today’s theme, courtesy of the rng-gods: two games ft. phones
Final Call by doq and Emily S
Playtime: 24 minutes
The one where: a plan to rob a casino results in unsettling horror /exploration
This game is a solid, short, somewhat basic game. It’s got a horror feeling, an enjoyably creepy location to explore, and a light puzzle. There are some rough edges remaining that could be sanded off.
The puzzle is light but I had fun. There’s multiple endings that do reflect something about the PC’s choices. The horror mood was evoked well (I particularly enjoyed breaking the mirror).
The game provides a helpful pane on the left. It was nice that it collected clues, although honestly it’s not the type of game where you’re going to need a lot of assistance.
The rough edges in question:
- descriptions could use maybe one more editing pass (two descriptions of the air in a row: “The air fills with electronic dings, buzzes, and overall chatter from the patrons here. The air is heavy and slightly disorienting.”)
- occasionally inconsistent tone (I was surprised when the PC’s reaction to inspecting a dead body was “sweet,” even if the body did contain a clue)
- the input system for the puzzle was a bit temperamental (I very much appreciate the in-game note that the answers are case sensitive. But perhaps even better would be just not making it case sensitive in the first place, and also accepting the clues in any order?)
| Front matter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Could better set the table for the game | Successfully sets the table for the game | Successfully sets the table for the game PLUS |
The front matter is in the right ballpark, but I think instead of (or in addition to) “thriller” it would be nice to convey that it’s in the horror genre—or as the game says “some psycho Saw shit.” Drinking in the creepy atmosphere is one of the pleasures of the game, so let people know that.
Overall, the bones are here, and I had a good time. I would be curious to play a next game / expanded game by these folks.
Gameplay tips / typos
- Most of the rooms get names after you visit once, but “room 5” never changes to “janitor closet”