Elementarily Brilliant
Really well thought out engaging story, where many decision determine you character. Rewarding to play and read. The games afoot!!
Marvelous
There are many paths through this game with hugely divergent outcomes. But what’s even better is the depth of your character. While it’s true you’re always playing a man, there’s so much room for him to develop in different ways. This is a fairly long choice game, and greatly rewards multiple playthroughs.
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Tip-top
This reads like a best seller. It has a touch of Holmes mixed with steampunk and perhaps a bit of Dickens in the political turmoil. I’ve replayed 3 very different doctors and got 3 very different experiences and each one was immersive and rewarding.
Superb storytelling.
This has been, to say the least, one of the finest stories I have had the privilege of enjoying. Only a minute ago I completed my first play through, and I’m about to start right over again. My only complaint is that the display options don’t seem to be functioning properly, but I would imagine that’s an easy fix. Other than that, this has provided, and will continue to provide, hours of enjoyment. The author is a remarkable writer and I will surely look for more titles from her.
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A richly detailed world with exciting choices
This is one of the best choose tour own adventure stories. Excellent writing mixes science fiction with Victorian settings. I really like the numerous and various choices. Has strong replayability. Interesting characters.
Truly entrancing
Fair warning, the character is locked in as a male. That being it’s only offset however, I still think the story is amazing. It’s everything promised in the description, serial killers, steampunk, long lived nobles, and much more. I think what makes it one of hosted games’ best is that it has characters that stay relatively consistent throughout the story. With a few exceptions most decisions matter. The system of stats may not be super complex but it’s simplicity and great story is what draws me in. Being a casual choice of games and hosted games reader games with a lot of stats confuse and ruin the experience most of the time for me. But that’s just my personal opinion. Great for a story and if you’re looking for some simple stats with mostly meaningful decisions.
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For men only
While I really like the idea of this game, and the story is engaging, I agree with the other women who have posted reviews. There is no way to know this is for men only. Sorry, I don’t want to role play as a man. The game loses all the great immersive aspects when it limits gender. Like others I will not play this until it’s updated. And if you enjoy being female you may not enjoy this game. I don’t recommend it.
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Tons of Fun and Replayability
This was my first choices and text-based adventure game and is still my favourite. The world building is wonderful and I'm not even usually a steampunk fan. There are a lot of different options to play your Watson-esque character and the relationships with the other characters are fantastic. I especially adore Finch, who is a lot more than just your Holmes. I've replayed it over and over to take different routes, and they really go in unique directions. It's the only time I've ever felt like I underpaid for an app tbh. There's a novel's worth of content here
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I’m disappointed
I don’t want to give a bad review because I’m sure it’s a well written story. But I paid for the game and then realized you can’t play as a female. I just feel like it’s unfair to not put that in the description. Why leave it out? I wish I would have known. I don’t mind a male protagonist being at the center of a story. I just wouldn’t purchase it because I play these games to feel like I am role playing as myself in a different place. I can’t help but think it was left out because the authors believed people would be more reluctant to purchase if the choice was not to play as either gender. Probably a good story from what I read in the beginning but I was so sad to discover I didn’t have any say in my characters gender....especially because majority of these games give you the choice.
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One for the Collection
Definitely one for your collection of CoGs. I’m a small time Sherlock fan, so after the first few pages and I realized this was a Sherlock and Watson tale where the Watson character was the focus I was very much pleasantly surprised. The setting is rich, the backstory and world building excellent. And Grace! God Grace. I won’t spoil anything on that front, but those that chose to romance her probably know what I mean. If I had one gripe, it would have been that we never had the option to ride in a steampunk Mecha, or if we could I never found that path. Would totally love a sequel/prequel some type of continuation of this universe.
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Goddamn...
I’ve always had a bias toward Sherlock Holmes, with the mystery aspect of it but especially the relationship between our favorite detective and John Watson. I’ve seen several portrayals of this relationship, but this one is my personal favorite, even if you do not choose to romance the character based off of Sherlock.
Of course, that is not the only reason I love this game. It is fantastically written! The storyline and plot is interesting and you are able to choose your sexuality, though you are male as default.
Bravo to this writer and I hope I see more of these works!
Of course, that is not the only reason I love this game. It is fantastically written! The storyline and plot is interesting and you are able to choose your sexuality, though you are male as default.
Bravo to this writer and I hope I see more of these works!
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Impressive!
There are so many different genre elements blended together here with a nice touch of tongue-in-cheek humor for the reader to enjoy!
I can’t remember if this was a bundle, but there were 4 books worth of story in here, and I am about to try all of it a second time!!
Oh, the “steampunk” aspect seems less prominent than the “Sherlock” and “GOT” political aspects. It could easily be just how I chose to play, so if I have a totally different experience, I’ll edit this review!
Either way, I love it! thanks!!
I can’t remember if this was a bundle, but there were 4 books worth of story in here, and I am about to try all of it a second time!!
Oh, the “steampunk” aspect seems less prominent than the “Sherlock” and “GOT” political aspects. It could easily be just how I chose to play, so if I have a totally different experience, I’ll edit this review!
Either way, I love it! thanks!!
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BEST THING I’VE EVER READ!
It was so smooth and well thought out, worth every cent. At the end you’ll be wishing it was longer. Would read again, and any further instalments they make to this story (if any).
Excellent
This is a fantastic game, a steampunk Sherlock Holmesian mystery where the player takes the role of the Dr. Watson character.
If any of those keywords lit up on your radar, stop reading and just buy the game. It is well written, nicely put together as a game, and A delight to play.
If any of those keywords lit up on your radar, stop reading and just buy the game. It is well written, nicely put together as a game, and A delight to play.
I’m in love
I’m not sure how I survived before I downloaded this.
Way better than Alexandria
Like the title says. I’ve read and reviewed both of these stories and this one surpasses Alexandria in every way possible. Truly a fantastic story that I never wanted to end. Well worth the price!
Wonderful
As a woman who absolutely loves CoG, I was a bit skeptical to see that the character was fixed as a male, but I pressed on, and I was so glad that I did. All my skepticisms immediately washed away when I realized that the character was an homage to John Watson from the Sherlock series, with the companion/love interest Finch being the eccentric Sherlock type character.
Not only did I immediately fall in love with a "Sherlock in Steampunk" idea, but the writing itself made me feel as though I were holding a thick novel instead of the phone in my hands. And not to mention he fact you have a choice to romance your very own Sherlock Holmes in the taboo ages of the 1800s, which I happily took. Of course there are romancing options for straight, bisexual, and gay, and I've always found romance to be a large part of why I play these games, but maybe that's just the romantic in me. Anyways, I found my chosen romance to be absolutely beautifully written, just like the rest of this novel.
And even though I'm a woman playing as a man, the choice mechanics made my character feel like me. I could choose my strengths and weaknesses, develop my personality and priorities, and overall fall in love with both my character and all the other beautifully written characters in the game.
Just get the game. It's so worth it.
Not only did I immediately fall in love with a "Sherlock in Steampunk" idea, but the writing itself made me feel as though I were holding a thick novel instead of the phone in my hands. And not to mention he fact you have a choice to romance your very own Sherlock Holmes in the taboo ages of the 1800s, which I happily took. Of course there are romancing options for straight, bisexual, and gay, and I've always found romance to be a large part of why I play these games, but maybe that's just the romantic in me. Anyways, I found my chosen romance to be absolutely beautifully written, just like the rest of this novel.
And even though I'm a woman playing as a man, the choice mechanics made my character feel like me. I could choose my strengths and weaknesses, develop my personality and priorities, and overall fall in love with both my character and all the other beautifully written characters in the game.
Just get the game. It's so worth it.
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I Need More Games Like This
I held off on playing this one for awhile being turned off from being forced to play a male MC but guess what. This MC is amazing. And this is the best CoG title i've played so far. As another reviewer has put it, CoG authors need to take note here because this game pulls off the strongest and most enjoyable writing i've experienced yet in CoG titles (and even in some mainstream rpg's!), and the difference is because the focus is on player character development.
It isn't so much about branching plot lines (tho they are there too) but the thing is, it isn't about absolute freedom and multiple choices that end up meaningless but instead the focus is on your character and how you develop throughout the story. There isn't absolute freedom in who you can be, but the story is stronger for it because everything that you are is even more relevant in the story. You can change your perspective multiple times in reaction to the game's events and you're never punished for it, instead the game has a very natural and strong evolving story that is always thematically consistent no matter which direction you go.
Instead of a huge amount of choices that don't mean much in terms of emotion or plot, instead we have backstory and conflict in our character from past decisions that affects our current choices and everything builds up in the climax and the game allows recognition of that.
I hope more CoG writers take note of this kind of writing bc it's so so satisfying. This is the kind of potential that text based writing games can have. I NEED MORE!!!
It isn't so much about branching plot lines (tho they are there too) but the thing is, it isn't about absolute freedom and multiple choices that end up meaningless but instead the focus is on your character and how you develop throughout the story. There isn't absolute freedom in who you can be, but the story is stronger for it because everything that you are is even more relevant in the story. You can change your perspective multiple times in reaction to the game's events and you're never punished for it, instead the game has a very natural and strong evolving story that is always thematically consistent no matter which direction you go.
Instead of a huge amount of choices that don't mean much in terms of emotion or plot, instead we have backstory and conflict in our character from past decisions that affects our current choices and everything builds up in the climax and the game allows recognition of that.
I hope more CoG writers take note of this kind of writing bc it's so so satisfying. This is the kind of potential that text based writing games can have. I NEED MORE!!!
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Brilliant work of interactive fiction
I fall into the trap of becoming obsessed with the mechanics of Choice of Games titles, making the right choices to go along with the path I set from the beginning. This game was designed elegantly enough that I never felt I had to restart a game because I misjudged the authors intent with a choice, not having the right stats to pull off a maneuver. The branching paths are extremely robust, this is definitely one of the best IF pieces I've had the pleasure of playing.
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Great Game
By the end of this game, I had a real sense of my Dr Watson's character. I was making decisions based not on what I would do, but what I thought he would do. Credit to the author for this.
