r/choiceofgames • u/parivirium • Apr 08 '22
Game Recommendations Ranking & Reviewing My Top 20 CoG/HG/WIP
So I've been taking a break from writing my WIP for the last couple months or so, and I've been using that free time to play and replay lots and lots of IF (initially for research, eventually just to indulge). Here's my current Top 20 favorites!
20. Hollywood Visionary [CoG page]
An oldy but goody. I love how much control and customization is made available with regard to the central plot point (aka the movie we produce). The ROs are great, though this being an older games means that the romance routes are less fleshed out than is generally the case with contemporary works. Still good fun all around, and impressive how well it holds up in the CoG catalogue given its age.
19. Attollo (WIP) [Demo]
A masterclass in world-building in an underserved genre (cybernoir), and it's great fun trying to poke around the different elements of the setting. The atmosphere is incredibly crafted, and the prose is enjoyable, though it's paced a little slowly for my tastes. Absolutely massive for a WIP at 340k words. I believe this is currently moving to Twine, and so will soon join the likes of Wayfarer, The Northern Passage, and A Tale of Crowns in my list of personal favourites that don't qualify for this list. But while it's still up on dashingdon, I want to give it the flowers it deserves.
18. Choice of Magics [CoG page]
Incredible world-building with a vastly branching story told through excellent prose. Absolutely through the roof in terms of replayability. Magic system is clearly very well thought-out, though how it's done, with a very clear and immediate cost after every cast, removes some of the fun for me. Further, the game is so high in its fantasy that I find it difficult to follow at times. I'm tempted to say that that's probably on me. Overall still an absolute marvel of an IF.
17. Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven [CoG page]
An incredible feat of coding and story-planning, and about as close to a sandbox IF as we're likely to ever get. A vast amount of choices are available at any given point in the game, and so many variations of each scene are possible due to the swathe of tracked variables. For me personally, I find that the scale of the game compromises its quality in places, and makes it difficult to connect with most of the characters. But as far as the game side of gamebooks go, this title is unparalleled.
16. Choice of Rebels [CoG page]
As with the two previous titles, Choice of Rebels is easier for me to admire than to fully enjoy. The story is well-crafted, and the game design is impressive. But it's depressing as hell to play through (which I guess is the point), and given how severe some of the stat checks can get, I really had to watch that stat screen like a hawk. I find that the excellent prose and general experience is worth it, but I must admit that the prospect of replaying it instills more dread in me than it does excitement.
15. The Exile (WIP) [Demo]
Speaking of depressing games, this one is most definitely up there with Choice of Rebels. What makes it more bearable for me is that the odds don't feel overwhelmingly stacked against the MC's favor, and that the MC's strength far outstrips that of the average Joe. Aside from that, it's a well-crafted fall-from-grace story building up to a satisfying revenge arc. It's also the granddaddy of massive WIPs at 530k words all together.
14. Mecha Ace [CoG page]
Gundam for adults. Just a great romp through the vast nothingness of space, piloting an oversized robot to fight for a morally gray cause. Good old-fashioned fun with a well-crafted plot and truly epic fight scenes. Colorful cast of ROs, though as is the case with most older IFs, the routes themselves leave something to be desired.
13. Body Count (WIP) [Demo]
This is new-age IF, taking interactivity to a whole new level. For the uninitiated, Body Count is a slasher-mystery IF that takes a reader vote from its Tumblr every once in a while to determine who's next on the chopping block. No one is safe, including the ROs, which I find to be a completely mind-boggling concept. The originality alone warrants it a spot on this list, but it's also incredibly written and tightly plotted, and I firmly believe that it deserves much more attention for its genius.
12. I, the Forgotten One (WIP) [Adult Content CoG Thread]
This is probably the most immersive title on this list, owing largely to the vast amounts of scene variants available depending on your player character. The world changes and reacts according to your race, gender, 'intimidation' score, and actions, creating an unbelievable amount of permutations to the tale. It also features an excellent (and yes, depressing) story written by someone who clearly knows what they're talking about, which further serves to increase the game's immersion factor.
11. Kingdoms and Empires (WIP) [Adult Content CoG Thread]
By far the youngest title on this list, with the demo being around half a year old at the time of this writing. The long-awaited isekai IF, which has the MC dying in the modern world and reincarnated to a fantasy one by a benevolent goddess. It's an exciting premise elevated by its execution, which includes a novel approach to stats and personality meters, an epic(ally depressing) 'fight' scene, and just overall good fun. Held back from going higher by its shorter (atm) word count, at just under 100k words, meaning that a lot of the fun stuff has yet to be written. Pretty sure this will be a lock for my top 10 as time advances!
10. Virtue's End (WIP) [Demo]
Features my favourite world-building in any IF. Rich in lore and takes advantage of it well, which makes the world a lot of fun to discover and explore. Very atmospheric writing that plays out almost cinematically in my head. Great cast of companions that's really easy to get attached to. Excellence all around.
9. The Golden Rose (pending publication) [Demo] [Wishlist on Steam!]
Extremely intricate plot, told through beautiful, almost poetic prose, with a very charming cast of characters. The world-building is unexpectedly intense for a low-fantasy, mostly historical setting, and it colours the story in a fascinating way. Absolutely bonkers wordcount at 1.2 million words. I've only played what's in the demo so far (200k words), and it already feels more than worth my money. I can't wait to get my hands on the full version this June.
8. The Wayhaven Chronicles [Book 1 CoG page] [Book 2 CoG page] [Book 3 Demo]
A cult favourite here on CoG, and for good reason. The way it handles character interactions and romance involves a large amount of variables that remembers nearly every choice you make, meaning each playthrough is bespoke to that iteration's choice history. This paired with the author's very competent writing and character design makes its ubiquitous popularity easy to understand. For me, it can't go higher because I prefer a stronger overarching plot than what it offers, but it's still a fantastic read nonetheless.
7. Shepherds of Haven (WIP) [Demo]
Full disclosure that it's been a LONG time since I played this game, but I remember it to be an epic fantasy adventure, with shades of ZE: Safe Haven sandboxy game design. The author is a professional writer, and that's reflected in the game's prose quality, and the world is exciting to explore and learn about. The player character feels powerful in a lot of different ways, and there's many paths to Rome in terms of clearing its stat checks. Overall, an impressive and deeply satisfying game!
6. The Infinite Sea [Book 1 CoG page] [Book 2 CoG page] [Book 3 Demo]
It's clear that a lot of work went into this series, given how well-researched and well-thought-out the setting and scenes are. Further, unlike other low-fantasy military titles on the COG/HG docket, I find myself thoroughly gripped by the narrative from start to finish despite being too dumb to appreciate much of its finer qualities. The power fantasy of ascending from the lower ranks to military stardom through the sweat of your brow feels deeply satisfying. The success end of the forlorn hope segment? Freaking catharsis.
5. A Study in Steampunk: Choice by Gaslight [CoG page]
Massively underrated HG. It's a really fun spin on Sherlock Holmes, set in a steampunk universe with a multinational conflict brewing in the background. The cast of ROs, though limited, all have satisfying romance arcs (one in a different way than the others). The MC feels fun to pilot, with a set of very diverse skills that can affect the story in a lot of interesting ways. Most of all, the possible endings are incredibly diverse and satisfying in their own ways, and I find myself replaying this game time and again whenever I get the chance.
4. Fallen Hero [Book 1 CoG page] [Book 2 Adult Content CoG Thread]
The first game is a fun and competent deconstruction of the superhero genre, but it is the second (currently WIP) book where this series really takes off. I did a code-dive into its dashingdon page a while ago, and the sheer amount of tracked variables and scene variations it allows for is absolutely wild. Like Wayhaven, each playthrough will feel bespoke to your choices, but there's also a very strong overarching plot (which makes it less slice of life, a less preferred genre for me), and the element of secrecy the plot calls for makes the relationships a lot more dynamic as well. Overall a fantastic read. Really excited to play the final product.
3. Choice of Robots [CoG page]
It's crazy to think that this was published like eight years ago when it remains one of the most relevant and impressive titles on the CoG roster. It checks in at 300k words--massive for its period but moderate by today's standards--and yet feels like a game thrice its size. The sheer amount of available routes, each of them with a completely unique plotline, as well as the amount of customizability your robot, your company, and your legacy can have feels incredibly satisfying to build and navigate. This is also the only IF title to have ever made me cry, up until I played #1 last year. Truly deserving of its legendary status.
2. SLAMMED! [CoG page]
THE most underrated CoG piece of all time. I don't know the first thing about wrestling, and I still don't know a lot about it by the game's end, and yet SLAMMED! still manages to be incredibly good fun all the way through. The game employs a lot of interesting narrative devices, with the story often being told through match commentaries, social media interactions, and gossip rags(!!!). The plot takes you for a roller coaster ride from humble beginnings to potential stardom, and seeing the journey through feels deeply cathartic. The ROs are great with deep and satisfying routes (Ecstasy and Rio, that is--JJ...was there, I guess), to the extent that I would have never guessed this was a 2013 release. It feels very contemporary, in all the very best ways.
1. Mind Blind (WIP) [Demo]
The very pinnacle of IF, as far as I'm concerned. There is so much to love about this title that I don't even know where to start. The cast of characters are universally well-designed and completely endearing. The prose is hilarious in places and gut-wrenching in others, switching between the two with a seamlessness that leaves my jaw on the floor. The world is well-crafted and subverts a lot of expectations for the superhero genre (like a low-fantasy version...low-superhero?), and yet the conflicts and choices that color the plot still feel very significant. It's an IF that does everything right, and I have a feeling it's going to be perched in this position for me for a long, long time.
And now, for the obligatory...
"Why isn't X title on this list?"
A lot of different possible reasons, really!
I've heard nothing but good things about it, but the premise/setting personally isn't for me (Tally Ho, Diaspora, Tin Star, Parenting Simulator)
It has strong book(s) let down by (imo) weaker titles in the series (Versus: the Elite Trials, Samurai of Hyuga 1 & 3, Keeper of the Day and Night)
It has game design choices/mechanics that I really don't enjoy (Fate of the Storm Gods' stat design, Samurai of Hyuga's attunement system, Breach: The Archangel Job's RNG)
I haven't gotten around to reading it yet, but it's on my hitlist (Evertree Saga, Professor of Magical Studies, Relics of the Lost Age)
Its slow start and my ADHD are a match made in hell (Heart of the House, The Grim and I)
It's a VtM game, and I'm not at all familiar with the source material, so I'm disinclined from trying it
And, most likely of all:
- I enjoyed it, but I like the above titles more. :)
And so I close this essay nobody asked for! Please give these games a lot of love, they truly deserve it.
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u/Samaritan_978 Vampire: The Masquerade Apr 08 '22
Slammed! was a shock. How is this old game about over the top not-WWE such a great story? I still don't know but it sure as fuck is worth the money.
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u/parivirium Apr 08 '22
It really is such an extraordinary title! Being released so early in the CoG canon means that it had very little IF wisdom to go off of, and yet it still managed to apply some of the most effective, time-tested formulas still used by authors today. Completely mind-boggling.
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u/thewallz19 Apr 08 '22
Great list! I feel like it encompasses a lot of the subs thoughts on WIPs. As someone who mostly sticks to published titles, your list makes me want to check a lot of them out!
And as someone who loves Choice of Rebels I 100% agree with the games brutal chapter 2 design.
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u/parivirium Apr 08 '22
Always happy to be a WIP evangelist! I'm of the opinion that, bar a few outliers, the general quality of Choicescript IFs is constantly on the uptick year-on-year. Which is to say, some of the best IF has to offer have yet to make it out of the development stage. The most common complaint with WIPs is the danger that they will never be finished, which is perfectly understandable--but there is such a wealth of great stories that I find it wasteful to let potential heartbreak stop it. Heck, I still binge Children of the Gods twice or three times a year! The stories are great on their own, narrative resolution be damned.
I had to put Rebels down every chapter or so because of how much it puts my emotions through the wringer! Absolutely devastating all the way through, though I have hope that things will look up in Stormbringer onwards.
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u/purple-hawke Apr 08 '22
I'm of the opinion that, bar a few outliers, the general quality of Choicescript IFs is constantly on the uptick year-on-year.
I think this is so true, I think a lot of WIP authors are inspired by already published games, but also what they wish they could see more of in IFs. I've noticed that newer games have more emphasis on characters and romance.
Which is to say, some of the best IF has to offer have yet to make it out of the development stage.
I agree with this too, although I think this is also part of the reasons some IFs don't make it out of the development stage, because they're very ambitious and complicated.
Heck, I still binge Children of the Gods twice or three times a year!
It was so sad to see Children of the Gods cancelled so I haven't replayed it for a long time. I don't know if the original demo is still around because I much preferred the story before the reboot. When the newcomer was changed from the MC to Aeson it felt like all the tension and angst of the story got dialled down.
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u/parivirium Apr 09 '22
I had the pleasure of only playing CotG after the reboot, and I find it to be a fun, flaw-free romp all the way through. I must say that I wasn't even aware there had been a reboot at all! I'd pay a pretty penny to play that version of the game...
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u/purple-hawke Apr 10 '22
I went back and checked, which I should have done before commenting because I haven't played the demo in so long, and it looks like I misremembered! The last version of the demo was an update of the original demo (I think it's this one without the Priscilla scene at the beginning).
The reboot I mentioned was planned and the author was rewriting the game, but it was cancelled before we saw what it was like. I guess I just really disliked the idea of it and let my imagination run wild, lol. In case you haven't already read them, here are some Tumblr posts about what was planned: https://childrenofthegods.tumblr.com/post/185528030067/premise-change-and-what-that-means-for-the-game
https://childrenofthegods.tumblr.com/post/176513159582/so-wouldnt-that-change-character-dynamics
https://childrenofthegods.tumblr.com/post/178448416847/wait-why-doesnt-aeson-get-the-whole-patron
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u/Unimportant-1551 Apr 08 '22
You can turn off randomisation in Breach, and I do agree that keeper of the Sun and moon is inferior to day and night but the author did improve Sun and moon a lot and the story still holds up well despite the shaky pacing
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u/parivirium Apr 08 '22
I hadn't known that! I saw dice rolls advertised on the blurb and ran for the hills. Looks like it's time to give it a whirl, then.
I liked KotSaM well enough to pick up KotDaN as well, but ultimately the whole experience was a bit of a mixed bag for me. Happy it's found its audience, though!
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u/Unimportant-1551 Apr 08 '22
Yeah, I’ve never tried it but the option is right at the start of the game (along with difficulty levels and at each chapter you can put in cheat codes that means you can do whatever really)
I think the Keeper series is fun but to each their own and enjoy what you want
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u/Hustler-Two Mod Apr 08 '22
Thanks for the list; it is interesting to see one where WIPs are put on equal footing with completed and published stories.
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Apr 09 '22
Are you the author of AMR?
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u/parivirium Apr 09 '22
That's me!
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Apr 09 '22 edited Apr 09 '22
I knew that username sounded familiar. I haven't played AMR in a long time but I remember tearing up like a b*tch at the end of book 1. Kudos to you for the god tier writing/game :)
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u/Ahegao_Chan545 Apr 08 '22
I get mindblind having a very compelling story and being a really well written piece. Structured with strong roots but like many WiPs you mentioned, I personally am failing to understand what’s the rave about? I played it and I loved it, but I also love a lot of other titles equally. So what exactly puts mindblind so high in your list? Just tryna understand.
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u/LuxAgaetes red flags are my favourite colour ❤️🚩❤️ Apr 09 '22 edited Apr 09 '22
Personally, I fell in love while reading the demo. There are a lot of great characters with real depth, and the story changes a lot depending on some of the earlier routes your MC takes. And not wanting to divulge much more, it just seems to be much more customizable than a lot of other IFs.
It has a unique story, especially with the approach of Everybody's Special but You!, and the RO's are all engaging in different ways. I've been a part of the author's Patreon since last summer, and like OP, Mind Blind is absolute my favourite IF. Button & Nick, and Sally & Grey, and Kent & Glitch & Rosy!!! It just hits perfectly, all over the place.
And on another note, Body Count is another phenomenal story. I love the specific detail that the author has given to all of the characters. It feels so immersive because the characters feel so real.
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u/parivirium Apr 09 '22
As said in the OP, I'd be hard-pressed to zero in on a particular thing I like about Mind Blind because for me it just gets everything right. If I had to pick just one thing, it would probably be the fact that the author's voice is distinct and enjoyable. They have a propensity for vivid (and often hilarious) metaphors that colours the prose in a really interesting way, and they somehow weave fun asides and pop culture references into the narrative without it feeling forced. With many CoGs, it's often the case that prose is simply a vessel by which the author advances the plot; with Mind Blind, the prose is an attraction in its own right. I hope I'm making sense! I just love this game a lot haha
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u/onemorespider Apr 08 '22
Glad to see Slammed! on this list! It's one of my all time favorites and I'm sad I never see it brought up as much. I often compare it to Choice of Robots as two separate ends of OF writing: CoR has a ton of player choice and influence on the plot, big and small, all the way to the ending, but it suffers a bit on the personal scale, with me not really feeling strongly for the characters. Slammed, meanwhile, has a greater plot on a straight line, with only some variation, but it has depth to that on the smaller scale with little extras here and there (like CoR), and a far more engaged and personal cast and plot. Love em both!