Recent reviews by SB_101

Book 3 was a good continuation of the series, while clearly teeing up future plot and relationship conflicts that I am very interesting in seeing how they resolve.

The clear differences in the personalities of Unit Bravo remain, which is a really strong point of characterization. And you get to advance the main relationship in rewarding ways (including building up the backstories, and the love interest's emotional tensions). And while I'd have liked more opportunities to build up the bonds with all members of the team, you do get some chances to strengthen a friendship besides the love interest.

My minor critiques are that some of the plot conflicts may be too easy to overcome - I would have liked more of the work I spent building stats and one's focus (on either research or combat) to pay off a bit more. So my advice would be to think if this is the style you're looking for. The story focuses more on the narrative feel rather then tense stats trade-off decisions.

Overall, I really enjoyed this style. Bottom-line: if you liked Books 1 and 2, I highly recommend this as well.

This is a satisfying power fantasy story.

I'd say that its choices are clear enough to know which stat it's building or testing, and there is a clear feeling that the outcome for the city truly varies based on your choices. And I get the impression you can succeed in different ways (for example, I was a diplomatic magician, but someone could have gone for an intimidating warrior).

I felt the romance storyline was a lit flat - perhaps because it's a relatively short story, so the character/relationship isn't fleshed out.

However, it delivers well on what it promises, and the author has left room for a sequel. Given I'd happily play it, I think this game has earned a recommendation.

Awful. The story felt both rushed and railroaded. You go from squire to mixing with nobles, but so quickly it strains credibility.

The same speed makes it so you can't develop relationships effectively (particularly as choices you might be intrigued to befriend can be dead-set against your goals with no opportunity to win them over).

I tried to play to my strengths, developing stats I liked (in particular illusion and healing, class, and ambition). But I was punished for this. The game rewards you if you play as the author expects/intends you to play it. On most CoG you can find some kind of winning combination through a variety of means. I didn't come away from my playthrough feeling that it was possible to win with the kind of play style I preferred.

You might like this story if you happen to play the author wants, and if you don't mind feeling rushed. I can't recommend such a story.

OVERALL: I strongly recommend Versus: Deathscapes - there is a lot it does really well, but also some big flaws. (The first 2 parts of the series were the best, on par with the great Infinity Series, and The Wayhaven Chronicles). I've tried to lay out what makes me think the experience is really worth it, as well as warning what to prepare for, so you can decide.

PROS:

Some particular strengths are its DLC content, allowing you to opt-in to extra advice. It structures its choices clearly, so you're not left guessing as to whether the choice aligns with the stats you have been culviating.

It's stats were also quite interesting in that they built up and changed over time - an unusual but really interesting feature.

There were varied endings in terms of the stats you built, and the alliances you made (rewarding for coherent choices across the trilogy), making the story feel truly responsive.

And the scope of the narrative (using interesting philosophical experiences to explore the perspectives of various acquaintances) gave a depth to the world and its mysteries.

These are all reinforced by its large, but earned, achievements.

CONS:

That said, I agree with some of the criticisms - particular that the relationships (both friendships and romances) weren't given enough development, so felt a disappointing to not have as much pay-off for your investment in those characters as you'd like.

And while the ending tries to provide enough closure on the story, balanced with setting the groundwork for future stories, it doesn't pull this off completely successfully. I think the reason the ending doesn't quite give enough closure is because this is the end of the Versus story.

In other words, we do get to finish our time on the planet Versus, make many satisfying decisions, and see several arcs; but we also won't get to see our character deal with a core plot that drives decisions in this book. And I think the character we invested in (their choices and motivations) needed to see that through.

This is one of the most disappointing Choice of Games I've played.

For you to influence various plot pivots, you need very high stats. Not only does this not given you much wriggle room (if you feel a choice the writer has given to boost a stat doesn't fit with your character); it also assumes you can also understand how each choice will affect which stat (which is often far from clear). All those kills any feeling of agency I felt I had at the most pivotal moments.

And on the less plot-consequential side of things, I was disappointed with the romance options. Apparently, there were very few opportunities to pursue anyone you might be interested, and they competed with other options (ones that often felt more sane in context). In other words, rather have a range of options to resolve of the choice of whether and how to enter a relationship, you had to choose between those triggers and options to learn more about the world. As you need to understand the setting to make choice to affect the plot, that's a terrible trade-off to make your player make.

It's not as if the concept (a Weather Builder) isn't interesting, or that you can't shape your character and minor events. But by the end of the plot, I looked back and felt I really couldn't affect the ending AND play consistent with the choices I felt made sense for my character. So doesn't that really fail the core goal of a Choice of Game?

Another wonderful edition to the WHC.

The supernatural universe gets unfurled further, as does your familiarity with Team Bravo. Learning more about them, plus well-paced relationship-building. Wonderfully, the personalities are very distinct, and there are opportunities to win over the friendship of those of the team whom did not already have a great impression of you.

You also have a fair bit of control of how the endings with the other faction you come into contact with bear out. And a nice feature, which I haven't seen used in too many other CoG novels, is a perspective-shift i.e. showing scenes your character is not present for. Gives a nice richness to how other people in the world react when not in your presence.

This is a series to watch for people who want something long-term: clearly, bricks are being layed (in lore, relationships, and factions) that will build to something exciting.

My biggest worry/complaint was that they didn't allow us to save the game at the end. I don't know if this means you'll have to replay your game at the end, or what, but if would be helpful to get clarification. But otherwise solid, and well-recommend!

For all its faults, I ultimately recommend this game. As many other reviews point out, the path of choices, and therefore ending, can feel a bit disappointing - for example I don't see how one can get the 'best' ending for your character (aka Ascension) while also preserving all your relationships.

That said, the concept is so unique, and the world so well-built, it's worth experiencing. Many games allow you to play a mage. But an archmage attempting ascension to Godhood? In a world shaped by those in various stages of success and failure?

So for all the legitimate reservations, I think it's worth it. Fwiw, my ending was a partially successfully ascension, being offered to become an angel, whilst accepting being a weaker living continent. I could have tried for a full ascension (having been impeded), but suspected it would have failed, and been a step too ruthless and thus out of character. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Results may vary.

My first run for office as a young Democrat in Virginia was for City Council. After a hard fought primary, I narrowly lost to a fellow Democrat.

Undeterred, I used the name recognition and connections I'd made with various organizations to run for State House. This time, I won the primary, but narrowly lost to the incumbent in a Republican wave. That said, I impressed the voters enough to give me another chance 2 years later, and this time managed to win a rematch by a few points!

Luckily enough, my State Senator resigned, so after a single term I took a chance on a promotion. However, my old foe from City Council - the only Democrat to beat me in a primary - decided to run too (and he had better approval among primary voters). Yet, with copious fundraising and poll-tested ads, my enthusiastic base carried me to a surprise victory.

I've never looked back. I was a prodigious state legislator, and soon leveraged my reputation to win an open US Senate seat. After 3 terms in the Senate, I'm minority leader, hoping we win back the majority, and cultivating my proteges in the House and Virginia's other Senate seat. I could run for President - but why risk my influence in Congress?

A Detective and his Vampires. Skillful use of perspectives, nicely unspooling world. Can't wait to see where it leads in Book 2.

Rich in historical realism. Excellent balance between character choices, a story with various plots that play for and against your chosen traits, and decisions are remembered in sequels. Possibly my favorite Choice of Games so far.