Tableaux Vivants

I must say, I was pleasantly surprised! I had kept my eye out for LampPostProjects, as many of this author's entries have featured in the top 10 of previous IFComps, of which I didn't get the chance to play or evaluate (especially with I think 2 or 3 separate entries making the top 10), and they did not disappoint! The game made great use of its magic-centric gameplay mechanics to quite artfully support the narrative premise, itself written in thoughtful prose, behind regaining lost memories gradually by revisiting certain locations and examining certain items once other memories have been retrieved! The ending was also well done with its split regarding you end up deciding to write once the everything is revealed to us. The ending also that the self (in the magical universe) is comprised of four facets, with the four actors we encounter being their respective physical embodiment: Self-image/identity (the woman), emotions/passion (the chimera), relationships (the couple) and ambition (Napoleon). Brilliant!

That said, I did feel that, at times, a few of your actions as well as a small handful of the puzzles felt a bit disjoined (namely, the horse/Napoleon ones did not make much sense to me). I think this is mainly what prevents me from giving it a perfect score (though I do laud it for being darn near such a rating)!