|
Return to the game's main page Reviews and Ratings
Previous | << 1 2 >> | Next | Show All
5 of
6 people found the following review helpful:
 A decent parody that had me wishing for more, September 23, 2020by deathbytroggles (Minneapolis, MN) This is probably the toughest review I've written so far as I'm not entirely sure how I feel about Turandot. I should note this is the first ChoiceScript game I've finished and it's not my preferred style of play. I was immediately turned off by the game's first section, where we intimately are introduced to Calaf's misogyny. Gijsbers tries to play it for laughs, as the entire game is kind of a parody of the opera, which was terribly sexist. While I smirked at times, I just don't find sexism ripe for comedy. Things definitely improve once we meet Turandot, as she is a revulsed by Calaf as anyone should be and has an appealing flare for the dramatic. Her running commentary as she sends Calaf through the trials to win her over is witty and endearing. I was less taken by her change of heart, as Calaf's self-actualization feels out of nowhere, though I have to admit I was rooting for him by the end. And the ending turns the game on its head one more time, making us once again reevaluate everything we thought of our characters and I was left feeling a bit dizzy (not to mention confused for Calaf's friend). Ultimately, I gave this three stars because Gijsbers is an excellent writer and I was compelled for most of the ride. But I was left quite unsatisfied. Perhaps if this had been written as satire, with more focus on the historic racism of Orientalist operas, I would have appreciated it more. Instead it felt to me like a few different sketch comedies thrown together, full of some laughs but with an inconsistent theme. I should also acknowledge the quite overt references (so overt that it would be hard to call them Easter Eggs) to several famous IF works sprinkled throughout, though I'm not sure why they are here. It reminds me of how out of place it felt to get an XYZZY response while playing Babel. Though I imagine I will never again find quite as satisfying a result to clicking "Show Stats." Was this review helpful to you? Yes No | View comments (6) - Add comment
0 of
3 people found the following review helpful:
Wow, that escalated quickly. And then some!, December 27, 2019Turandot was actually a choice-IF I could enjoy, and not just because it was really funny. It is very different from a CYOA; here, the choices are as one part of a dialogue; no waiting, no clicking around, just a steady progress, always forward, and always hilarious. Great stuff! Was this review helpful to you? Yes No | Add a comment
|