Release date: 2023-02-13
Developer: BP Games
Publisher: BP Games & TinyHat Studios
Some time ago I have tried an early build of the game named "Opportunity: A Sugar Baby Story", and it peaked my interest quite a bit, so when I saw the game finally reaching completion, I took it upon myself to obtain the copy and play through it.
What initially attracted my attention was the subject matter, which is admittedly quite rare among visual novels. The game centers around the concept of sugar dating specifically, and the concept of being an ethical slut in broader strokes. While enjo kousai is a frequent topic of Japanese visual novels, the portrayal is usually that of simple prostitution, without delving deeper into the companionship aspect of the practice, so I was interested in sampling something that doesn't read as shallow, and while that was my initial reason for checking the game out, I have stayed for the writing, characters and art.
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| Wrangling the kids. |
Jacqueline (Jackie for her friends) is a harried single mom of two pre-teens, who works at the bakery, counts every measly dollar she makes in her job, and has zero time to take care of herself and her deeper needs.While she is not officially divorced, her husband just up and walked out on her after knocking her up for the second time, without a single word. Jackie migrates from her work to her home every day, occasionally masturbating to relieve her pressure, and wonders if that is all that's left in her life.
Everything changes when her old acquaintance Roman, she knows from technical school, wonders into her bakery and wants to renew their friendship. Jackie is elated - Roman is good looking, and she finally sees a chance to get laid with someone for the first time in over two years. Their first date is somewhat of a disaster, though. Not only Jacqueline gets drunk while whinging about her problems, but Roman makes it clear he has no interest seriously dating someone with children. However, he proposes a counteroffer: he is now a retired tech exec with lots of money to spend, so he would like to pay Jackie to occasionally keep his company and have sexual relations with him. After some procrastination she agrees to the offer, and so the game starts.
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| The best personal secretary. |
The absolutely best thing about this VN is the writing. The prose is lighthearted, funny, and sharp when needed, without going overboard into becoming a comedy. Jacqueline's inner thoughts are a treat to experience, as she can ruminate on serious topics with a certain zest that made me really engage with our protagonist.
The other characters are a treat too, and the relationship with Jackie is both deeply satisfying and gives some food for thoughts. For example, Beryl (a.k.a. Kate) is an ethical whore who has some great advice for Jacqueline, and her love for sex is simply infectious. She helps our protagonist to shed some early shyness and insecurity, to everyone's great satisfaction.
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| Those look heavy. Can I hold them for you? |
Olive is one of Jackie's best friends. She is married to a pro wrestler who is rarely home, and usually stays at home tending to their son. The couple's marriage is technically an open one, but Olive has never had a chance to take advantage of her allowance to play around, her life falling into a routine not dissimilar to what Jackie herself experienced. Jackie's newly found financial and personal freedom might just help Olive get out of her own shell, with both women helping each other to start truly experiencing life again.
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| Strap-ons for the win! |
Juniper is another best friend to our protagonist, even if they don't have much in common regarding their activities... Or do they? Juniper is married to Rose, who seemingly hates Jackie, and June is exasperated trying to navigate the tricky waters of placating both her wife and her best friend. However Jackie's revelation about her new secret job might just make Juniper share a secret of her own. And it might just reveal a way for all of them getting along, after all.
The game looks just lovely. While the backgrounds are simple filtered photographs, the CGs are fucking gorgeous. They are bright, vibrant, and have certain characteristics of chibi art, stylizing the characters, while at the same time enhancing their presence in each situation. It is seriously one of the better OELVNs visually I have seen in some time. The sprites are also pretty expressive and give life to this VN. Only the music is nothing spectacular, but I think the devs used free resources on that front, and it is understandable they focused on the "visual" aspect of a visual novel.
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| The true definition of "Kiss and make up". |
Obviously, this is an adult VN, and it has sexual content. Where sex scenes tend to be a mixed bag in many VNs, I honestly found them super enjoyable here, and would even consider them an integral part of the game. Almost every possible combination of participants is explored, with straight, lesbian, trans and non-binary characters joining many combinations of two or more participants. And while the H-scenes themselves are usually not super kinky, many different positions are explored. Moreover, the writing doesn't fail even during the sex, and has the same sharp-tongued edge that makes the game work. Additionally, I was positively elated with the number of scenes that use strap-ons. This implement for some reason only rarely makes an appearance in visual novels, and even then in only one or two scenes, but here the majority of lesbian scenes employ it in some fashion. You go, girls!
There is just one major thing you have to know if you want to enjoy the game to its fullest - it doesn't really have an overarching plot. The main goal of the VN is to show that it's possible to break out of the routine with unconventional choices, and to present that there is nothing wrong with voluntary sex work, because it is just what it is - a work just like any other. It is basically just a slice-of-life VN showing a certain path to happiness, and while I don't usually like slice-of-life, this game managed to hook me.
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| Playing the family... |
But how do you end a VN, which doesn't really have any major drama or key events? Well, you just end it, basically saying "I'm happy, and I'll see what the future will bring". I'll admit I was somewhat disappointed with that wrap-up, as I wanted something a bit more substantial as a finishing touch, though I do admit the orgy that wrapped up the game was super hot, but I won't fault the devs too much, as that was probably the only logical way to finalize things without any ass-pulls.
That said, "Opportunity" is completely linear, and all the choices are meaningless, only providing a few different sentences of reaction, before continuing on its path. It might be a sticking point for some people, but it wasn't for me, as I'm not adverse to linear reads. It is also modestly sized, and I finished it in just over 9 hours.
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| Cosplay is love. |
To sum up, it's a really sweet tale about finding freedom on an unbeaten path, learning to enjoy your life, and maybe even finding love in the process. Sometimes you don't need grand plots - you just need to learn to love yourself.
Links of Interest
Final Verdict: 84%
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