Note: This review was written during IFComp 2024, and originally posted in the authors' section of the intfiction forum on 15 Sep 2024.
This is a graphical RPG, Japanese style, maybe made with RPG Maker? And you’re off on a quest to find your favourite teacup. All in a rather cosy fantasy setting.
On plus the characters that you meet are well defined, and interesting to encounter. The main decisions you have in the game seem to be how you negotiate with these other people.
However the story itself is very linear, more so I felt than the author’s previous JRPG Quest for the Sword of Justice. I felt as though I had more freedom to explore that world, and to decide what to do when. With this one it felt very much as though I was often just stepping through a series of events.
So that was disappointing for me. But I thought the NPCs were really well done. And I did laugh out loud at times. I just wanted more agency, and a better sense of control.
It may also be an issue that I’m a bit too old for the era where these sorts of games were very popular. So I don’t have that strong sense of nostalgia. And in interactive fiction, whether it be text based or graphical or a mix, I want agency.
But yes, the characters were well done and there were appropriate laughs as I played.