Reviews by Kinetic Mouse Car

What is this game about? I still have a hard time with understanding the premise but let me do my best in explaining the backstory. While at a New Year’s party you had the impulse of getting a Texas Instruments calculator surgically implanted in your brain. You found some medical staff who worked for Texas Instruments and gave them drinks in exchange for the operation. You wake up in 2003 by a man and a group of children who inform you that Y2K had passed, during which robots enslaved humanity. Since technically you are a cyborg, you supposedly have a better change at overthrowing the robot overlords. I think. I would love to hear from the author or other players about whether I summarized this accurately.

This game describes itself as a "math adventure." It has math themes, not math puzzles. Do not expect something like A Beauty and Cold Austere.

Gameplay
I have always liked Texas Instruments calculators. My first graphing calculator had a screen that displayed things in (gasp) colour! There was nothing revolutionary about this. The only difference was that it was a little more expensive than a black and white one. But still, I liked that I could use colour-coded lines in my graphs. These recollections inspired me to play this game.

The setting appears to take place on a train. As the player defeats and/or interacts with robots, they meet all sorts of creative, though often confusing, character. Usually, the player is presented with two options at a time to advance the story. Each playthrough is short and the game is meant to be played multiple times.

The gameplay consists of clumsy humor. Consider this scene of trying to overthrow a robot in a train car (mild profanity warning):
(Spoiler - click to show)
You point at the calculator jutting out of your head. "I'm not a human anymore. Cyborg. So piss off."

"NEGATORY. *YOU* PISS OFF."

Which I did find humorous at times. I did smile. Maybe not the pinnacle of comedy but the sheer wackiness sometimes draws a laugh. But most of the game’s content is too disjointed to sustain its humor.

Story
Texas Instruments Theater is an entrant in ShuffleComp. Its train setting and storyline of a cyborg protagonist facing off against robot overlords adheres to some of the songs that the game is based on. There are other songs as well but were harder to pick out from the chaotic gameplay.

There are multiple endings (14 total!), which is great, but they feel abrupt without any substantial resolutions to the story. If you click on the “Options” button at the bottom of the screen you can choose to revisit different plot points which makes it easier to experience every ending. One ending (Spoiler - click to show) features a built-in ad for eBay (or least a pretend ad).

Visuals
The game’s appearance is not quite your default Twine look. It has a cream-coloured background with black text and blue links, but the top and bottom of the screen have a black band with large beige links. This provided a bit of a unique look although I had to zoom out of my browser window because the edges were cut off.

Final thoughts
The game is short enough that if you are in the mood for some bizarre story content, I would recommend this. Or if you are curious about a story based on Texas Instruments calculators. After all, that is what drew me to this game. To put it simply: Confusing but unique, with bits of humor.

This is a story-centered game about returning to an old passion after it slipped away. It follows a protagonist whose view of an ideal life is to live and work on a ship with a close crew. Though the past never guaranteed this lifestyle, a change in life circumstances may make things brighter than they were before.

This is also a ShuffleComp game. It incorporates song lyrics into the radio that the captain listens to on the ship. Not particularly novel but still works.

Gameplay
Submerge begins with the protagonist (I believe they are unnamed) seeing Mira after a long absence. Mira is the ship that was once the protagonist’s home and workplace until it sank. As they set to work with restoring the ship their mind relives flashbacks. Most of the gameplay takes place in the past.

The game has some brief moments of interactivity such as deciding on which part of the ship to examine or choosing how to respond to another character, but it does not go further than that. While none of these choices influences the outcome of the scene or the game’s overarching story, it does add some variety. Expect gameplay that focuses on story rather than player choices.

Story + Characters
The downside was that the story was hard to follow. Even after playing the game four times, I still cannot confidently summarize its key plot points. The flashbacks, though interesting, made the order of events difficult to grasp. There are two story elements that appear in the narrative. The first is about the protagonist’s personal life struggles, while the second covers their experience with their fellow crewmembers on the Mira.

Protagonist: The game does not explain the name or gender of the protagonist. My guess was that they were male, but I do not want to be too hasty in assuming that. I think the story would have been stronger with more attention to protagonist details. What we do know about their story is that they (Spoiler - click to show) lost their job and got in trouble with the law over drug possession. They were assigned to a parole officer with whom they often conflict with. Life deteriorated. Then Leslie, their significant other (spouse, perhaps?), leaves them as the eviction notices and unpaid bills accumulate. But they have already been passionate about the sea. Their best memories are of being employed on a fishing ship. But when (Spoiler - click to show) that disappeared, they feel into despair. Or at least, I think this came after their experience with Mira. Like I said, it was hard to follow.

Crew: When it came to the second story element about Mira’s crew, the game skimps on detail. The gameplay frequently mentions a handful of characters, such as Jamie or Wendy, but we are never really introduced to them. There seems to be some resentment about the ship’s captain. He was slipping in his leadership abilities due to alcoholism, leaving the crew feeling undervalued and overworked. Then (Spoiler - click to show) a storm changed everything. The ship ran into a coastline of sharp rocks. Wendy was swept overboard, and apparently drowned. Everyone else survived but had no plan of what to do next with their lives. I assume this is when the protagonist’s life spiraled down.

The ending is a bit vague but the gist of it is that (Spoiler - click to show) the protagonist runs into Alex, a former crewmember who brings up the idea of regrouping with old acquaintances to retrieve and restore the ship on their own funds. Once completed the ship could open opportunities for self-employment, or simply just provide a sense of closure. The game ends with the protagonist agreeing to this idea and looking forward to a new change in life. Ultimately, I liked aspects of the story and its core messages, but its content lacked substance. It had all the signs of an emotionally charged story but fell short.

Visuals
The game has flashbacks but not the type where the game says, "10 years ago..." Instead, flashbacks are represented by background colours. They pulse in and out in a dreamlike manner, almost like a passing thought. These colour coded backgrounds try to organize the narrative a little more. Pale blue background for the protagonist’s memories with their crewmates on the Mira, light blue green for memories about their own living situation. They fade out and return to the protagonist’s present-day reality of repairing the ship. These scenes are shown in a dark navy-blue background. Occasionally this is paired with changes in text colour. I have seen lots of colourful backgrounds in Twine games, but few experiment with fade in or transitional effects. I like the game’s use of this technique because to creates a daydream feel.

Final thoughts
Submerge is an interesting game but not a particularly memorable one. If anything, its visual effects are the most distinguishing part. Nonetheless the game presents a detailed story and is reasonable in length, about 15 minutes. For me, replaying the game was more inspired by the visual effects rather than experiencing the story. I do not think that this will be the case for all players. Though it is a confusing story it is also an emotional one with the theme of a protagonist trying to land on their own feet after a negative chapter in their life. With that, I encourage players to give this a try.

The game's visuals and subject matter has faint similarities to the Twine game Tangaroa Deep which also features a marine setting (though with completely different gameplay mechanics) and the use of backgrounds with blues and greens.

I was lured in by the cover art. It looked like a surreal, tropical island. In this game you spend the day fishing only to have your boat break down, leaving you stranded on an island. To leave you must fix your boat using materials found on the island.

The gameplay has its merits. There is a health meter which is always an exciting prospect in a game about survival, and I liked some of the scenery, such as the palm tree (I like palm trees in games that take place on an island). But if I am being realistic, implementation drags everything down. Consider:

> x boat
Hmm... it looks like there is something under the boat.

> look under boat
I don't understand your command.

Now, if I click on the link "Broken Boat" (this is Quest, mind you) to access the small menu of options for that object there is an option that says, "Look under the boat." Click on that and the game will let you look underneath, revealing a (Spoiler - click to show) hole poker. In fact, relying on the small menus was quite helpful. I learned that you need to (Spoiler - click to show) fight the bear and to poke the palm tree with the hole poker to get the sap.

Here is my advice: If you want to get anything out of this game USE THE LINKS. TAKE ADVENTAGE OF THE QUEST FORMAT AND CLICK ON THE LINK. Otherwise, you will probably quit out of guess-the-verb related frustration. Not that it eliminated every frustration.

If you try to go north while inside the cave the game says "It's locked! It looks like you need to press letters in the correct order." What is locked? Is there supposed to be a door? Are there buttons? The only thing (Spoiler - click to show) visible in the cave is the bear, and even when the bear is gone there are no doorways or barriers in the room description. Just as I was about to give up, I simply typed “none shall get out,” which was written on the bear after you defeat it. The back of the cave opened, and I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to continue playing.

Some implementation issues merely detract from the polish whereas others simply bring the gameplay to a halt. An example of the former is when the game exclaims that there are fish but when you try to examine the fish the game says there are none. Also, the description of the boat is, "Hmm... it looks like there is something under the boat," even after I (Spoiler - click to show) already retrieved the hole poker. These did not seem so bad. The roadblock I encountered was fixing my boat. (Spoiler - click to show) The back area of the cave has rocks, which seems to be the last material needed to repair the boat (I think). But when I tried to fix it with each material I would get these weird error-like messages and then the material would disappear from my inventory. Eventually I stopped there. It seemed like I was getting close to the end, but I could be wrong about that.

I like the simple puzzles and concept, but I am giving this one star because it is incredibly buggy. It has potential, it really does, but it needs testing and refinement before it can be a finished piece. If an updated version become available, I would love to play it!

Containment touches on a familiar concept, a nuclear plant on the verge of a meltdown. The game pairs this with the trope of a lone security guard who runs into a crisis that they alone can fix. This setting and premise come together to create a story of danger and suspense. You are a security guard working the night shift for the city's RPV-1 power plant. After falling asleep on the job, you are awakened by an alarm that informs you that the plant is in danger. The one technician assigned to your shift is seemingly absent. It is up to you to prevent a disaster.

To ramp up the heat the UNDO command is forbidden. Oh yes, save often.

Gameplay
A coolant line malfunctioned and the reactor is about to go critical. The main objective is to activate the failsafe device but the door to the failsafe room is not functioning. This leaves you with no option but to take the long route by navigating the lower levels of the facility to reach the control room’s back entrance.

Containment centers its gameplay around a single puzzle type of manipulating hatches, valves, and other machinery. Each level has a water reservoir stacked on top of each other, almost like an elevator, and on top of the water sections are walkways that are raised and lowered by turning valves. A reservoir must be filled to a level before it can be explored.

While this concept is straightforward the puzzles were challenging to complete. This was a game where I needed to draw my own map. It was hard to visualize my progress as more hatches and valves were, and as I made small adjustments, I often felt that I was undoing my work. Because of this I became stuck relatively early in the game and had to use the walkthrough. The idea of being the only person in an unstable facility with mysterious circumstances is a thrilling concept, but the technicality of the puzzles sometimes dulled the thrill.

This was my initial progress: (Spoiler - click to show) The first two valves encountered in the gameplay are the drain valve and backflow valve. If both valves are open you can walk across reservoir 1 but not reservoir 2, and the opposite occurs if both valves are closed. But once you make it across reservoir 2, an overflow valve is added to mix. While I could alternate between levels one and two, I could not figure out how to use all three valves raise the water level 3. That is where I resorted to a walkthrough.

There is some roughness of implementation. If you try to open the failsafe room door at the start of the game you get “A door stands defiantly in your path, refusing to open. Something is very wrong here -- your security badge should provide unrestricted access to all areas of the facility. Perhaps a closer look at the door is in order.” If you examine the door, you get the same message, and if you try “x badge” the game says, “You can’t see any such thing.” I feel that a little more attention to these details would refine the gameplay.

Story
The protagonist is gender-neutral and has no other details aside from their job at the facility. The game is not story intensive, and its premise does not need an elaborate storyline. There are five endings. To reach a (Spoiler - click to show) decent one you simply need to fix the failsafe device and leave, but you can improve the outcome if you investigate the whereabouts of the maintenance person who was supposed to share your shift.

There is an inherent build-up of suspense (nuclear plant about to go critical) during the gameplay that makes you eager for an explanation of what caused the malfunction of the failsafe device. But the ending seemed somewhat dismissive. When you are in the failsafe room (Spoiler - click to show) you realize that the door was sabotaged so that it could not be opened on the other side. Your first guess may be that the technician was behind the malfunction. That is, until you open the cabinet and find the technician’s body. This means that some unknown entity was behind the thwarted accident and death of the technician. But who (or what)?

Even with the (Spoiler - click to show) best ending we never know what agents or potential agents are responsible. The protagonist escapes, tells emergency responders about what happened, and become a local hero for preventing a catastrophe. I understand that the game focuses on gameplay mechanics rather than story, but I was expecting a little more context into what happened. The game does not feel incomplete, but it does leave the player with unanswered questions.

Setting
Now, this game has effective ambience of approaching doom. As you burrow into the innerworkings of the facility the game throws out phrases such as "A low rumble in the walls heralds the growing instability of the reactor core" which create a strong sense of urgency. But now that I think of it, is it possible for the plant to go off while you are inside? If you (Spoiler - click to show) leave without activating the failsafe, you get the ending where everyone dies within a mile-plus radius. But if you wait with the intention of running out of time to see what would happen, well, nothing happens. I think part of the thrill is to be racing against the clock. On the other hand, given the technicality of the puzzles it might be frustrating to have to start over because you ran out of time. I wonder what other players think.

Final thoughts
This game is perfect for players interested in fiddly mechanical puzzles. The gameplay has an exciting atmosphere and features multiple endings. For non-technical players you may want to consult a walkthrough halfway through the game to get past stubborn puzzles so you can experience a winning ending. Still, it was fun.

Also: The gameplay in Containment reminded me of the game Oxygen by Benjamin Sokal because it focuses on mechanical puzzles. While Oxygen does not feature a failing nuclear reactor it has another type of crisis: a mining station is running out of oxygen after an explosion, and you need to decide on how to allocate it.

It is a casual day at home. You are lounging around and suddenly find yourself in the mood for a cold drink. But when you stand to leave, a vortex opens in the living room and deposits a small creature that starts wrecking everything in sight. You flee to the kitchen which is now your sanctuary. Using resources from your surroundings, you need to find a way to defend yourself.

Gameplay
While hiding in the kitchen you have access to the fridge, counter, and cupboards that have spices and other substances for cooking. Inventory items are listed on the screen. It would have been nice if you could examine things to learn more about them rather than automatically picking them up for the sack of hoarding them in your inventory.

The player can call the protagonist's mom or Alex, an acquaintance. Neither character picks up. The only option is the hotline. Its number is written on a label in the fridge. The player calls the number to ask for help on dealing with the creature. The operator however wants to engage you in random conversation before providing help. There is a phone puzzle where the player answers questions that increase the operator’s willingness to help.

These questions range from whether you any kids or if you play chess. The objective is to respond in a way that makes the operator pleased and entertained. For each response you get right the more helpful the operator begins. The game keeps track of this by adding notes such as "The playful operator is now a little helpful." The challenging part is that a question may have multiple right answers, but the answer that is correct at the moment is difficult to determine since there seems to be not structure to the questions. I think that the game is trying to be humorous with its dialog, but it needs polish. I like the concept of strategically using conversation through trial and error to persuade an NPC, but the phone puzzle is frustrating and lukewarm.

Once the player (Spoiler - click to show) satisfies the operator’s desire for conversation, they are asked to provide three details: the creatures colour, its physique, and its behavior. Using these details, the operator explains a basic recipe for banishing the creature. You can also just (Spoiler - click to show) guess by throwing ingredients into the bowl and flinging them at the creature. When I first played, I brewed and threw a scalding mix of random ingredients and it worked. Probably chance. Still, at least it gives you a chance to test out the kitchen.

Story
There is no explanation behind the creature and the portal, nor is there any discussion about the hotline except that it was found in the fridge. I feel like this left some loose ends. Here you have a normal house setting and suddenly a creature appears out of nowhere. I do not think that this game necessarily needs a broader story, but it could have integrated things a little more. The game is solely focused on the puzzle of finding a concoction that will eradicate the creature. This some potential story about Alex but they never answer when you call their number.

Visuals
1-555-trouble has some spectacular graphics for an Ink game. The backdrop is of different areas in a house, about six total. Not grainy or awkwardly scaled ones but showroom quality. The text space is set against a white semi-transparent background with orange boxes and links. The text is light grey, and the title of the room is shown in a black rectangle that reminds me of those slender sticky notes that you use to mark a page in a book. Everything looks crisp and modern. I encourage Ink authors (or anyone, really) to give this game a look if you are looking for some visual inspiration.

Final thoughts
It is a short, interesting diversion. The game has some interesting ideas, but its presentation is lacking. The phone puzzle could have been smoothed out, for example. Then again there are some polished features. There are no bugs as far as I can tell, and its strongest point is the graphics. It may not be the best of quality, but it is a completed piece.

You are peacefully snoozing away in cryosleep when an alarm wakes you. The ship has not reached its destination and there is an unknown emergency. Sound familiar? Yes and no. This game draws upon recognizable themes of a starship running into trouble in space and pairs it with creative gameplay mechanics. Because the game is unfinished the goal of this review is to offer feedback over its strengths and weaknesses. (This is also probably my longest review yet so hold on………!)

Gameplay
Basics
This is a multi-protagonist game. You start as Jake, the ship's physician. Once you start to wake up the crew the game uses the command “switch to [character name]” to let you play as a different character. The characters remain in one spot until you return. Other games have probably used this mechanic, but it was relatively new for me, and I enjoyed how it shaped the gameplay.

So far, the inside of the ship has about 19 rooms to explore plus locations outside of the ship accessible via spacewalk. I have been unable to get past the retinal scanners that lead to the cockpit and cargo bay. I appreciated how the game allows to you choose between nautical directions and compass directions. Yeah, yeah, I know nautical is more realistic but with IF I am always tempted to just stick with compass directions when I play. Is that lazy of me? Maybe.

Cyberspace
Part of the game takes place in cyberspace which was cool. Accessing the computer is done through VR where the user dons a set of goggles and navigates cyberspace with an avatar by touching links and opening folders. Locked folders require a key, and some contents are protected by encryption. The game says that you need a pass to decrypt the files, but I have not found one yet. I especially liked (Spoiler - click to show) the puzzle of learning how to operate the pods by accessing the instructions in Aleksey’s folder.

After a while, navigating these folders can be tedious because each time you enter cyberspace you have to unlock each file individually and ensure that you have the proper keys. While I think that the character avatars are a bit childish* (anime cats?) and detract from the gameplay’s more somber tone, I like how the contents of each crew members’ personal folders share some insight into their personality.
*Childish given the context.

Stopping points
There are two points in the game where I ran out of progress. The first is (Spoiler - click to show) with diagnosing the crew and the second is (Spoiler - click to show) the phenomena found in Wu’s spacewalk.

The issue with the (Spoiler - click to show) crew stems from the alarm that goes off at the start of the game. The alarm reveals that Aleksey died in his pod. If the player performs an autopsy on Aleksey, they find a small crystal burrowed into his head. The crystal is a nanomachine and likely responsible for his death. The gameplay does not go any further into this. Three other crewmembers have mysterious brain damage and are comatose when you open their pods. Jake keeps saying that he needs to further investigate the crew's condition by running an MRI. But is that possible? I cannot find an MRI machine anywhere in the sickbay. That was as far as I could go.

The second progress stopping point that I reached was (Spoiler - click to show) having Wu attempt a spacewalk to fix the subspace jumper. But Wu’s spacewalk is completely different than if you spacewalk as Jake or Gail. When you step out of the airlock your spacesuit disappears and you are surrounded by mist with voices in the background. There is also a creature lurking about. In the dead of space. Strange but exciting. Furthermore, the game does not let you switch with other characters. If you try the response is "You're not getting out of this that easily.” This effectively created suspense and a sense of danger. Trying to wake up also brings an interesting response. You seem to be in a dreamful state.

When you listen in the mist, you hear voices. I followed the voices’ instructions of "wait, wait, wait, search, search, look" and then got ambushed by an unknown space creature which caused everything to plunge into darkness. Then what? There is more whispering, but it leads nowhere. This felt like a dead end. Still, it leaves the player on an interesting note.

Story
For trivia, the game takes place in 2149. Not bad in terms of advancements in space exploration! Humanity is now heading out of the solar system.

Some general background: The ship’s mission is to travel to a planet named Aglaea to establish humanity’s first presence on a world outside of Earth’s solar system. Ideally, the crew remains in cryogenic sleep until the ship reaches its destination. Once they construct a prototype colony the crew goes back into cryogenic sleep and return to Earth. I can tell you now that things do not go as planned.

The alarm at the start of the game is (Spoiler - click to show) caused by Aleksey’s death in his pod. The only bit of story connected to that is the nanomachine crystal that was implanted in his head. Was it put there to kill him? Is there any data on the crystal? We do not know yet. In some cases, if you examine Aleksey, you will notice that he is wearing a helix ear piercing. Wearing metal accessories in cryogenic sleep is unsafe. That is why everyone keeps their jewelry in the crew quarters. In fact, (Spoiler - click to show) there is a single helix-shaped titanium stud in the jewelry box that most likely belongs to Aleksey. Perhaps there is something deeper, but it is too early to say.

There is potential story about the encrypted files. (Spoiler - click to show) Commander Adam Connor has files in his personal folder mentioning a cargo list, classified objectives, and other subjects. But unlike the contents of the other folders these files are encrypted and require a decryption pass. The player can pull him out of his pod, but he is unresponsive. I have a feeling that answers can be found in the cockpit, but the door scanner does not let you scan his eye while he is unconscious. We also do not know what damaged the subspace jumper that left the ship stranded in space. How (or if at all) these events are connected is unclear, but they raise interesting implications, nonetheless.

Characters
Games with the wakeup-in-a-cryopod trope tend to focus on NPC-less exploration, and if there are NPCs, they are often non-crew characters. Usually, the protagonist is the sole crew member weathering themselves against the elements, but Aurora diverts from that by using multiple protagonists (not just NPCs) that each have a different role to play on the ship. Currently there are three playable characters: Jake, Gail, and Wu, introduced in that order.

Gail and Jake are married which was a surprise since usually you do not see this (for me, at least) in games with similar content and storylines. In fact, they were assigned as a pair. Gail had a specialized pod built to accommodate her issues with low blood pressure to ensure that they could both be part of the mission. It is a refreshing change, and I found their relationship to be endearing.

Most of the characters are (Spoiler - click to show) unresponsive even when you pull them out of cryogenic sleep, but their cyberspace profiles provide some details about their backgrounds and personal interests. There are even character drawings for the crew dossier in the ship’s computer. If you give this game a try, be sure to check them out. Look for the folder called (Spoiler - click to show) “Shared” under the DOCUMENTS section of cyberspace. If this game is further developed, I look forward to interacting with the other characters.

Writing
Dialog (or lack of) is probably the weakest part of the game. I am going to devote a section for this for the sake of feedback. Certain scenes lack dialog, such as when (Spoiler - click to show) Gail or Wu first see Aleksey’s corpse. There is simply no response. Other scenes have random banter that could be smoothed out.

It is impossible to TELL anyone about anything to advance the story. If I use (Spoiler - click to show) "tell Gail about Aleksey" with the intent to inform her that I found Aleksey dead with a suspicious crystal in his brain she says, "I want a kitten" or "I'm sorry, I was distracted by your handsomeness." These seem to be the stock response for queries not yet programmed in the game, but the subject matter of these responses distracts from the game's story (Spoiler - click to show) (death in space) and setting (broken starship). I get that Gail likes animals (so do I), especially since she has an animal slideshow in her computer files. But saying “I want a kitten” while the ship is in a state of emergency completely severed the momentum of the conversation.

The game also needs to have proper responses for some basic and critical topics when you ASK another character. If I ask (Spoiler - click to show) Gail about Aleksey she may say "I only answer programming questions. What's that got to do with programming?" I know it has nothing to do programming! I just thought you would have a comment about his death. This goes for topics such as the mission, speculation over the (Spoiler - click to show) funky crystal in Aleksey’s head, the state of the ship, or even your fellow crewmembers. Hardly any of this emerges in character dialog. Even if the subject is out of a character’s expertise there are some topics that everyone should acknowledge. Just because you are (Spoiler - click to show) not the ship’s surgeon does not mean you have to be opinionless or lack a reaction about Aleksey’s death.

The game explains that it does not provide hints but says, “Maybe one of the other crewmembers can.” In all honesty, the crewmembers are a tad useless in this regard. They have little to say about topics that match their own specialty. For example, (Spoiler - click to show) Gail is a programmer. Jake identifies the crystal from the autopsy as being a nanomachine. Perhaps Gail has some insight.

>ask Gail about nanomachines
"I only answer programming questions. What's that got to do with programming?"

Okay, fair enough. But then:

>ask Gail about programming
"I'm not the girl to ask about that, sorry."

Or

>ask Gail about ship's computer
"Come back when you've got a computer question."


I think that the puzzles are reasonable in length and difficulty. The game is not particularly puzzle intensive. But when the player runs into a roadblock, it is challenging to make any progress since there is little guidance. Using the characters as an in-game help system is a great idea, but it currently needs more polish and refinement.

Final thoughts
Development for Aurora seems dormant. There was activity about it at the IF Forum which died out. For all I know the game is abandoned. If you are reading this, katz, I want you to know that this game has a lot going for it. This review is not meant to pressure or persuade. It is simply to share feedback. As for players, expect this to be an incomplete game. I recommend playing it as far as you can, especially since you might discover things that I failed to notice.

This is an autobiographical game about undergoing chemo for breast cancer. The game does not go into detail about the chemo treatment itself but instead the aftermath and effects on the author’s daily life when they come home.

Gameplay
The gameplay is in second person. My impression is that you do not play specifically as the author in the but instead as a relatively neutral protagonist who portrays the author’s real-life experiences. I could be wrong about that. Either way the emotions and struggles experienced during chemo shine through and paint a picture of what it is like to manage basic routines in life when you feel sick or have physical and mental fatigue.

The player has tasks that they need to complete such as showering, washing the dishes, meeting with friends, and devoting time to personal projects. As chemo continues, they have less energy to work on these tasks which requires that the player prioritize even though it means leaving other things unfinished. They can also ask their partner for help which demonstrates how a person can be a support system in your life but also conveys how asking for help can make one feel like a burden.

The game rates the protagonist’s state of mind with the phrase “You don't feel much shame about the chaos in your life," which changes as life grows more hectic. Next would be “You feel a little shame about the chaos in your life,” and so forth. I thought that this was effective in demonstrating how the effects of chemo accumulate both in mundane things such as maintaining an apartment but also how it shapes more complex areas in your life, especially self-confidence and anxiety. As chemo advances so does the protagonist.

Story
The writing was heartfelt and descriptive. One that stood out to me was “all of a sudden the big wave of energy you've been riding crests, and washes you up on your sofa like a dead jellyfish.” This illustrated how a moment where you feel uplifted and capable can fall flat because of a new development, such as needing to return to the hospital for another round of chemo despite wanting to spend your day on other things. The writing lets the player glance into this daily experience.

Then there is the (Spoiler - click to show) overwhelming sense of triumph of having gone through chemo and emerging knowing that A, it has helped in assuring that you are cancer-free, and B, that you can now regain your life with renewed enthusiasm. The best part is at the end of the game when the protagonist comes home “The Day After Chemo” (this milestone also shares the title of the game) after the whole chemo ordeal is over. There are no dishes or laundry or chores that need to be done. Just an open block of time. The protagonist decides to use that time to make a Twine game about what it took to reach that point.

Visuals
There are three cycles of chemo that each consist of a few days. The game alternates with different colour backgrounds as each day passes and incorporates colour-coded text with links. Occasionally a few are difficult to read but most were a fun splash of colour. There are occasional text effects which added some movement to the gameplay.

Final thoughts
The Day After Chemo is a candid game about cancer and recovery, and I am glad that the author chose to share this story through a Twine format. Its short gameplay balances the daily struggles of chemo with the rewards of having a good day. It is basic, straightforward, and well worth playing.

The zombie apocalypse came and killed your parents. Then it killed your spouse. The only person left is your baby. Using a shack as shelter you will fight tooth and nail to keep the zombies at bay. Hopefully the two of you will survive the night.

Gameplay
This is an incredibly creative use of ChoiceScript. Currently it is the first one that I have encountered where the player has free range of movement to roam around with north, south, east, and west directions. Rather than presenting the player with list of story options such as "Choose to defend the baby" or "Ambush the zombies from the north" the game has the player actively fight the zombies each step of the way. It instead uses “Go north,” “East some food,” or “Fire shotgun” options that require the player to strategize as they defend against each zombie that approaches the house. While the player cannot examine individual things in each area they can scavenge for supplies, rest, or eat. This is such a unique gameplay approach for this story format.

There are four rooms in the house, one room (randomly chosen) containing the baby. The gameplay’s core objective is to protect the baby from the zombies. You go from room to room killing zombies with an axe or shotgun before they can shuffle to the baby’s crib. There is a stats page that tells lists your energy levels, inventory, and number of zombies remaining in the wave. The player "Levels Up" after defeating each wave of zombies. Between each wave you can scavenge for shotgun shells and cans of food. I had fun coordinating these different aspects of gameplay.

There is no way of saving the game nor are there checkpoints that let you return to the previous level. It would have been helpful if these features were available because the gameplay can become repetitive. My initial strategy (Spoiler - click to show) was to shoot zombies when they were three to two steps outside of the house and axe those that entered the house or were right outside the window. I found it helpful that the game alerts the player to the number of steps a zombie has before it enters the house. Each time I cleared a room I would immediately return to the baby’s room to see if any zombies snuck in.

At one point I ran out of energy and could no longer move to other rooms. I also had no food. The only thing I could do was rest. My strategy was to wait in the baby’s room and simply wait for the zombies to come to me. This allowed me to alternate between attacking a zombie with the axe and resting. This was so effective that I continued to do this even when my energy levels were no longer an issue.

Story
The story is your standard zombie apocalypse narrative about a nondescript virus turning people into zombies which results in survivors having to constantly fend off wave of zombie attacks. This familiar storyline in zombie games does not necessarily need too many details to feel like a finished piece, especially if you enjoy the classic elements of the genre but it certainly does not hurt when authors choose to incorporate a more complex story. Zombie Blast 2023 sticks to the basics which is just fine.

The only story is about the protagonist’s desire to protect their baby after losing everyone else. The entire gameplay spans over one night. Once you (Spoiler - click to show) complete Level 9 the game declares that you made it to morning and awards you the “Survive the night” achievement worth 25 points. The game then asks if you want to continue playing or just to end it right there. I believe that this achievement means that you have “won” the game. It definitely felt like an achievement!

Visuals
This is a nicely stylized ChoiceScript game. The top portion for the story text is light orange while the menu choices are shown in black with an orange border. All of this is set against a black background. I liked this look because the colours make it stand out from other ChoiceScript games that I have played. ChoiceScript games are something that can be enjoyed with or without fancy visual effects, but it is always fun to see when authors experiment. The game also uses fun icons to illustrate player choices such as a cereal bowl next to the “Eat some food” option. It adds just a little bit of pizzazz without being distracting.

Final thoughts
This game is a great concept with some novel features but has characteristics that might frustrate players, particularly not being able to save or return to checkpoints. But at the same note it is incredibly entertaining and gives the player a chance to strategize. I recommend Zombie Blast 2023 if you are interested in the zombie genre, looking for gameplay with combat, or curious to see a creative application of ChoiceScript.

You have moved to a new town after landing a new job. There is no sure way to know what is in store for you, so you decide to take it one day at a time. Can you keep a positive attitude?

Gameplay
The gameplay cycles in a loop, with each loop consisting of a single workday. The protagonist wakes up, goes to work, and returns home to spend some free time. The interactivity mostly consists of choosing what to do after work. These choices influence the player’s stats which determines the protagonist’s performance at work the next day. The player manages six stats. These stats are fitness, relationship with friends, relationship with family, time spent working on a personal project, time spend on playing video games to relax, and tiredness.

My main critique is that these stats decrease too quickly. Over the course of five days, you go from (Spoiler - click to show) being “You’re in great shape” to “You've become weak and have visibly gained weight.” Sure, it is probably possible to gain weight in less than a week, but this seems drastic to go from the highest level for this stat down to its lowest level in so little time. Or if you do not check Facebook after a few days the game says, “You're sad about losing contact with your friends,” which is the lowest level for this stat. If the player has too many stats at the lowest level, they lose the game. There is only time for two activities per day (or three at the expense of being more tired) and managing all six stats is an uphill battle. There are also no weekends or days off at all which seems unrealistic for a game that simulates a workplace environment. If you are (Spoiler - click to show) extremely tired, you can sleep in and skip going to work which gives you the entire day to improve your stats. Unfortunately, your boss will fire you which ends the game.

Story
The game does a decent job of capturing the monotony of a job and I like the idea of having random events outside of the protagonist’s job thrown in to make it more realistic. However, the only special event that occurs is (Spoiler - click to show) when your car breaks down, requiring that you get it fixed. I think that the game would have been stronger if it added more of this variation and focused on strategizing with life events rather than leaving the player to drown in managing stats.

The difficulty of managing stats in this game results (Spoiler - click to show) in a poorly implemented ending. Once the player builds up too many low stats the game suddenly says, “You can't sleep because your life sucks. GAME OVER” which is followed by a link called, “Continue?” The game lets you keep playing but it is impossible to improve your situation. This was frustrating and felt sloppy. Perhaps the game is trying to make the point that sometimes it is too overwhelming to manage so many areas of your life all in one go. But the way the game conveys this with its ending is ineffective.

Is it possible to win this game? If you mean in terms of (Spoiler - click to show) the protagonist succeeding at their job than I believe the answer is no. But I did find an ending that could be interpreted as a win. You end up being recruited by a secret organization that sponsors people to win track races. That means quitting your job, which the protagonist gleefully does. The mysterious man who recruits you explains that you will be flown to an island where a new track is being built, the first of its kind. The game then ends on a cliff hanger and says that the story will continue in a game called Job Quest II: Jog Quest. I am not sure if the author is planning to produce this game, but it would be cool to see where the story goes. It also sounds more exciting than the desk job featured in Job Quest. I must admit this secret ending made me smile.

Visual design
The game has a clean visual appearance. It uses black text and blue links inside a white box with a small border against a grey screen. I have seen this colour and format design in other Twine games and it always succeeds in creating a polished look without being overly stylized.

Final thoughts
I like the game’s concept of settling into a new job. The briefness of each day keeps a steady pace and simplifies the gameplay. All you need to do is balance the activities that you do in your free time. The downside is that the implementation of the protagonist’s stats makes the game feel clunky. The player feels like it is impossible to win, and any premature ending feels especially incomplete. Nonetheless, this game is another take of the slice-of-life workplace genre that carries its own charm. If you feel like playing an idle Twine game that (Spoiler - click to show) may or may not have a secret ending than give Job Quest a try.

This is a short game about limbo and the afterlife. The protagonist's backstory is vague. All we know is that they died from falling from a great height and now wake up in a reception room that represents limbo. There is brochure on the desk with three coupons for Paradise, Purgatory, and one for a place called Joseph and the Technicolor Discount Afterlife. The Paradise and Purgatory ones are expired, leaving you with the Discount Afterlife coupon. It may be a discount afterlife but at least it is not limbo.

Gameplay
The gameplay consists of discovering how to leave the reception room using items found in your surroundings. The content is minimal and sparse but is consistently implemented. There were no noticeable bugs, and its few puzzles are straightforward. This game took about 15 minutes to play. Initially I thought it was (Spoiler - click to show) a one-room game but technically it takes place in two, though most of the gameplay takes place in the reception room.

Story
The story is brief without much information on the protagonist’s death or the how the afterlife is structured. Once you (Spoiler - click to show) find the hidden bell you can travel to a dock shrouded by black mist. I expected the game to last a few more scenes but it ends once you board the ferry. The ending does leave the player with a stroke of optimism since your journey has finally begun.

The game has the familiar concept of a protagonist thrown into the realm of the afterlife who must find a way to reach their ideal destination. There are also elements that remind me of other games about death and the afterlife. The brochure on a desk reminded me of a few small scenes in All Hope Abandon (spoiler for that game) such as (Spoiler - click to show) the brochure on the pros and cons of Oblivion, and the coupons remind me of the humor in Perdition's Flames. Belief is by far the shortest but still manages to set itself apart from the other games because of its own interpretation of an afterlife, or at least one on discount. It is (Spoiler - click to show) too bad that the game ends so soon. I really was looking forward to experiencing the Technicolor Discount Afterlife…

Final thoughts
It may not be a particularly complex game, but it is a solid work. I noticed that it is an IntroComp game which probably factors into its length. I would love to see an expanded version built on some of these ideas. I like how it draws upon classic imagery, such as (Spoiler - click to show) a figure waiting to boat you across the water to the next stretch of afterlife, and yet has a unique approach with the steps needed to reach that point. This would be a reasonable lunch-break length game if you are in the mood for a game that lightly touches on themes about the afterlife.