Favorite Friendsim Routes? [Spoilers... duh]

[Leddy]

Simple thread, what route in Friendsim was your favorite or impacted you the most. Most obviously this is going to be a spoiler thread. Being as I called this out at the start of the post AND in the title, I don't think the ispoiler will be necessary.

Point of Discussion starts below this line of text, leave if you don't want spoilers people... seriously

For me, two routes really got to me
- Dark Carnival (Karako ??? End)
- Robo Nihkee (Nihkee Bad End #2)

I chose two, you can choose however many you want just discuss some of the routes.

Dark Carnival
Karako's ending (Allow him to attack the Highbloods)

I'm not sure whether this is a good or a bad ending as you make friends with Karako technically and it doesn't seem like most of the bad ends, this is however I'm sure not the 'canon' ending as MSPAR and Karako both die.

This ending was really out of the blue for me. It was really strongly written. MSPAR just allowing Karako to go at them and the fight that ensues. For some reason seeing MSPAR and Karako go through that suffering and painful deaths really got to me emotionally. Especially when MSPAR got up to fight again, a battle he knows he will never win and attacks them in the name of Karako, the ending felt very heavy and I needed a serious break after this one.

Robo Nihkee
Nihkee's Bad End #2 (Hesitate to accept her offer to help)

This is in the later stages of the game and like many of those routes, got heavy. For once it wasn't really related to the actual choice of the route itself but, seeing MSPAR slowly realize he might've chosen wrong and how everything is technically useless, and seeing that river scene really put a stop in my tracks.

This is probably the route that changed my thoughts of the game and MSPAR as something more than a just a mockery of Dating Simulators and a few heavy routes. This is the one that really got me to feel as if MSPAR instead of being just a faceless person to reflect on, was really becoming his own character and being and that the stories presented were feeling and becoming more feels heavy.

[nonsenseMnemonic]

Idk, probably Lanque's. His sprites were some of the best polished in the game, and I think V's kinda hostile writing style was well suited to a closing route. Friendsim doesn't end happily and the tone helps build up to that. Plus I thought the content warning prompt was a clever way to get us to meet two very different sides of one character.

[Leddy]

Idk, probably Lanque's. His sprites were some of the best polished in the game, and I think V's kinda hostile writing style was well suited to a closing route. Friendsim doesn't end happily and the tone helps build up to that. Plus I thought the content warning prompt was a clever way to get us to meet two very different sides of one character.

I have to really agree on that sprite comment. Otherwise I enjoyed how Lanque's route was so polar opposite in the SFW vs the NSFW route.

I have to admit the NSFW route made me incredibly uncomfortable though, I actually considered putting the Lanque route on this list but I cut it out because of that. It was impactful and especially the valid ending made me really happy to see Lynera happy and kinda depressed the NSFW one was so... in your face and all.

It was one of the routes where MSPAR had a real personality to him beside being a insert yourself onto them kind of character. I appreciate that and it was a really powerful if uncomfortable route.

[thorondraco]

Weirdly enough, it is the epilogue route. Over the course of the Friendsims I worried that the whole thing will be just a non canon, non connected thing. Traditional non canon stuff.

But the epilogue route, along with being a bit upsetting, very much heightened not only Friendsims, but as it should, the Hiveswap game itself. Doc scratch's involvement raises a million and 4 questions. And it gave unsettling clues that we wouldn't get true context towards until the Epilogues came out.

Doc scratch indirectly admits that these events are not 'part of the timeloop' as it were. You don't throw quantum spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks, when you are supposed to be able to see exactly how that spaghetti sticks to that damn wall. Which implied some force was involved, a force that was chaotic and unpredictable. Then the epilogues came out Ultimate Dirk happened.

The Epilogue volume elevated both Hiveswap and Friendsims above just being filler. There were true shenanigans about.

[pfeffer-29]

Fozzer's and Marvus's routes are my favorites, though for drastically different reasons. Our dear communist friend's route had some juicy foreshadowing going on and a very ominous atmosphere, which was no doubt helped by the music (GRAVEYARD SHIFT is a great song). Its writing wasn't exceptional, but it didn't need to be; the route accomplished its goal and then some.

Marvus's route, specifically the ending wherein Zebruh dies, has the best-written version of Zebruh I've seen so far. He's despicable and sort of pitiful and I love it. The clown himself, though substantially more boring than Zebruh in my opinion, is still an interesting character, and his ending scene with the Reader is trippy in a fun way.

[tajazzled]

diemen's route a best, it's funny, and the redboy have hotdog

[Leddy]

Weirdly enough, it is the epilogue route. Over the course of the Friendsims I worried that the whole thing will be just a non canon, non connected thing. Traditional non canon stuff.

...

The Epilogue volume elevated both Hiveswap and Friendsims above just being filler. There were true shenanigans about.

Another great answer, the Epilouges I think screwed with everyone to be frank. I really enjoyed the confirmation that was this something canonical and that for one MSPAR is real to some extent, it solidified him as a character, it made ME super sad as fuck at him doubting his friendships (Even if he got put into those positions with some luck, they still are the ones to have made those friends even if the groundwork was set by Scratch.

Fozzer's and Marvus's routes are my favorites...

Great explanations, Fozzer certainly is an interesting one although I'll agree on a number of your points. It was certainly a little less substantial and not the best written of routes, but right from the getgo the music put me into an anxious mood and by the end I was super confused and it was really good foreshadowing. I played it after all the routes were completed, but I can understand why if you were playing them at the time that'd be a really good foreshadow to make you think.

Beyond that, Marvus' doomed route is one that really impressed me as well. Far more than the other horny superbly lusty routes that Marvus had, the doomed timeline gave me the best look at his character and was very well written. I think your point of Zebruh is actually a really good insight, even though he's still horrible in the route. Marvus' actions to help protect the player was really great and the ending left me thinking really hard.

diemen's route a best, it's funny, and the redboy have hotdog

Him and his talk of his succulent meat treat was pretty funny, but it was one of the less memorable routes for me.

[sorbicCondition]

Chixie and Tyzias are definitely both really good. A real banger volume, that one. Lots of subtle Alternia lore packed onto two already great characters. I'm quite fond of Chixie's theme too, and her sprites are all really good looking, especially the ones with the mask.

I'm also a fan of Tegiri but I will admit that's just personal tastes, I don't know if it's objectively good or not. I just like Tegiri, I think he's fun. A lot of the trolls seem to get on board with anti-hemospectrum ideology rather quickly, so I like that he shows some genuine resistance to it despite clearly being open to the idea.

[dualfallen]

One of my favorite routes was definitely Ardata's. Now I don't care much for her herself, but the route was great. It was scary, tense, and had an amazing atmosphere. You crash land on Alternia, have severe wounds, and instantly have to entertain Ardata with extremely reasonable demands. MSPA Reader has no choice but to comply though due to their situation. It also had great comedy (like slapping the ass of the tick and shouting "yeehaw!" as you ride it out).

Nothing really got close to that level of pure Alternian fear again. The Soleil Twins got close and I'm a big fan of their route too. Nowadays our character is the supreme being and has infinite power which is a far cry from when they were trembling, stranded, and alone and it's a little disappointing.

[Flame_Warp]

Lynera's was the only route that really made me SCARED. I mean, Ardata was uncomfortable, but still.

Also as far as Reader's development, I couldn't agree less. I think them transitioning from a terrified, broken person just making friends because 1: IT's all they have to do and 2: They're being coaxed into someone with real power making friends to try to take this shithole and make it better is honestly legitimately one of HS's best arcs.

[Leddy]

Chixie and Tyzias are definitely both really good. A real banger volume, that one.

I'm also a fan of Tegiri but I will admit that's just personal tastes.

I'm a big Tyzias fan, and her good ending where the two of you just chill and nap in your place was a really inspiring one, though very painful now that Terezi's PQ route is out too. I think it had some good hints at the lore. I can't wait for her to show up in Act 2

I'm also a Chixie fan funnily enough, her ending where she disses the higher bloods who stole her spot was frankly a little amazing. MSPAR becomes her moirail seemingly afterward? Which is like mmm my heart. It provided a take at how low bloods have to deal with status and how they're treated and I think both her good routes were brilliant.

One of my favorite routes was definitely Ardata's. Now I don't care much for her herself, but the route was great.

Nothing really got close to that level of pure Alternian fear again. The Soleil Twins got close and I'm a big fan of their route too.

Ardata's route, now that's a hot take and a half. I enjoy fun takes like this, but I'll have to pleasantly disagree. I can understand the enjoyment of being scared, but being as it's in the first set of stories it feels so... undercooked compared to what we got later on. It was definitely odd and not to my taste, and Ardata's just... kind of semi-evil character didn't help as I'm not too drawn to that type of character. I respect the thrill of a good scare but I don't like it enough to place it over others on the list.

Soleil Twins got mentioned, and as far as being scared was that was probably the most tradtional kind of "What the ####?" Kind of scare there was. There was a lot of things in it that just made no sense. How the Twins got trapped there in the first place was like the biggest twist for me, the chucklevoodos add mystery once again that really made the route interesting on the first run through, and the Twins themselves are likeable characters. It's a good route I'll say.

Lynera's was the only route that really made me SCARED. I mean, Ardata was uncomfortable, but still.

Also as far as Reader's development, I couldn't agree less. I think them transitioning from a terrified, broken person just making friends because 1: IT's all they have to do and 2: They're being coaxed into someone with real power making friends to try to take this shithole and make it better is honestly legitimately one of HS's best arcs.

Lyerna ended up being one of my more liked characters after Lanque's route and it added up nicely I feel to make her own feel better. Lynera's route had me tense, but considering her struggles with Bronya who was and still is my favorite Friendsim troll I felt a bit for her. I moreso felt scared of making the bad choice, but it was actually fairly easy to find the correct route. I think. Not up there for me, but a good route and I see why you may like it.

On the note of the Reader I wholeheartedly agree. Like out of all the characters from Friendship Simulator MSPAR is probably the most interesting like... that's saying something. His arc and growing and how Scratch just SMASHES that to pieces... I really hope he remembers and faces it in Pesterquest to tie it all together nicely... I want to see his character evolve further!