tuple
File "/home/tom/ab/renpy-build/tmp/install.android-x86_64/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 163, in deepcopy
File "/home/tom/ab/renpy-build/tmp/install.android-x86_64/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 230, in _deepcopy_list
File "/home/tom/ab/renpy-build/tmp/install.android-x86_64/lib/python2.7/copy.py", line 192, in deepcopy
MemoryError:
Windows-10-10.0.22000
Ren'Py 7.4.6.1693
Eternum 0.3
Sat Aug 6 05:34:04 2022
i am truly astonished with what you have made, at the start i just got it for the porn. now this game is like a tv series that you never what to end. i cant wait for 0.4. thanks.
Thank you for playing!
I'm Vietnamese, and it was the first time I used this much google translation just to understand a 18+ game plot. Your game is great. May be I'm gonna subscribe to your pantreon tomorrow for the 0,4 early release. Thanks for creating such an amazing game.
Thank you so much for supporting 💗💗💗
I'm revisiting this game in anticipation to the 0.4 release. I wanted to revisit some of the scenes and remember there being a 'gallery' or scene selection feature where you could just reload parts you've already seen. I can't find that now. So is there actually a way to do that, or am I confusing that feature with a different game?
I believe that can't be done from the menu, you have to do it during gameplay, only available for completed scenes (obvisously). In the menu where you track your progress with the characters.
Oh right. Thanks. You just jogged my memory lol
Amazing! So glad I stumbled upon this, I can't stop watching more and more. I worry that I'm close to the end of the current content, and already looking forward to more! will be supporting :)
Thank you so much!
Your support means a lot!
I just powered through the story thus far and hoowee I'd have to say that was the most immersive visual novel I have ever played. Especially the sound. I couldn't at least tell there was stereo panning, but I couldn't quite tell if there was directional sound. Great character models and environments as well.
Thank you! I appreciate it
The character of Dalia got blacked out during the "western rome vs eastern rome" episode. Which option did i choose wrong?
Maybe you didn't have enough relationship points with her, at that point, check out the walkthrough attached!
when do you think we will get version 0.4?
This month on Patreon and SubscribeStar
Definitive release dates soon
when i download 0.4 on windows 10 how does my data transfer from 0.3 or does it convert automatically?
Save your file you can see it and wait for update
Is Eternum inspired by the movie Ready Player One (2018) or Sword Art Online?
I took several inspirations of course, including those
Did they plug a jack into their brain in that movie too? I still get disgusted thinking about that. I would never one a hole in my head just to play a game.
Eternum is really a great improvement from your previous installment. The dialouge, the pacing, the comedic timing is superior this time. I love Once In A Lifetime due to how crazy it is but this, Eternum, is no holds barred gag novelty in a great way. The way you transition the comedy is so well done that I can't help but laugh all the way through every scenes and choices. It is almost I forget that there are s*x scenes in this game but due to how your storytelling is fun, I am hooked to wacky shenanigans instead and the spicy scenes are just a bonus.
Also, dude, any plans for a cameo of OIAL in Eternum? I wanna see President Stabb or the dildo man again.
Thank you pabyan! Glad you liked it
There will be more OIAL references yeah
Bring back Stabbs and the dildo Man.
MORE POWER TO YOU CARIBDIS, take your time to make it more top quality
I'm new to Visual Novels. But wow, I got hooked on this. I registered an account on itch just to tell the developer and potential players what a masterpiece this is!
I think (and hope) I'm just at the beginning of the story (I'm right after the contest for the device). The music fits so perfectly; I've shazamed almost every song. The characters and the story is amazing.
What an immersion - unbelievable! I head straight to Patreon for a subscription!
Thank you for supporting! 😍
And hell yeah, you're just at the beginning ^^
I played both of your games, they are really great, but I was wondering about something, with which program did you make the character of in a life time jasmine ?
I used Honey Select
Do I need to start a new game when update to 0.4 or I can just play where I left off?
You should be able to continue your saves
How can i download 0.4? Is it available only to patreons now?
I would rather prefer buying your game on steam if available. Is it?
Not yet, I'll announce the date beforehand
And unfortunately no, I can't publish it on Steam because of copyright issues
Really? Is this because of the soundtracks only, or are there more copyright things in it? I thought the soundtracks were copyright free.
They are, it's because of the software I use to create the renders
On windows RenPy games save in AppData, you could delete your game if you wanted to the save is still there.
On Linux,mac,android i have no idea
The story, graphics and everything else was amazing. Pls tell me when new version is out
This month on Patreon and SubscribeStar
New version when