Chapter 1 was easily the worst part about Friends in Need. Neon Ghosts did a huge overhaul on it, wanting to cement the story between Guy, Nicki and Brent far deeper than it had been, with success. Even to the point where Nicki might just be the canon girlfriend from now on. But does it work?




The biggest turn-off for the original Chapter 1 were graphics. For comparison, I'll put an old screenshot below here to show you the difference between them. In the remake, models look considerably better - but the story has also gotten quite the overhaul. Without spoiling too much, Guy and Nicki are now far more attuned to each other and Guy is far more sensitive than he was previously. Not everyone will love it, but it helps set a precedent for both characters to care for each other.




Chapter 1 before and after the remake



Arguably the biggest win is in the details. Nicki comforting Guy, Guy allowing Nicki to push his buttons, Brent having less of an impact in the chapter, the way their banter really shows how they think about each other. It actually feels like Neon Ghosts is setting Nicki up to be the primary girlfriend of Guy at this point, or at the very least his protector.




The dark path did take quite a big hit. Because of the way Nicki & Guy interact now, the humiliation that previously happened simply doesn't make sense anymore and is removed. The involuntary penetration is still there, but only happens after a series of questionable responses from Guy. Effectively, starting a dark playthrough seems like a lot less fun now. If that's not your thing, this update is the greatest thing to happen to Friends in Need and I will be updating the score from 7.5 to 8.5 for thankfully removing the single biggest agitator in the game and upgrading it into something that sets the stage for a great story.




Developer: Neon Ghosts Studios