BangCity Novels

Editorial Don't bother

BangCity Novels is a spin-off that has deeply divided the existing fanbase. The core creative problem: players expected a prequel or side story featuring familiar characters from the main series, but instead received what many see as character assassination—particularly Valerie, a fan-favorite, reimagined with a buzzcut and presented as already "corrupted," which strips away the arc many valued. Beyond that, dialogue is described as flat and characterless, undermining the narrative appeal. A smaller faction appreciates the attempt at something different, but consensus tilts sharply negative: even fans of the developer's work see this as a misstep that should have either featured original characters or restored the character progression fans expected. Technically, the build is extremely rough—nearly 900 MB for a 0.01 release with minimal content, poor compression, and sparse actual gameplay—suggesting the project was released far too early.