Lead the revolt against a bloodthirsty empire! You grew up under the iron fist of the Hegemony. Now is your chance to end their blood-fueled magic, as you forge a ragtag outlaw band into a rebel army.
Very Positive
144 Steam reviews
| LANGUAGE | AUDIO | SUBTITLES | INTERFACE |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | — | Y | Y |
PEAK! Can't wait for the sequels so I can build my commie utopia
Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 604:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (9/10)
Can you like, or even love, something without understanding it? I’m honestly super impressed by [i]Choice of Rebels: Uprising (“Rebels”)[/i] because I went in not expecting much. I heard it had a high-fantasy world and a stat-heavy narrative, but I struggle with high fantasy. I like magic, gods, and swords and all that, but I find that such high stakes ironically makes me uninterested in the story. Additionally, fantasy works often coin jargon, requiring a reader to flip through the glossary once. I like stats, especially if they matter—but only if I win. Which was definitely not the case in [i]Rebels. Rebels[/i] is not beginner-friendly and has a confusing jargon problem. It’s also weak characterization-wise, and the romance is either poor, confusing, or not very LGBT-friendly. The complexities of the politics are lost on me, quite frankly.
With all that said … there is something so singularly fascinating about Joel Havenstone’s world. You play as the noble or peasant class in a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ up world. Maybe America’s darkest timeline before the Industrial Revolution and the advent of machinery. (I don’t know, I was never great at history.) The world sucks because of the big bad empire called the Hegemony. Their control is based on Harrowings, which are blood sacrifices of the helot—peasant—class. The helots are treated like slaves, and eventually, you’ve decided enough is enough. As the title says, you are now a rebel leader at the head of an uprising.
[h2][b]Pros:[/b][/h2]
✅ [b]Worldbuilding.[/b] Again, I ask you, can you like or love something without understanding it? I understand the broad strokes of Havenstone’s world, but a lot of the intricacies go over my head. I’m sure there are specific historical references or inspirations, but I honestly don’t even care because the world is interesting enough on its own. But I do know power struggles, oppression, and tone. The historical inspiration enriches it, but it’s not required to love it. The situation is the same here. There are shades of the world that are similar to our own: a rather pointed class struggle depending on religion, region, and social status. I played as a noble who embraced blood magic, so there was a fascinating divide between being oppressed and being the oppressor. The main character witnesses the brutality aimed at the peasant class, but they still profit from it. There’s a “middle class” of sorts: nobles, priests, merchants, and soldiers. At the start of the game, you are on equal rank, but as you become a rebel, you are treated just like the peasant class you once looked down upon. It’s just really neat how you navigate between the violence and hierarchical structure.
✅ [b]Religion.[/b] I won’t claim to understand religion in Havenstone’s world. All I know is that it’s Cool™️. From what I can tell, the world treats the vaguely Christian religion and leaders as gospel. It basically permeates all of society and helps prop up the Hegemony’s brutal regime. All things are done for the saints, right? But there’s also a battle between religious doctrine. Is the empire’s religion as clear-cut as believed to be? Or have they been mistranslating the holy texts to support their blood sacrifices? Surely the gods or saints or whatever would never call for a Harrowing? All I know is that my main character got anointed by a priest and is now called “Eclect of the Angels.” Literally, wrap it up, everyone. I am the second coming of Jesus Christ. 10/10 from me.
✅ [b]Perspective/choices that matter. [/b]It’s common in virtually all literature to have the hero flourish, then eat dust, as it were. To be humbled to grow stronger. In [i]Rebels,[/i] your beginning involves you eating dust. Your role as rebel leader is captured so well. I thought I could be a brave, honorable outlaw meting out justice. Well, idealism can’t feed a starving band of two hundred people. So, fine, perhaps I raided a monastery for grain and mules. But it’s not like I hurt anyone! I mean, a monastery is just wood and stone. It’s the same as raiding a noble estate. Which I also did. I also took a man’s wife and children hostage, which is fine—I wouldn’t hurt a hair on their heads. I just needed their fortune to support my revolution. On a technical level, I found that these big choices were signposted extremely well. The narrative clearly laid out the pros and cons of each strategic choice I made. Want to rob a garrison? Your untrained band will get killed, but imagine the steel weapons that will replace your crude clubs. Rob a monastery? Casualties will be low, but your group’s morale will drop as you become sinners. I much preferred this design choice over guessing the consequences.
✅ [b]Atmosphere. [/b]There are so many passages on how ♥♥♥♥ your life is. You’re sleeping in the forest, and you’re cold and freezing. Your father hates you for ruining the noble name. My people also hated me because I couldn’t feed them. They even tried to assassinate me, the bastards! You are unwanted by the nobility and mistrusted by the peasants. The atmosphere is so oppressive, claustrophobic, humiliating. I love it.
[h2][b]Mixed:[/b][/h2]
🟨 [b]Resource management gameplay. [/b]This is what will make or break the game for a reader. I found this aspect of the game essential, fun, and hard. In short, you are juggling a great many things: mules, money, the sick, the healthy, food, raids, and so on on a week-by-week basis. So, for example, I decided one week to send out twenty bandits on a scouting mission, ten bandits on a hunting expedition in the forest, ten to set up traps, and the last ten to be trained. You must also decide how many mules to send on these missions. Send too many, and there will be no mules to carry the sick. Don’t send enough, and you won’t be able to bring back all the loot. It does get micromanage-y at times, but I felt like a real, tactical mastermind. In reality, my group doubted my leadership so much that 130 or so people left. And I had about 120 people, in total. I can’t blame them tbh. There are a lot of moving parts, and I can’t see a casual reader enjoying the lengthy, difficult resource management part. It’s very trial-and-error, which isn’t great for such a long work.
[h2][b]Cons:[/b][/h2]
🟥[b] Fantasy jargon.[/b] The first couple of pages of the game bombards you with its vernacular. I appreciate the incredibly thorough index, but the lore is frankly daunting at first. I’m a Shayard? A who? Sounds like a pirate class or something. What’s the difference between Xthonos and Xaos? Why do they both begin with X? Actually, what’s what, again? I hope you know the difference between the Alastors, Kryptids (spelling?), and Ecclesiasts. Who’s the bad guy? The Archon dude? Oh, am I the bad guy? And so on. The jargon continues to be sprinkled throughout the chapters. I can vaguely piece together the context clues, but I wouldn’t recommend [i]Rebels[/i] to people with low patience.
🟥 [b]Long wait for sequel/cliffhanger.[/b] Listen. I’m never going to tell a writer how or what to write. (I mean, I try not to anyway.) But [i]Rebels[/i] was published in 2017. As of today, it’s 2026. I don’t think the sequel is coming out this year, so there’s about a nine or ten-year wait. That’s kinda long, factually speaking. The wait is made worse by how the game ends on a cliffhanger. Your rebellion is just getting started, and there are so many plot threads left hanging. There’s really no resolution.
[hr]
If you enjoyed this review, please check out my curator page to find more: [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45814768-Verdict-Play-or-Pass/]Verdict: Play or Pass. [/url] Also, please leave a like and visit [url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/Indie_Gems]IndieGems[/url] and our [url=https://www.youtube.com/@IndieGems2]YouTube channel[/url] for more reviews like this one.
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Very good lore and storyline can be a bit confusing at least for me. I still really enjoyed it though.
Tedious game mechanics not made for the engine it's on.
Нет! Не стоит это того! Нудятина с элементами стратегии. "Очень положительно" гиперпреувеличенная оценка....
One of the best of all time, this a game that takes dedication to learn how not to get your ass kicked
Initially, it was pretty overwhelming not gonna lie, tons of names and unique stuff about the game world adjectives and status + the big hard winter chapter.. but then after some fails i managed to get the hang of it and it was actually pretty fun! And wow the world building is something amazing, very detailed and you also have an usefull codex that you can read at any time with a detailed description of each name meaning and things, it's a pretty unique experience compared to other games from Choice of games, if you are up for a challenge and a beautifull story (with a sequel coming soon!) i totally reccomend this, but i need to give a warning, if you are not patient to learn and restart a few runs you are gonna need a guide to get past the winter!
Great, but where's the sequel?
Off the back of five playthroughs (of which my player character survived two, one of which with file editing) I'm ready to say that this game easily competes with the very best of the Interactive Fiction sphere for narrative quality and mechanical depth.
Choice of Rebels unceremoniously plants you in the middle of a low-fantasy setting with a soft magic system, centuries of cultural and historical events already having taken place. It prompts you to ask whether you'd like a history lesson for a crash course, which is helpful because the characters will frequently use a lot of language and reference a lot of practices and people that readers will find confusing without context. This can make for a slow start taken as a huge chunk at the beginning, but the information is always there to reference if you ever need it.
Though we're more than likely supposed to explore more of the continent in following games, this one takes place in western Shayard, which is a vassal-state to the Karagond Hegemony. Shayard was apparently in centuries past once a military and economic powerhouse on the political stage, but was subjugated by neighboring Karagond when it discovered Theurgy- An alchemy magic system which uses human blood to do things shoot gouts of flame from one's hands, heal the sick, manipulate gravity to fly, supercharge agricultural output, whatever the author really wants it to do.
Karagond instantly won the arms race, but to keep their control strong they needed a constant source of blood.
They draw this from criminals, traitors, and helots- the slave-caste of the nations.
The player-character is either a Shayardene aristocrat from a very minor and overlooked family or a helot slave. The difference between the two obviously echoes through the entire game, how they see their cause and how others will perceive them.
We're introduced a few characters and to some of the many injustices the Hegemony commits against religious skeptics, nationalist patriots and the helotry, before shaping the protagonist's worldview and skillset before an uprising happens in the town they live in. One way or another, the protagonist becomes a wanted traitor and the leader of that revolt, whether they lead a sanctuary for escaped helots or a ragtag band of outlaws.
Now the synopsis is out of the way, is the game itself worth it?
The majority of the gameplay can be reduced to maintaining the survival of your group and the integrity of your cause. After the uprising happens you become responsible for what may be a LOT of people on the run, and if you want them all to make it through the winter you need to keep them fed and healthy. This can be easy to do if you rob the commonfolk or torch an estate for gold or ambush caravans, but the public is watching and the more they feel your uprising is a danger to them the more likely they are to support their oppressors over you, and the less likely your survival. On the flip side, being overly idealistic at the price of starving is a quick way of having sentiment among your own people turn against you as a leader.
This is where the game is made or broken for people. Getting through the winter seems impossible at first, but when you find the right strategy to pull you through it feels so much more rewarding.
As a leader, your abilities have three points to be allocated to three stats- Charisma, Combat, and Intellect. Two to one stat, one to another, and the third must have zero.
A two in your stat makes you a prodigy in that skill, and a zero makes you a bit hopeless in it. A 2COM 1INT 0CHA character can win duels and lead ambushes incredibly, but you'll want to rely on one of your friends at the negotiating table, or when addressing potential recruits.
The strength of Choice of Rebels is in what you can't do. If you have a reputation for the massacre of the aristocracy you'll draw people to your band who expect to kill nobles, and will be very upset if you start trying to broker deals with the more reasonable ones.
If you rely too heavily on others in your band to get you through hard times you can't be surprised when people take their orders over yours.
If you've been starving yourself to barely meet your food storage quota for the week you can't win that fight against someone who's full and rested, no matter how good you are with your staff or sword.
If you haven't won the hearts you need to, gathered the intel you need to, made all the preparations you can, you can't survive when the Hegemony comes for you.
The atmosphere is tense, the people around you bitter and afraid and angry, but when you lead an attack without taking losses or close that deal you've been trying to strike with the merchants' guild for weeks or have a mother who's life you've continually saved and protected name her child after you, you remember that you're not helpless.
I think it's pretty neat.
1. СЖВ кал.
Это малютки везде, терпим а что делать. Тут его хоть чуть меньше.
2. Это по сути пролог ко второй части которой не будет. Без внятной концовки, четвёртая глав это бредик.
Хорошая задумка, реализация как всегда.
Give sequel.
В целом я оставляю положительный отзыв, но сперва хотела бы уделить внимание паре деталей. Два предложения ниже — это буквально то, что в первую очередь описывает моё прохождение игры.
[i]— Сколько раз тебе пришлось возвращаться к сохранению и перепроходить 4 главу?
— Да.[/i]
Ладно, я понимаю, кульминация в такого рода историях должна быть жёсткой, поскольку на кону стоит очень многое. Но чёрт возьми, [b]почему это было так сложно?![/b]
Я никогда не жалею о том, что выбираю основным навыком персонажа дипломатию, так как в итоге это всегда окупается, однако тут совершенно другой случай. Один человек в другом отзыве отметил, что игра наказывает игрока за то, что он выбрал не то, что было предпочтительно для автора, и в данном случае я с этим абсолютно согласна. Здесь 4 глава — это что-то вроде DBH, если рассматривать его через призму сложности некоторых сюжетных решений и выхода на хорошую концовку. Дело даже не столько в том, что может не хватать значения какой-либо характеристики, а в том, что ближе к концу игра превращается в банальный симулятор убийств, где вместо нескольких нормальных или хороших концовок и парочки плохих игра предлагает только множество способов умереть ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ Чтобы выжили все основные персонажи, на развилках нужно действовать строго определённым образом. Любой иной выбор ведёт к потенциально страшной гибели, причём не только протагониста, но и остальных персонажей. Даже не могу сказать, сколько я тут таких концовок получила, пока пыталась найти тот вариант, который позволит выжить главному герою и хотя бы части мятежников… Могу поздравить тех, кому это удалось с первого раза, но мне пришлось множество раз возвращаться к началу главы (огромное спасибо за сохранения! где-то даже и этого нет), чтобы вновь прощёлкать кучу вариантов и выбрать следующий по порядку на тех развилках, где всё полетело к чертям, пока в итоге я всё-таки не нашла среди кучи выборов те, которые приведут к нужному результату. Не спорю, радости было много, однако это явно не лучший способ прохождения таких игр.
Из всего вышесказанного вывод напрашивается такой: игре не хватает гибкости и прозрачности. В общем-то, это её главный минус. При работе над историей автор прописал множество выборов, они действительно влияют на сюжет, однако это, скажем так, выборы не для всех или выборы специально для того, чтобы вы слепо в них тыкались и в отчаянии рвали на голове волосы, по-другому я не могу сказать. Далеко не всегда понятно, какой именно навык влияет на благополучное разрешение ситуации и какие последствия могут вас ждать. Приходится выбирать наугад, ошибаться, проигрывать, загружать сохранение, снова выбирать наугад, снова ошибаться... И так раз за разом.
У протагониста есть всего 3 основных навыка, и в игре явно не хватает выборов для каждого из них. Отсюда и ощущение того, что тебя обделили. Я могу понять ситуацию, если навыков гораздо больше, тогда точно придётся определить, под какую ситуацию подойдёт ограниченное количество этих навыков. Но тут их 3… Всего 3, Карл! И вот представьте: вы решили отыгрывать мягкого аристократа, который привык разбираться с проблемами с помощью своего красноречия и очень плохо владеет оружием. Вы понимаете, что в случае, когда дело дойдёт до сражений, вам будет трудновато, но вы могли бы помочь восстанию совершенно по-другому. Например, вы можете заключать союзы, договариваться о скидках, улучшать отношения с другими фракциями, заговаривать врагов и настраивать их друг против друга, etc по классике. Вместо этого вы целыми днями торчите в лагере и не можете участвовать в каких-либо вылазках, потому что… [i]потому что что?[/i] Вас никто не сможет защитить из нескольких сотен мятежников? Вы не можете тренироваться под руководством более опытных союзников, пока находитесь в лагере? Ваши бедные ручки отвалятся, если вы будете заниматься чем-то другим, кроме сидения на месте или расхаживания с важным видом с целью поднятия боевого духа окружающих, хотя при этом вы уже прошли через кучу лишений, голод и вынуждены тоже таскать тяжести, как и остальные мятежники? А в конце у вас вообще почти не остаётся вариантов именно под ваши навыки, потому что практически везде требуется навык ведения боя. В итоге получается, что и на протяжении всей игры, и в сценах кульминации от такого персонажа нет прока. Соответственно, есть ли смысл создавать персонажа, который не может самореализоваться?
Я очень надеюсь, что продолжение позволит использовать все навыки по максимуму. Сейчас это реально трудно, серьёзно. Я не готова перепроходить игру с тем же персонажем даже с учётом того, что теперь знаю, как выжить в четвёртой главе, брр.
Относительно остальных вещей… Откровенно говоря, я несколько раз начинала и забрасывала эту игру в самом начале. Здесь очень много сложного лора и просто куча страшной лексики, которую просто так не подхватишь в школе или университете. Однако на 3 или 4 попытке могу сказать вот что: это надо перетерпеть (прямо как те 20 серий Реборна, huh). Фактически лор оказывается очень даже занятным, если попытаться в него вникнуть и не теряться при виде стрёмных терминов (в игре есть свой словарик на такой случай). Вы их запомните в итоге, а игра вас с большей долей вероятности затянет так сильно, что особого дискомфорта вы испытывать больше не будете.
Сюжет добротный и интересный, а возможность почувствовать себя героем в обстановке кровавой диктатуры безумно соблазнительна. Хотя надо отметить, что в данной части ваш героизм будет в основном заключаться в разумном делегировании полномочий и принятии решений, позволяющих вам и вашим союзникам сначала пережить зиму в холоде и голоде, а затем выжить, когда Гегемония отправляет свои войска, чтобы избавиться от всех мятежников разом, пока не стало поздно. Если вы ждёте захвата поселений и открытого сопротивления, то в данной части истории вы этого не получите. Здесь восстание только началось, оно ещё носит локальный характер и не распространилось по всем регионам. Сейчас ваша главная задача — убедиться в том, что вы и илоты, отправившиеся за вами как за предводителем восстания, можете выживать во враждебной обстановке, способны позаботиться о себе и готовы двигаться дальше.
Несмотря на незначительный (пока) масштаб, в этой игре ставки уже невероятно высоки. Если вы проиграете, то вместе с этим тысячи людей теряют шанс на свободное будущее, многие (включая маленьких детей) обречены на ужасную смерть и страдания. Поэтому игра будет держать в напряжении до самого конца, поэтому вам захочется узнать, что произойдёт дальше, и будет трудно отвлечься на сон/учёбу/работу/вставьте нужное. Не каждая история, заканчивающаяся на клиффхэнгере, оставляет именно такое ощущение нетерпения и жажды продолжения. И у меня определённо есть то, с чем её можно сравнить в плане концовки «с огоньком». [strike]смотрит на все вышедшие части серии Samurai of Hyuga[/strike]
Надеюсь, что автор читал отзывы и не будет допускать тех же ошибок в следующей части. У истории огромный потенциал, и я бы непременно хотела увидеть, как восстание волной прокатится по регионам и уничтожит диктатуру, столько лет приносящую народу одни несчастья. Ждём-с ~
Пысы. Игра пройдена на телефоне, в стиме данные только после старых неудачных попыток :)
Even years after playing it the first time, this game still manages to pull me into it. I absolutely love the management parts of the game, and the writing is superb. It actually feels like my choices have an an effect on the story, rather than it just being "Pick door 1 or door 2"
I cannot wait for the next part!
Well written, allows for greater control and agency than any other choose your own adventure game in the same format, and doesn't shy away from or sugar coat the gruesome and uncomfortable endings that comes from the reality of starting an uprising in what is essentially a hegemonic power akin to the Imperial Rome if it had grown through horrific magic.
I have played this game over and over again just to see what's the extent to which I can improve my overall revolt and put myself in a better position for the next game, the writing doesn't get stale as the world itself is enthralling and the weight of every action can be felt when taken.
I have endless praise for this game and hold it as the benchmark for immersive story telling in its medium, when I first played it in 2019 I was frustrated by the amount of negative outcomes and endings but now I still comeback to it even today to revisit the characters I had been so emotionally invested in to warrant such a response.
TL;DR if you want a unique immersive world, the choice of greater agency, a candid story of difficulties of armed resistance and captivating characters, this game is for you.
É bom, quero dizer, comprei isso no impulso e joguei tudo de uma vez, não ha nada de muito absurdo sobre, a historia cumpre o que promete e pra quem é fã do genero vale a pena conferir (embora eu mesma me arrependa de ter comprado, ja que não sou a maior fã da premissa)
Abruptly cuts off at the end of Chapter 4, with a teaser for a sequel that never came out. Unless you're a fan of eternal cliffhangers, I would suggest waiting 7 more years, maybe the rest of the story will be actually finished by then.
This could make an awesome show or a book really worth playing!!!
Good game so far! A good deal of (well written) choices. No music at all, though.
part 2 when?
Fantastic story and clearly well thought out lore with the only notable shortcoming being the sequel is not yet out.
i became lelouch from code geass
I want the sequel soooooooo bad
I’ve played through "Choice of Rebels: Uprising" three times over the years, and I like it quite a bit. The choices are impactful enough to make each playthrough fun, but it’s also true that the differences are fairly modest, and the story ends pretty much the same way each time.
The female romance options are limited, but I liked the one I went with each time, even if I would’ve liked more of it.
Another thing worth mentioning is that throughout the game, there are a few terms that take some getting used to, such as helots and yeomanry, words uncommonly used. But the story was easy enough to follow, and the world engaging.
Finally, the game ends a bit abruptly before revealing the name of a potential follow-up, but enough questions are answered and baddies taken care of to make the story have a fairly satisfying conclusion. (8/10)
The only game where your choices actually matter to a great degree. You require multiple playthroughs to fully explore all different scenarios, which may also have multiple of other variables depending on your relationship with the band or the social class you're engaging with. I've never seen such a feat pulled off in other CYOA games, let alone by more mainstream titles where decisions are heavily emphasized. Mightily impressive for a one-man team.
Most people may be put off by the micromanaging of chapter 2, but I recommend anyone who likes decision-branching games to try it at least once.
I've tried to play this game twice; over the years: Unsatisfying both times.
There really isn't a lot of actual story going on here; it's a glorified resource starvation stats emulator. You won't be exploring the themes and ideas of rebellion and revolution in any narrative depth - if simply because you'll be bogged down with the failure conditions of balancing about a dozen different resource types.
It's not fun, it's not interesting, and the choice of game engine (pun intended) is absolutely ill-suited for this type of resource grind. Apparently, it's not even a complete game.
This game, has the BEST stat-story integration structure of all the ChoiceScript games I've played.
The writing is passionate and smart, the rebelling is bloody and difficult, the empire is evil and unfair. What more could you want from a game called "Choice of Rebels"?
[strike]I've starved so many kids I'm a monster[/strike]
The story was fantastic and I found myself actually invested in the lives of the characters within. When the noble and his priestly friend were murdered, I was actually upset. I look forward to the author making the second book of this game, so I can continue with my aristocratic heroine's story in pushing out her homeland's oppressors.
I'm a fan of interesting and epic fantasy stories and was actually looking forward to playing this. This is one of the only games from Choices that I am giving a negative review. I hate to do this as I mostly love their selection of games but this was a waste of time and money.
The world building and class system was what pulled me in but phew does it get overworked and tiring being constantly reminded of what the classes are and how they use magic, etc. I felt like the author was making a very long lecture about this world, politics and characters instead of just letting us explore the story.
I guess the only two things I liked were the romance options and the camp dynamics. The rest felt so bogged down about every little detail that I just kept pressing 'next' until I died.
+1
There are a some hours of fun to be had here, but then you run into a wall in that this is not the entire game. There apparently was going to be a DLC or second release called Choice of Rebels: Stormwright that continues the story, but I can't find it on Steam so I assume it was never released. It is a huge let down because this story ends right when it starts to give you a feeling of momentum.
This game is amazing. Not only is it a really good novel, with a rich universe and captivating characters, but you relly feel the weight of every choice you make. Rearly before in a game have I been so anxious to make the right decision, knowing that a wrong move could damn dozens of brave people, and allienate my fellow rebels. 10/10 for immersion
Astonishing, Ive been a big fan of Choice Of Games for a long time but never played this one, one of, if not the best of the earlier choice of games (Really hard to say, So many Fantastic writers and stories). I was sucked in from word one. 9/10
We’ve been trying to reach you about your car’s extended warranty
my favourite choice of games game
Very good game, it has the most text out of any of the text games I used and is very in-depth. Unfortunately this is only part 1 of a five part series of whitch none of the other four books are out yet, however the book is enjoyable on it's own and I would still reccomend it.
[switched from negativ to positiv after doing some research.]
well, it was an interesting idea. an interesting setting.
it felt very streamlined in the end, though. i dont want to use spoilers, so let me just say that the "enemy broke my band" while "morale was exceptionally strong".
my band wasnt broken. i had hardly any losses. everything went according to plan. for some reason i was reading pages that only marginally described the specific situation i was actually in. and that is just LAZY.
edit: and theres also a cliffhanger. you need to buy the second game/book to finish the story. that might not be a problem, just letting you know.
2nd edit: well, the end might have been lazy. but i now know that there are many real branches in the story after all. so a negative verdict seemed ... too harsh.
By far the biggest flaw of this game is that there are no sequels yet: it feels gritty and as if your actions have real consequences (and doing the 'right' thing doesn't always grant the best results).
This is my favourite Choice of Games installment so far, and it really isn't holding your hand: in other games, you can almost always trust your character's intuition about someone, but in this, I still don't know for certain if there is / who might be a traitor, and if it might even be my romantic interest.
Enjoyable story and quite a lot of choices that lead you in quite a few direction!
beautiful writing. excellent worldbuilding. one of the best fantasy narratives I ever experienced
good game but it'S hard af and alot of weird jargon (easy to remember and kinda based on spartan imo) lastly achievements are kinda like checkpoints you need them to win (for example you wanna go x route but you failed to get a y path so srry you loose) thank xhiantos save system every chapter meaning you want restart in the ievitable deaths
I played this on mobile a long time ago and came back to it assuming I'd done pretty much everything, turns out there's EVEN MORE THAN I THOUGHT. If you like choice games this one has to be the cream of the crop, 10/10 would let everyone starve in winter again.
I thought MetaHuman was one hell of a ride but oh boy this one is more complex. The mental gymnastics to lead a rebellion feel so real, one wrong step or seemingly innocent choice and you are done. The other Choice Of feel like a day in the park compared to this one. If you wanted a real challenge in these kind of games, you were listened.
Very good. Interesting world created and I'd love to experience more of it.
Great!
Если честно, то давненько меня не мучили сомнения о том, какую рекомендацию поставить игре. И тут, вероятно, вы посмотрите на рейтинг Стима "Очень положительно" (91% на момент написания сего обзора) и усомнитесь в моих словах. А самое интересное, что я с вами соглашусь - это одна из самых интересных историй, которые я видел в жанре CYOA на Стиме. Завязка хоть и не совершенно оригинальна, что-то подобное уже встречалось, но в основном там были вампиры в качестве главных антагонистов, но весьма интересна и выбор магов крови тут плюс на мой взгляд, ибо просто показывать мифических чудовищ - чудовищами, чем людей - чудовищами. Тут вам и возможные моральные дилеммы на предмет того, мол, используя методы врага "во благо" кем на самом деле ты становишься и, интриги на основании того, что враги то могут быть среди нас. Да и продолжительность порадовала - на неспешное первое прохождение мне потребовалось чуть более 7 часов, что, должен сказать, пока рекорд для игр данного плана на Стиме.
Но есть у этого всего и обратная сторона, к сожалению. Первое и самое большое разочарование - сюжет игры не закончен. Должна быть как минимум вторая часть, о чем и говорится в конце игры. Когда она будет - не знает даже издатель. В итоге, только вы почувствуете вкус игры, как вас жестко обламывают. По сути сюжет даже не начался то толком, немного робингудства по лесам и на первом же серьезном столкновении с Гегемонией все и закончилось. Грусть-печаль в общем.
Вторая претензия, так сказать к игровой механике. То есть вот вы робенгудите по лесам и тут происходит некий ивент. И тут надо сразу уяснить две вещи. Во-первых, вы не супермен и всего не умеете, так что делегируйте полномочия, когда описание намекает на то, что в успешном исходе потребуются ваши слабые черты. Иначе попаболь. Читайте описания соратников и отправляйте нужного. Это понравится далеко не всем, особенно тем, кто хочет всегда быть впереди на белом коне. Но зато больше похоже на правду. Во-вторых, исходом все равно управляет генератор случайных чисел похоже (потери и полученный лут). Потому что иначе объяснить исход некоторых событий нельзя. Например, идем грабить каких-то унылых местных аристократов и внезапно получаем денег больше, чем со спец операции по отъему годовых податей у местной налоговой. Как так?!
Третья моя претензия к игре это очередная вездесущая толерастия. Куда ж без нее. Как это уже задрало, вот честно. Господа, мне все равно кто кому жару на подоконнике устраивает, но поймите одно, когда какой-то девиацией начинают тыкать в лицо, и надсадно кричать о том, что, мол, а вот ты подумал о том, как им бедным тяжело?!! - это имеет скорее противоположный эффект. Итак мрачный мир в котором есть каста людей, которых держат за скот и попутно извлекают кровь для нужд высшей касты магов. И тут вам рассказывают прохладную историю о том, что даже в этом безрадостном мире любители щекотать очко впереди всех в Олимпиаде угнетения. Почему? Потому что заднеприводные не размножаются, значит бесполезны, значит первые кандидаты на донорство всей своей крови. И варианты ответа в духе "Боже какой ужас!!!!11 Меня сейчас стошнит!!!1". С*ка, давайте еще посреди глобального п***деца за права овце**ов бороться! А что, бл*, им тоже донорство светит! И некрофилам!
Вот и судите сами. Основное разочарование, конечно же, это отсутствие продолжения и хоть каких-то сроков его появления. Особенно, когда нет ни одного упоминания о том, что это незаконченная история на странице магазина. Вот только этого уже достаточно, чтобы сделать отзыв отрицательным, на мой взгляд. Многие вещи так и остаются недосказанными, из-за чего понять, например, идея с предателем обернется каким-то невероятным поворотом или же невнятным пуком в лужу не понятно. И на данном этапе это оценить сложно. Но все же, пусть это будет положительный отзыв.
First time I'd tried one of these text based games and it was surprisingly fun and well done. I've now done multiple playthroughs with both Origins and I still know that I haven't seen everything. I was caught a bit off guard by the sudden ending but that was in part because I hadn't realised that this is Part 1 of an ongoing series.
super fun & immersive 10/10 also very interesting worldbuilding which i love. some characters could probably be fleshed out more, maybe with more options to interact with major ones esp during the winter weeks, but otherwise i have no complaints. waiting patiently for part 2
i am unhealthily addicted to this game
While it does read like a medieval YA fiction novel, it's a lot of fun regardless.
Lots of options, and clearly a lot of research went into it. I love the moots
It is honestly one of the best Choice of Games I've played, and I really do like it. However, this one has a crucial fault: for you to actually succeed, you need to be very, very specific, which can discourage role playing AND forces quite a few re-starts because some choices lead to completely different outcomes from what was given.
Even so, it is vaaaaast and very enterteining.
I give it a 8/10.
Well-written and lenghty interactive novel.
Recommended!
One of my favorites, in both concept and execution. It's a great story, great mechanics and concepts, and even comes with base management halfway through, which you can automate.
Lots of ways to get through the game, plenty of choices, and interesting scenarios, and I won't spoil too much. My main concern, and this is actually a good one, is that I fear the author might of written himself into a corner with how much choice was in this installment. I will say, expect a very long length of time, since it took approximately several years for the author to make this, likely world-building and similar elements, and to wait quite a bit longer.
Even with the long wait time, this is quality and very good by my standard.
It was a bad idea to put randomized base management in the game, as it can easily lead to a downward spiral (especially in the first playthrough, when you're not familiar with the mechanics). And since one can't just load the checkpoint after the revolt, one would have to start all over again.
The dev needs to put in a "load from checkpoint XY" option into the menu.
Lets start with the positive attributes of the game book:
1) story is well written and setting moderately compelling. With fantasy books there is always a risk that the authors manufactured world will fall flat taking the whole story down with it, but thankfully the setting is compelling enough to keep the book afloat. I also find the whole premise of leading a group of rebels through the forest while trying to avoid the military and keep your people fed to be quite compelling and well executed.
2) choices and skills matter. There is a substantial amount of difference in the story depending on what choices, and skills you take. Obviously, as this will be a series, the ending has a limited amount of variety but the number of paths you can take to reach the ending are sizeable. Your choices will have significant impact over how others perceive and treat you, if you start as an aristocrat instead of a slave, that will change peoples attitudes to you throughout the game, if you rob and kill indiscriminately throughout the book, people will notice and things will change accordingly. I could list more ways that your skills and choices impact the game, but I dont want to get into spoilers; just suffice it to say that if you are worried this will be another one of those games where only the illusion of choice is present, dont be because it does an admirable job of taking your choices seriously.
3) as a direct consequence of there being lots of choices that affect the story, there is lots of replayability. You will see completely different parts of the game on your second playthrough if you make different choices making it well worth several playthroughs
Now lets look at the negative attributes:
1) the biggest one for me is the way the lore is presented. There is a glossary of terms you will have to read through to even begin to understand the story and that right there is the biggest sin the game commits. Lore should be gradually presented throughout the game but here I was sent running to the glossary a few minutes in to read up on the various political titles, gods, creatures, magical system and everything else. Being bombarded with the authors various fictional kingdoms and words so quickly just made the beginning of my first playthrough feel like a big word salad I ha to unjumble before I could move on to the rest of the game. However this is a pretty minor gripe in the grand scheme of things and didnt do much to damper my enjoyment of the game.
2) This is not a video game, its a game book. This is not really a negative, at least not to me, but it is something everyone needs to be aware of when they buy it. There is no gameplay beyond submitting your choices, and there is no cutscenes or illustrations.
However if that doesnt bother you, then i highly recommend this game to you as it is one of the best text based games I have ever played.
I came by this game through a recommendation given by the Choice of Robots' author in an interview I read after my third or so delightful playthrough of Choice of Magics. I was met with a deep desire to find more IF games as satisfying, and hopefully as thought and emotion provoking, and figured that a strong recommendation from the author of the games to bring me back to CYOA was as good a choice as any.
I can safely say I was right to follow that recommendation.
[h1]TL;DR[/h1]
Superb writing, captivating narrative, great world building, meaningful choices, incredible characters... This is supposed to be TL;DR so I'll stop there. Even if unsure how much you like the game's proposed theme, I urge you to play it yourself asap.
[h1]My Thoughts[/h1]
Choice of Rebels is simply phenomenal. I've done two full playthroughs by now, with a couple other "partial" ones via the chapter save system (a rarity in the genre, and a good balance between allowing a player more room for exploration, without sacrificing the experience for pure instant save scumming that I am guilty of in games like Disco Elysium when I really really want a certain result to a choice).
So let's go through some things...
[b][u]The characters[/u][/b]
This is one of the most important things to me in any type of media, and games are no exception. Interacting with pure archetypes rather than characters that feel like [i]people[/i] isn't fulfilling for me. The characters presented by Choice of Rebels feel very very human in many ways: their goodness, their capacity for evil, their ambitions, weaknesses, emotions. They felt properly driven by what makes them themselves, not just as a poorly conceived excuse to give the Main Character a lesson, or advance the plot in some specific way.
Plus, I was delightfully surprised to meet one or two entirely different characters between my different choices in my two main playthroughs - the circumstances that brought them to me felt very much in accordance with my choices, yet did not feel at all forced upon me and my story. I anticipate finding if I can meet other characters in more playthroughs, and I'm sure multiple runners will likely end up developing a favorite among those different possible distinct guests.
I anticipate that depending on your playthrough or interpretation of some characters, a couple might draw quite opposing feelings from different players, none the least of which I imagine is [spoiler]Brenden who I love dearly and was still uncertain about by the end of my first playthrough, and who instigated me into a second playthrough fully devoted to her even against my own uncertainties[/spoiler]. And I believe that only says good of how deep and believable their writing and the potential branchings are.
[u][b]The world[/b][/u]
The notion of good and evil, while very much important for this game, is not presented in any cliché way, nor is it forced as a black and white matter. Of course, the way you can perceive this happening also depends on the type of choices you lead the Main Character through.
While the overarching brutal reality of the world presented by the author is obvious in its horrors and the cullings that occur, the several cogs in the machine - and the people that make them run - are presented in a deep and realistic way, with facets that may or may not be revealed to you as the Main Character depending on the paths you take.
As a decades-long fan of deep built worlds with their own lore (the Darkover series are a big example), I'm not turned away by "made up terms" created by the author for the world building. In less skillfull hands, this is an easy way to kill immersion and detract from enjoyment, but this was not at all the case here. A read-through of the summarized index of the world topics (which you can access at any time, and are a couple paragraphs each) are enough to quell any doubts - and presented within the context of the Main Character's history, so not immersion breaking either! I myself needed to consult the world index a couple of times when uncertain about a word's meaning - I only think the Glossary could be expanded a little to include common titles explained in the topic summaries [spoiler]like for the word Kryptast[/spoiler].
[b][u]Play time, replayability[/u][/b]
While I don't like at all to measure games by a modicum of "play time vs cost", I know it's nice sometimes to expect how much time I might be able to truly dedicate to experiencing a story - and with Interactive Fiction games, it's hard to know that only from the amount of words presented.
Let it be said that those 650k words proposed feel very much realistic. I'm a really fast reader, so I reckon about 6 hours per 1 playthrough sound about right, more if taking your time - less if rushing through things to fix a missclick closer to the end of a chapter than the start (not that I speak from experience, nope not at all).
And yet, now with closer to 12 hours played, I still very much feel driven to play at least a couple more full dedicated playthroughs - because I've seen quite clearly how much dedication was put into many of the options and branches. I know for sure that some corners of the game I didn't touch at all as of yet, and I'm excited to discover more of the world. I fully anticipate doubling that time before I'm content with just waiting for the sequel.
[b][u]Other thoughts[/u][/b]
It's important to know that indeed this game is the first of a saga. Unlike other IF games that feel unsatisfying in the end of the first of a sequence, this felt like a full experience in itself - but with some mysteries and uncertainties still aplenty to discover. Additionally, the author is active (check out his Facebook page, Joel Havenstone, or search for the same in Google for the Choice of Forums) and clearly still excited and working on these stories.
I will also say that my initial quest to find another thought (and emotion) provoking game after Choice of Robots (the more thought provoking of the bunch) and of Magics (with the characters I more ferociously emoted with) was successful. Many times I felt gripped with consternation at the outcome of some hard choices (all very deserved and felt like my responsibility rather than just the game waving away my autonomy), surprised and struck at revelations I'd previously not come across, and thoroughly invested in multiple characters.
The theme of the game also draws much thought to society - in such a subtle way and crafted with such good writing, that I fully anticipate some people (maybe even me) might not realize all the ways at all. That sounds a bit much, but truly there are interesting perspectives to consider: economically, historically, socially, religiously.
Bravo. Thank you for the excellent world and characters, and I will be very happy indeed to support the sequels when they come. This is an easy choice for an all time favorite, and even easier recommendation to make.
Consistent, engrossing world with a great plot that creates some nice dilemmas to work through. Is good
If I had a scale to rate this on, it'd be just into the negative, close to the middle.
While overall the writing is solid and the setting is innovative, too many words the reader isn't familiar with are thrown out there, without reason.
It is also very hard to gauge the specifics of a situation, before having to make a decision. Very simple questions that would be essential to the decision-making process are simply not addressed. Overall it's an ok game, but it's far too short for my liking and it's been quite a few years that we've waited for a sequel to appear.
The game is a very nice view at how rebellions can occur, the author obviously is very familiar with the subject or did his research well, so kudos for that.
And it's an alright cyoa game, but it just barely isn't enough for me to be happy enough with it to not leave a negative review.
If you get this on the cheap, I would suggest getting it, if you're interested in the theme and fine with it ending just when things might start getting interesting.
This book is honestly enthralling, it feels gritty and consistent of its own rules, every mistake I made felt like my own rather than the game hamstringing me, I can't wait for the sequel!
Making up more terms as you go along to a story that's already difficult to understand isn't the best way to go about this sort of RPG.
It was... good. A little too bleak in some places for my liking, but it was a really strong story with plenty of hard choices and shocking twists. My main reservation is that, although I understand it is meant to be the first of a series but it really did not feel like its own story rather the first third of a story. A lot of plot lines are teased and promised but not much happens to them, though I am sure that they will be ample payoff later so I shall not knock the review down for that.
The scale was very impressive, and what impressed me the most about this game is that while 'choice of' games are very diverse I can always kinda tell what might happen because "oh they would never go there." And they mostly don't but Choice of Rebels does. It goes places that I never expected from this publisher, and that is a good thing. I was constantly surprised and on my feet and could never trust my instincts about a choice. Fabulous writing.
Another complaint might be the characters, not that there is anything wrong with them, I just never felt myself care that deeply about any of them or have a desire to make a connection with them. Perhaps it was because the grimdark setting made me know better than to do so or perhaps it is just that they are not that good. Maybe both.
Anyway start a slave uprising and make yourself Jesus... seven of out ten overall score.
After playing more than 15 choice of games so far, this is the first I felt compelled to write a review about. Why? Because I strongly disagree with the mostly overly positive reviews so far.
The only thing this game has going for itself is the creative and [b] unique fantasy world [/b] it’s set in. Sadly that gets quickly overshadowed by the [b] inflating use of fantasy jargon[/b]. It serves no purpose, but to be different and over complicates the experience unnecessarily.
If this would be the only offense, this title could still be a good game. But right after the start you get instantly introduced to a [b] tedious minigame[/b]. In this minigame the outcomes of some choices are completely random. If this minigame would at least be fun, I wouldn’t mind. But it’s not. Quite the opposite. It’s punishingly hard, boring and adds little to the story. Until you get through this weekly survival nonsense the [b] plot is a boring drag[/b], with only occasionally interesting bits. To add insult to injury skipping this section will bar many achievements and the best endings.
There are so many better choice of games out there. Don’t waste your time with this fatiguing title. If you want to play something similar but way better, try the infinity series.
Great story, great characters and charisma based game play (if you wish) whats not to love
cant wait for sequel
Pros:
-The game is heavily focused on the intimate details of starting your rebellion, and as such, has a variety of options. You can direct your rebellion as a kind and inspiring leader, as a religious figure guiding your flock, a commander leading your armies, or a band of mercenaries with Robin Hood inspired mentalities.
-The universe the story is set in feels developed and well thought out, with the more fantasy aspects being handled in an easily believable way. Historical accuracy is evident, and none of the dirty aspects are romanticized.
-The story flows in a progressive way. It strikes the balance between directing you towards your goals without feeling as if the only way to proceed is in one manner while still giving you a multitude of paths to follow towards the same end goal.
-Most of the characters that make up your band of rebels feel developed and like realistic people. You aren't pushed to pursue romances or friendships, they feel like natural progressions of the story.
Cons:
-Right when the story feels like it's getting started, it cuts off. This is a problem with the producers, not inherently this game. One story gets split into multiple parts, all of which need to bought separately. It feels like you're able to buy installments of the game, as opposed to one single game. As a result, the stories feel disjointed and almost unfinished, like one endless prologue. There comes a point where you want to start the story proper, not just set up the future.
-The story feels predictable at times, and once you've finished it, you can very easily meta-game your way into getting the results you want, since you've already played it. By itself, this may not be a con, but there are certain things are impossible to figure out without using this tactic. There's no way to logically predict the strategy of your enemies, it's either random luck or relying on your experience from other playthroughs. One of the more prominent examples this was with Braeden and whether or not they betrayed you. There's enough evidence to point in either direction, which means only previous experience can tell you what their actual intentions are.
Overall: The game is presented as if it's one complete game with sequels available to purchase. This is not the case. The game feels like the first few chapters of a story, and the rest of the story needs to be bought separately. If you're willing to buy all of the games separately, the experience is enjoyable, but if you want to purchase one full game and play one full game, try other stories by these devs. I'm not recommending this game in the review, but I would like to stress, this is a good story over all, just not a complete one.
An excellent game book. Very well written, very engaging and with a lot of meaningful choices. I look forward to the continuation of the story and definitely recommend this one.
Positives:
Amazing story, my personal favourite from this developer.
A mixture of immediate consequences and drawn out ones as you try to keep your rebel group alive. The addition of week by week decisions that lead to drops or raises in rebel numbers and health was a new experience for me that I did not mind, especially as you can let another character lead these decisions so you can focus on the story.
Some really nice romance options to choose between, which are not gender exclusive.
Its a decent sized reads, with future instalments in the works.
Negatives:
Though there is a glossary, lots of fantasy words and archaic language are written throughout the story. This can get confusing, especially when taking a break from the game and coming back.
The weekly group survival decisions can be tedious. Though as mentioned above you can choose to "skip" them, I find it more efficient to do it all myself, which can get boring when I'm doing story runs. Especially runs in which I need to streamline a process, such as [spoiler] going for the trap defence or literary win. [/spoiler]
Sadly were waiting on new instalments, and with how in depth this game goes it may be a bit of a wait!
A great adventure that hits you right in the feels
A short text-based choose your own adventure with many different significant choices to make. If you don't like how your choices impacted the outcome, it gives you the option to restart from a particular chapter which I appreciated. Very easy to play through multiple times to get all the achievements and outcomes if that's what you're interested in. The plot, in my opinion drags in the early chapters but becomes more exciting later on. Pretty neat game if you enjoy fantasy novels, pick it up cheap if you can.
Je viens de le finir.
Très franchement.....Non.
La présence d'un élément traître est la bienvenue mais aucun moyen ou mesure concrète pour l'attraper ou démasquer ne peuvent être entreprise et l'insistance sur un individu bien précis en revanche ôte tout poids à la révélation. Car il s'agissait purement et simplement d'un pile ou face.
J'ajouterai que certaines statistiques par exemple à quel point vous seriez impitoyable ne prend pas en compte à quel point vous avez recours aux raids et au banditisme. Autrement dis vous pouvez être aussi cruel que vous voulez dans vos cibles de raids(comme s'attaquer aux esclaves) rien n'y change. Seul des choix bien spécifiques lors d'événement sont susceptibles de changer cela.
Autre aspect important les aptitudes de vos suivants doivent être déduites de leur description. Avoir une rapide définition précise de leur(s) compétence juste après aiderait beaucoup car certains personnages empiètent sur les domaines de prédilection d'autres mais difficile de dire lequel est le meilleur.
Bref je suis déçu de moi-même car ayant pris beaucoup de temps à poser le pour et le contre de chaque décision je me retrouve avec un jeu qui ne mérite pas ses 5 euros et dont je ne peux plus faire la demande pour un remboursement.
A éviter !
Waiting for part 2
great game
Es un buen juego, lo recomiendo pero me decepcionó en cierto sentido creo que porque la temática no me resultó demasiado interesante y el anterior juego de la marca me gustó demasiado, Choice of Magics. También me molestó bastante que el final no tuviera ningún tipo de cierre a partir del cuál te puedas imaginar el futuro de la historia sino que está hecho para escribir una continuación, sobre todo porque ya estaba totalmente metido en la historia y me dejó muy frío. También porque el precio es superior frente a Choice of Robots y me gustó más este último.
Tardé bastante en introducirme en la historia porque no empatizaba quizás con mi propio personaje, al principio se presentan muchos que luego tienen vaga relevancia y se dejan sin desarrollar, luego, aproximadamente a la mitad de la historia empecé a conocer a los personajes principales, fueron gustándome y la historia se fue volviendo interesante progresivamente.
Puntos positivos:
-Tienes algunos puntos de guardado.
-Es muy interesante la gestión numérica que tienes que hacer de tu grupo distribuyendo a los integrantes en diferentes tareas, ocupándote de mantenerlos sanos y con vida y decidiendo si atacar a la iglesia, nobles, al estado, a los pobres o intentar sobrevivir por caridad de otros. (Básicamente por esto recomiendo el juego)
-Tus decisiones son significativas y vives bastantes momentos de tensión donde puedes acabar muerto.
-Extensión decente.
Puntos negativos:
-Dependes MUCHÍSIMO de tus estadísticas en carisma, conocimiento literario y habilidades de lucha y se deciden al principio de la historia. NO HAY CAMBIOS durante la historia en cuanto a esto, no son nada moldeables¡, siempre vas a ser bueno en algo, malo en otra cosa y neutro en otra (que no sirve para demasiado).
-El final no es que sea abierto sino que no está terminado, dependes de cuando saquen el siguiente libro y lo tendrás que pagar a parte si quieres continuar con tu historia, es un juego por el que pagas y no está completo.
Mi orden de satisfacción en cuanto juegos de la marca que he jugado es: 1-Choice of Magic, 2-Choice of Robots 3- Choice of Kung Fu y 4-Choice of Rebels.
This is my first time writing a review. Normally the games I'd highly recommend (CD Projekt Red, Total War, Paradox) have a sufficent fanbase and positive enough reviews. This, on the other hand, was written and made by one guy who does it as a side project so this needs as much attention as possible.
I have just finished by first playthrough and I am exhilarated by it. It was well written, the characters were engaging, and your main character had a strong and consistent personality even with the various choices you can make for them. The battle sceenes, though only expressed in words, were more exciting then most games I have played.
If you are looking at this game and are truely interseted in the premise I just say go for it. $7 is a minimal expense for a fulling experiance and almost nothing campared from what most games demand from you, and you can feel good that its going to a worthy cause of keeping up incentive for the aurthor to keep writing (and perhaps become a writer fulltime if he isn't already, because he definitely has the skill)
Either way I don't expect anyone to see this, but i feel necessary to add my voice to the chorus of applause this game/book so rightly deserves. And I hope many others do too.
Very great story. Can't wait for part 2 to come out
WARNING!!!
This is only first part, not whole story, they should inform us!!!!!!!!
But game-Very good! Story is intresting, but, with a lot of wierd names which been explained in glossary, so not very tragic, simply confusing.
This was my first text based game and it was rather fun. Gives you lots of choices and does a great job of making it apperent your choices have major consequences.
I will say though (without spoilers), the game does end rather abruptly, and apperently there will be five more games. What I'm concerned about is that this game along took 7 years to make. Hopefully that was just this game and the others don't take as long because that'd be rediculous if it's true.
Regardless, though, I absolutely recommend this game.
I was fairly impressed with this game. It is more of a game than a story. The writing is decent, but not exceptional. A good first installment. Hoping there is a second to enjoy.
It's the 3rd game from Choice of Games I buy (after Choice of Robot and Heroes Rise) and it's nothing like the others.
1) Useless complicated background+glossary
The game weirdly starts by asking you wether you'd like to learn the basics about this made up world you're about to enter. If you sensibly chose to learn the basics first then you'll be served a pretty dense background + glossary.
Starting from there, you'll probably ask yourself 3 things:
- How much better are those books and games that gently usher you in an unknown fantasy world without a boring intro/lesson
- Why did I read all that since all I need to know is: "ppl need food, money buys food, food needs mules to be transported, I dont have enough mules, I dont have enough money, everyone is starving."
- What now? Wasnt there supposed to be story ?
2) The story suddenly stops to give way to some kind of boring management mini gamel. I mean I like management games but this one is not fun and unwelcomed.
So the story's stalled, nothing happens and I asked for a refund after entering what I think I remember is week 4 of this management minigame.
It's a great story, but there's a couple caveats to my recommendation I'd like to put out there:
1) The world building is pretty thorough, and you'll need to consult the appendix several times until you learn what term means what, or who a character is. This takes you out of the story a bit, because the character you're playing obviously would know all of these things, but you the player doesn't, and the story doesn't find a way to describe who/what things are. So this leaves you having to pause, check the index, and then resume the story.
2) This is the first in a supposed five part story. This, for me personally, is a huge part of whether or not you really want to play this now or wait. I hate cliffhangers, and this story very much ended with me yearning to find out what happens next and what will this character or that character do, and we may have a couple years to wait for that.
Other than those two things, this was a brilliant story. On my second playthrough I made different choices, and it actually did change my position within the story. Well worth it if you ask me, with many opportunities for multiple playthroughs.
Well this was depressing. I can't say it was good or bad at this point. I will need to continue my story to answer that. From this one alone, I have no idea who to trust, I have no idea what is going to happen, and am doubting my own leadership skills. DId I do good? Could I have done better? I survived, and so did most of my rebels. I played myself as much as I could. At the end of this I had to ask myself. Am I going to win? Will I survive? Will I in the book get a happy ending with my lover or future lover, and do I need to do things differently? Well, if this is what the first book of this series was aiming to make me feel it gets a 8/10. Would be 10/10 but I do not like the management style ones, but was able to stick with it. See you all in the next review/part 2!
10/10 probably the best Choice of games I've played, and I've played most of them. Worth the full price.
ver gud
This one is a surprisingly deep effort with plenty of meaningful choices. While it might be better on-sale, $7 is a fair price for it. That said, it ends in a somewhat unsatisying manner with a sequel hook, so be mindful of that.
The best game from Choice of Games I've played yet. The sheer depth of the backstory and setting is absolutely mind blowing and is on par with AAA range topping role playing games like the Dragon Age series and the like. Bear in mind that this was a one man project with promised sequels.
Your choices do matter and your decisions can have dramatic consequences. I fully recommend this game if you enjoy these types of text games. In fact, don't bother to look any further. Just go ahead, do yourself a favor and buy it.
My personal favourite CoG game.
I've played a handful of Choice of Games games before this (four to be specific) and enjoyed them all, but none enthralled me like this one did. The story drew me in early on and it never let go. I was engrossed by every decision, and never felt that the game's options were misleading or that it was forcing me in a direction I didn't want to go. I just finished my first run of the game, and it all felt very responsive and organic. I'm sure it will be in my thoughts for the next few days. [i]Choice of Rebels: Uprising[/i] is a model to aspire to.
Some information about my run (no spoilers!) that might inform how my experience could differ from yours: I played a helot (slave) whose strength was Charisma and weakness was Combat. I had a ruthless-leaning playstyle ("eighty percent" ruthless by the end), very skeptical (as opposed to devout), and cosmopolitan-leaning (as opposed to homelander). My causalties were a number that sounds high to me, but I was able to keep "exceptionally strong" morale through most of the story.
Great Game, I can't wait to play the sequel.
Best "Choice of Games" Game for me, most interesting Story, I'm eager to see the next Part !
Before buying be aware that you just have 4 Chapters (about 6-8h) and the next Part of the Series probally need a few Years till Release !
Choices really have Consequences but they most of the time just show up in the next Chapter !
And that's where the Problems start:
- bad save system (just restart chapter at the end of the chapter/game)
- if english isn't your first language it's hard to understand what some of the Choices actual mean (I regret a lot of
Choices just because I misunderstood the Author)
- if you want something particular you probably have to restart the Chapter over and over again
.
.
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You should play Games like this without any Expectations, then you will be surprised how good they are, but if you want something particular, especially in a world full of Hate and Unjustice like in Choice of Rebels: Uprising and you don't get it, you will probably regret buying it !
Text version of banner saga with even more branching plots.
This was by far one of the best titles I've played from Choice of Games. At first it seems like one of those impossibly bleak and way too stat heavy games you may see from other choose your own adventure titles as you read time and time again about how you've failed to perform a task. But no, the game is just the right amount of toughness. I did decently well. And had a bomb time. 9/10.
Great text based game.
One of the absolute best Choice Of games that I've played. It's easily up there with the Infinity series, Lords of Aswick, Choice of Robots, and all the other greats that have come out of this beautiful bunch of authors. I played MANY different characters and styles, and nearly all of them have felt distinct from one another. Amazing job, very much recommended.
Can't wait for the next game. Story was good, interesting, and the multiple endings and replayability make this game an instant buy for anyone who enjoys Text-based Adventures. Pretty cheap for the amount of content and intrigue that this game offers.
This game was a lot of fun!
Choice of Rebels: Uprising, is easily one of the best immersive fantasy experiences to emerge in the last few years, or, indeed, ever. It succeeds at being both an incredibly engaging game, and an utterly engrossing work of fiction – on a level with the contemporary greats of the fantasy genre.
Joel Havenstone has constructed such an astoundingly rich world, that it is startlingly easy to get lost in its unique history, diverse locales, and socio-economic struggles. It feels like a world that existed long before your arrival, and will exist long after, but you will leave your mark upon it, and it will leave its mark upon you.
Taking on the role of a noble from a house of floundering renown, or as a helot (a member of the slave-caste) you will embark upon the start of a journey unlike many others. The identity of your character is whatever you will make of them – gender, personality, sexuality, skills. An astounding series of divergent routes, hinge upon your myriad choices, enough to ensure that no two playthroughs are ever the same.
The decisions you make, and there are many of them, will transform your lot, and the lot of all those who look to you for guidance. Most impressively, morality is not punished, and the great many options you receive are most often spectacularly nuanced. There is no black-and-white, no good or bad decisions. The narrative is not there to punish, but to enable you. Events that start off ruthless can end altruistic by your hand, or great kindnesses can be undertaken for entirely selfish reasons. This is a world of greys, and no two shades are ever the same.
Those who relish the works of George R.R. Martin, or Joe Abercrombie will find a great deal to fall in love with across the vivid provinces of the oppressive Karagond Hegemony, and beyond. The writing is mature, balancing hope and inspiration with brutal realisms, all clearly well researched and passionately formulated. This is a living, breathing adventure.
The characters you will meet come alive across the series of struggles, and kinships you share with them, and it is to you to decide who will you draw close, and who you will push away.
Choice of Rebels: Uprising is something truly special. A must-experience for any fan of fantasy, or admirer of choice-driven gameplay. It marks the first instalment in a series that promises to delight, despair, and mesmorise anyone fortunate enough to find it.
I absolutely loved CoR and have been having real difficulty getting it out of my head over the last few days. I came to the game somewhat jaded with previous CoG titles which offered little in the way of real choice. As a Professor of South Asian History I was also sceptical that the game would provide anything but super derivative fare.
TL;DR: Great Game buy it. Overlong academic stuff follows.
I can now say that I have been really pleasantly suprised. Not only is the game truly responsive to the players choices but it is also a spectacular piece of world building. As I played the game I played a parallel game in my head aimed at unearthing the historical parallels on which the societies and events in the game was pleased. While I was relatively unsuprised by the Celtic and Byzantine parallels that the game stresses I was suprised the game draw on concepts from further East. Shayardine society closely parallels the Indian caste system with the five main constituencies the MC allies with/alienates resembling Indian society. Under the caste or Varna system Hindus were divided into five groups, untouchables (somewhat similar to Helots), yeomanry (Shudras), Traders (Vaisyas), Nobles (Kshatriyas) and Priesthood (Brahmins). Further the concept of the Eclect is not dissimilar to the Chinese Mandate of Heaven. I genuinely enjoyed what I think was an attempt to draw on histories of non-western societies to construct the game world and genuinely look forward to future installments.
i just finished my first playthrough and i've gotta say, it's one of the best choice of games i've ever played. the story is interesting, keeps knotting, your choices matter and what's best: there are dozens of different playthroughs. replayability is important to me so i'd say this is the biggest positive for me. however, it's overall eloquent and doesn't make me want to skip paragraphs of writing between choices (which i tend to do, i'm very impatient lol). as a fan of revolutions and ficition about revolutions, being a leader of a revolt against a corrupt society is exhilirating to play and i can't reccommend this enough.
Really good text-based game, you get everything you would expect, but I also didn`t expect to hit the ending nearly after 4 hours with this prize tag :/ Still had fun and yes it has enormous replayability with many different outcomes but still I'm hoping for a cheaper sequel ;)
The story is good and choices do make a difference.
So why a negative review?
Because it suffers from the same problem so many choice of games suffer from.
There is only one path that will get you a good ending.
There are many choices.
Most of them lead to loss and suffering because you didnt have the right stat high enough.
It change's the game from a story into pick the right stat to continue.
If you simply want a good story and dont mind restarting a billion times to get a decent enough ending for the sequal(it is apparently part of a 5 game story)
Then this game might b worth it.
If you want some accauly choice without being punished for not doing what the writter prefeerce.
Get something else.
