Hi all,
Here’s the TL;DR, full ramble after that.
Main vs. Side girls equation is not completely binary.
Most girls will have some sort of “endgame” option.
Hooking up with one girl will not lock you out of another girl’s romance/endgame.
Each girl is there to fulfill a specific purpose, though that purpose will vary in terms of significance.
There’s a tier list at the bottom that separates them out by general significance.
As I continue the posing grind and share more previews of the first episode, its characters, and the overall direction of the game, I figured I would discuss something that comes up fairly frequently: the idea of “main” vs. “side” girls.
For AVN fans, the concept of “main girls” comes as a given. You go into each new game with the understanding that some of the women you encounter will be your “endgame”, and some will be there for a scene or two. In a game like Pulse, where there are, admittedly, a LOT of women characters, it can feel daunting when you don’t know who’s significant, who isn’t, etc.
While developing and writing this game, I didn’t necessarily come into it with that traditional AVN mindset. My goal here has always been to tell a story that makes use of the medium but isn’t boxed-in by it. Each character is there to fulfill a specific role/purpose, have their own narrative arc, and clash/collaborate/cum with MC in a way that makes sense for them.
This is all a very mealy-mouthed way of saying that there isn’t a super simple binary “main” vs. “side” girl set-up. For example, Lydia is arguably THE main girl, but she’s MC’s best friend. Her story unfolds with that in mind, and any romance with her may (read: will definitely) be a slower, flirtier burn than someone who is less inhibited than her. Having said that, you can still hook up with all of those other girls along the way and achieve the “best” ending with Lydia.
Anyway, since people keep asking, I’m going to provide a preliminary, generalized look at what kind of significance each of the revealed characters have. I’m trying to keep this pretty spoiler-free, and this is all subject to change (either as I rewrite things, or if I become really susceptible to a girl becoming sneaky popular/want to give her more content). I’m separating them into tiers, but if you have any questions about any of the girls, let me know!
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The most significant of the significant tier: Lydia, Abby, Parker, April
A consistent presence tier: Drew, Willow, Violet, Duke, Kaya
In and out of your life tier: Kriss, Shirley, Maddy, Caroline, Mikaela, Misty
Antagonist tier (does not necessarily mean they will not have romance scenes, but it’s, you know, complicated. I will confirm that Blight has sex scene(s) planned): Blight, Theresa/TA2, Robyn/Hazard, Nadia, Samara
Mimi tier (ambiguous): Mimi