I’m pretty sure I will; I’ve heard so many good things about it! I think next time there’s a big Steam Sale, I’ll grab the Samurai of Hyuga series and Fallen Hero series. And probably the Crème de la Crème series too! I just plan to port my reviews for the rest of the games I’ve reviewed first. Then I can have some more as a treat 
9 Likes
180 Files: The Aegis Project
By Karelia Hall
☆☆☆ (7/10)
This one surprised me. 180 Files: The Aegis Project is a spy thriller game where you play as an undercover agent tangled in a web of conspiracy, double-crosses, and shady biotech projects. It’s smartly written, lean, and does a great job letting your choices shape the story. The characters are strong, the tension builds well, and the tone is very Mission Impossible meets X-Files. It’s a fast read. But it left me wanting more, and not always in a good way.
If you’re looking for a short, well-written spy story where your choices and skills matter, The Aegis Project is worth your time. It’s polished, smart, and full of tension, but it also ends before it fully lands the emotional or narrative payoff. I liked what I played. I just wish there was more of it—more plot resolution, more time with Angel, and more space to take in the ending.
Pros:
Tight, polished writing that’s easy to sink into. Every scene is written with clarity, style, and purpose. There are no typos or awkward phrasings—just smooth prose that keeps the pacing tight. The game strikes a nice balance between description and dialogue, and it always makes you feel in the moment without slowing you down.
For the most part, choices and stats seem to matter. This isn’t one of those IFs where you’re picking dialogue flavors. Your decisions shape relationships, mission outcomes, and your spy’s skill set. The stat system is clearly communicated, and skill checks feel realistic. Successes feel great, and failures surprisingly often branch into interesting results, not just dead ends. For example, you are given many chances to mold your relationship with your coworkers and romance options. For one character, I refused to speak with or have a good relationship, just to see what would happen. The game respected this and did not push them onto me. We, of course, had a negative relationship at the end of the game. I also had the chance to tell a trusted friend I was a spy. I kept this a secret, and our relationship was permanently damaged. I love when my actions have consequences!
A solid cast of interesting characters. Whether you play your agent as cold, compassionate, sarcastic, or by-the-book, the game responds well. Angel is a standout (and deserves more screen time!), but even side characters have enough personality to make an impression. I really liked the James Bond-esque mentor spy.
Tension and mystery are handled really well. There’s always a sense that something bigger is going on beneath the surface. You’re fed just enough clues to keep guessing, and the story avoids over-explaining or dumping lore all at once. It builds like a true espionage thriller should, and I was surprised by how important our agent’s ~mysterious past~ actually was!
Really solid spy gameplay. You can break into super secret buildings, build your spy to be a hacker, sweet talk guards, and of course, use guns. Hell yeah.
Cons:
My biggest issue is that it feels rather short—especially toward the end. Just when things start to ramp up, the story cuts to the epilogue. The pacing is strong throughout, but the ending feels rushed when you defeat the big bad. You get a few lines to explain your impact, but there’s no real room to savor the consequences of everything you did.
Clearly setting up a sequel or spin-off. The plot doesn’t wrap cleanly; it leaves major threads open in a way that feels less like resolution and more like, “See you in Part 2!”
Angel deserved more! They’re such a compelling character with great potential, and yet the game doesn’t explore them nearly enough. There are glimpses of backstory, chemistry, and intrigue, but there’s not enough time. I would’ve gladly traded some other scenes for more time with them.
Epilogue is too brief to feel meaningful. After all the branching choices and tension, you get a very short summary of what happened next. It hits the “wrap-up” note but not the emotional payoff. I wanted more closure—and more reflection on who my spy became. I still had a lot of questions.
6 Likes
Hollywood Visionary
By Aaron A. Reed
☆☆ (8/10)
Hollywood Visionary completely caught me off guard in the best way. I expected a short, quirky sim about making a 1950s movie, but what I found was a heartfelt, politically-charged, character-rich narrative wrapped in a surprisingly tight gameplay loop. Despite being one of Choice of Games’ older titles, it still holds up thanks to strong writing, nuanced choices, and an unexpectedly powerful narrative.
Pros:
You really do get to make your own movie—and it matters! The game lets you choose your film’s genre, themes, casting choices, director, and production focus (technical polish vs. star power, for example). These aren’t cosmetic choices either: they ripple through your budget, PR, critical reception, and how your story ends. For example, if you’re making a mystery movie, you don’t want to hire actors known for romance. And you don’t want the pacing to be quick either. You can make a total flop, as well: a French, artistic silent film with A-list actors. There’s a lot of choices.
Stat management that’s actually fun, not overwhelming. You’re not just a director; you’re a businessperson, a boss, and a public figure. You have to manage your reputation, charisma, technical skills, people-pleasing abilities, your crew, and financial oversight. The stat system is clear and flexible, as well.
A shockingly sharp and grounded Red Scare subplot. Just when you think you’ve settled into a fun Hollywood production sim, boom! The game pivots into heavier territory: the McCarthy-era blacklists, HUAC hearings, and political paranoia. This storyline is woven into your relationships, your film, and your personal ethics. You’ll have to make decisions about loyalty, safety, and survival in a climate where being different—or simply principled—can cost you everything. For example, I chose to betray a close friend to preserve my career after being accused of being a communist. I mean, I WAS, but … oopsie. This, in turn, made my friend blacklisted and poor. Yikes.
Romance options that feel natural. I believe there’s only three: the Actor, Grip, or your assistant (and an option to romance the Actor and Grip!). They’re not overly dramatic, but they do feel meaningful, especially since the world around you doesn’t always make space for love, especially LGBT love. They react to your choices as well. If you ignore your assistant, you can’t romance them. Betray a trusted friend, and the Actor will break up with you.
Your niece. One of the most touching elements of the game is your relationship with your young niece. Whether you play a parental role or take a step back, your choices impact her growth, outlook, and future. She’s more than just a side character; she becomes a reflection of the values you’ve modeled. I found myself liking her spunk and charm!
Clean, confident writing. Despite being an older Choice of Games title, the writing is refreshingly polished. There are little to no typos, and the prose strikes a balance between era-appropriate flair and clear emotional tone. Dialogues feel natural. Scenes are long yet don’t drag on.
Inclusive with strong LGBT+ support. The game lets you define your gender identity, pronouns, and romantic interests freely, without fanfare or awkwardness. It’s baked into the story’s structure rather than treated as a “feature.” The way it handles being gay or trans—especially in a 1950s setting—is affirming, and while there are some comments about your appearance, it’s not made a big deal.
Cons:
The ending feels a bit rushed, especially after such a strong build-up. For a game that gives you this much control over your choices and stats, the finale can feel sudden. Important emotional and narrative arcs—like the political fallout or the success of your film—wrap up quickly, sometimes in just a few scenes. It’s not bad, but it feels like the final act needed more time to show the consequences of your actions.
Can be tough to get the exact ending you’re aiming for. Between the overlapping systems (stats, money, relationships, production decisions), it’s sometimes hard to know what exactly leads to a “successful” or fulfilling ending. If you didn’t carefully min-max or replay certain scenes, you might end up with an unsatisfying outcome, even if you made strong choices that made sense at the time. It’s a little opaque in that sense.
It shows its age as an early Choice of Games title. Compared to newer CoG releases, Hollywood Visionary lacks some quality-of-life features and mechanical nuance. There’s no visible stat-testing feedback, no detailed relationship breakdowns, and the UI is basic. If you’re used to the more complex or dynamic scripting of newer IFs, this one might feel slightly dated.
11 Likes
The Wayhaven Chronicles: Book One
By Mishka Jenkins
☆☆☆☆ (6/10)
Hmm, this is a weird one. Wayhaven Chronicles: Book One is known as one of the crown jewels of Hosted Games. Everyone knows it; virtually everyone loves it. Well, everyone except me, I guess. I mean, it has moments where its charm shines through—mainly in its dialogue. The banter is light, the exchanges flow naturally, and the tone is approachable enough that reading it feels more like binging a late-night CW show than slogging through a dense text adventure. But once the novelty fades, the cracks in its foundation become difficult to ignore. I do have Book 2, and I’ll give it a go, but I am a bit unsure on how interested I’ll be.
Pros:
The dialogue is easily the strongest part of the experience. It’s breezy, accessible, and playful, with a rhythm that makes interactions feel relaxed rather than stiff. The author has a good ear for character beats, and the pacing of conversations keeps scenes lively.
A … well-handled love triangle option 
. This, I enjoyed.
The occasional POV shifts are a welcome break that gives the reader insight to how our mysterious team members are feeling. Usually, I’m not a fan of such short, quick shifts, but it worked well here.
Structurally sound, with little to no typos.
Cons:
Fanfiction-y writing. Once you look past the surface-level charm, the story leans heavily into familiar YA tropes—romantic tension constantly interrupted, dramatic entrances, and archetype-driven characters who rarely develop beyond their one assigned personality trait. For example, there were at least four instances where my detective and romance option (N) would ~lovingly~ lock eyes, only to be interrupted. Couldn’t the author changed this formula up a bit? The ROs in particular feel more like shorthand than people. A is :/, N is :D, F is ???, and M is 
They read less like fully developed individuals and more like fanfiction archetypes waiting to be filled in later. I seriously cannot remember ANYTHING besides them besides that. I don’t know if they even have any hobbies. It’s quite difficult to want to get to know these integral characters when, for the whole book, I have zero desire to. Also, I found it a bit eye-rolling that A is supposed to be an immortal but has the communication skills of someone born yesterday.
The protagonist is the world’s worst detective. For someone meant to be a senior-ranking detective, they operate with the insight of someone who wandered in off the street. They miss obvious clues, fail to pick up on blatant ~significant looks~, and have almost no meaningful agency. I mean, come on! You shoot a mysterious person who literally disappears, find their voice familiar, find them faster than you are, and you can’t pick up on the fact that something’s wrong? Or even the fact that they have an uncanny power to calm anyone, refer to people as “humans,” and seem very interested in your blood. Perhaps the author wished to play on the irony, but I found it quite frustrating. Also, it’s difficult to feel invested in a mystery when the story refuses to let you solve anything yourself. Every major answer—culprit, motive, method—is handed to you before you even have the chance to think about it.
I didn’t enjoy how each flirting option is either “blushing bride” or “I will jump your bones.”
Somewhat feels like your choices don’t matter, or that stats are mostly flavor text. You’ll encounter the same characters, same story beats, same plot points. The only thing that changes is who you romance. I really did not enjoy being forced to go confront Bobby by ourselves and not bring it up to the team.
I wish I could arrest Bobby for disturbing the peace. My peace, to be exact.
28 Likes
Blood Money
By Harris Powell-Smith
☆☆☆ (7/10)
If a reviewer consistently reviews underrated text-based games and calls them so, are they truly underrated? Ah, well, that’s a problem for another day. What I can confidently say is that Blood Money may not be one of my favorite works, but it’s a consistently solid one. Blood Money starts as a slow, simmering family drama and gradually widens into a supernatural crime saga, all while giving the player a surprising amount of control over who they are and what kind of legacy they want to carve out. It’s one of Choice of Games’ more reactive titles: not just tracking what you do, but why you do it, how you justify it, and who you choose to become along the way.
Pros:
Surprisingly reactive storytelling/choices that matter. From the first chapter, I had a clear idea of who I wanted to be: a dutiful second-in-command that loved her family fiercely yet still had some simmering resentment. A charming mobster, if you will. I think Powell-Smith does reactivity best: not only do they give you options on 1) what you do, but 2) why you do it and 3) how. If there was a formula for making player choices matter, Powell-Smith would have nailed it. For example, the main character’s mother is … controlling, ambitious, and not winning any “Mother of the Year” awards. An amateur writer would have assumed the player would dislike the mother, but Powell-Smith gives you a wide variety of options: it’s complicated, you loved her, you hated her, you use her death for status, you resented her, or a little bit of everything. Not only that, you get these “how do you feel” choices multiple times in a way that fits the narrative. You’re not pigeonholed to one attitude. Now, take this pro and multiply it for each character or problem in the game.
Flexible role-playing. Continuing off the above, I was surprised by how flexible the narrative was. You can lie or tell the truth at key points, treat family members with warmth or disdain, decide what to do with your cousin, and shape your moral compass chapter by chapter. For example, choosing to support one sister in order to betray her reads very different from supporting her because you believe in her. I liked how lie options were marked as so: “[Lie]” which came up in the narrative again.
Strong family dynamics. The sibling relationship is a highlight—full of grudging cooperation, bickering, political tension, and gradual trust-building. It’s why I purchased the game tbh. It’s rare to have developed characters that are not one-note, but I found myself enjoying how each sibling had their own method for ruling (and of course, their own weaknesses). Virtually all of the characters were well-rounded and spoke like a normal person, not just a walking exposition giver.
Balanced supernatural and grounded elements. I was surprised at how … subtle the supernatural aspect was! Honestly, I appreciated it; I’m not in the mood for a whole fantasy world. But in general, the mix of ghost-handling, blood magic, and mafia intrigue works far better than expected. You can lean into the occult or largely ignore it, and the story still holds up. The supernatural elements worked well for me because the narrative was less concerned on if it was real or not (it really was), but how you deal with your powers.
Well-paced chapters. The slow burn of the first half—building tension, exploring family history, uncovering secrets—feels deliberate and engaging. I liked how each chapter had a little narrative or problem you had to discover. And thankfully, for the most part, Powell-Smith doesn’t rush the ending! It’s a build up, but one that made sense to me. Nothing, honestly, is either plodding or rushed.
Stats matter. Honestly, I didn’t realize how much your stats mattered until after I looked at the code. Sometimes, two stats are tested at once. Sometimes, even little dialogue choices increases or decreases a relationship stat.
A surprising amount of branching! Again, I didn’t realize how much I missed out on until I peeked at the code. There’s some surprising romance options and some compelling betrayal plotlines.
Quite technically sound: no typos, natural-sounding dialogue, great description of clothing and setting.
A little thing, but I liked how in the menu, it’s clear what chapter you are in (i.e. Chapter 1 of 11).
Cons:
At the beginning, stat checks can feel too easy. For example, just using my silver tongue, I managed to convince a police officer to spill critical information on the location of a suspect, pose as a lawyer and walk freely into a police station, and break someone out of custody all within the span of a couple pages. You should succeed at stat checks, of course, but I had to suspend my disbelief a couple times.
Romance arcs lack depth. I choose to romance a fellow blood mage, and I think I only had a couple scenes with her. It was well-written but nothing I would remember.
I wish I had some closing scenes with the sisters. Some frank conversations about the state of the family, the main characters’ attitude, looking forward to the future, etc. were needed.
Some worldbuilding is lightly sketched. The supernatural systems and political factions are interesting but not as fleshed out as they could be, especially for a story centered around legacy and power. There’s not a lot of backstory regarding the blood mage system, in particular. It just exists as a fact.
The Steam in-game screenshots show—what I assume—the author’s old pen name.
11 Likes
Just wanted to say great review!
I was playing this the other day and I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought the romance was a bit lack-luster, great game though.
Also, I’m not 100% but I think the name on steam isn’t a pen name they just changed their first name after the release of blood money.
2 Likes
Thank you for the kind words!
Yep, can’t have everything though, right? I haven’t read Crème de la Crème in a while, but I heard the romances were great there.
Gotcha. I’ve seen some writers use pen names that sound “real” and vice versa, so I’ve learned not to assume. I think a pen name would be super cool, though. Mine would be something weird and pretentious. Like Raphaël Octavian or something 
3 Likes
Thank you! I enjoyed reading these reviews. I really like the specificity of the reviews and the explanation of the connection between the writing craft and your experience of the game.
3 Likes
The Wayhaven Chronicles: Book Two
By Mishka Jenkins
☆☆☆ (7/10)
Hmm. Book Two of Wayhaven Chronicles mostly continues in the vein (heh) of the first book: the pacing is solid, the dialogue remains snappy, and the mystery is more structured than in many comparable text-based games. I found myself more invested in the characters this time around, and the book does a better job of building tension and romantic intrigue—but it’s still very much a YA/fanfiction-style story. It’s enjoyable, but I wouldn’t call it groundbreaking.
Pros:
Dialogue remains the highlight. The banter between characters (even side characters!) flows effortlessly, giving the story a natural rhythm that keeps scenes lively. Conversations are often witty or playful, and Jenkins has a clear ear for character beats. Even during more dramatic or romantic moments, the exchanges feel approachable and readable rather than weighed down by exposition.
Improved character development. Compared to Book One, several of the team members are given slightly more depth. You can now have conversations about characters’ pasts, and you can choose who to hang out with, even when you’re not romancing them! I liked reading about N’s ~spooky past~. The pining and tension on the A/N love triangle route is great, with A slowly realizing their feelings (and promptly squishing them down).
More worldbuilding! I was impressed with more worldbuilding including the different types of supernaturals, more of the Agency, the detective’s relationship with their mother, and the dangers of the supernatural world. It felt less hand-wavy than Book One.
Mystery and pacing are stronger. The story is quite structured, with a clear progression of hints, conflicts, and villians. While the detective’s personal agency is still limited, the pacing ensures that each chapter has purpose, whether it’s exploring character dynamics, building romantic tension, or uncovering new aspects of the overarching mystery. I also found the “big bad” more sympathetic and interesting than Book 1’s villain.
Effective use of POV shifts. The short perspective changes into other characters’ minds add valuable insight into team dynamics, motives, and emotional stakes. These shifts are brief and don’t disrupt the flow, but they give context to events and interactions that the main character might otherwise miss.
Structurally sound. Chapters are well-paced, free of typos, and formatted clearly. The readability makes it easy to binge the book in a few sittings, and the structure supports both the mystery and the romantic subplots.
Cons:
Heavy reliance on tropes. Fake dating, undercover romance, love triangles, and dramatic interruptions of romantic tension show up repeatedly. While these elements can be fun in moderation, I found myself bored with the frequent recurrence. There’s a LOT of descriptions about “cosmic chemistry,” “electric tension,” or “anguished gazes." Additionally, the tropes are quite similar to Book 1, where the detective shares a ~heated moment~ before being interrupted by something or someone. The count has to be in double digits by now, right? I found it more annoying than cute.
Romance depth is limited. Although the romance options are more present than in Book One, I still found characters like A and M to still be archetypes.
Detective agency is still minimal. The protagonist occasionally has moments of insight or instinct, but they again remain largely reactive rather than proactive. You rarely feel like you’re piecing together the mystery yourself; answers are often revealed by other characters or the narrative. In this book, you’re not the world’s worst detective … anymore. Maybe a slightly oblivious one?
Tropes overshadow originality. Despite slightly better character depth and pacing, the story leans heavily on established YA/fanfiction conventions. It wasn’t for me, personally. So, readers looking for a more unique or grounded mystery may find themselves wishing for more narrative innovation.
Bobby I hate youuuuuuuu.
No achievements 
9 Likes
Sabres of Infinity
By Paul Wang
☆ (9/10)
Paul Wang, the man that you are! For the uninitiated (though I’m sure everyone knows the Infinity series by now), Sabres of Infinity is known as one of the crowning jewels in Hosted Games—and for damn good reason. The Infinity series is one of the first series I’ve read, way back when I was getting into interactive fiction. I was worried my love for the books was just nostalgia, but I’m so glad to declare it stands on its own two feet as a fantastic game and narrative. I can’t say enough good things about it.
Pros:
Vision. The author has a clear vision: the setting is so otherworldly it takes discipline to commit to it, I think. You play as a male soldier in the King’s army in a world much like ours—except there’s magic, or “Bane.” Having magic makes you noble enough to be “Baneblooded,” with all the privileges nobility entails. The social hierarchy surrounding Baneblooded nobility isn’t just flavor text or the author’s power fantasy. Having such a narrow role shapes every interaction, every insult, every moment of privilege and danger. Usually, most IF games have diverse options: you can play as any gender or sexuality. But in Sabres, you’re locked to being a young, presumably heterosexual male. Still, even as a young woman playing the game, I never felt excluded. Instead, it highlighted how differently power functions when embedded in culture rather than offered as a toggle in character creation. With the care the author puts into his work, having a female soldier would be a radically different experience and would probably double the work. Yet, even from a male standpoint, the author manages to examine class and gender in a medieval-ish world.
Writing and pacing. Man. I can’t say enough good things about the writing. I would call it “detailed” and “clear” overall. Wang lets the narrative breathe instead of ushering the player onto the next scene. There’s paragraphs upon paragraphs of pure detail: how sludge in the winter melts into spring, how thousands of soldiers square off in a field, the screams and gunshots of battle. The writing is so vivid it really lives up to the whole “power of your imagination” thing. I was literally picturing myself as a male soldier, even though I am most definitely not either of those things. No typos or grammatical errors either.
Some long paragraphs I loved:
You would speak of honour sir, but honour in whose eyes? The Antari? Who turn their commoners into slaves, who impale their prisoners upon stakes? Who declared war upon us because they believed it easier to fight a kingdom led by a child rather than a monarch grown? The Antari have no honour left sir. The only honour we must concern ourselves is with the honour of the King and our regiment. We may ride forth tomorrow and fight with honour, but a defeated man’s honour is folly to those who watch him die. We would only disgrace ourselves then. Who is honourable, who is disgraced: that will be decided by the victors and the victors alone."
“Then you must trust me when I say that there is greater honour in seeing your men out alive, and taking every precaution to that effect, no matter how disreputable such measures may seem.”
“Those stories are not war. Those stories are written by bright-eyed lunatics who’ve never smelled the stench of blood and bowels. This war, it is a terrible thing. It punishes the good. It gives the wretched and the bestial the right to pin coloured bits of ribbons to their chests and call themselves heroes. Of course those of us left, men like you and I, we may fight with honour, we may salute our enemies on a bright field and draw honest steel to protect the innocent and the crippled, but this war will not let us survive. Poor old Montez tried to fight with honour, and he died for it. So there are our choices, we either cling to all that make us noble and good so that we may die with pride and have our bodies burned and our ashes discarded in some Saints-be-damned pit, or…” Elson gestures northwards, to the woods across the river through which Cazarosta and his men are likely moving into position. “…we discard our honour and become like him, who never had any to begin with.”
“You ask why I ‘chose’ to do this or ‘chose’ to do that, when in fact, choice does not enter into the matter at all. The Saints create us for a purpose. Each of us is a part in their great machine, and we have no choice but to do what we were made to do. This what drives us to our actions, our functions within workings which we have no concept of, to a purpose which we shall never know in this life or the next. Our purpose for existence is to fulfil our parts and await whatever is planned as our fate after. We are sabres in the hands of infinity, to move and act as we are bid. The fact that we sometimes have second thoughts in the obeying gives us the delusion that we have some ability to determine our fates, that we are born with a freedom to choose our actions: to be kind or cruel, good or evil. That is mankind’s most glorious and beautiful dream, but it is a delusion nonetheless.”
The commonborn Dragoon clears his throat. “Then I best say this now, in case one of us don’t make it back. … Sir, it’s been five years since I first served under your command. In those years, I’ve seen you on your good days, and your bad. I can’t say you’ve turned us into the best drilled lads in the King’s army, ‘cause we ain’t. I can’t say that we’re the fiercest lot o’ knaves in the world, because we’ve seen fiercer. I don’t claim that we’d stick by you through anything, because if it came down to it, we’ve still got some good sense left. What I can say is that there are men where who’d bend their own sisters over and bugger them blind if you asked’em too, and I’m proud enough to name meself one of them. So here’s to you sir!” he shouts as he raises his mug. “Here’s to the only baneblooded git in an army of baneblooded gits daft enough and good enough to drink with his own men!”
Aw, yeah, give me those fourth-wall breaking monologues about how war is a terrible, grueling thing, not fit for honor or boys who dream of glory. GIMMIE
Topic. I don’t think I’ve ever read something so military-focused. Yet somehow, I found myself enthralled by the discussion of battle tactics, weaponry, and sovereignty. That’s what makes a great author, I think, if their writing is so talented it transcends any qualms a normal reader might have.
Choices matter. After taking a peek into the code and finishing two playthroughs, YES, I can tell you your choices actually matter. What you choose as a parting gift from your family will show up years later. What you choose as your top skills correlates to your success as an officer, but strategy is also needed to build on your strengths. Your attitude toward your fellow soldiers will come back years down the line. You’ll have to think through each choice like you were an actual officer. And every little choice matters as well!
Depth AND breadth. The branching on the story is insane. For example, in one of the later chapters, you’ll have the option to attack an enemy fort. You can choose to lead the attack or set up an ambush. Each options has three (or more) outcomes. You can die, win convincingly, or win convincingly. Let alone the fact that you decide how to react to your companions, if you want to be merciful or bloodthirsty, etc. Each chapter has an incredible amount of content, not just the climax!
Length. Usually, most CoG/HGs are only about two hours. This one lasted me four to five, though I am a quick reader. But the pacing makes sense. The narrative follows a traditional arc—introduction, escalation, resolution—and thankfully, Wang doesn’t rush the ending like so many others do. Instead, the plot in each Infinity book is a neatly wrapped up narrative and can stand on its own. There’s no “sequel bait.”
UI. You can tell the author loves his work! The chapter titles are actual images that describe the contents (e.g. “In which the officer goes on a journey”; there’s a long glossary, and maps. Super cool, nerdy stuff.
Achievements. Fun and easy achievements 
Cons:
First in a long series. As a rule, I try not to read WIPs or books in a series. The chance an author will finish a long series is virtually nil, in my experience. And I feel like some authors try to drag out their content for $$$. While I firmly believe this isn’t the case with Wang because the quality and momentum of the existing entries inspire confidence, committing to a multi-book saga always requires patience. The emotional and narrative payoff is substantial, but it unfolds over years rather than a single release. So far, there’s three books with the fourth on the way.
No romance/sexuality/gender options. Like I said earlier, the game’s narrow role is intentional and thematically coherent, but players accustomed to broad customization may feel constrained. There are no romance paths in this installment, and identity options are fixed. Future entries do expand these areas, yet currently the experience prioritizes historical-military authenticity and narrative focus over personalization.
24 Likes
[insert Ariana, what are you doing here?! gif] here lol
2 Likes
Guns of Infinity
By Paul Wang
(10/10)
My god, Paul Wang has done it again. If Sabres of Infinity was a baptism by fire, Guns of Infinity is the aftermath that comes after: the trauma that scars your body, your honor, and your soul. The sequel is grander, darker, and far more morally tangled, and your officer becomes a legend or a ghost buried under the weight of their own decisions.
Pros:
Narrative ambition. Guns is an exceptional piece of serialized storytelling, continuing your personal saga seamlessly from Sabres. It not only recalls ALL your choices but builds entire arcs around them. Your reputation, your leadership style, your allies, your enemies—every thread you spun in the previous game returns to either lift you up or tear you down. Few interactive novels feel this alive to your past actions. And of course, this game only builds on all that. No longer are you a mere soldier; you can rise to the rank of Major (I did!) and command multiple squads.
Even more branching! Now there’s Chapter 2A or 2B. Offhand remarks, political leanings, decisions made under pressure are all small details that accumulate and continue to register all the way to the finale. The inclusion of the secret “disgraced” path is especially impressive; instead of cutting you off for failing, the game offers an entirely different narrative that feels intentional rather than punitive. It’s one of the few IF titles where failure opens doors instead of slamming them.
Writing style. Wang’s prose remains some of the best in all of Hosted Games. The tone is disciplined and militaristic, yet surprisingly lyrical, creating a vivid sense of time and place without excess ornamentation. Battle scenes feel chaotic but readable; quiet moments carry emotional weight without melodrama. The scene of the men singing before combat is a perfect example! It’s simple and restrained, yet so human in the need for connection before battle. The writing understands the emotional contradictions of command: the strategic calculus, the private grief, and the way duty hollows a person out one decision at a time.
Maturity and moral weight. Sabres was rather lighthearted, but Guns goes all the way into the necessity, or lack thereof, of war. He tackles my favorite question: “honor or duty?” I don’t want to spoil anything, but your morals will be tested again and again, in the face of riches, fame, or the woman you love. You’ll have to commit to a path at the end of the book, and I was so stressed I had to look up what everyone was saying on Reddit because I wanted to make the right choice!!! But there are no right choices, only the one you can live with.
UI. There’s more subtleties to the UI: better pictures, chapter headings, etc. The glossary and lore continue to shine, and the consistent worldbuilding is just chef’s kiss.
THERE IS NOW ROMANCE. You’ll have two captivating female romance options. But of course in typical Wang fashion, even romance doesn’t come easily. Relationships require timing, restraint, and sacrifice, and they complicate your loyalties rather than softening the story. Still, it’s beautifully written. Mfw when I choose to commit warcrimes for the woman I love.
Family is now added! You can choose your relationship with your father and mother and younger siblings, if you have any. There’s also a new gameplay mechanic added—debt—which will come into play in the later books. Both are fantastic additions, giving the serious universe a much needed emotional angle.
Length. One playthrough took me 6 hours, though I am a fast reader. Nothing—not even the climax—felt rushed at all.
Cons:
Steeper difficulty. This entry is harder, both narratively and mechanically. Fail a few stat checks and you can find yourself buried under the weight of bad rolls or poor planning. Many times, I was only 2 or 3 percent away from passing a check and was forced to take a suboptimal outcome. It’s tough because your build depends on your earlier save, but you might not have known to focus on 1-2 skills, or which choice gives the “best” option.
Still narrow in scope. As before, you’re a male officer in a very specific setting. That limited perspective keeps the story focused, but also cuts off room for roleplay diversity.
19 Likes
This is super cool, I always love when people review and engage with CoGs and HGs through a critical (but not necessarily negative) lens. I largely agree with your reviews, and I’m excited to see what you have to say about the rest of the catalogue.
10 Likes
Good reviewers are very rare and very appreciated. Thank you so much!
7 Likes
Thank you! I try to write for an audience who’s just trying our text-based games for the first time, so it’s always important to take the good with the bad. I have a lot more reviews planned, just waiting for a) a nice big Steam sale and b) a more peaceful time
6 Likes
Choice of the Vampire
By Jason Stevan Hill
☆☆☆☆☆☆ (4/10)
Choice of the Vampire is one of the earliest games in the CoG franchise, and I’m a big vampire fan. The fact that I ended up refunding this is kinda a bummer. The premise is super compelling: you awaken as a newly made vampire in early 19th-century New Orleans, a city alive with music, sin, and revolution. Over the decades, you navigate moral decay, racial tension, and immortal politics, shaping both your personal fate and America’s emerging identity. It’s ambitious, historically rich, and dripping with atmosphere.
And yet … for all that potential, Choice of the Vampire feels strangely lifeless! The writing is elegant and the history is fascinating, but the story itself forgets to make you, as the player, matter. It wants to be a serious historical epic and a personal vampire story, but in trying to balance both, it ends up doing neither particularly well. The writing is undeniably good—sometimes even beautiful—but it’s sterile. You can admire it from afar, but it never lets you in. It’s an atmospheric, literary take on vampirism that doubles as an American historical commentary. But I was more hoping for a character-driven, emotionally resonant story.
Pros:
Gotta give credit where it’s due. Vampire absolutely nails its setting. New Orleans in the 1800s feels way more realistic than any of my high school’s history books. The language is florid, the social divides are stark, and the tone of decay and transformation lingers in every scene. The author clearly did his research, and there’s surprisingly a lot of historical detail: religious conflict, racial hierarchy, the tension between old European traditions and the New World. Super cool.
No flashy vampire tropes. There’s no Twilight-style melodrama or constant bloodlust; the immortality here feels way more grim and burdensome. There are moments when the writing shines: like a beautifully described sunrise you’ll never see again, or a philosophical reflection on what it means to outlive everyone you love.
Great stats. Not only do you have your usual strength/intelligence/dexterity, there’s also artistry, stealth, languages, and so on. There’s even a money/income system, which I wish was more present!
Cons:
The biggest problem is its complete lack of emotional investment. For a story about immortality, power, and identity, there’s very little to actually feel. You make choices—big ones, even—but the story consistently forgets them. Twice, my lovers died but I seriously didn’t care. There’s little time spent with your companions, let alone romance options. It’s hard to put my finger on it (ironic for a reviewer), but the writing just wasn’t … emotional. It touched on anger, betrayal, melancholy, but the writing feels more sterile than anything, I suppose. Scenes land more clinical than cathartic.
Pacing. Hmm. There’s a lot of paragraphs about bank defaults, the war, and racial politics—dense, often fascinating topics. But instead of connecting those themes to your personal story, the game keeps them at arm’s length. It becomes more of a dry history lecture than an interactive experience. You stop playing and start reading about things happening around you is the best way I can put it.
While I totally get the author needs to pay the bills, the absence of an ending isn’t great. The $6 I paid for gives me the first two out of four acts. However, after the second act, you reach a certain point in the story, and the text suddenly tells you to “save your name for the next installment.” While there is a sequel, the first (second?) half of the series doesn’t feel like a complete narrative experience on its own.
13 Likes
It would be a 7 out of 10 for me but I do agree with all your points especially about not getting enough time to care about characters before they die
1 Like
As a resident CoV stan, if you stopped at Memphis you’re really missing out. Saint Louis is far and away the best part of the saga, covering the greatest span of time and having easily the strongest cast. You get to feel like a power in your own right and nudge history around, rather than being the passenger you are in Memphis. Can even get some actual endings, though you can continue wandering and set up for Chicago as well.
4 Likes
Man, why didn’t y’all tell me this stuff before I refunded it 
Who knows, though, I might come back to it!