Reviews by mg51
five stars
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Limited commands make you think outside the box, December 16, 2021The only commands in this game are moving, looking at the room description, checking your inventory, and waiting. The fact that you can't inspect things more closely or take objects that seem useful can be frustrating when you're used to having more control, but it's somehow funny to passively infiltrate this facility by simply wandering around. I definitely recommend making yourself a map-- something I pretty much never do, but this game practically requires it.
Fun and fast-paced with high replay potential, November 16, 2021I've played this game through about eight times now. The setup is something of a scavenger/treasure hunt through an old antebellum mansion, grabbing antiques while filmed for a reality show. Most non-passive commands cost you fifteen seconds, and you have half an hour to collect items and pass through the foyer with them (or else put them in their special location, which you must guess based on the item and what rooms you've seen). It doesn't take long to reach the end point, and as you learn more about the value of various items, how to access different parts of the mansion, and other factors, you start working on how to allocate your time best. My first playthrough, I ended with about $6000, whereas my most recent I had almost $18000 (still a far cry from the high scores listed in the links).
I wish there was a way to play without the time limitation, just so I could play through the entire game, but I understand why having that sort of gameplay available would cheapen the timed play, since it would be easier to make choices once you had the entire place mapped out, and more room for trial and error on the special locations was allowed.
Did I mention you're wearing a chicken costume for the TV show? You're wearing a chicken costume for the TV show.
Scratches an itch I can't name, November 5, 2021Related reviews: five stars, spell casting, single room, (actually many rooms), (but single room in spirit)
I have absolutely enjoyed the experience of playing this game. I'm one of those people who likes mathematical thinking, but who hasn't been in a math class for about a decade, so this is perfect for me because it isn't prohibitively challenging as far as the sort of math you have to actually perform, but it requires you to test things out and think outside of the box as more ways to create numbers become accessible to you in the form of "spells".
There's a charming little plotline with NPCs to provide the story propping up the puzzles, but I'd definitely say this is a puzzles-over-plot game.
If you enjoy logic puzzles and growing a toolbox incrementally, this is a game you should enjoy.
Unique, intriguing, and hilarious, October 20, 2021This is one of the most entertaining IF games I've played, period. The story isn't overly complicated but it's never boring, and while the "twist" (Spoiler - click to show)that the pig is the princess didn't take me long to figure out, that didn't detract from the experience at all, as enough hints are dropped later in the game that it shouldn't be a surprise by the time it's revealed.
The gist of the game is that you're playing as a pig, and because of that, you are very limited in what you can personally do and need to manipulate the NPCs around you in order to navigate the world. It makes for a completely different kind of gameplay experience and puzzles that are entirely unlike those you find in standard IF games. I enjoyed it immensely.
The characters were a charming mix of standard archetypes and subversions of those same archetypes (Spoiler - click to show)(the brave but dimwitted knight, the cowardly but reliable squire, the evil sorcerer, and the vain prince) and I found myself somewhat invested in their stories. (Spoiler - click to show)I especially enjoyed Tuck and Tristain's awkward friendship, as it defied both hetero and homosexual romantic cliches.
As far as difficulty, this game was on the easier side, but it wasn't so simple that it detracted from my experience personally. I think it is a good game for beginners or players who might often rely on guides and hints to finish games.
TL;DR: Wizard Sniffer is charming, engaging, funny, and doesn't require a huge time commitment. I loved it.
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