Reviews by ChanceOfFire

Full Disclosure: I was a beta reader for this game and provided feedback. I had also informed the author during the beta phase that any AI generated content would not be accepted by HG. That said, this game was apparently submitted with AI content anyway despite this reminder. HG initially approved it for publishing and released it, but later withdrew it from sale after some reports of AI content. Unknown to many, Halls of Sorcery wasn't the first game with AI content which was submitted to HG.

From this point, I will try to review the content of this game without getting further into AI matters unless I feel it is relevant.

As someone who had beta read this game and also purchased/played the full release before it was pulled, I can give some opinions. The writing was slightly rough in some places but still easy to follow. The game is short, but branches quite significantly, and also provides plenty of cool secrets for players willing to venture from the beaten track. Otherwise, in terms of a single playthrough, it is short, being largely a training session, a single mission and then a final confrontation with the big bad.

There was a pretty easy to use stat system, although with the game's length, there were also not too many chances to test stats. Still, to get the best ending with everyone alive, you would have to obtain a certain critical item.

The game had a lot of (AI generated) images during development, which I personally liked (don't kill me please) before I spotted some signs of AI generation and went on to inform the writer of AI matters. There were some character portraits in the final release which I also liked, although I don't know if these were AI generated and to what extent.

Anyway, I am just writing my thoughts as someone who had played the game and noticed the AI content after a bit. I am personally trying to maintain a no AI content policy when it comes to my own games.

Like Interactive Bonbons, Grand Casino of Fortune presents you a bunch of minigames. While Interactive Bonbons had plenty of technical skill on display, this game is a little more low-key in this department, offering a couple of gambling minigames with less razzle dazzle. Still, there are a number of interestingly designed minigames here, along with RPG elements such as characters you can speak to to unlock certain bonuses (if Lady Luck happens to smile on you), as well as multiple levels of progression.

The first floor is easy enough to pass with patience and mindless tapping. Subsequent floors present games which will require some brainpower to complete. Still, I gave up at the fourth (penultimate) floor as the minigame there was just way too hard for me. (You need to win the minigame three times in a row to pass). The ending is interesting, but may or may not be worth the pulled hairs to reach it. (I just opened up the code.)

I liked a couple of things here, such the various floors, the ability to borrow cash and the other folks you could speak to for lore or bonuses in between the gambling games. That said, you’ll need better luck than me if you want to complete this legitimately, and going by the number of omnibus ratings, not many folks made it past the fourth floor. Still, it’s something enjoyable you can play around with.

Another ancient Hosted Games release, long before the choicescript game formula started to take shape. In this short story, you play as a fixed character (i.e. name and gender are set), and take a walk through daily life, while being offered a series of binary options to do the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ thing. It starts out with pretty mundane everyday scenarios, but the action heats up towards the end with a crime scene.

Still, this is largely a linear romp, whether you pick the good or bad things. The writing, told in first person, is technically sound, but also not particularly engaging. At 7k words, well below the current minimum requirement for a Hosted Game, you could probably complete a few playthroughs in ten minutes. It’s good for a short bit of free entertainment, but that’s all I would recommend it for.

Note: This review is based on the Hosted Games release. It may or may not be the same as the IFcomp release.

Sons of the Cherry begins with a few character creation type questions, although it does not appear to have much impact on the game. This is largely a linear tale, requiring you to join forces with the guy who saves you at the last minute and then sends you on a mission.

You’ll mostly see two choice options here. Some give you the opportunity to resist the Call to Adventure and walk off the linear road. But if that happens, you will be taken to a penalty chapter filled with dead ends, some of which bring you to the rating screen abruptly. It’s possible to survive and explore for a bit in this penalty chapter if you avoid certain options, but it’s ultimately an ending in itself. Otherwise, you can dutifully walk along the linear road paved before you, and finish the game.

The writing is strong and atmospheric, but this game could have been a better linear novel than game. It’s nice for a short read, although it’s not quite a choicegame.

This game was the first title to be released on Hosted Games. (well... not really since even the hosted titles were released under the Choice of Games label at the time.) I still remember the author telling Dan and co. on that old Google group forum about the complete and ready-to-submit game. Anyways, well over a decade later, here we are.

Still, it's hard to recommend this game even as a free product. Completing this game requires you to exhaust every lead in the first section, then answer all questions correctly in the next section. If you fail the second section, you get to try again. However, the final section is where the game gets Nintendo Hard. Get one choice wrong, the killer is allowed to go free, and it's game over. Unfortunately, there wasn't a save system at that time, so say hello to another tedious round of play if you want to try again. (Wait, hold on. It's 2025 and we still don't have a save system, besides using third-party tools.)

The writing is technically sound, but could use some more color. The text alternates between prose and script. The whole murder method of (Spoiler - click to show)shoving glass shards down someone's throat with gloves on would require some serious ninja fighting skills to perform. Also, if you accuse the wrong person, the police officer is happy to go along with your decision, but if you accuse the right person, the police officer will defend him and try to set him free unless you can complete a gauntlet of choices with perfect accuracy. (Otherwise, prepare to do the entire thing again.)

That said, the writer completed this game in high-school, and was the first person to submit a game to HG. I think these are still pretty cool achievements, and it definitely takes a lot of courage to be the one to take the first step. For that, I'm giving a higher rating than I normally would.

A choicescript tutorial in twine? How about a twine tutorial in choicescript?

This interactive tutorial is pretty straightforward, being just a website/webpage-like guide to choicescript functionality, commands, useful links and so on. I liked the explanation about branching and indents, as that was something my really young self struggled with when learning choicescript for the first time.

Still, I don't think it offers anything you couldn't learn from the website and wiki, and the searchable nature of the wiki probably makes it a better resource once you have passed the initial stages of learning choicescript. Don't get me wrong, this is a well-written and useful resource, just not a strictly necessary one. It is worth taking a look, but you'll also be fine with just the website and wiki, as well as the CoG forums.

Marine Raider is one of the earliest titles under the Hosted Games label. At 43k words, it was substantially longer than a good number of games at the time, although it is pretty short by today's standards. Playtime is quick, and you could probably get through this in ten minutes or so, depending on your choices and reading speed.

You play as a junior officer and platoon commander, leading a small force of marines. With the enemy having the advantage in numbers, skill and stealth will be key to balancing the odds.

The writing is a bit rough compared to later titles by the author. Still, this one is fun. There are no stats in this game, but you will need need to manage decisions carefully, reading the prose and trying to work out the benefits and potential costs of digging in to fight, charging in or beating a hasty retreat. There are plenty of ways it can work out, from pulling out once you have secured some intel to staying behind and trying to fight as much of the enemy as you can. As far as a single playthrough goes, the game is short, but does have a good bit of content if you are willing to come back and try other options.

It is perhaps outclassed today by really long and heavy titles in the HG library, but is still good for some fun.

School isn't going great. Your rival screws you up with his powerful connections and influence. Your professor gives you a failing grade. Getting expelled is right around the corner.

That said, you create a time machine and travel back to the age of the dinosaurs. With this earth-shattering discovery at your disposal, you might just be able to turn things around.

There isn't much in terms of plot as you navigate the dinoscape and work out your relationships with your friend and rival. Mostly, it's a collection of encounters with different types of dinosaurs, along with a couple of danger scenes to get the blood pumping. There is a stat system, along with different things to collect (samples, film, trophies, etc). Presumably, some of these collection options are connected to your stats, but the impact wasn't very apparent.

Not to mention, collecting these things didn't seem to be of much use, as the professor later threw all my findings out, pretty much declared me a fraud, and expelled me anyway. I mean, I brought a ton of souvenirs back from the prehistoric era, including a real living dinosaur. Are you seriously telling me you're not interested?

Frankly, if someone showed up today from a trip to the age of dinosaurs, complete with souvenirs, photographs and a living dinosaur, they would have been an international sensation on the spot. Yet, the entire ending just feels so ridiculously underwhelming. Granted, the rest of the world treated those discoveries with somewhat more interest than that very dense professor, but it still left me scratching my head.

Dinosaur fans may enjoy the romp through the land of the T-Rex. Still, the way it ended felt unsatisfying.

Daria: A Kingdom Simulator is an utterly strange beast. While there are some pretty successful choicescript games out there which include a good dose of management elements, this is a full-blown hardcore management game built in choicescript. Story, plot and character elements are minimal, and most major NPCs are pretty much just additional management assets. I do think having an overarching plot and characters with more story and dialogue could have made the overall product much better.

I was really struggling to decide how many stars I would give to this game. I'm aware four may be a controversial choice. Still, there is a certain therapeutic and enjoyable feeling (I'm serious) to setting up all the pieces together and watching the different numbers go up. This actually kept me entertained for quite a bit. As a choicescript writer myself, I'm also impressed with how durable and well-constructed the system is, even if over-complicated. (I'm aware that the initial release shipped with plenty of bugs, and a lot of people lost progress multiple times as HG tried to patch the game. Still, in the interest of reviewing the current product, I won't penalize the game for this here.)

That said, the game has its flaws. There is no save system in choicescript, and an unlucky early enemy encounter can wipe out painstakingly-earned progress instantly. Navigating the pages and reading the menus can feel excruciating on mobile platforms, but less so on a desktop screen. While it can be fun to unlock things and watch numbers go up, the later parts of the game can get very grindy, especially as you face enemy armies with absurdly high levels of strength (basically meaning even more grinding on your end to match them.)

Somehow, I feel this would have been more enjoyable in a game engine which is well... built for turn-based management. While there is a certain joy in watching numbers and structures going up, I really think choicescript isn't the best place for this. Make no mistake, there are certainly hardcore choicescript management nuts out there who will enjoy this, but I'm not one of them.

The game does a good job for its intended audience, and that's the basis of my star rating. Still, a game like this probably won't appeal to anyone outside that club.

I first played this game a long time ago (the complete version, not the Introcomp entry). I remember it being pretty mediocre back then. Now, I've decided to head back and give it another whirl.

The game adopts a humorous and snarky tone, but it really doesn't match the zombie apocalypse setting at all. There is some heavy fourth wall breaking, depending on your choices, but it didn't feel particularly witty or clever. The plot is straightforward in design as you move from one place to another, but filled with headscratchers, which I'll detail later on.

While there aren't any ROs, the game flips the gender of the companion NPCs depending on your own gender. The characters don't have much in the way of personality, and this just makes them feel even more shallow. Some of them will also do extremely obnoxious things in game, in case you needed more reasons to dislike them.

There are also a couple of things which didn't make sense, which I will talk about below.

(Spoiler - click to show) At one part, you can borrow/steal an abandoned car, but later, the game says that you have a shovel in the back because you were too lazy to take it out a while back. Huh? It's not my car.

At another point, a doctor with a stone-cold personality tells you to leave someone behind in an unsympathetic manner. This doesn't sound like something a medical professional would do so callously, even if the situation was dire.

At the shopping mall, you can spend a few hours on an electronic sim to build your shooting skills. I can buy that the mall runs on diesel generators, but it's a bit of a stretch that they'll let you waste precious power on playing videogames, even if you're trying to build your stats.

When you reach the island, you can't use your gun to break into the abandoned house. You can't retrieve anything from the boat to help you either. Does a ferry/yacht not at least have a length of rope?

Also, can't you simply remain on the boat? If you picked the yacht or ferry, it should be comfortable enough for you to survive in the water for some time, and the zombies wouldn't be able to reach you unless they can swim. You can also forage for food or water on land when the zombies aren't around in full force.

One of the endings says that the zombie plague got 'medically contained'. Huh?? What does that mean? The zombies multiply through physical contact. What does it mean to 'medically contain' them? Seeing that human civilization appears to be in shambles, who did this? A group of aliens watching from space? This part is so brief that I doubt much thought was put into it either.

Choice of Zombies came out at a time when decent choicescript games were few. But today, this just isn't it.