Anticipation
Fri Jun 11 2021 Karlie MarjoI have played through both missions of this game multiple times and I[ve enjoyed it every single time. However, the gameplay itself can be a bit confusing if you’re not following the story very closely, as the icons on the stamps (the indications of your choices), are never explained beforehand. This makes it difficult for new players to understand some of the more vague effects: like charming or cunning, when making decisions. Aside from that the only other thing would be the annoying coming soon notice for the third mission, the anticipation is killing me.
Responses to other reviews: On the topic of different endings, the first mission is vague but based on your relationship with the main heroine (no spoilers), will slightly alter the ending. (The achievements are a good indication). The second mission does a better job of this as your choices have a much more drastic effect on how the game plays out, as the ending changes from a completed mission, to a gruesome fate for a potential ally, to said ally’s escape from Switzerland. Hopefully the third take everything form the previous chapters and turns it into something spectacular and compelling.
Cute Interactive Story Game
Mon Apr 06 2020 RachenoelleI really enjoyed this and played the whole game in one sitting. It is slow paced and more of a choose-your-own-adventure story than a “game.” I say that simply because there’s no way to win per say (aside from small victories throughout the story) but you just play it through.
Another reviewer said they played three times and there’s only one ending. I didn’t try for myself but if there were multiple endings that would be awesome. This is especially because, in my opinion, the ending was a bit abrupt. The story is hard to follow at first but you will get into it and by the end you’ll want more from the characters and relationships than the ending provides. Again, that’s just my opinion.
Graphics are quite enjoyable. I’d recommend some instruction at the start because it’s not intuitive figuring out how to toggle between the map and the story and the visual location. It’s a little frustrating tapping the whole screen aimlessly until something pops up. Also, the report with diversions and footprints needs a bit of explanation. It took me a few rounds to feel confident I even knew what it meant. Maybe that’s just me though...
Overall it was fun to play! I enjoyed it and would recommend if you like story-heavy games. 4 stars because some things could be improved.
Fantastic Little Game
Mon Nov 25 2019 Money+ProbelmsWhile parts of the game could be a bit clearer such as avoiding capture, this is a delightful little game. One of my criticisms is that I wish my choices had more of an overall effect on the story in order to entice more replay ability, while you do feel like your story choices matter I wish there were a few different endings. While the game makes you feel like you are in danger you never really are as the game keeps driving the plot forward, which is nice but sometimes I wish I could fail a bit more. It’s a very interesting story and is a lot of fun with the art and the music combined and I hope to see another game just like this in the future. The characters are also very interesting and actually made me care about them which is not often said in games let alone 2 hour mobile games. Well worth the time spent in playing it. I played through this and was still thinking about the plot and the characters later in the day which i can say doesn’t not happen often as most mobile games like this are play and forget but they knocked it our of the park with this one.
Would be a great story game, if it had a good story
Mon Sep 30 2019 Joe SpiffUnfortunately, the nice design and fascinating setting on this one is let down by the story. If you are familiar with Europe, the history of the 20th Century, or the concept of spying, you will be let down. The main character is a spy, but apparently doesn’t know what his mission is, how to blend in, or how to talk to girls. One of the first stories involves the main character meeting a young woman who is obviously a Nazi spy and being seduced by the fact that she’s apparently attractive and willing to speak with him. Her status as a Nazi spy doesn’t deter the protagonist from pursuing her, whether the player wants him to or not. If this strikes you as in bad taste and poor design for a game which is ostensibly about being able to choose your own story, you’re right. Beyond this, it’s difficult to tell what’s happening and what your choices of dialogue mean, even when they differ from each other — the standard interactive fiction trick of giving multiple options that lead to the same outcome is used often. Interactive fiction games that have been illustrated as well as this one are a beautiful thing, provided that the fiction is good in the first place. This is not.
A Quirky, Charming Choose-Your-Own-Adventure
Tue Mar 31 2020 Frederick.S.FischerI was introduced to this game by one of my favorite YouTubers, Northernlion. Before I even finished watching his review video, I switched it off and went to get the game. It’s perfect for lovers of history, espionage, mysteries and thrillers, or anyone looking for a beautiful and different gaming experience.
Each play through takes roughly 1.5 hours to complete successfully and you can always pause the game and pick back up where you left off. You play as the protagonist, a British Spy, on assignment in Switzerland on the eve of WW2, writing a somewhat lengthy memoir to a friend back home. Every few lines of exposition give you a chance to choose your reactions to the events or dialogue, each giving different results.
The game clearly has heart, and the interface and illustrations are beautiful. They remind me a bit of Hergé and his “Tintin.” The game is repayable, but it certainly doesn’t make me feel like I need to immediately start a new “run” after finishing the last - which I *really* appreciate. Game designers choosing not to make their products frustratingly addicting is a breath of fresh air in this day in age.
I eagerly await whatever’s next for this design team, whether it’s more updates to this, another game, or even an adaptation into a graphic novel! Whatever it is, I will support them. And if this turns out to be a one-off and nothing more, I will cherish the product I was lucky enough to receive!
Amazing Game, Needs Work
Mon Jun 15 2020 FvrvrgvAt the start i was hooked, this game is amazing! i loved all the different possibilities that there are. and because i’m bored i took the time to try and get every achievement. it is annoying, because there is no reference anywhere for how to drive well and how to not blow your cover. and to further that, there are know way to see the second part of the games achievements! that is extremely annoying. also there big problems with saving and playing chapter 1 and 2 without having to start completely over. all in all. great game, but it was a little rushed. i suggest you take a little time to fix the small details before you release the final chapter.
I’m giving only 3 stars, it has potential
Fri Apr 23 2021 TatortotttttttttThe sounds and visuals are fantastic! It really immerses you into the story. I wish there were more novels that were like this. The first part of the story is very confusing, I kept wondering what this was all about aside from being a spy in the alps during a war. It would be great if your choices mattered, they don’t. The ending is such a let down, a wild goose chase for nothing? All of that wasn’t even your true mission. If there were different outcomes based on your choices it would add replay value.
Devs, you having something special here, don’t cut corners on the story! That’s why I’m giving this 3 stars, it’s a let down but it was a cool experience. Hopefully they can write better stories and make choices actually matter in the next one, multiple endings to add replay value etc.
Looking forward to playing through again!
Tue Jun 14 2022 leclairageIt’s so much fun. Easy to get started, enough variety in choice outcomes to be interesting and invite replays, but without making you feel like every little choice could ruin everything. Art is stunning, story is delightful, love how you get to shape the personality of the player characters. As others have mentioned the ‘tarot card’ choice mechanic is confusing at first, but ultimately I like it because the choices don’t quite match simple descriptions up to one-word descriptions like ‘cold’ or ‘charming’ or ‘aggressive’. It’s much more of a vibe, or indeed like tarot cards with complex meanings. Is the snowflake about being uncaring, or cool under pressure? Or both? It’s complicated!
Beautiful but basic
Fri Mar 05 2021 thearcaneoneThe aesthetics and polish of this game are wonderful. It’s beautiful and, at first, very intriguing. I eagerly interacted with the postcards for the first ten minutes thinking that this was an innovative narrative building approach to a game - only to find that it was in fact the entire game itself.
Its novel but tires very quickly. As an Arcade game, I think it’s fine. Download, play with for a half hour and then move on. I think I would be quite disappointed if I’d purchased it as a stand alone title because of the limited gameplay.
It would be great if the story and game material were integrated into a larger, more interactive game. But right now it’s little more than a modern take on the old Choose Your Own Adventure books.
Incredible storytelling, some issues
Mon Nov 23 2020 RP 💯Let me start this review by saying that Stave Studios has made a brilliantly fun, interesting, and captivating game. The visuals are stunning and have a beautifully whimsical style that is so reminiscent of the postcards this game is based on. I also love the illustrations of the characters and the gameplay mechanism is a very intriguing concept. Overall, I enjoyed playing this game and yet I did find myself getting a little bored at some parts of it. While I appreciate the “choose your own adventure” nature of the game, the text-based gameplay did get a little boring sometimes. Nevertheless, I would certainly recommend people try this game out!
