On this truly confounding note, my sanity and I must scram from this house of madness. Needless to say, I don't recommend #DohnaDohna to anybody. You will not enjoy learning what can or cannot happen to some of these characters or how easy it is to trigger their events, or how LITTLE they matter.
As such, we have a game that's fun to play that undercuts the horror of what's it about, that is also undermined by occasionally reminding you of said horror through its scenarios, only to walk right back into a lighthearted comedic framing.
I am thoroughly befuddled.
#DohnaDohna
Alas, #DohnaDohna is bogged down by the burden of being both an RPG with characters we are supposed to CHEER and an Eroge on top of its mechanical foundations. All elements that, as we painfully established, clash with each other in a sea of tonal deafness and out-of-place humour.
Left on their own, the mechanics would work as an effective satire on how society (specifically, Japanese society) treats women, an objectification made literal by the *talent* getting captured like Pokemon and becoming assets, to be used and discarded when they break. Gamified slavery!
#DohnaDohna
Speaking of the gameplay loop, it is infuriating how well-designed it is. The hunting portions showcase an intuitive and smooth combat, allowing you to freely switch characters and reposition them at will. The hustling is... a solid puzzle.
It's FUN and ADDICTING and that is the issue.
#DohnaDohna
The reason why this revelation is, indeed, weaksauce is because nothing substantial comes of it. The generic RPG plot trudges on even with this knowledge and the *Good Guys* win in the end without having to sacrifice anything. The gameplay loop remains unchanged.
#DohnaDohna
Their illicit activities provided a convenient *outlet* for the frustrated masses. Their existence is the Devil that the God (of Capital) needs to reinforce their influence. They are allowed to exist because it is beneficial to the system. They are part of it.
#DohnaDohna
Towards the end, the game almost (and I stress, ALMOST) positions itself towards the general direction of A Point with a weaksauce twist. It is revealed that all the *rebelling* our protagonists have been doing was simply another cog in the machine of the Surveillance State.
#DohnaDohna #Spoilers
A blocky, "Minecraft" version of Antenna in a virtual reality space.
When VR sex goes horribly wrong... or horribly right, depending on whom you ask.
#DohnaDohna
I'm not even going to provide specific examples, it is a constant barrage! The tonal whiplash is simply aggravating. This is bad writing, hideous framing, not just by videogame but by porn standards as well...
I loathe to admit that I'm having fun with the gameplay.
#DohnaDohna
I'm supposed to be charmed by their antics, which often occur in the same breath (if not within the same scene) as a deeply traumatic assault *casually* interrupting the flow of low-brow humour. This is everything I hate, and have always hated, about Hentai!
#DohnaDohna
It blows my mind, straight up explodes my cerebrum, turns my brain cells into an endangered species, the notion that this game wants me to LIKE these characters. That this game consistently frames them as a bunch of goofy goobers, a happy found family.
#DohnaDohna
Diversity win! The leader of a gang of human traffickers is gay! And also, arguably, a pederast...
#DohnaDohna
"The Myth of Sissypuss" An item to raise a stat for one of your sex workers.
I am not quite sure how to feel about the promised Good Time.
At the very least, they've made a sex pun with the name of Sisyphus. That's funny, right?
#DohnaDohna
"Consume 1 TP to duck?" "All part of the training. She won't get pregnant."
It is a jarring, tonally dissonant fever dream. Its atmosphere, aesthetics, story and characters do not mesh with the actual, dire nature of the game's contents. Which is, again, I remind you, human trafficking presented in the form of a fun gameplay loop and a series of H-scenes.
#DohnaDohna
CG of the gang eating at a restaurant. In the foreground, main guy Kuma is being forced to feed Porno the crazy loli. Porno: "I want you to snatch this cherry from my lips and tie a knot in the stalk with your tongue. Let the cherrylingus begin."
You'll have scenes involving the perverted loli of the group, whose name is PORNO, thoroughly checking the proportions of all the newly acquired party members (because COMEDY), or the gang eating ultra spicy pizza, or a funny vibrator-related crisis... and then, all of a sudden, rape.
#DohnaDohna
An optional scenario starring Ririe (frazzled glasses girl), who was just kidnapped. Ririe: "Do you wish to raise me like a baby squirrel in a nest by confining me in this tiny room? You haven't brought me any nuts or acorns."
The fact this is an Eroge means you do get to see some of the *Action* and, depending on how well you play the game, you might even unlock optional scenarios that focus on individual victims. You might even get to see multiple events in rapid succession, all wildly different in tone.
#DohnaDohna
To be clear, this is not satire. There is no attempt at any kind of meaningful commentary beyond the basic, occasional acknowledgement that what they're doing is *morally wrong* but they need the money to finance their war so it's all fine. In fact, it's actually worse than that.
#DohnaDohna
Your main characters are a gang of classic anime misfits taking on a big, evil corporation... Yet, their daily activities are far more malignant than anything the corpo would pull - that is to say, the usual amount you would expect from these monopolistic entities in real life.
#DohnaDohna
If that particular mental image and that visual presentation don't seem to match in your head then you have already figured out what the biggest issue with #DohnaDohna is. This is a title with a specific identity rooted in bright neon hues, tongue-in-cheek humour and "Fight Da Powah!!" sentiments.
Your party has to go on raids to *hunt for talent* and then put the *talent* to work in order to *hustle* a profit. In other words, this *colourful* game is about abducting women and forcing them into sex work. You can use, abuse and discard the girls as you see fit.
#DohnaDohna
"Dohna Dohna" is a human trafficking simulator.
...
Consider the lede firmly unburied.
#DohnaDohna
It is ever so tempting to lose oneself in these vibrant vibes, to switch your brain off and let yourself be enveloped in the wacky, ecchi, anime high jinks.
Unfortunately, that is not how my head meat works. As such, I became keenly aware of something rather *peculiar* about this title.
#DohnaDohna
The game is a balance act between a "Darkest Dungeon" style RPG, a workplace sim and an Eroge - naturally.
This is what combat looks like!
Yes, that is a tiny girl (barely) covered in belts subduing a riot cop with her insane bondage powers. Also, yes, that's a big chainsaw.
#DohnaDohna
Booting up, your senses are overwhelmed. Colours and characters pop off the screen, an exuberant aesthetic matched by the equally energetic music. Never before was the promise of a Good Time made more manifest!
#DohnaDohna
Cover art for "Dohna Dohna: Let's Do Bad Things Together"
"Dohna Dohna" is a game. Yes, let's start this by establishing the obvious. It's from Alicesoft, one of the legacy ero-gaming companies. It's... fun to play. It is certainly addicting. I do have a hard time putting it down... I wonder for how long I can bury the lede?
#DohnaDohna
Porno smiling at the viewer as her skirt reveals she's not wearing anything underneath to cover that sweaty butt of hers~
💝Porno upskirt!~💝 #Art #NSFWart #NSFW #Digitalart #DohnaDohna #DohnaDohnaLetsDoBadThingsTogether #Porno
Porno looking at the viewer while holding a condom, her thighs are fat as hell~
💗Porno's fat fuggin thighs~💗 #Art #NSFWart #NSFW #Digitalart #Hyper #Porno #DohnaDohna #DohnaDohnaLetsDoBadThingsTogether
Porno showing off her fat butt to the viewer~ (YOU!)
💛Porno-Chan🩷 (Dohna Dohna Let's do bad things together!) #Art #NSFWart #NSFW #Digitalart #Hyper #DohnaDohna #DohnaDohnaLetsDoBadThingsTogether #Porno
I another amazing piece of artwork I just got back form the amazing @graapee11.bsky.social
Dohna Dohna is one of my favorite VNs. I love the character designs and the actual roguelike gameplay elements.
#Vsky #Vgen #vgencomm #DohnaDohna
