I bought this game expecting a fun relaxed story based game, and Growing Up far exceeded my expectations. I've tried other story based life sim games in the past, but they typically felt very basic and soulless. At first I thought this game would focus on an entire lifespan instead of only up until 18, but honestly with the level of detail put into those first 18 years, I'm very happy with it just being focused on that age, and that might be why the game feels more organized and seems to have more heart than if they had to find ways to tie in adulthood and old age.

While there are aspects of this game that do feel a little empty and could be fleshed out more, there is enough content to easily get 4 hours out of a playthrough without it feeling stale, allthough it can drag a little near the end as the brainmap minigame gets a little old and has less of an impact. Additionally, you only meet 3 out of 19 potential characters throughout the play through and there are multiple skill paths you can go down which give the game a nice replayability.

I would like to see them flesh out the parents a little more. As it stands right now you're parents are generally static NPCs that lack identities and personalities. They will give you expectations (or tasks), but their dialogue is very generic and they don't react to what you're doing in the game.

The brainmap minigame is pretty good, but it does get old and it's pretty easy to game. It does require you to strategize a bit about what you need to get out of it, and it helps break up the game so you're not just shooting through all the cutscenes as fast. Aside from the exams, there aren't any other minigames though. I don't feel the game really needs more minigames, and the brain map does evolve over time which is a nice way to keep it from getting too stale, but a little more diversity in the minigames would help with the repetitiveness of having the brainmap every turn.

Really the biggest draw of the game are the character stories, which are generally pretty good and fleshed out. Of course they could still be improved on, so anything to build on these and make the characters even deeper would be a great way to improve on a great game. While the game only does go up to 18, it would also be cool if they could add in college eventually, or even just give you the ability to quickly run through your adult life in the epilogue with a couple quick dialogue options and basic narration.

Being able to make manual saves would also be a nice addition, or at least allowing us to have backup checkpoints. While it does make the game feel a little more realistic by not letting us go back, it's also pretty punishing. Especially if you screw something up in high school, becauase you have to play through the whole game again, and if it's a character you met in high school, there is no guarentee you'll even meet them.

It would also be nice if we had the availability after the first play-through to customize and select which character we'd be introduced to at each stage instead of just being at the mercy of the game and having to restart if we were looking for someone in particular. Alternatively, if we could have multiple options at each stage instead of just being forced into one. Also, being able to start at the elementary school phase would help with replays as the baby and preschool phases are kinda the same every single time.

Of course, I think going in blind and following the game as it presents itself to you is the best way to do it at least the first time, but I screwed up something my first playthrough and spent like 1 an hour repeating the baby and preschool phases until I could meet Alex again and not mess things up with her.

Overall though, I am very happy with the game. I was not expecting to get 12 hours or to hold my attention the way that it did. It's great for kids, it's an easy low stress and fun game, cheap, even as an adult the stories are engaging, there are enough strategy elements that keep the game from being too easy, but with decent planning and strategy it's far from frustratingly difficult. I highly recommend this game.

Yeah "dad" I'll find that cure for cancer real quick right after I uninstall this game. Is this just emotional abuse simulator? The characters are only backdrops to the constant obligatory writing. Want to get to know your friends? Nope! That will just push them away. Every conversation is made to feel as vacuous and patronizing as possible! Kid with one arm? Describes them as selfish. Teen with Autistic traits? Make their only quality being a musical savant! And how could I forget the blatant worship of STEM fields. A meritocratic circle jerk where everyone is unhappy. "The ends justify the means" stuff

*sniff* Growing uuuup... Changing wishing I could beeeee... a part of everythiiiiing... seems I really do care...

DOOOO DOOOO DOOOOO DOOOOOO DOOOOOOO DOOOOOO

*sob sob sob cry sob*