rat

overworked horror creator

Columbus-based horror audio drama writer, occasional film photographer, and carbonated water drinker. #1 fan of cate blanchett in indiana jones and the kingdom of the crystal skull.

cooper from twin peaks walking through curtains


My horror podcasts!
somewhereohio.com/

rat
@rat

Just started Mask of the Rose and it's really cool so far. I only just unlocked the story building mechanic which seems interesting, but I really really hope it's more "put this theory together and ask around to see if it's right" and not "put this story together and that's what happened."


rat
@rat

Okay so Mask of the Rose is interesting, but also a huge mess in a "the game doesn't seem to work" way. My first file didn't autosave, which does not seem to be an isolated incident. I'm unlocking story pieces I haven't seen yet and finishing quests that seem to be broken/do not do what they say they do.

Also, I told someone i had feelings for her like really quickly, then my journal said our relationship was "everything i dreamed" (what relationship? I just said "i have feelings for you) and next time we met she said we're at the point we should be meeting each other's parents (we have not gone on one date or kissed). I have to keep telling other characters I'm not interested more than once, too.

The game does not really seem functionally complete at the moment. It clearly wasn't ready. Real shame. Maybe I'll check it out again in the future if it ever seems finished.

Some light spoilers below


Edited to add: Finished one run, won't do another. The major quest I was saying seemed broken did work, I guess, but it was weird because no one mentioned it before the trial, so I thought it just kind fo went away. Especially with the game still prodding me to solve the murder beforehand (wasn't able to do that) and everyone acting like nothing changed. I personally had a guess for the culprit, but mechanically didn't have all the narrative pieces to fill in the story sheet for motives and actions. I still turned in a feasible theory, but it was completely ignored due to the quest above.

I married Griz after having about 5 conversations with her. She's fun, wish i actually got to bond with her. The dating aspect feels like a rushed afterthought, which is wild since it's the core of the game. The first time you talk with any character, you choose whether you want to be lovers, friends, or unsure. After like 2 sentences of getting to know them, you have to decide if you want to court them or not, before you meet like any of the other characters. Then, since it asks you to commit in your first conversation before you meet others, the rest of the game has to keep asking you over and over, in every conversation, if you want to date someone else or change your mind about your current crush or whatever. Even if you've already said it's just platonic with someone.

The game moves so fast it feels like it's falling apart as it's going. It's also pretty punishing for a VN, and doesn't allow manual saves and loads. Several side quests require money, too. The problem with that is you have i think 32 total actions you can take in a given run, and jobs take two of those EACH. You have to fill out a census form, make a story, etc (1/32 total moves) then turn it in for pennies (2/32 actions gone). You can save them up and turn them in at once but then you have no money the rest of the game. So you better hope you don't want to buy anything or do any quests that need money unless that's all you do on a run.

If you want to hook up two characters in a certain quest, it takes speaking with each of them (2/32), getting two more census forms for two more pennies (4/32), then turning those forms in (5/32), then getting them to meet up (6/32). A minimum of ~18% of your total playthrough is required--unless you get lucky and get paid more--for this one side quest to start.

Not really worth playing atm, feel bad for the devs because it's got a lot of good parts that are entirely undone by the itself. It feels like a demo, like an Act I speedrun, then it ends.


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