Demons Roots

I were halfway through Expedition 33 when I bought Demon Roots on sale. Dropped all other games to play this instead.
Perfect, just perfect.

Better character development than any final fantasy game could ever dream of and crazier plot twists that hit me harder than any xenoblade chronicles game ever should.
10/10 would recommend
dont let the h-game tags dissuade you.
This is peak fiction.

Absolute Cinema!!
You'd better buckle up, cause this amazing story is a long one.
I love the soundtracks, especially the map theme called Flowers in the Dusty Wilderness.
Do get the patch for the full experience.
Note that the game is story-driven heavy, so the h-scenes are seen more later on. For the Bad End route, you must have every character in your party. Story first, goon later.
We walk the path of light!

Before you start playing this hidden gem of a JRPG, I highly recommend you get the decensorship patch, which you can find on Kagura Games' website. The censored Steam release ends up cutting a huge chunk of content from the game (including the entire second half of the game), and neuters a lot of wording and topics this game portrays so well. The unpatched Steam release also will, for some inexplicable reason, forcibly give you a bunch of cheat items at the beginning, completely destroying the balance of the game.
If you aren't a fan of 18+ content, you can still opt to enable an option to skip all 18+ scenes via a setting toggle in-game, omitting all 18+ CGs and effectively turning the game into an M-rated experience on the ESRB scale. Know what you're getting yourself into: this game is not shy at portraying dark subjects and the cruelties of the world it portrays. If you're fine with this, read on.
There's a lot I could say about Demons Roots, but I figure I should focus on the key fundamentals without spoiling anything. On the surface, this game doesn't seem like much - there's typical RPGMaker gameplay and stock assets galore here, and the presentation won't immediately catch your eye or 'wow' you. RPGMaker games are a relic of the 2000s in a world full of increasingly impressive cinematics and delivery in gaming. The gameplay still has a good level of thought and polish put into it and will not necessarily disappoint you, but it doesn't break new ground either. The party members are all fun to use, the loot fun to collect, the enemies (and especially the bosses) are fun and rewarding to fight. In this aspect, Demons Roots has gameplay entirely expected for the engine behind it.
Despite all this, Demons Roots might just have one of the greatest stories I've experienced in a JRPG, with some of the most compellingly written characters I've seen. And I do not put this lightly - if you're a fan of Xenoblade Chronicles, Final Fantasy 6, Chrono Trigger, Nier Automata or any other JRPG known for an amazing story with fundamental core values in its writing, you'll find that the world Demons Roots portrays hits all the same beats and then some. This game proves that you don't need high production values or the polish of larger studios to get a core experience that matches the heavy hitter titles, albeit with less bravado. If you're looking for a story that makes you look back at your entire journey in deep retrospection, makes you appreciate subsequent playthroughs for the foreshadowing and narrative cohesiveness you otherwise missed on your first go, and an experience that makes you think "I wish I could wipe my memory to relive the game from scratch": Demons Roots will deliver that in spades.
Something that's usually underappreciated in a good story is excellent pacing. You ideally want a story to not feel like it's either overstaying its welcome, or rushing through its content, leaving you feeling unfulfilled inside. A well-paced story should not bring attention to its structure and just feel like a natural extension of your own experiences. I'm happy to say that Demons Roots has one of the most carefully paced stories I've experienced, where not one moment feels wasted or unrealised. Anytime you think "this character hasn't gotten development in a while", the game will carefully remind you that it hasn't forgotten. The main cast you'll meet on your journey will stick with you. Deathpolca, in particular, stands out as an extremely well-written protagonist and one that you'll want to keep close to your heart.
There's a certain sense of longing I felt after beating the game, one that made me feel like I genuinely lost something special to me because the game was over. Please, do not judge a book by its cover and overlook this masterpiece of a game. It is not going to be a game for everyone, mostly due to its eroge origins. But for those who can look past this - it has my highest possible recommendation, and deserves much more recognition.

oomf recommended this like two years ago and i put off playing it but now im finished damn they werent lying this is a gooner gem. if u can stomach the fact that its a porn game its a solid RPG, and the explicit nature of it lets it utilize some themes that befit it's plot since it's so centered around slavery and exploitation. it is a BIT much sometimes tho LOL there's no denying that they like to go the full mile, but most of the crazy ♥♥♥♥ is confined to side content that tells you what you're in for beforehand, so it's not thaaaat bad if ur scared of it going Mega Freaky, though i suspect this game may have swayed my concept of "freaky" just a bit.
i don't rlly play these kinds of games (honest) but this was so good that i'm now motivated to play this game's predecessor, cuz that apparently adds a lot to the story and clears up what i feel is this game's weakest plotpoint, though i think this game stands on it's own just fine.
idk if i'd recommend this to EVERYONE but if the concept interests u please give it a go, it goes on sale all the time and the mandatory patch is free of course.

Demons Roots feels like a lost SNES classic that stands toe to toe with the giants like FF6 and Chrono Trigger. I know that sounds like hyperbole, but I mean it with full sincerity. The story and characters are top notch, at times funny, at times tragic, and ultimately kind of an emotional rollercoaster. It's kind of a shame it's a porn game, because there are so, so many people who would love this game who will be turned off by the R18 content.

Demons Roots is one of those games where I wish I could forget about it just so I can play it all over again.

Meaningful story twists, lovable characters, interesting worldbuilding, and a banger soundtrack. What more could you ask for? Combat is simple enough to have fun with without making it feel like a drag. Though I do feel the amount of encounters in certain areas should be reduced. Ironically the ero portions are the weakest part.

It is my hope that several years down the line I rediscover this game, unable to remember many aspects about it. This is the closest I can get to re-experiencing the fun I've had. Until next time Demons Roots.