Gibo: Stepmother's Sin

The Good
Gibo's graphics are as good as the bishoujo game genre gets, so far. I don't really know how much better it can get, in fact, since cel animation can only be so colorful and so detailed. I think we have come to a point where the bishoujo game that has the best graphics is simply a matter of your taste. I personally would rank several bishoujo games higher than Gibo graphically, but this is nevertheless some of the best artwork within the genre.

The story's premise is interesting, and done with a little more humor Gibo might have actually been a fun (albeit depraved) game. The plot is not entirely unlike the film Cruel Intentions; Yusuke and Mio and like Sebastian and Kathryn. They are cousins - and lovers - and their lives basically revolve around sex. Together they conspire to corrupt the seemingly innocent Misako, Yusuke's new stepmother. Unfortunately, where Cruel Intentions used humor liberally to help dispel the tension, in Gibo nothing is funny. And while the hero was ultimately redeemed in the film, there is no happy ending among Gibo's multiple possible conclusions.

The game features a great many decision paths; you will make nearly 50 choices throughout the story.

The Bad
Gibo might actually be more difficult to play through than such violent games as Sensei 2 and Virgin Roster. While the latter two games had throwaway stories written only to serve the violent sex scenes, Gibo's plot is much more drawn-out. You will see in great detail how the main character perverts his stepmother's love into something much more sinister. This systematic breaking down of a quite likable character over several hours of play can be rather dismaying to watch. (It must be said, though, that the sex scene CGs are among the best that I have yet seen in a bishoujo game.) Depending upon your treatment of Misako, she may end up as a sex addict who loves nothing more than to "perform" onstage, your slave, or utterly in love with you (you can also end up with Mio or Shiina, Misako's daughter). None of the endings are particularly happy or satisfying, and Yusuke more or less remains a bad guy from start to finish.

The Bottom Line
Gibo is a bishoujo game with some of the best artwork in the genre, a very involved decision tree, and a long - and depressing - story. If you are new to bishoujo games, try something a little more lighthearted like Critical Point. If you are experienced in the genre and want to try something a little out of the ordinary, Gibo may be worth your time - but it wasn't for me.