Source: Cashmoneys
Price: Name your own price on Itch, would recommend donating.
Where To Get It: Itch.IO

Content Warning: The game contains D/S powerplay, some violence and gore, and an enslavement bad end.

Sanguine Rose has been on my radar for some time. Not least because, even among all the BDSM inspired content of adult only games, the power play scenario is… Actually quite under used. All too often, it goes straight to the “And then they were wearing a ball gag and tied up” part, which… Well, it’s missing a lot of the fun parts.

Don’t get me wrong, the tying up part is fun too, but it’s more than that, for both parties. And, funnily enough, an early choice explores how topsy turvy this can be. But first, let’s back up a bit, explain what’s going on.

You are a band of mercenaries, who have captured a high general of the opposing army… A powerful woman, who is both intelligent and charismatic. Thing is, the people you were meant to hand off to haven’t arrived, so you have three days of dealing with her head-games. And she’s good at head games. And you aren’t the only person she’s working on, as your band is taking turns watching her. Lewdness ensues.

Now, let’s get back to this early choice. Listen to the general tell a tale (one of two possibilities), be friendly, and she will demonstrate that being a submissive is, in its own way, power. “Power is doing what you want to do.” Catch that? It’s subtle, but… Not only is the subject of dom-sub powerplay being explored in this scene, there’s an implication that you’re already, just by listening to the story, ready to be dommed to hell and back. You’re already not to be trusted. It’s unlikely (although not impossible) that nobody will come out unscathed. And indeed, the ending set where the protagonist, Roman, is murdered and the General escapes is particularly grim.

Sanguine Rose explores this sort of powerplay, as people are tempted into doing the things they want to do, by a villainess who knows full well how to use both her body and mind. And that, combined with some solid prose, and some good choices from the Incompetech music library, make this a more memorable experience than a lot of other directly D/S works in NSFW games. The choice points are mostly telegraphed well, and the art is some beautiful painterly works, aptly capturing each character. Apart from the aforementioned “You’re going to die” path, it’s erotically drawn, concentrating on mood as much as the actual acts (The difference, as Terry Pratchett once noted, between a feather and a chicken.)

So yes, Sanguine Rose is one of those NSFW Vns I would quite happily display in my library, and I’m glad I got the chance to take a look at it.

The Mad Welshman will continue to tease until moaning improves.

Filed under: Adult Only Games, Game Reviews by admin

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