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2016-06-02

Princess Trainer Gold Edition Review

Title: Princess Trainer Gold Edition
Release date: 2014-06-21 (original version)
2016-03-20 (Gold Edition)
Developer & publisher: AKABUR

Usually I'm not a big fan of simulation games, be they dating sims or raising sims. I simply don't find much pleasure in juggling various stats, while the story in those games tends to be very sub-par. "Princess Trainer" is a game that is a notable exception to the rule, as it is shaped more like a bona fide adventure game, rather than just a bland raising sim. Its creator Akabur (who usually pens his nod de guerre in all capital letters) created a very compelling package of great artwork, erotic content, likeable characters and engaging quests, and it pulled me in and didn't let go, until I completed it 100 %.

The current version of the game I played is called "Gold Edition" and is an extensive overhaul of the original game released back in 2014. To be fair, it would probably be more fitting to call GE a remake, because it contains three times more content than the original, at the very least. Akabur pulled out all the stops while creating the Gold Edition and I can easily say that many commercial games are of lower quality than "Princess Trainer GE". In fact, the only reason why Akabur will never be able to publish this game commercially is due to the use of Disney characters to tell the story.
The city of Agrabah.
Yes, PT is technically a fan-fiction of a 1992 movie "Aladdin", with Genie as the protagonist. The plot follows a "what-if" scenario that continues the story right after Jafar acquires the magical lamp. Instead of the events proceeding like in the movie, here Jafar manages to win the day, exiles Aladdin and proclaims his desire to wed the princess Jasmine. However, in order to proceed with the royal wedding, the princess has to be first broken in as a sex slave for Jafar, and who can better perform that job than yours truly... Genie.

You only technically have to fulfill three requirements to finish the game: collect a certain sum of money ( I think it's 5000 gold, but cannot be sure), completely train Jasmine at the JSGA to be a submissive slavegirl and complete the daytime events to bring down Jasmine's popularity. Nevertheless, Akabur has added so much optional events and encounters to the "Princess Trainer" that I would consider it a crime to not fully explore the game world. There are 20 available quests (an upgrade from 13 in the original game), with only about half of them being mandatory, 20 Challenges, which are basically Achievements, and lots of optional sex scenes you can find hidden around.
Challenge: get on Maslab's nerves.
The game plot is technically nothing spectacular, but the writing is slice-your-feet-off sharp with the moments of laugh-out-loud comedy and incredible wit. Moreover, while it doesn't change the outcome of the game, it's very satisfying to choose dialogue options to play Genie as a deadpan snarker with a wise-ass attitude. To give an example, the conversation with Maslab during the "Blood Oath" quest is pure 999 gold. PT also includes multiple instances of breaking the fourth wall, with Akabur himself sometimes entering the scene to say something and other characters reacting to his presence. There is even a fake bug, where the developer berates you for "breaking the game".

Akabur populated his world with very vivid and surprisingly deep characters, both imported from the film and original creations of the author's mind. Actually, Genie, Jasmine, Jafar and Razul are the only prominent characters borrowed from the movie, with the latter two serving only minor roles. The new arrivals seamlessly fit into the game and you get invested into their everyday problems just as much as you are invested in turning princess Jasmine into a fuck-toy.
Lousy handjobs FTW.
Jasmine, the princess of Agrabah and the former lover of Aladdin a.k.a. prince Ali, is now being trained to be a perfect wife for Jafar. Surprisingly, she appears to be quite spoiled and haughty for someone who fell in love with a commoner. Jasmine is constantly at odds with Maslab's daughter Iris and calls her a "peasant whore" and other derogatory names. The interaction of those two women is fraught with insults and underhanded petty attacks. As I always felt partial to Iris, it was hard for me to symphathise with Jasmine and I didn't feel bad at all, regarding what eventually happens to her. In fact, I consider Jasmine to be the least fleshed out of the female characters in this game, which is highly ironic, considering you interact with her the most.
Play a dress-up with the princess... Hey, don't judge! It was an option!
The aforementioned Iris "The Razor" is a daughter of Maslab - a tavern owner and a former criminal. Iris had also lived a life of crime, but currently settled as a waitress in her father's establishment. Iris can be considered the main female character in "Princess Trainer", as she probably has the greatest screen presence and, and the main sub-plots revolve around her, especially if you do side quests. I loved Iris due to her unique brand of crazy. She strives to be "just a normal girl", but her idea what is "normal" ends up so twisted that you can only go along with the spectacle. Apparently, the image of a "normal girl" in her mind is a whore, thus she strives to be one. She also loves to be slapped and beaten during sex and will obviously fake her pleasure if you try to be gentle during the lovemaking. In other words, Iris is a nut, but she is a nut after my own heart.
An Italian Arabian job.
Lola (who definitely doesn't like being called Loli) is an adopted daughter of Fat Lilly - the owner of "Red Phoenix", a prominent brothel in Agrabah. She is a ditzy and slutty blonde girl, who immediately attaches herself to you due to her desire to act like a grown-up. She constantly needles her adopted mother, who watches little Loli Lola like a hawk... unless you manage to bribe her with "Something Delicious". Lola has a medical condition that can only be cured by Jafar's Slave Girl Academy (uniforms provided for additional cost). She is also a bad drunk, and her personality does a 180 upon imbibing some wine. I liked how Lola manages to be both very immature and surprisingly insightful. She also has an astonishingly dirty mind, despite not having much real sexual experience (those lucky bananas and cucumbers).
Define weird.
Azalea is the last of important female characters. She is a seamstress (funny, that I always think of a Discworld definition, when I hear that word) and a shop owner, where you can buy various garments. Later it is revealed that she harbours hidden exhibitionist desires, which you can help her to explore. Azalea has two possible sub-routes, that can be labeled "nice" and "naughty". Neither route is good or bad, they are simply different - in one Azalea becomes your slut, in the other, she is everyone's. Azalea is a likeable character, but doesn't have as much screen time as the other three heroines.
The statement contradicts itself.
"Princess Trainer" is a beautiful looking game. Akabur's art has a distinctive look, but also evokes the true Disney fairy tale feeling. Both the returning and the original characters DO look like they stepped down from the pages of "The Thousand and One Nights". There is even occasional chibi art incorporated into the narrative. It appears most extensively in Azalea's sub-routes and in Dahlia's sex scenes (Dahlia being the only whore whose H-scenes do not have CGs). The choice of soundtrack is also great. While the developer mostly used publicly available tunes, the arrangement is very atmospheric with traditional Arabic tunes interconnecting with more modern music, like jazz or... "Eye of the Tiger".

It's also no secret that "Princess Trainer" is a nukige. There are lots of sex scenes and casual nudity. The content is usually pretty vanilla with your everyday anal, oral and vaginal scenes with a smattering of group scenes and a dash of BDSM in Iris case. They were very hot and not too long. The daytime events also have some nice erotic humiliation, though they usually do not end in H-scenes. I also appreciated some very clever, though exaggerated, nods to the Arabian culture. For example, in order to work at a brothel a girl has to have a written permission from a male member of the family; moreover, Genie calls removing the veil a "facial porn".
Hate sex is the best sex.
The game is linear, and has only one ending, but there are some small branches. For example, Azalea's sub-scenario has two possible outcomes and collecting all 20 Challenges will unlock a small glimpse at the possible sequel. I personally hope there WILL be a sequel, because the plot just demands the continuation and I would love to return to Agrabah for one more go.

I completed the game 100 % and didn't need any guide or walkthrough. There are basically no stats, that would look imposing to a new player, or some convoluted gameplay mechanics. "Princess Trainer" is almost visual novelish in its simplicity and it is one of the game's greatest strengths. There is also very little grinding for money involved (definitely less than in the original game), as this time various events give you additional funds.
Every true nerd knows which is the right option.
To sum up, I enjoyed "Princess Trainer" more than I should have, by all accounts. It looks great, has fleshed out characters, easy to like humour, well made erotic content and is pretty easy to play. Oh, and of course it's free for Windows, Mac and Android, so grab it for the platform of choice and get lost in Agrabah.

Links of Interest

Akabur's Patreon
Download the game on Itch.io

3 comments:

  1. Thank you for your kind words, my friend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the game :-)

      Delete
    2. Anonymous30/7/16 08:04

      Akabur prosto s nog schebatelnya igra,A osobenno Iris... Eto vobshe shedevor.Jdem PT2

      Delete