Where It All Began

Editorial Worth it

Where It All Began is a visually striking visual novel with polished character art, animation, and atmospheric music. The story centers on a protagonist returning home after years away, navigating family trauma, a crime underworld, and relationships against a backdrop of redemption and reconnection. Community reception is deeply divided: enthusiasts praise the writing, character development, and production values as among the best in the genre; detractors criticize the repetitive dialogue, minimal sex content (confined almost entirely to the protagonist's girlfriend despite constant teasing with other characters), and feel the game prioritizes story-building over adult content. A significant faction complains about the developer's history of reworking and removing content—incest elements were stripped for platform compliance, and the writing includes childish terminology ("bibi," "poundy") that many find grating. Long update gaps between seasons and priority given to the developer's other title (Summers Gone) have raised abandonment concerns among some players. The game delivers on narrative ambition and artistic craft but frustrates those seeking player agency or varied sexual content.