New "In the Service of Mrs. Claus" Christmas Expansion Out Now!

We’re proud to announce that In the Service of Mrs. Claus by @Brian_Rushton, now has a brand new expansion and update–20,000 more words of expanded romance scenes and new content!

This update is free for all customers who have purchased In the Service of Mrs. Claus , and for those who haven’t: get In the Service of Mrs. Claus 25% off until Dec 31st!

Expanded Customization:

  • First chapter expanded by 60% and reorganized to make timeline clearer
  • More options to increase stats and customize your character
  • Fixed a few situations where characters with certain stat choices could never succeed
  • Added more depth and usefulness to the trickery skill and the temperate trait
  • Expanded the ending where you are a fugitive

Improved Romantic Options

  • Two romantic partners (Candid and Flame) now have selectable gender, as does the player
  • A new unique date for each RO
  • Flickering Flame made a more sympathetic villain and a completely faithful romantic partner
  • Happier endings for all romances.
  • Players now have the option to have kids with their ROs

More Active Player Options

  • Players have more agency in the world and more freedom at how to react to events
  • Players can now save the List in Chapter 6 and the mysterious toy in Chapter 4
  • Players now experience less existential despair (unless they want to)

Let me tell you the true secret of Christmas: Santa Claus died centuries ago. You see, in ancient times, as the Gods began to die, Santa Claus married a goddess. She was worshiped as Bast in Egypt, as Artemis in Greece, Diana in Rome. She’s been called a witch, a hero, an assassin. You call her Mrs. Claus.

In the Service of Mrs. Claus is a 188,000-word interactive fantasy thriller by Brian Rushton, where your choices control the story. It’s entirely text-based—without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

When Santa died, Mrs. Claus invested the power of Christmas in Santa’s Heart, which she buried with Santa in a top-security tomb beneath Claus Castle. But now, someone has stolen the Heart. As Mrs. Claus’ top secret agent–her most trusted elf–you must go undercover to recover the Heart and take back Christmas from the forces of darkness.

As you unveil the dark secrets of the Fae, you’ll magic up giant marshmallows and deadly candy canes, romance sweet friends and roguish villains, and vie with the mysterious Krinkle Corporation to save Christmas from ruin. But in the final battles you must decide whether to blast the armies of darkness with your winter elf magic, or join them and betray your mistress.

  • Play as a shape-shifting elf who flows between gender, species, and form at will.
  • Clash with cults, gods, and giant corporations as they strive to overthrow Mrs. Claus’s empire.
  • Use magic to complete clandestine missions as Mrs. Claus’s secret agent.
  • Visit earthly children to determine their naughty or nice designations…and presents, if any.
  • Decide the fate of Christmas and the Fae world itself.
  • Discover the truth about Santa’s death.
  • Play nice with your enemies or put them on your naughty list.
  • Restore Mrs. Claus to power, betray her, or marry her.

Christmas is coming. You’d better watch out.

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What in the sam hell happens in this game. I thought it was about cute Santa elves.

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Over this summer and fall I played and reviewed 76 different Choice of Games titles and learned a lot more about what makes a good game.

I used everything I learned from that experience when revamping this game, with especially large changes to the first chapter and the romances. I think people will find the story significantly improved!

@Natman1025 Apparently a lot of people have found the game to be dark:

“I have to say, this is one of the most grimdark takes on Christmas I’ve ever seen.”

The setting is very vibrant, at times a bit dark, but overall colorful and funny. For me, the mood of this game is most comparable to an animated Tim Burton movie.

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Now that’s some serious background reading, kudos.

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Congratulations @Brian_Rushton! I hope you’re proud and are able to take some time to celebrate… And I’m extra impressed that you snuck it in before Christmas this year!

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Yes! I’m so proud @Brian_Rushton was able to add this expansion and we were able to get it out just in time for Christmas.

Big 2020 mood is what one COG staffer said about that line :joy:

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I enjoyed the game when I first played it, and am excited to dive back in to this. Since this update is free, do you have any other projects people that are greatful for the free update could toss a few dollars to?

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That’s very kind of you! This game is pretty much the only thing I have on sale anywhere. But leaving a review somewhere would mean a lot to me!

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Damn devils… Lol I loved this one and now it’s expanded?!?
:joy_cat::smile_cat::smirk_cat: Mrs. Claus romance route is weird and funny…
Have to check all the new and expanded romance routes…
Oi @Brian_Rushton congratulations on the expansion and ᵃᵈᵛᵃⁿᶜᵉᵈ 𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝑪𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒔…

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:roll_eyes::face_with_raised_eyebrow::thinking: Is that another joke 'bout how disastrous and sh** show 2020 is with covid?!?

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Reddit user u/Woodlandofweir has compiled a helpful guide to all achievements here, as well as a review of the new content:

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as a genderfluid person, i appreciated the way candid mistletoe switched pronouns and forms at will in the original release, and i’m more than a little disappointed to see that become an informed attribute. is there any chance a future patch could bring an option to restore that aspect of them?

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I enjoyed making this update, and would be interested in doing something similar next year. I’d love to add that back in as well as allowing they/them pronouns for NPCs (which I didn’t do as having variable verbs would have taken a great deal of extra testing in a short time frame). If you have any other items you’d be interested in for next year, let me know!

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I agree, the author did a great job with candid before, so natural. I hope they could add the option back one day. I’m always for more options

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I noticed you both mentioned Candid specifically. Flickering Flame was also genderfluid; would you be interested in that option also coming back, or only in Candid specifically?

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1512884860593745190

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I can’t be an eerie child anymore? I remember I could be an eerie child :laughing:

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Just replayed this again and I liked the new parts but I keep killing Mrs Claus. Anyone know how to stop her death?

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With an added emphasis on romance, it was too creepy having an eerie child making out with ancient beings. Maybe it could be added back in the non-romance playthrough!

@Emily19 There is an invisible stat throughout the game that determines Claus’s health. It is affected most in Chapter 2 but also Chapters 8 and 9. That’s what’s checked when she gets attacked. There’s no way to prevent her from at least ‘passing out’, but if you fail a lot you lose the body, too.

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Lol did they cheat on you before :laughing:

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