The Path of Totality

This is the second Lamp Post Projects game that I've played this IFComp. Like the earlier one (The Secrets of Sylvan Gardens), it takes place in a fantasy world with orcs, half-orcs, humans, elves, half-elves, and others, and with scientists like botanists and astronomers.

In this game, a solar eclipse is scheduled to happen soon, and the path of totality will go over a set of standing stones that are holy to an ancient God. Anyone who is there when the eclipse happens will be granted a wish. You can play as a true believer, an adventurer, or an astronomer, with different bonuses and endgames. I played as a true believer.

Along your pilgrimage, you have the opportunity to meet with two sets of two other pilgrims, for a total of four. The first pair are sibling half-orcs, while the second are a halfling man and (eventually) an elf woman.

You can choose to go with the group or not. I ignored the half-orcs at first because I wasn't as interested in them, but I joined up with them later once I saw the halfling.

This is a 'cozy' setting, a particular type I've seen a few times where there's not very high stakes, everyone is nice to each other (introducing with pronouns, asking consent before personal questions), there is no threat of death or severe injury. Just five chill people headed to the stones and some magical creatures out for mischief.

Most of the game is conversation, and most conversation is having a few topics you can explore in any order, and within topics being able to react to NPC questions by generally being kind, neutral, or mean. There are also puzzle segments in the game (some very easy, others more tricky). You can romance any of the four NPCs, although it can feel very fast paced due to the time constraints of the game (true love in two weeks, for instance).

It was a pleasant story, I felt I had agency (I skipped several conversations that didn't seem as interesting and focused more on a couple key characters) and it has replay value.

this might be the last review i write this ifcomp (though ive played some games i haven't reviewed and i hope to still play more), bc im getting really busy, but i wanted to be sure to get to this one after the author's response to my review of fantasy opera.

this game is set in a fantasy world where you are journeying to see an eclipse and be blessed by a goddess. the setting is based on england but felt more like it's own thing compared to the setting of fantasy opera because of the focus on the religion, which i thought was really interesting.

this is the only game ive played that let me choose they/she as my characters pronouns and i was honestly so excited? which is silly maybe but it's nice to be able to match my real life preferences for once. there was a they/he character as well which was also cool to see. i am glad the game introduced the character jade before it asked me to put my name in though, that could have been really confusing (as that is the name i usually go by) 💀

along the way you meet various companions and can romance one of them. this felt much better integrated than in fantasy opera. i liked all the characters a lot and enjoyed romancing the shapeshifter.

there are also lots of opportunities to stop and talk to random people along the way or to take a moment to experience nature. in a lot of ways it felt like this was the real point of the game, like it's not the destination it's the journey, yk? maybe the real blessing of lorell is the friends we made along the way. and seeing an otter. /gen

anyway i don't know if this is like objectively the best or anything - it seems like other people haven't been rating it so high? - but it was just about perfect for me!

Third and final game from the dev which I'll be playing for IFcomp. Unlike the map exploration we had in Sylvan Gardens or the mystery solving at the Opera,this is a much more straightforward fantasy adventure story.

We're off to see a solar eclipse. You get a choice of classes, which could open up unique options later on. Additionally you can invite a couple of folks to join you. I pretty much gave everyone I met an open invitation, so I'm not sure if the game branches significantly if you choose otherwise.

As with the other games from the dev, the writing is solid, the art and interface is nice, and the game has a beautiful and charming vibe. There is another interesting cast of characters, along with romances. I picked Tula for this one, and she was a pretty interesting character with an intriguing backstory and powers.

Gameplay wise, it's a lot more straightforward than the other IFcomp games from the dev. You make your journey through a fantasy landscape, talking with your companions and dealing with various encounters along the way. There are some puzzle sections later on, but none are too difficult, and you could probably brute force the choices if you're really stuck.

All and all, it's an adventure with the usual sweetness and charm I saw in the other games by the dev, and probably more suited for a casual and relaxing experience without running around and trying to find things.