NOLA Is Burning -- reviews, criticism, thoughts

Choice of Games games
21

@poison_mara Well, I doubt the author thinks that way, it is only how the game world plays out. I really didn’t get that impression when I played the demo though.

There are plenty of characters that are stereotyped, not just in this story, but in all of them, and more often than not there is a reason behind that.

In this particular game, like BrianBlack points out, the setting is a sort of Noir-ish were your character necessarily is part of a mafia and participates in the role of a messenger, “Headcrusher” as the game calls it, and is an alcoholic among other things, and he/she is in love with someone you, the player, might not be, and your character will think things in a way that perhaps you don’t.

That is the way the game was written. Some games allow you to choose how to feel over a situation, but then people say that its choices are superficial. Other games tell you what your character feels, but then it may not fit what *you* actually feel. So it all comes down to how the writer decided to craft the story and the characters, and what freedom he gives you to shape it to your thoughts.

It depends on how effective the writer was when conveying his story. From the little I played in the demo, I actually felt that I had plenty of control over how to act, and whatever choice I *didn’t have*, I was O.K. with, because it was part of the setting. Not everyone is going to feel that way, I know, and not every game made me feel that way either, but I doubt that it was the authors point to offend people with its design.

If it matters, it was a woman who wrote the story, and I doubt she intended to portray other women as slutty or anything of the sort, it simply fit the setting.

22

What makes me angry is that boy player has portrayed as strong, clever, a woman is only a piece of sexual meat. I know now at last bull and the dragon could be a woman and you don’t have to be a lesbian. But if this game does against Muslims what they did against catholic author would be in danger. Or jews … But like being against Hispanic people is ok, even funny.
The violence was ok in beta sometimes funny but clearly its not q game from me I don’t enjoy games that insult menace women and racial minorities so for me is a zero over ten.

23

I’ve played most of the Choice of games. I really have to agree with @BrianBlack here. I really couldn’t get into the story because the characters were a bit roughly hewn in my opinion.

I don’t know, maybe it just wasn’t to my taste, but I didn’t enjoy the game that much. It was funny at times and I liked the pop culture references.

I really liked the fact that the character could be gay and also that it was acknowledge that having a female boss and mobster is extremely rare.

I really wanted to like it.

1 Like
24

@poison_mara Well, I didn’t get the feeling that the female MC was portrayed as any less strong or any less clever than the male one. As for all the prejudice against women(mentioning them as piece of sexual meat), it’s just the way I suppose actual gangsters would, in reality, act. I like it when games convey realism, harsh as it may be.

As a Catholic, I did not feel offended by the game. In my very surroundings, I know a few devout Catholics who are such fanatics that they really would discipline their kids with crosses, unfortunately. v.v The author could have easily picked another religion, as well-every religion out there has its share of such fanatics.

EDIT: Oh, and the very fact that the Bull could be female -and of any sexual orientation- kinda had me not thinking of the author discriminating against women. :slight_smile: Though, thinking of that, I kinda would’ve liked my girl to have been able to wear a fancy dress rather than a suit and alligator shoes. xD

1 Like
25

I think the entire universe of the game is kind of about exaggerated genre tropes. I mean if you want to be offended, well I can see that I guess, but on the other hand, I think it’s quite clear that the author was deliberately poking fun at themes that most stories take quite seriously.

The trouble is that if you are going to make a parody, keep it a parody! I kind of felt like the story wasn’t sure if it wanted to be silly or not. Maybe this is a new genre. I’m gonna call it Bipolar Noir. :smiley:

26

Decent game for me, not great, thought its a straight up game but it slowly became more fantasy or sci-fi. I prefer the noir, fantasy and sci-fi genres but not all 3 combined :slight_smile: I am offended that people are offended :frowning:

27

@Pepper you don’t have to insult right?. Like I said I only see beta where you have to be a lesbian, you walk nude half of chapter and you want to pee in catholic wine, and describe catholics as pedophiles and sadists. The bull and dragon were straight men…

But if that was ironed I would try it I love the gore stuff and noir, the real noir. Chandler books, Bogard, blade runner. Not appear voodoo and sex outfits there, And sure This is a realistic mafia game yeah Gangs are this way.
Well, I stop posting until I play game to avoid off topics. But I hope no one start insulting or I report to moderators ok, I’m not insulting no one.

28

Not meant as an insult. Just a little tease on you :), however having not participated on the beta, I did not comprehend the audacity of some of the situations in the drafts leading to the final result. There are something which I do find offensive. Like the portrayal of Catholics as pedophiles and sadist is definitely offensive to me. The reason why immediately stop watching de Vinci’ s demons.
Sexism, Bigotry and racism has no place in COG,

29

Well I bought it as soon as it came out along with choice of the rock star. I can say not interesting, couldn’t play it more then 2 times. I rather pay $8-10 for a game like ZE or Tin Star then $2 for this.
1: you’re the top headcrusher and yet you only have a sawtooth? Really? No guns no other wepones?
2: almost no character development
3: You go through the entire game with a stupid knife and at the end you become the terminator?
4: very cheesy
5: Everywhere you go you get your ass kicked, how in hell did you become a headcrusher in the first place?
6: so you are able to break out of a police station but you can’t break out of the club?

Sorry author but more time should have been spent on this. I love supporting these games and that Is why I always buy all of them but the quality has really dipped.

30

I’m kind of wondering why Hosted Games are starting to eclipse Choice of Games in quality myself. Shouldn’t there be a point when a Hosted Game is so well developed that you upgrade its label? Just saying. :confused: I agree with @jcury would rather give the Tin Star author more money.

31

@BrianBlack

I honestly believe it is because most HG authors actually come on these forums for feedback while they are working on their game. It helps improve them a lot. I know my game is twice what it could have been.

32

Is this the same setting as the Choice of Deathless?

33

Not at all

34

Re the HG-CoG quality gap, I agree with Nocturnal_Stillness that feedback makes a huge difference (one reason I was determined to get my own CoG WiP thoroughly vetted on the forums at an early stage!).

But I also think the “professional author” thing reduces the likelihood of a CoG meeting forum criteria for a great game; if I actually have to pay the bills by writing, I’m going to write simpler games (in either linearity or duration) than a totally uneconomical labor of love like Tin Star, ZE, or Sabres.

I’d of course be delighted to be proved wrong by Allen, Jim or Paul telling me that they’ve made enough for a living wage relative to the time they put into their games…

35

Though that would make an awesome crossover.

I really liked this game. The bitter, strange tone works well.

Hadn’t really thought about the gender issues apart from how gangster films normally are. But, trying not to give much away, three of the most feared criminals in NOLA can be female if you choose that way.

36

@Havenstone
I’m holding out until Mecha Ace comes out before I provide a definitive answer to that question, but making $12 000 (Thanks weak Canadian Dollar!) for eight months of writing and art seems pretty okay to me.

Then again, I’m a university student living in a basement suite with his girlfriend. I may not have the highest standards for “living wage”.

37

Long story short, I was entertained, and I didn’t expect a serious game anyway. and I like the fact that some choices can go a long way. However, on my third play-through when I finally decided to elope, I got killed by a taser from my police buddy. What. Just what. Tact? My “heat” was pretty low!

In my second round got dragged into hell by my demonic limb. Did that happen because I racked up a high body count?

It’s a bit frustrating that non obvious choices matter like this. It’s time like this that I wish there’s a walkthrough…

Didn’t see offensive stuff

38

Wait what? You can get dragged to Hell? :smiley: I wish the game was better. That sounds freakin amazing.

39

Exactly! It’s got lots of things I like , but enough frustrating stuff like undeveloped characters and the mc who doesn’t seem to be good at wha he’s supposed to be great at. I actually enjoyed the bond villan style spider den, but I couldn’t get into the “rescue your love” narrative when the object of affection is flat

40

And… Found a bug. Made it to Mexico (but was actually aiming for NOLA boss initially) and this came up:

You join a hippie commune with Elle, and {l_he} becomes a master of mediation, leading classes that assist people from all walks of life. You learn how to make raw food and share the local traditions with visiting tourists.

Would actually liked to have some additional lines when the players initially chosen ambition and the final choice didn’t match