Reviews by Sensei_Pong (aka. The Reading Gamer)

To say this is one of those titles that begs the player to play it more than once is a complete understatement. And to say I wasn’t confused to my surroundings and what the fudge was going on, well… that’d be an outright lie.

In, To Spring Open, you’re thrown into a fantastic world of costumes and masks you’re forced to wear depending on where you are within the city. Right off the bat, the player is given the feeling that not everything is what is seems with the possibility of darker undertones; and living within the rules of a control society is evident.

I won’t put out any spoilers, but will say that the world itself and all the subtle points and events that take place around you, despite this work’s length, does a great job in creating a world you soon find yourself immersed in.

Technically, it was really neat to see an interactive fiction like this being created with an engine like Twine. Allowing simple things like a subway ride to actually feel like a subway ride to the reader.

Unfortunately, this piece is incredibly short and the ending felt abrupt. In game puzzles were minimal, and even a person with no experience in interactive fictions or text adventures would probably breeze over any obstacle. Play time for myself lasted around 15 to 20 minutes, and I was a bit disappointed that the adventure had ended so quickly.

The writing is decent, simple, and to the point. There isn’t anything spectacular being done, but the world that Two-Bit Chip had created pleads for more. Hopefully we see more from this creator in the future, as I overall enjoyed the work.

In the end; it’s short, it’s sweet, and a good utilization of Twine. It’d be easy for a beginner in the InFiction genre to pick up, and definitely has some great ideas going for it.

I rank this:
7/10. For being a speed fic; it’s definitely a nice take with the software, and worthy of a look.

Overall, I enjoyed the game.

The writing was pretty decent, game choices and direction were diverse, and characters are for the most part believable. I used to read plenty of CYOA(Choose Your Own Adventure) books in my early childhood and this game helped me relive the fun that I used to have reading those so many years back. Lucky for me, this was written and created far better than some of those books I read so many years ago.

In the end, if you enjoy teen fiction, superheroes, or anything light hearted; you'll probably enjoy this game. It's not free, but if you find it on sale with Steam, it's a definite buy for any CYOA fan.

BUT--some things, like choices and direction seemed a bit forced in a couple moments.

Luckily for the game, there seems to be plenty of multiple endings and the story itself is pretty engrossing.

It's not the best IF on the market, but it's still fun. And that's what's matters. I'll probably play this again a few more times just to see what happens and mess with the stats and outcomes.

Rating: 8/10

...I suppose it's not bad, taking into consideration the source material. More could of been done with it, but at the same time it I'm glad it didn't.

Writing is decent, and gameplay is minimal. The gag only lasts for so long until you find yourself sighing wondering if it will be like the arcade game... AN ENDLESS ONSLAUGT.

The only saving grace I found for this title was the fact that I absolutely love the Namco original (and most ports) and found the take amusing... and it's short.

For what it is; I commend the effort. But I don't recommend this title, unless you're curious about it. OR, you're planning to create your own fanmade IF/TA based off an arcade game to grab ideas and see what Cowley has done right and done wrong in this title.

Other than that... meh...

Your girlfriend you dearly love has given you an ultimatum. Write 1,000 words for your dissertation, or she's leaving you forever to go back to her home country of Australia, 1,000s of miles away...

This may seem cold, but as your struggle continues and more distractions stop you from creating any progress. The inner voice of Violet, your girlfriend and narrator, pushes you on and the sheer heart of victory is the sweet end you thirst for. Memories and funny bits flood you as you recount the personal items in your office as you pace breaking distraction to concentrate on the final objective of the game: Write.

From the irrelevant things you find yourself doing to the strange events taking place just outside your window are both hilarious and touching.

But when you finally reach your goal... Oh boy... You'll have to see for yourself.

Even though this game, Violet, takes place nearly entirely in a single room; the puzzles are ingenious and even silly at times. But every aspect feels like a world of it's own.

By the end of the game, I found myself truly caring about Violet and her feelings and whether my character would succeed in finishing his goal in time.

The writing is spot on and the flow of Violet's voice and narration feels natural and never felt like it lagged. It was continuously entertaining.

Overall, this game is very well done and well deserving of it's award. It's a must play for any fan of Text Adventures or Interactive Fictions.