1 | FINAL CALL
1 | FINAL CALL
by: doq, Emily S
Progress:
- I was able to complete this game pretty fast (I think I spent maybe 40-50 minutes on this total?), and went back to play a second time to get a different ending. I could’ve perhaps gone through again trying to brute force to get every ending, but I felt satisfied with what I saw.
Things I Appreciated:
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I was never lost and thought that the puzzles and navigation were communicated clearly.
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I liked the use of randomized flavor text in the casino (watching blackjack games and using the slot machines) to make the scene feel more dynamic.
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The shift from a thriller to more of a horror genre was engaging, as well as the protagonist’s past coming back to weigh upon their current mental state.
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I appreciate the effort toward including sound and visual/image elements to add to the atmosphere.
Feedback/Recommendations/Questions:
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The thing that I think would really enhance this game would be a stronger standardization of the base game formatting. I noticed that there was inconsistent spacing between paragraphs (especially on screens where more text was being revealed). I think making the format internally consistent would make the times when the format is being broken intentionally for effect to have a stronger impact. On a similar note, there was a screen (red text on the mirror background) that was difficult to read due to the color not showing up well. I think these are the kind of details that could be adjusted to smooth out the player experience.
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I wonder what the purpose was of letting the player input a name for the protagonist? In this case, it seems like the character we are playing as is someone specific, as opposed to a blank/customized character. Maybe this is an IF norm I’m unaware of, but I feel like it would’ve strengthened the characterization to just pick a name for the character and call them that. Perhaps even a close third person instead of second person POV would have worked? On my second playthrough I entered the name “Roxy” in case there was an easter egg and it led it to be especially uncanny. (Uh, sorry for being a chaos goblin about that
That one is on me for sure.)
What I learned about IF writing/game design:
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I thought this piece made effective use of the sidebar to store information that the player has gathered. I didn’t need to take my own notes because I was reminded as to what was there already. It felt like the game anticipated what I needed so I didn’t have to work awkwardly outside the game’s own UI.
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I liked the uses of timed text, such as when Roxy is giving an impassioned speech and the prompt to click through appears before her text is done. This helps immerse the reader/player into the feeling that your character has an impulse to dismiss what she has to say before you’ve even heard it all.
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I also like how the possibilities in some locations change when you visit them again, such as being able to reflect in the mirror more. I haven’t tried implementing something like that in Twine yet but I’m encouraged by seeing this game use that effectively.
Quote:
- “The fine customers of this ‘clean, safe, fun’ establishment.” (Made me laugh)
Lasting Memorable Moment:
- When I used the magnet on the slot machine and the protagonist is betrayed, punctuated with the bright red background. I wasn’t expecting that and thought it was impactful in pivoting the game from exploring the casino to the second half of the game.