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Love this concept - Exquisite Corpse anthology game where different devs handle each ~5 minute chapter, having only seen the other games in their decision tree. Played through several levels, though not the complete web - I hit a run-ending bug on Showdown that let me know when enough was enough. Nothing in here I played that was must-see, but the general presentation is really cool.
This review contains spoilers
C.H.A.I.N.G.E.D. manages to slightly improve from its predecessor, but the narrative, again, is highly interpretative as usual. Instead of going on a linear path, the game has you go through lots of branches to unfold a story.
Sadly, this game suffers an ever worser fate of having a really incomprehensible ending, worser than its predecessor.
But then, you know, it's just a free horror game, which of course has a chance of having an effortless ending, but then you know, if you think enough of the stories of each split timeline you've played, pretend the real ending is one of them.
Sadly, this game suffers an ever worser fate of having a really incomprehensible ending, worser than its predecessor.
But then, you know, it's just a free horror game, which of course has a chance of having an effortless ending, but then you know, if you think enough of the stories of each split timeline you've played, pretend the real ending is one of them.
The art was that this game was made at all. This a really cool concept and I really enjoyed that it was pursued so genuinely.
I kinda liked this game more than C.H.A.I.N owing to the better management of its story and its branching paths. I also found myself enjoying the wider selection of games that this collection had from me this time around. Like, there was actual gameplay in some of them and I was just GRATEFUL for that.
There's that matter of some games being absolutely broken though. I don't mean in the fun sense like a boundary break, I'm saying at times it's like IMPOSSIBLE to progress. Which is especially disappointing with the game made in RPG Maker MZ because the graphics intrigued me the most and it just didn't work for me. Other times stuff would not trigger and I would end up sequence-breaking the game, making it impossible to progress. Thank GOD the launcher doesn't know if you actually made progress in those games.
The game's vibes are pretty cool this time around too. The atmosphere isn't as scary this time around (maybe that's intentional) but there were some engaging environments. Moments that come to mind are the walking around in the void of space while there's a baby wailing in the background, and walking up to dark fountains while structures of rusty nothingness litter the landscape (it makes sense once you see it). Even the lighter atmospheres had their advantages. I had a guilty pleasure becoming a demon lady and burning down Paris. I genuinely love the game for that.
I mentioned the story was stronger this time around in that the narrative was more cohesive. For the most part, I was able to understand everything well enough. Even during the finale they did a pretty good attempt at rationalizing all the endings and how they played out. The motivations and characters were definitely more interesting, too. It's the typical mother tries to rescue daughter story but I like how it's presented in this way. I do have a bit of criticism in that yeah, I too don't see how this connects to C.H.A.I.N at all except the protagonist being the same but it's fine. It means I really wasn't missing out on much by not finishing it.
What I cannot forgive this game for is its ending. Imagine my excitement to find out that there's a THIRD branch at the beginning, and my line of thinking that this is going to be the grand finale and we get to see Cat and Lucy finally be together, officially. But then I go and play through it and half the endings are complete piss takes, and the other half I have no idea how to progress in. You had everything going on with Lucio and Themis and how Cat's choice to erase herself from all timelines to save Lucy might not have to be the right option after all and then it ends off with the most unfunny shit I've ever seen. I'm sorry, no hate to the devs but COME ON try to read the room a bit and have some class.
And look, I get it. This is more meant to flex creative muscles and have fun making projects that the developers enjoy. For what it's worth, C.H.A.I.N.G.E.D is a very neat experiment that I hope gets revisited and revised in the future. But that really doesn't take away the sour taste left in my mouth after that ending.
There's that matter of some games being absolutely broken though. I don't mean in the fun sense like a boundary break, I'm saying at times it's like IMPOSSIBLE to progress. Which is especially disappointing with the game made in RPG Maker MZ because the graphics intrigued me the most and it just didn't work for me. Other times stuff would not trigger and I would end up sequence-breaking the game, making it impossible to progress. Thank GOD the launcher doesn't know if you actually made progress in those games.
The game's vibes are pretty cool this time around too. The atmosphere isn't as scary this time around (maybe that's intentional) but there were some engaging environments. Moments that come to mind are the walking around in the void of space while there's a baby wailing in the background, and walking up to dark fountains while structures of rusty nothingness litter the landscape (it makes sense once you see it). Even the lighter atmospheres had their advantages. I had a guilty pleasure becoming a demon lady and burning down Paris. I genuinely love the game for that.
I mentioned the story was stronger this time around in that the narrative was more cohesive. For the most part, I was able to understand everything well enough. Even during the finale they did a pretty good attempt at rationalizing all the endings and how they played out. The motivations and characters were definitely more interesting, too. It's the typical mother tries to rescue daughter story but I like how it's presented in this way. I do have a bit of criticism in that yeah, I too don't see how this connects to C.H.A.I.N at all except the protagonist being the same but it's fine. It means I really wasn't missing out on much by not finishing it.
What I cannot forgive this game for is its ending. Imagine my excitement to find out that there's a THIRD branch at the beginning, and my line of thinking that this is going to be the grand finale and we get to see Cat and Lucy finally be together, officially. But then I go and play through it and half the endings are complete piss takes, and the other half I have no idea how to progress in. You had everything going on with Lucio and Themis and how Cat's choice to erase herself from all timelines to save Lucy might not have to be the right option after all and then it ends off with the most unfunny shit I've ever seen. I'm sorry, no hate to the devs but COME ON try to read the room a bit and have some class.
And look, I get it. This is more meant to flex creative muscles and have fun making projects that the developers enjoy. For what it's worth, C.H.A.I.N.G.E.D is a very neat experiment that I hope gets revisited and revised in the future. But that really doesn't take away the sour taste left in my mouth after that ending.
bloatier than its previous counterpart C.H.A.I.N. (review) and mostly a waste of time, which hurts to admit.
i previously felt assured knowing developers actually knew about the entire previous string of games that came before them this time, and that a more complete or focused narrative could be achieved. some branches managed to put something together, but unfortunately a majority of others just fell absolutely flat, many of the microgames unplayable/unfinishable in desperate need of a few more days QA. luckily by alt+f4'ing back to the launcher, one can proceed regardless. not much is lost.
i might've had a better final impression of C.H.A.I.N.G.E.D. as a whole if the final tape ending i finished on wasn't so disrespectful to my time and engagement; an ambling repetitive mess, asking the player to complete the same trivial task around 10 times (!!! no exaggeration!) interspliced with scary ambient sfx and cryptic looping spookytalk. what bothered me most however is that it just had nothing to do with the overarching narrative of all the games that came before whatsoever. what were they cooking!
i really do dislike to be so disparaging towards something that actually does maintain a lot of charm half of the time and is literally free, and i wish i could write more following my thoughts on its precursor, but i feel C.H.A.I.N.G.E.D. bit off far more than it could chew. there was just too much bad here to enjoy the good.
to end on the good, bryce butcher's submission was the most enjoyable and memorable to me personally. found via the rightmost route to keep it vague.
i previously felt assured knowing developers actually knew about the entire previous string of games that came before them this time, and that a more complete or focused narrative could be achieved. some branches managed to put something together, but unfortunately a majority of others just fell absolutely flat, many of the microgames unplayable/unfinishable in desperate need of a few more days QA. luckily by alt+f4'ing back to the launcher, one can proceed regardless. not much is lost.
i might've had a better final impression of C.H.A.I.N.G.E.D. as a whole if the final tape ending i finished on wasn't so disrespectful to my time and engagement; an ambling repetitive mess, asking the player to complete the same trivial task around 10 times (!!! no exaggeration!) interspliced with scary ambient sfx and cryptic looping spookytalk. what bothered me most however is that it just had nothing to do with the overarching narrative of all the games that came before whatsoever. what were they cooking!
i really do dislike to be so disparaging towards something that actually does maintain a lot of charm half of the time and is literally free, and i wish i could write more following my thoughts on its precursor, but i feel C.H.A.I.N.G.E.D. bit off far more than it could chew. there was just too much bad here to enjoy the good.
to end on the good, bryce butcher's submission was the most enjoyable and memorable to me personally. found via the rightmost route to keep it vague.
:(