I think these small issues were absolutely bound to sprout up, but thank you so much on working so quickly to get a fix for us! It’s such an honour to be able to talk to an author of a book I loved reading, even more so when you guys are so humble about it! 
Edit: Also has anyone finished playing yet? Omg I know the book is long and we all have full time jobs/college/school but I’m dying not having anyone to discuss it with.
No worries! Considering that bits like the scene the bug was in were written after the beta test, I suspected there’d be something there… not happy that something was there, but at least it’s not game-breaking.
Omg I know the book is long and we all have full time jobs/college/school but I’m dying not having anyone to discuss it with.
Do I ever feel this… 
Only just managed time to sit down and get started on it today - really enjoying the world so far!
Sad to read in this thread that McCowan is not an RO 
but looking forward to meet more characters.
Is anyone else having a problem where their game keeps restarting?
Augh! That’s not good - and it isn’t something that came up in any of the beta test feedback, either. Can you tell me where you’re experiencing the issue? I can look into the code and see if I can figure out what’s causing it, and how to fix it.
I would let support AT choiceofgames DOT com know about that.
Would like to say - I’m LOVING the spectrum of genders in the game and how they’re handled!
I do think the previously mentioned linguistic in universe detail regarding different first person pronouns that express gender (for us just expressed through “I”) helped a lot with how fluid and, for lack of a better word, ordinary it felt. There are ways to achieve similar results without it, but it requires a lot from the author and I personally haven’t seen much of it (I might be missing out haha).
I usually play as a nb character, but that often ends up being the only nb character in the universe (or one of two genderqueer ones) - meanwhile here not only do we get to choose amid all sorts of pronouns and genders for key characters we meet (I assume ROs), even the ones we don’t get to choose for may be any which gender outside the binary which helps truly see and feel the world as diverse.
Not to mention McCowan’s fluidity! When I realized what was happening was not in fact code typos, and the use of the wristband, you wouldn’t believe the size of my grin! I even giggled.
This is very interesting. I didn’t notice it at all! How does it work?
@PhoebeBarton will there be a sequel? I need for there to be a sequel. I like the fact that you didn’t leave us on a cliffhanger but I need more time with my ROs and the other characters. McCowan and Junker started to meld into each other towards the end there, since they were mostly just making jokes while dissipating daemons. And after seeing such a satisfying arc with Alice, I feel like I’d love to see more of that. For example, in Junker’s case, his whole ESP experiments, his relationship with the university that expelled him, and his general principles and outlook. I also think that, towards the end, Warden sort of started to treat my MC like a buddy rather than a girlfriend (which made me extra jealous, given how intense Alice and Judith’s relationship was). Bishara was mostly absent (at some point, I had thought they might have liked to pair up with us to preserve the cultural heritage of the city and, hell, even get caught in a crossfire at the Innetese bakery) and I really thought that Naomi could’ve helped us dig deeper into the P-N corruption and then later publish an exposé. Then there was Park, who kinda came out of nowhere? I tried to investigate the trespasser but beyond being told about the Department of Anomalies, which only has one person, there was nothing else. And, of course, the feud between Junker and her which was also not explained. Of course, all of this might also have been because I speed-read like an idiot instead of really relishing the game, though. So please feel free to set me right! 
But my original point remains. You cannot be so cruel as to go about creating so many interesting characters and such a wonderfully fleshed out world without giving us a sequel!
I admit that there’s a lot more stuff that could have been in there, but thanks to 1) stresses from the Current Troubles, 2) time pressure, and 3) it not occurring to me, it is what it is. 
When it comes to the ROs, I took a light brush because I don’t have much experience with that myself – if I had to do it again, I’d cut down on the number of ROs so that I could give more specific attention to each one.
As for a sequel… it’s definitely conceivable, if I could find the time and a good enough idea to anchor it on.
Yikes, I get that! And honestly, you DID add so much to the game to begin with, it’s crazy! I was just being nit-picky as hell. And also selfish, because I end up getting mad if a very well written book doesn’t get a sequel. (I have similar feelings about 180 Files and Tally Ho - but at least we got a spin off there, hehe.) One thing that I really appreciate about the ROs is that it isn’t so stressful - bending over backwards and saying just the right thing to keep them interested. The scenes that we did have with them played out so naturally! 
Anyway, I’m off to do a slower, more careful playthrough, this time as a callous and reckless PC. And I think I won’t baby Alice so much this time round. It’ll be interesting because in my first playthrough, she became a deuteragonist in her own right, with loads of encouragement and affection, but now I’m leaving her out to dry. Gosh, it’s going to be impossible to be mean to her though. Oof. And I guess I’ll finally find out what that flag for Junker does in the code too!
So…I played the demo twice and despite my measly $15 in the bank, bought the game because I wanted to see how the rest plays out. I kinda get ‘Ghostbusters’ vibes from this, the jumpsuits, but I really like supernatural stuff. Especially when creators add their own touch to it.
My question is…how hurt can you get and can you die in this game?
…
…
Now the theme song is stuck in my head. I guarantee I’ll be humming it later…
Thanks so much! Ghostbusters was a huge inspiration, but I was really trying to go my own way with it.
Death is a thing in this game, but it’s not something you can stumble into, either - I’ll spoiler the details. It’s not possible to die before chapter 12, and even then, it’s not something that can happen with one wrong choice. Death possibilities are only activated when the PC reaches 0 HP or below – signified as “You’re at the edge of your endurance, and you’re ready to collapse” or “You feel like you should be dead. How are you not dead yet?” on the stat screen – and even then, you either need to fail another check, or make an unwise decision that should be clear in the text. All but one of the death possibilities come during the final confrontation.
But there are reasons to seek out death, if you want – there are special scenes, and they come with their own achievements!
Been a while since I dove into one of these games again. And yea, this is a pretty late review.
Probably should have chosen something less dense, but hey, might as well go in deep.
Also, do not that it is from one playthrough, so grain of salt and all that.
First, to get the less pleasant stuff out of the way.
This is no Heart’s Choice game in terms of romance. It’s there, and it’s sweet, but it is much less in focus than typical games. Not necessarily a bad thing but definitely something to keep in mind.
Another thing to note is that there are a good few Author Tracts with the themes on this one which I know for a fact will turn people off since it doesn’t really show up on the front page too much. I do agree with a good amount of the points so it was ok on my end and it feels a good bit in line with the original Ghostbusters movie imo as well as resonate quite well with the times at the writing of this review…but there were points that it felt a touch ham-fisted to the point that it felt distracting and might kill their interest in what I feel is an amazing story.
And with that out of the way… Holy crap, I felt like I went through a trilogy. It might be about as long as other one-shot games, I wouldn’t know, but it felt about as content-packed as one of the early trilogies on here. The cycling flow of the plot did threaten to become stale after a while, but the downtime parts(which, considering the many big scenes in this story, were sorely needed) moved the plot and characterisation enough to keep that from happening.
Speaking of the plot…a very, very nice twist on the source material. Chekov’s objects were used to good work here, and it felt like going through Ghostbusters…with a bit more of a progressive bent and with more emphasis on magic. Well-done on not losing me in the different time and world of this story-the only time I looked at the glossary was for fun(though points for you having one nonetheless).
As for characters…
McCowan isn’t as stoic as dear Egon, but their energy and humor were quite welcome in helping deal with the more weighty aspects of the plot, of which I am thankful for.
Alice, oh Alice, you adorable cinnamon roll, you. And yet there is more than just sugar in our Ray analog-adding the giant aspiration and the future shock was brilliant in rounding her character out; much needed when she become almost deutertagonist in the last parts of the game. Those parts also helps strengthen Judith’s character(though the former was more indirectly than the latter), which, while I sadly didn’t choose correctly on her parts leading to me missing a lot of her stuff, also helped telegraph her heel turn…and possible redemption ( which I was able to pull this time around.) Plus their relationship was quite entertaining to see; the wedding scene being a quite nice highlight.
Junker felt like a mix between Venkman and Winston- the latter( along with him coming last)which might have had a hand in having him a touch less out of focus than the other two. However, seeing him slowly morph into a team player while still keeping his everyman sarcastic edge was quite nice to see and I was glad to have been able to keep him around.
As for side characters of note in my run… Ash was a great Janine analog. Adorable, helpful, and without them the team would be buried in paperwork. Or at least, more so than usual.
Delacroix, I feel was where some of the themes (specifically, much beef with politics and capitalism) was done more subtly. A cog in the machine, but one that slowly grows on you and learns to have some sympathy for our heroes. Much more tolerable than Peck ( though unfortunate that I could not throw the “it is true…” line at any of the politicians) and gave a much-needed shade of grey in the story.
My romantic interest was Rayan, and she was pretty nice. I feel she was a bit overshadowed when other characters were involved (Thorne and Park during the school trips), but it probably was due to her being a non-combatant. And the romantic scenes with her hit the right beats at least.
Our final Villain, the Uthor, is where I also feel that some of the themes( the perils of unchecked progress) is inserted quite well. The tradgey of his home’s destruction as a cost of unchecked progress gave a good bit of grey to him and, along with Delacroix, made it much easier to excuse the more ham-fisted representations of the themes due to how well done both of them are.
Finally… the gameplay was quite well done. The statistics felt unique and showed how much you were juggling without being archaic, and the choices (barring the very few points where said Author Tract nabbed some control) felt impactful when they needed to be. I went through this talking and fixing my way through with a more honest bent(kinda like our team’s resident gearhead, actually), and am quite interested in what paths I have not taken…once I have the time to do so again.
All in all…while I cannot say it is for everyone, since it can sometimes be a bit ham-fisted with its themes and will, in turn, lead to people not giving it a chance when they otherwise might have, if one is able to work with/resonance with that, there is a quality epic here and one that I am overjoyed to have burned good sleep on.
And, since some people like seeing numbers: 9/10.
Hey everyone. I played this game for a bit and then took a pause from it. I’m back to reading it now but I’ve completely forgot whats the essential difference between Woodbine and Kennedy. I gotta make a choice on who I wanna meet now and I have no idea which is more interesting to me 
If anyone who played could give me a really quick description I’d appreciate a lot.
Woodbrine focuses on luminosity more and Kennedy was a representative of P-N corpo, iirc? I honestly thought they were meant to be the mayoral candidates at first but those were different characters entirely.
This was a great review! And I agree with you that I felt like I’d read a trilogy. But damnit I want more of everything. A sequel, a spin-off…the possibilities seem endless.
I was re-reading it and I was struck again by the sheer quality of the writing. I could close my eyes and imagine the luminous threads and even though I wasn’t aware you could taste electricity, I think I felt it on my tongue every time they went on a daemon dissipating mission.
Is it possible to implement a system of saves and checkpoints, like in Choice of the Vampire or Affairs of the Court? I don’t know how tough the task might be, but it would help an awful lot so that one errant tap wouldn’t force me to replay the entire thing.
I think Woodbine’s also super interested in exposing P-N’s corruption and whatever illegal stuff Kennedy is up to. Makes me wonder if I should do a replay and support him so he lets us in on his big secret.
Oh damn! I definitely saw that second one during one of those brief… stat update… dreams…? But I don’t see it anywhere in my Stats screen. 
In fact, my condition has said “You’re in good shape, considering” this entire time. Maybe I’ve missed something…?
@PhoebeBarton Can you explain how Civic Anxiety works, specifically what type of choices make it go up or down?
Why is it, whichever RO my MC chooses, when we buy them a gift for Barra Day, the gift they get for my MC is so perfect while whichever gift my MC buys, turns out to be the wrong one? And the reaction is a downcast expression. I love the game . Played it through a few times but this always disappoints me. I mean, why does it happen?