Only a perfect servant can solve a perfect mess! Being the perfect gentleman's gentleman or lady's lady doesn't make you an angel. Can you untangle your employer's knottiest problems with elegance and unruffled grace?
Very Positive
118 Steam reviews
| LANGUAGE | AUDIO | SUBTITLES | INTERFACE |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | — | Y | Y |
Tally Ho is a community fan favorite, and the writing is top-notch. The variety of outcomes and the sheer number of Steam achievements are impressive. I also really appreciated the checkpoint system, which allows you to restart chapters.
However, on a personal level, I found it a bit hard to get into. It took me several attempts and a long break to get through the eight chapters and the epilogue. While many praise the humor, it wasn't exactly my "cup of tea" (pun intended).
Just a heads-up for those interested in the romance: Rory's gender is locked to the player's gender. As a straight woman, this meant one less romance option for me.
Despite my personal issues with the story and humor, I'd still recommend it for fans of the genre because the quality is undeniable.
Super well written and very fun! Can't go wrong with this one in my opinion :D
Finally, a game with comedy, action and that doesn't penalize you for failing a stat check.
I could go on about the brilliant literary homage and satire, praise the alternately absurdist and bone-dry British humor, or wax poetic about romance that seems to sneak up on you and quite vigorously take hold, but instead I will say simply that it's a game you can count on to cheer you up when times are low, to entertain in an unexpected and exciting way while still being relaxing and that no one I have recommended this interactive novel to has ever regretted it.
5/5
6.5/10。还算可以的英式小品，包含大量看英文原文才能get到的humor以及些许让人难绷的暗戳戳的对美国人的调侃式蛐蛐（He is a reasonably good poet. For an American.）
但基于我自己的主观游玩体验还是想给不推荐。实际体验下来感觉流程较短，不同章节和情节的衔接有点不自然。角色塑造并没有给我留下过于深刻的感想，比起impressive更多的感觉是shallow，侧重基于小品风格的夸张描绘。游玩过程数值判定过多，多到没必要。给我感觉不像是在玩互动式“小说”，阅读过程中为了好判定一直在疯狂尝试各种选项凑数值。
更喜欢细腻的人物描述、慢热的感情线和正剧风剧情的玩家不推荐购入。想看轻松欢脱向故事的玩家可以考虑购入。（尽管数值判定并不轻松）
-----剧情和人物
全文风格偏喜剧，主打浮夸搞笑的剧情，让我感觉是在看一部上个世纪的橡皮管动画。为了营造笑点，角色身上的特点被放大导致有些脸谱化，不过毕竟是喜剧嘛...千万别对剧情太过深究，放空脑子就好，不然玩的时候会相当纠结。[spoiler]如果这个故事不是个欢脱向风格，不管Mopsie怎么撒娇或是发怒，我都绝对不会让Fig和她在一起的...还好在这个故事里他们是真的能幸福...[/spoiler]
说实话整部作品和我预期的有点不太一样，我个人不讨厌这种风格但也不太感冒。喜欢脱线无厘头幽默的玩家可以试一试，有些剧情真的是看得我忍不住拍手笑出声来。
-----游戏流程体验
作品的数值判定繁多且复杂，往往一段剧情里面会接连涉及3个以上数值检测，太多太磨人了！MC技能检测往往还附带性格数值判定，要根据自己的技能和性格特点选择最适合解决当前问题的选项。然后还得注意自己的声誉、解决问题的能力以及人物好感数值，哦还有降低自己的嫌疑度避免被烦人的警官抓到牢里去。说实话我觉得这纯纯是折磨读者好吗，你是喜剧不是什么饥饿游戏，有必要把数值弄到比我玩的大逃杀游戏还复杂吗？？
游戏支线挺多的，就算MC是无所不能的管家侠也做不到走遍所有故事线。是把自己的注意力继续放在Rory和他的家人身上，还是为了做到最顶尖的服务者的位置而努力[spoiler]当特工[/spoiler]，还是走一条完全不同的充满激情的[spoiler]犯罪[/spoiler]道路...
选择了一条道路后会导致玩家不得不放弃其他的故事线（数值判定不允许啊！），因此要真正把所有信息和剧情都了解完全，可能需要走多个周目...我是没那个耐心，就这b数值判定，就算开了存读档工具整个游玩过程也让我心力交瘁。最后走Rory攻略线，让MC写小说美美退休了。辛苦了管家侠！Salute！
3/5。果然我还是更喜欢当为所欲为的皇帝而不是当勤勤恳恳的仆人。文笔写得很扎实很优美可惜我总是读不进去。风格有点像那种上世纪四五十年代的好莱坞喜剧片，浮夸的角色，无边无际的对话，所有角色都蠢蠢的得靠主角来擦屁股，而我总觉得喜剧更应该靠除了愚蠢的角色之外的东西来制造戏剧化张力。后半部分剧情好无聊，加点和判定经常过不了。浪漫线的也不知道是怎么判定的，valentine攻略成功了，还想跟frank试试偷情没想到攻略着攻略着居然就没有后续了。
打完这个游戏之后我……
〇明白了放弃爱情也不一定能收获美满事业
〇再也不会嘲笑重生文主角第二世还是一事无成，五十步笑百步
〇明白了如果足够牛，一个人可以住在美国，同时定期回英国偷票大的（仔细想想这个应该是bug吧）
〇会跪地哀求choice of games 官网和steam互通成就
轻松美味小甜点，虽然不太能对得上我的电波😂比较幽默脱线的类型
Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 517:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ (8/10)
Ya know, I've never read anything strictly comedic in my life, and I didn't intend to. I don't even like comedy shows or specials because comedy is [i]hard[/i]. Even harder than romance or action or poetry, honestly. At least with every other genre, you have your usual tropes: the hero's journey or enemies-to-lovers or the sexy, mysterious stranger and what not. But with comedy? I'm scratching my head thinking about any tropes or storylines to support a comedic work. Slapstick, maybe? Anyway, a CoG text lives and dies by its writer, and though I was politely flummoxed by [i]Tally Ho's[/i] plot, Kreg Segall's (intentional) loquaciousness and wit carries the game hard. I've already picked up the sequel (review to come!). In [i]Tally Ho,[/i] however, you play as the perfect gentleman's gentleman or lady's lady in 1920s England, who gets into quite a lot of hijinks. You show up expecting to polish silver and politely remind your employer about their aunt's visit, and instead you find yourself embroiled in [spoiler]motorcycle chases, jewel-thieving escapades, a boat race, high-society conspiracies, and perhaps the most polite espionage ring in literature.[/spoiler] The premise should not work. It's weird, quick in pace, and wacky. Yet [i]Tally Ho[/i] leans fully into the foppery and the absurdity, and the result is a delightfully silly romp that had me genuinely laughing out loud multiple times. And, of course, a warm thank you to the staff for giving me a free copy :D
[b][h2]Pros:[/h2][/b]
✅ [b]The writing.[/b] I cannot say enough good things about Segall's writing. Quick, think of all the stereotypes about British people in the 1900s as fast as you can! Did you think of prissy, pretentious, uptight old people? A British soldier drinking Earl Grey with his pinky out? Their emphasis on keeping a stiff, upper lip? Yep, it's all in here! The writing walks this tightrope between clever satire and full-body slapstick, and the wild part is how effortless it reads. It’s light on its feet, quick with a quip, and always ready to escalate the situation by precisely one absurd degree. The prose is modern enough that you never feel like you’re drowning in ye olde diction, but it’ll suddenly treat you to a perfectly purple, perfectly ridiculous sentence that sounds like it was ghostwritten by an over caffeinated Victorian novelist who just discovered adjectives. Like, of course you're [spoiler]perfectly making tea on a motorcycle while in a fierce gunfight.[/spoiler] What else would happen?
➡️[b] The game jabs at the classism of the era without becoming preachy or awkward.[/b] Aristocrats behave with a level of detached idiocy that would get a normal person killed twice over, and the narration treats these blunders as completely mundane inconveniences. [spoiler] Nearly getting arrested over some peacocks? Unfortunate, but hardly unexpected. A head servant wishes to recruit you to an underground cabal of hyper-trained household staff?[/spoiler] Well, that’s just the industry. By having everyone act like these events are normal, the story highlights how utterly nonsensical the old social order was. Rich characters are charming disasters who survive only because an overworked servant (you) keeps patching the world together behind them. It's almost as if such hierarchies are fragile and absurd . . .
✅ [b]Structure.[/b] Unlike a lot of CoG titles that funnel toward a single path regardless of early decisions, [i]Tally Ho[/i] branches like a particularly chaotic family tree. Entire acts can shift based on your choices. Even little decisions, like where you sit on a train, grants you a new scene. Your relationships, your employer’s fate, your standing in the shadowy Committee of Superservants—everything changes depending on how you navigate this fine mess. The replayability is genuinely impressive.
✅ [b]The humor is a massive highlight.[/b] This is one of the rare games where failing a stat check leads to the funniest scene you’ll get all playthrough. The low-stakes tone helps: you’re not saving the world, you’re just saving your employer from themselves, which is infinitely more fun.
✅[b] The cast.[/b] The cast, respectfully, is a bunch of strange, odd weirdos. I could not love them any more.
[b][h2]Cons:[/h2][/b]
🟥 [b]There is a certain painter subplot that is notoriously mandatory for a good chunk of the story.[/b] For me, I quite liked this plotline, but I grew weary of it after the constant back-and-forth. I sort of wish there was a way to say "figure it out amongst yourself!"
🟥 [b]The second or third act leans hard into detective/caper territory[/b]. This was well-written—credit to Segall—but the natural pacing of the game is fast. Tossing in events such as [spoiler] investigating a suspicious party[/spoiler] or [spoiler] a jewel theft [/spoiler] struck me as abrupt. I personally came for a more grounded(-ish) “behind-the-scenes” servant drama. So I had no idea what was going on at that rate (or why I was boat racing).
🟥 [b]Time-based.[/b] So, let me use a scene in one of the early chapters as an example. You and about six or so characters go on a hunt. Fun! However, you cannot talk to everyone. Each conversation takes up an amount of time. Additionally, you are also asked to help out a fellow servant and investigate back at the manor. Again, each task carries a time limit, so you are forced to juggle your priorities. This design choice, in itself, is not a bad thing. It leads to great replayability and allows the player quite a bit of agency. However, I am the type of reader who only wants to do one, "perfect" playthrough. This time mechanic comes up quite a bit, so it was a bit of a bummer to me, personally. As a result of me not being able to do everything I wanted to do, I did not get enough—or any!—time with the supporting cast. So characters like Haze or the Inspector remained mysterious, as I only allowed myself to focus on my job and romance.
🟥 [b]Poly romance option could use a bit more fluff. [/b] I'm quite pleased with the (potential) love triangle aspect. You can choose to be in love with your employer, your employer's betrothed, none, or both! I, of course, in an effort to raise society's brows as high as possible, romanced both. I got a good ending! They both confessed their love for me, and we all lived together (very scandalous, I know). However, the poly romance felt like I was romancing them individually. I could spend time with one but not both at the same time. I couldn't hint about all three of the characters together. The narrative sort of ignored the fact that I had feelings for both, and you do sorta have to go behind each ROs' back to flirt with the other. I wish there was a bit more openness, though I understand these things are simply not done in polite society.
[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 YouTube channel for more reviews like this one.
[/hr]
doesn't make any sense. you're a servant, no wait you're a super secret spy, no wait not really you're a Super Servant. I gave up trying to figure it out.
Tally Ho is delightful and funny. It perfectly hits the tone of Wodehouse and the romance is both sweet and hilarious.
Personally, I didn't really enjoy this. Towards the end, I just started skipping over the text, which I have never done in this type of game before. None of the characters particularly gripped me and I find them kind of one dimensional. The story also locks you out of certain choices if you didn't follow a very specific, linear path of choices. Overall, the story and characters are meh, the romance is an after thought, and I found it a little boring. Not for me, sorry to be harsh.
Haze: DOWN GIRL!!
Me: ARF!
HAZELNUT I LOVE YOUUU BARK BARK BARK *howling sound*
[h3]10/10[/h3]
read on my phone
ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!! Especially the checkpoint system, even the epilogue lets you rewind aaaaaand you get to choose your own ending? HELL YEAH!
If you want "Downton Abby", your in the wrong place, if you want "Jeeves and Woster" your in the right place.
It is well written, with a lot of meanigful choices. The price is fair.
However the weird, comedic tone of the story can turn you off if its not your kind of beer or your not used to it. You have to like the british humor of "Jeeves and Woster" to like this.
Has two sequels, losely conected, one still in development at the moment.
a new tale in the style of p g wodehouse. you control the implacable butler while english absurdity swirls around you. great fun.
A very nice CoG game. One I actually hesitated about purchasing for years (though what tipped the balance isn't relevant to this game).
Regardless, while I can't say I regret not buying it before, I was still extremely pleasantly surprised. The reason why did not think "I should have purchased it long ago" was because I've came to appreciate these more chill / low stakes stories more recently, so buying it in the past would have made it less good to me and left an impression of frustration. In the end it worked out well.
Anyway, let's cast my ramblings aside.
This game has a lot of reviews already, so I won't be too long with mine!
PROS:
It has a nice and crisp style of writing, though the first few pages have a bit of repetition. Characters feel pretty alive and the romance I did was lovely.
An all in all good story if you like that style or are open to it. I was worried the humor would be too annoying to me, but it was perfectly fine!
Also, another notable fact is the implementation of a checkpoint system. So while it isn't by any means a perfect solution for the lack of conventional saving CoG suffers from, you can still go back to the start of any chapter you just finished instead of actually concluding it and going to the next. It means you can just finish a chapter by clicking whatever you want if you made a mistake and come back to the start of it to fix it. Way faster than restarting the game, especially in later chapters.
NEUTRALS:
As most interactive fiction nowadays, it's written in second person. A con for me and probably for a lot of VN players, but if you read as many text based IF as I do you should be used to it and it's just a choice, not something bad. Just wanted to note it.
Also, this one is pretty stat heavy, which is becoming less and less of the norm nowadays. What you make of it will also depend on your preferences. But...
CONS:
The way stat building and skill checks are done as a whole, sadly.
Now, this is where I have real gripes with the game. 90% of the time, I was confused as hell as to which choice option increased/decreased each stat or tested it. The phrasing tends to make it unclear to the point of being entirely obtuse at times, and there is no possibility to toggle on indicators that would solve the problem as some more modern games have sometimes. This coupled with the lack of saves or cheats could really make for a frustrating experience at times, though at least the checkpoint system helps.
Unfortunately, the way the game phrases its choice options isn't the only issue with stats. Skill progression is very annoying in this game. Most choice options make more than one stat move, and not always (rarely) in the same direction. Without careful min-maxing, you could really find yourself having quite low stats for checks that get relatively demanding later on, as you may pick choice options that will make you stagnate with a skill that goes up only to go down by a similar amount on the next choice and so on. This means depending on your luck (not skill) in interpreting what changes each choice will make happen, how lucky you are in what your organic picks could mean for stats or on your ability or not to code-dive and just check it all and pick accordingly (in my case it was a mix of all three, to be fair), you could get a fantastic character who succeeds at most of what they do and be quite desserving of their status of high-end servant, or they could be a total clutz who fails miserably at everything. You don't have game overs or anything, so this is not as catastrophic as it could be in other games, but could be quite disheartening. Funnily enough, you'd think in a game more on the laid back and low stakes end of the spectrum like this one, you wouldn't need to rely so heavily on stats instead of pure narration, but it is what it is.
So yeah, my final opinion is still very positive cause I had a great time, but I know it wouldn't have been the case without the safety net of code diving. I wish this had proper cheats that I could purchase like the sequel has. If you can't or don't want to play that way, don't get disheartened if you fail a lot though! You're not "bad at the game", the game is just demanding with your comprehension of skill progression and with the level of the skill checks! Just make full use of the checkpoint system and I'm sure it'll help you!
情节像轻喜剧电影，非常有意思，适合配着舒缓轻快的爵士乐歌单玩。打完一周目发现我真的爱当完美仆人，没奔着感情线打，但就是不想看Rory结婚，最终拆散她和订婚对象后美美点头，似乎懂了天天操心小姐生活的贴身女仆心态，卑微.jpg
结尾太快乐了本来以为还有后续，结果就这么结束了，太短了——喜欢设定，扮演贵族已经腻了现在只想扮演能完美解决麻烦的仆人，深藏功与名。
最好玩的还得是假扮盗贼，自从答应雇主假扮成盗贼的邀请后，感觉作为仆人恪守本分的假面就被破坏掉了，但真的很难抗拒这一听就很喜剧式的展开啊。扔掉围巾后没东西装赃物完全变成了笨贼，还得罪了不靠谱的男探长，悲惨入狱……幸好是喜剧，下一秒就轻松脱出了，希望下次结局好点。
I love this game, you really have to stick to building a skill and it affects the choices, so you're not a Mary sue. and I love how I can choose the gender of my character and love interests.
体面管家不体面的小品级大冒险！大量英式humor
开头以为是傻狗少爷被管家侠哄成胚胎的故事，玩到后面发现是管家侠偶遇哈士奇雇主拼尽全力无法战胜。
故事整体流程短短的，特别轻松有趣，每个ro都很可爱。（[spoiler]可怜的mc被haze玩弄于股掌之间[/spoiler]）
爱上笨蛋哈士奇主人是我的宿命
Probably your best starting point for a non-visual CYOA game. Funny, fun. Falls into the usual stat issue where failed checks block the story rather than changing it, so it gets to be a wee bit of a stat grind at times. Still, so few CYOA games don't do this, so whatever.
Bought it on sale after playing the demo and it's not bad. Not the best CoG I have played but still a 6.5/10 I would say. I felt like the ending was quite abrupt and disappointing but I only tried one so far so maybe the others are better. There are multiple paths to follow so it's great for replayability. For example, in my first playthrough : [spoiler]I flirted with both Haze and Frankincense, I didn't catch the thief and haven't even encountered them, almost joined the secret society but didn't, I managed to be on friendly term with almost everyone (besides Valentine who got sent to jail and I didn't help him), I won the boat race, sent the peacocks to India, ruined Mopsie's plan but she still liked me at the end, as for my ending, I joined politics with Frankincense but I was single.[/spoiler]
Also, I was annoyed about the whole painter story. I won't spoil too much (for more details you can read the spoiler below) so let's just say that I didn't want to help but I was forced to anyway and I didn't like that at all. But seems like the story cannot progress if you don't help them. [spoiler]About Figaro, I refused to help him with his painting, but still had to help him disguise himself to get inside Primrose's house and once he ran away, I had to disguise myself so no one would notice he left (my character was a woman so it was a bit weird to me). Then when he got sent to jail, I refused to help him but after I won the boat race, I had no choice but to help him anyway.[/spoiler] I hate that kind of railroading.
If I had another complain, it would be that one character has either 0 or 100% affection for our character. And depending on how much they like us, [b]it will[/b] impact the story. But sometimes, if you listen to reason, you won't pick the choices they want so you will lose all of their affection and then good luck, because they will ruin your plans one way or another. They got on my nerve pretty quickly and that lasted until the end of the game so... Yeah, 6.5/10 is good enough. It was fun and interesting even if I wasn't particularly interested in any of the love interest, hence why I ended up single at the end. Which is rare for me in that type of games. But still, the characters were (almost) all interesting. The lenght is good too, for one playthrough it counted 4.6 hour and around 1 hour for the demo.
So I would recommend this game but don't expect too much and be careful of your renown stat.
One of my first text based, choose your own adventure games. It was unforgettable and really allowed me to see just how many games there were like this
Probably my favorite Choice of Games title. My playtime is low but I also played a ton of it on the CoG site and app.
《没用的雇主，天天惹事的甲乙丙丁，和无所不能的我》
MC的角色魅力轻轻秒了所有RO，一边玩一边感叹我怎么这么厉害，有什么是我不会的吗？
这种和我没半点相似的全能天才代入起来一点都不困难，说明人物塑造和代入感真的不冲突
英语水平不够用了翻译器，翻成那鬼样子也能看出来遣词造句极美，又处处是冷幽默，在文艺和搞笑之间来回切换，很上头。但是不能存档真的太反人类了，一个选项没选好就忍不住重来，一周目重开了无数回，好痛苦（
感情线都淡淡的，走了Rory和Haze的线。[spoiler] Rory是一款别具风味的傻白甜，一向比较烦这种不学无术的小姐/少爷人设，但作者写出了可爱之处，和ta互动就是一边心动一边觉得好笑。Haze前期很有意思，深入了解以后觉得交流好累，一直在逃避感情封闭自己，快结局才愿意接纳MC [/spoiler]
damn。。。每次卡在火车站选礼物那儿，到底要怎么加点啊啊啊。开了好多档都没过，怒弃之（游戏还是好游戏
The only game where failing stat check leads to the funniest scene you've ever read
Great game, one of my favourite interactive novels. Witty dialogue, absurdly hilarious scenario and characters so cute I would like to hug them and never let go. Minor nitpick would be that it lacks the lil QOL features/cheats the Jolly Good games have, but it's not biggie. 100% would recommend.
网页玩的 挂时长来评论一下 作者的文笔我真的好喜欢 真的很有意思 有些剧情我真的会笑出来 比方说我要假装强盗抢劫给我四个进门喊得口号 然后叫雇主去拿袋子 雇主去拿了一个浴帽说这个可以吗的时候真的很难崩 因为前面和雇主比较贴贴 结局即使选择比较中立（指没有明说在一起）但是结局还是甜甜的 呃呃呃喜欢！
⬆️ I read this one on phone
A thoroughly enjoyable novel full of great humor, action, romance and plenty of options for you to go to town with. I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys CoG as well as any other read. My ending was not as satisfying as I'd like but that's probably my fault for sucking at being a British butler. Nuff said, get it while it's hot!
Bumps into you while walking down a cobblestone path in the early 1900s*
Oh! My apologies dear chap! Didn’t see you walking there!
Pardon me for eavesdropping on your earlier ramblings, but is it true that you’re debating whether to purchase the acclaimed-interactive fiction novel by the name of, “Tally Ho?”
It is? Well then, can I ask why you have yet to purchase such a hallmark piece of literature in the vast compendium interactive-fiction games?
*Listens to your answer whilst leaning heavily to one side on a cane*
What? You mean to tell me that the prospect of being put into servitude under possibly the most socially-inept, mind-addling, manipulative and idiotic gentleman/lady does not excite you? Well, some people are incorrigible I suppose. But never-mind that, how about neglecting your duties , and instead joining a secret organization of servants and maids who seek to stop potentially bombastic and earth-shattering threats? Does that sound more appealing to your tastes?
What’s that? Still no? Well I’ll be! How about shirking servitude entirely then, and leading a secret double-life working with the infamous and ever-elusive master thief! Light-Fingered Lou! Surely that piques your interest, does it not?
My My! What an exceedingly hard individual to please! But don’t you fret, surely you’re bound to pick up this novel after learning that you can partake in the most sacred and traditional sport known to England, Riverboat-racing with a side of naval combat, right?
Wha! After all that, you still won’t consider purchasing this fine game full of coincidences, silly mistakes, and face-palming moments? Very well then, what If I informed you of the many possible character romance options that are available, allowing you to be so scandalously involved with a veritable roster of high society’s most charming, stupid, and mischievous individuals?
What’s that? You’ll buy it? All I had to due was mention character romance and you would’ve bought it immediately?
Tut tut, All you interactive-novel enjoyers are the same… such low class and easily appeased individuals…
作者超级会写！和大家的对话都好可爱，没想到还能这样描述！作者真的真的好厉害！
[spoiler] 一句话概括：我与我那不成器的雇主的二三事 [/spoiler]
Bunch of details, unbelievable... You can be almost whoever you wanna be in this game. I've played 10 times or so but even don't get half achievements.
我一周目打出了入狱金成就这是正常的吗：）
Really fun and with a lot of variability based on the stats you pick/the character you play. The writing is really good too. Loved playing this a lot.
It was a fun story. The length was just right. Definitely a recommend for someone looking for something lighthearted and comedic. I will say, the characters were enjoyable but I didn't find any to be particularly romance-able - as they all had some big red flag flaw IMO. While the lack of a decent romance would normally push me towards a not-recommend for such IF stories, the overall tone and enjoyable nature of the story pushed me towards a recommend. Just simply a fun time.
Most of "Tally Ho" is fun and exciting, with excellent writing and spot-on humor. However, the story can stumble a bit later on if you don’t want to help a certain painter, as I did. Initially, you’re forced to assist the painter regardless, but when you finally get the chance to refuse, it can lead to some odd consequences that I’ll detail shortly.
Without spoiling anything, what I can say is that I chose to start a romantic relationship with a person who had a significant secret. Since I missed the situations where this secret is supposed to be revealed, it was odd that my character suddenly knew about it during a boat race near the story's end. It seems the game presumes you followed the intended route, which I didn’t.
As a result, your lover behaves as if you know the secret, allowing you to discuss and embrace it and eventually start a life together where the secret plays a big role. This all happens without any rational discovery of the secret; it’s just casually mentioned as if it was a shared knowledge. For me, it wasn’t a spoiler since I knew about it from a previous playthrough, but it could be confusing for new players.
Even so, the ending is great, and the overall story is good, making it an easy recommendation from me. Just keep in mind that the narrative is somewhat railroaded, and veering from the intended path may have odd consequences. (6/10)
优缺点都很明显的一部作品
缺点：不能存档（COG老毛病了）；感情向可攻略四个人物和副cp线都不是很合我口味；数值增加不太明白；自由度不是那么高
优点：只要不代入现实，就是超好笑的滑稽喜剧（主仆对话我可太喜欢了）；可攻略人物做朋友还挺不错的，都很有个性
一周目没有打出感情线（因为不想进线）但是剧情还不错，再重复一遍：这是 滑 稽 喜 剧 Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh
Railroads you, and leads to undesirable outcomes too often for my taste.
隔了几年自己工作了再来玩，又有不一样的体验。感触最深的不是好莱坞啊内部圈啊江洋大盗啊这些结局，反而是跟笨蛋主人&婚约人一起住之后退出管家界去楼下商店打工的ending，说有个顾客想买一个明显风格不搭而且做工粗糙的配饰。
It is no longer your business what people choose to wear, you realize. What a relaxing thought. You accept his money, make change, and wrap the tie clip neatly, successfully avoiding direct contact with the dreadful thing.
"Good day, sir."
"Yes, yes," he says, and bustles out.
And then you never need look at him again. You do not need to scheme up ways to discard the tie clip or avert your gaze. It is gone. And, humming a joyful tune, filled with a sense of unaccustomed relief, you return to straightening up the store.
啊！给老板四处救火的打工人终于解放了！（
是每隔一段时间都要下回来玩一玩的给姆！最喜欢的if之一，强推！
absolutely hysterical <3
优雅管家× 万能打工人√
虽然中间因为麻烦事一桩接一桩而焦头烂额，以致我时不时就想呐喊“这是额外的价钱！！”，文章里罗列的各种名词对本人的英语水平而言也有些苦手，但！剧情真的是相当有趣，可以体验一些一本正经演小品的快乐！而且恋爱线很可爱，在脱线和浪漫间达到了完美的平衡（偶尔也会让人血压升高，说的就是你，[spoiler]Rory[/spoiler]）。
一如既往的没有存档这一点真的很痛苦（。）
除此之外都很好评＋＋＋
文笔非常舒服，角色塑造也都很有意思。
虽然看了tips也没有搞清楚数值判定具体是怎么操作的，但是问题不大（？
总的来说是同系列作品里很值得入手的一部。
下面是对部分攻略对象（待补充）的一些锐评（很主观、很个人、而且可能也没看全剧情……）
Rory：
[spoiler] 时常让人想要感慨没了主角你要怎么生活.jpg 笨蛋大小姐/大少爷，两种性别甚至能让我感觉到不一样的憨……优柔寡断和奇思妙想的时候让人十分无语但谈恋爱的时候确实很甜甜，作为好朋友也时不时能发挥关键作用。攻略时视情况而定准备降压药。 [/spoiler]
Valentine：
[spoiler] 很有师徒养成感的一对……目前几周目都是纯友情展开……涉及关键剧透不能细讲，只能说意外的和想象中有些差别（？） [/spoiler]
Haze：
[spoiler] 没有人能拒绝神秘而迷人的大美人Haze……！个人线文本比较多也写得很细腻，让我反复思考之前推Rory他们的线的时候是不是漏剧情了（可能真的漏了）……Haze的毛病也比较明显，或者说容易和玩家的价值观产生不和？导致有的选项看起来很送命题，有机会想试试不同的选法（所以没有存档功能真的很辛苦）不过最后的结局很亚撒西地给了玩家很大选择权，解释得也很合理，总之很舒心。 [/spoiler]
Frankincense：
[spoiler] 这人应该在攻略对象中吧……？自带破镜重圆tag 二周目本来想攻略试试的但……你半夜把我叫到露台就是为了这个.jpg 不过可能是我好感不够或者选错了什么……有机会再补充。 [/spoiler]
the writing has no right to be this good and funny for a fawlty towers-esque dating sim
This is one of the most delightful games I've played in a long time. Really great for story-focused, new(ish)-to-gaming folks like me. It has such easy mechanics and rewards replaying and the writing is sharp, funny, and deeply engaging. Perfect for gamers and non-gamers alike!
This game is great and fun!
Peak comedy. "Don't eat that pie! Because I want it instead" made me cry-laugh for several minutes straight
Outrageously fantastical and surprisingly funny. Highly recommend!
This game is hilarious. It's a very silly Downton Abbey-type spoof. I had a great time being aggressively whimsical without having to worry that my choices may lead to the fall of the British Empire or anything. The low-stakes nature of this goofy narrative is freeing. The game also alluded to other paths I could have taken with the story-- the replayability looks promising. That said, I had no idea what skills I was building with my choices, but I had too much fun to worry about that.
10/10 ridiculous stars
I almost didn't buy the game at first. I wasn't really interested in being a servant or in a comedic story. But oh boy, it would have been a missed experience.
The game surprised me! It's really good and fun, the characters are enjoyable and the writing is just delightful. It's easy to read, the dialogues are clever, the humor isn't too heavy and the few times it gets in a serious mood are well-timed. It is widely replayable and we love that for this genre of games.
It isn't as impactful as some CoG stories in the moral/emotional sense, but it leaves its own kind of mark. I've played through it thrice already and looking forward to more hours of reading. I wholeheartedly recommend you give it a chance if you find yourself hesitant to buy it, I assure you you won't regret it.
The amount of times I burst out laughing while playing this 🤣👍
Well written with a lot of choices. Had me rolling on the floor laughing at some points. Good job.
Play this for the peacocks if nothing else <3 it's a wonderful game!!
Did I mention the peacocks omg!!
I love Wooster and Jeeves. Have many of the books, have the movies, and the DVDs. Even made a Jeeves for Sims 4. And while I enjoyed the setting I found the game somewhat frustrating. I would try to do something and fail. I would try to do something completely different and fail. I would try out a different character and fail. I would try to stay out of trouble and get arrested. I would try to focus on one character to be romantic with and....got arrested? Choices don't seem to matter or made the story go in a whole other direction. Many events and outcomes seemed random. After many times playing it I found myself NOT wishing to play it again. Also the humor. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it...did something. The game was meant to be like the writing of P.G. Wodehouse but came out like a badly written fan fiction. Like so many authors who tried to copy Lovecraft or H.G. Wells. Sometimes it worked but most of the time it failed.
había oído antes de este juego en el subreddit, pero era reacio a jugarlo porque no me atraía la idea de ser un sirviente. Pero la lista de juegos recomendados está casi terminada, así que tocaba este. Y la verdad debo decir que esta bien. Tiene un tipo de humor que no se como definir, pero si sos de su palo te va a encantar. Lo único malo que tengo que decir al respecto es con los stats, que tipo mi personaje tenia 70% de inteligencia y no se porque después bajo a 63%, lo mismo con la habilidad esa de intriga.
- Very good reading. Loved the writing and the characters. Very funny.
- Lots of options to pick and they do matter: first they matter when you pick the option that fits the character you're playing juuust right (because that's what those games are about really. Yes/No options aren't enough, you need some "yes, but" some "no, unless" and some "let's look at it differently" options.), and then these choices matter again when you face the consequences.
- The thing I feel is very nicely done here is that sometimes, in such games, the story has to go in a certain direction and so you feel cornered into a path you'd however never have let your character walk but since it's either that or the story ends you then just try and figure some reason why your character would have done/said/promise such a thing etc. But here, the beauty of this game is you just follow your master/mistress and deal with the crap they get themselves into (and you have lots of options to chose how you want to deal with it). So the story goes where it should while you feel like you're really contributing in the "how" it got there. That's very clever.
Top class CYOA. Very nicely done.
Lots of fun even though it felt like a self insert fanfic at some points and the choices were a little narrow. Def thought it was gonna be more like the behind the scenes of servant like in the 1920s, turned out to be more like a game of clue with people who didn't know much about the time period its supposed to be set in. All in all, great game and would recommend if you enjoy self insert kinda things.
Note: ignore my playtime. I left the game on overnight.
I'm not really sure what to think. I think Tally Ho is frustrating. But also kind of incredible?
The game is kind of mean, I think. Failures and unmitigated disasters seem unavoidable in the story. The author did their best to make these entertaining, but I really felt punished with a lot of the choices. This is one of the CYOA games where most of the decisions are essentially right or wrong answers that are dependent on your stats. If you've played one of these games before, you'll probably know what I mean. One of the most annoying bits: one of the characters will fluctuate between 0% and 100% relation with you and this will change with incredibly minor decisions. And this character will ♥♥♥♥ things up for you when at 0%. I would be seriously surprised if you could achieve the goal or get the ending that you wanted on the first play through of this. In fact, I think you would need to min-max as hard as possible to do that.
That being said, the writing and the story is incredible. It's legitimately funny - and humor is always a risk with these types of games because it often falls flat. The characters were great, and the author managed to make them all sound incredibly distinct (including the aforementioned 0% to 100% character), which I think is rare and difficult to do in this genre. You'll legitimately develop love for the characters you gravitated towards, and legitimately start to hate characters that annoyed you. Overall, it's also an easy read. Not too wordy, not too long-winded. Just right.
The length is both a plus and a minus. It's long. Like, one of the longest CYOA games I've played. It's great to have that much content, but it makes multiple playthroughs a slog, which I think are inevitable if you want to get your preferred ending. In the end, I wouldn't want the game to be shorter, but it is an inconvenience.
Maybe other people had a different experience and didn't encounter the same frustration that I did. Maybe you will deal with failure better than I did. I have yet to get what I wanted out of the story. That will probably take a few more tries. But once I do, I kind of suspect this will be favorite CYOA game - or maybe a close second to Choice of Robots. It's a cruel mistress, but it really is great.
This game is amazing. I'm a huge fan of choose your own adventure style games and this is honestly one of, if not THE best i've ever played. It's hilarious, whimsical, and extremely well written. The dialogue and writing style fits the setting of roaring twenties perfectly. It totally sucks you into the world of high mannered society, where serving the perfect dinner truly feels like life or death. There are so many plot lines and outcomes that it has super high replayability. All the characters have fleshed out personalities, and you can choose a range of attitudes for your player character too.
I've seen some people complain that it's not always clear which stat is attached to which choice, but I honestly think it's a pro because it makes the game feel more lifelike, where choices you think are right can have surprising outcomes! It kept me on my toes and kept me from feeling like I had to choose the most "correct" choice so I could win and instead just make choices that would fit the character I wanted. And even if you don't "win" the game there are still many perfectly happy endings for you!
Seriously, I cannot heap enough praise onto this game. At it's price point it is a gigantic steal. The only think I wish I could do was romance more characters like the aunt bc she seems like a milf
Hilarious and overall a very engaging, fun game. Would recommend.
Really good text-based adventure game! Interesting and fun characters and plenty of choices. Some situations very quite funny and unexpected! Definitely recommend it!
I'm not even done, but this is a pretty fun game. You can also play with your friends.
Mechanics are simple - most of the ideas come from the superb writing and content :D
Good entertainment for a while. Kinda cheesy and extra dramatic, but fun enough for a couple hours. The writing was pretty funny and enjoyable. If you're looking for something seriously focused on being the best butler possible, this isn't your kind of story.
I just finished my first playthrough of this game along with a number of friends and we had an ABSOLUTE BLAST. I cannot tell you enough how much fun it was. If you like these sorts of games at all, be sure to pick up Tally Ho, no questions asked. Also, for the price, it's a steal. It's VERY LONG, and has tremendous replay value. Two thumbs up. More if I had them!
I've played Tally Ho! several times and each time is a Wodehousian delight. Go forth, serve tea, and be merry!
I do enjoy this particular choice of games very much. Its witty, charming, and just straight hilarious. Often making me cackle late at night from the absurdity that can be had in this game. The plot and characters are fresh, which is probably why I played through Tally Ho multiple times. That tells me I must recommend!
Absolutely charming.
I wouldn't say that this CYOA is 'bad,' but I was disappointed when it was a lot more of a 'caper' with gun battles and motorcycle chases and a pretty unavoidable 'Clue' game at it's core. I honestly thought it was going to be a story about being a servant and all the behind-the-scenes attempts to maintain order and offer assistance to your employer. Instead it's way over the top--why am I in a bullet-flying motorcycle chase as a servant?
There seemed to be a never-ending series of over the top distractions that were constantly getting in the way of being a servant, which I thought was supposed to separate this from other stories? Instead you're 'playing' a servant that is relied upon to be a detective, criminal, etc. If I want to be a detective or a jewel thief, I can play one of the many CYOA's that offer a story entirely centered around that being your identity.
A unique, original premise that is completely undone by the author's unwillingness to stick to it or lack of confidence in their writing to keep the reader interested without silly action and out-of-place detective elements thrust into it. A shame.
A lot of fun. Very funny I rarely laugh out loud, but this game got a few out of me. Im eager to jump into a new playthrough. One of the better CoG games.
I like this game a lot. There's a full cast of interesting characters, and there are enough plot options to play over and over without getting bored.
A really fun game with multiple choices and endings. If you like text-based gaming, this is definitely for you. Good replayability!
What ho!
Really, what a blast. This has always been one of my favourite CoG games and I doubt that's going to change any time soon.
There is just so much to uncover, which makes it very replayable, and the characters have gotten a special place in my heart. What's fun is that you can also achieve absolutely nothing in the game and still get a good time out of it. If you love the 20s and/or Wodehouse and/or general enjoyable silliness, give it a chance. (And if you enjoyed Tally Ho, I'd recommend Cakes and Ale as well. It's set in the same universe, is about twice as long and is just as much (if not more) fun.)
I've just started replaying this and I just have to say I love it a whole lot. The writing is bursting with style. The scenarios the plot will put you in are just ridiculous and they know they're ridiculous, but the characters are so sincere and charming that even when they make you want to tear your hair out, you get sucked into their lives and the impossible dilemmas they all keep getting themselves into.
If you've read other storygames by this company you might have been put off by how they don't contain a lot of true branching in the plot. That's not an issue at all with Tally Ho I'm happy to say, and it's a big part of why it's so replayable. You're just trying to be the best butler you can be and get your hopeless employer out of some financial and relationship trouble, but there is all this intrigue and a whole prestigious yet shadowy Committee of impeccable superservants to impress, and multiple plot branches with their own characters and secrets and set pieces to involve yourself in. (I saw a breakdown of the structure from act to act on a CYOA forum, and results can be impressively varied.)
Trina is the absolute best. Aunt Primrose and the Inspector are two more of my favorites, and of course there's a whole stable of the romanceable folks that are mandatory in these games, if you're into that.
The actual prose is astoundingly good, as I said, tons of style. Failing your skill checks can be so gut bustingly funny it's just as rewarding as succeeding. Of course success is great too: I served tea on the back of a motorcycle during a high speed chase. I felt like the most British person in the world.
A good game book. It is very funny, especially if you have a taste for humor centering around British aristocrats or classic mysteries. It does something different from other books I have experienced by making most of its choices draw from multiple skill values instead of just one. This allows you to succeed choices you might think you wouldn't, or fail choices you were certain you would succeed at. As you can probably tell, that can be both a blessing and a curse, since you can never really tell if you are going to succeed your choices if you don't know what attributes the choice will check. Usually it's obvious, but sometimes it isn't. Still, a great one for wacky shenanigans, dry wit, and good characterization.
Jolly good time!
I love this so much. Witty and funny dialogue (I always find myself laughing out loud lots of times), charming characters (especially the MC themselves, I really like the MC), and challenging (I prolly have played this 30 times just to get Frankincense, I have not yet pursued another). I really admire the style of writing and the lots of planning poured into this novel. 9/10
P.S. Even if in my Steam, my recorded time playing is only 3 hours, don't be fooled. I played it instead on my phone. I think I have played it for approximately 12 hours, just to get Frankincense.
This is possibly the best Choice of Games story by far! The writing is super witty and very atmospheric and the characters are all charming in their own way. This game is one of the longest and has many pathways, so by far this has the most bang for your buck
Genuinely the best text-based game I have ever played. It is so witty and charming, and I must have played it through at least 10 times. When I write a best selling novel, I'm going to be stealing the plot from this.
Thoroughly enjoyable writing, fun choices, and compelling characters! Rory was really fun, and Haze is such a delight. I'll likely be playing through this one again!
If Oscar Wilde wrote an absurdist dating sim, it would probably turn out like this.
I love this game. It is fun and whimsical, silly and odd. I played through so many times, till I got the polyamorous ending I wanted, but it was so worth it! Highly recommend. It is just delightful.
There's a lot of variety in choices, several endings (so a lot of replayability) and the humour is jolly good.
[h1]So charming and a real joy to play[/h1]
I enjoyed the writing and its comforting tone. Perhaps not the longest story from start to finish, but I had some fun playing through the other branches and "perfecting" runs.
Quite recommended.
This reads like a comedy drama set in the Jeeves & Wooster novels written by PG Wodehouse and succeeds admirably. The first scene in the game establishes the kind of butler the player wants to be, which is interesting, and having watched Jeeves & Wooster on youtube is quite close to a scene from the first episode of the TV series starring Steven Fry & Hugh Laurie. Of course I have read PG Wodehouse's books, which can be found at project Gutenberg, but the literary characters are forever seared in the rather adequate creations of Steven Fry & Hugh Laurie. Having watched a number of silver screen butlers from the 1930's, frankly, this is probably for the best.
Tally Ho is a comedy, there are elements of pathos but they are filtered through the "twee" sentimentality of the setting and with perhaps one or two exceptions it captures the feel of a PG Wodehouse novel that you can actually interact with. Quite recommend it really.
I go back and forth on this game sometimes, but overall I think I lean more positive. My biggest complaint with this game is that I found characters responding oppositely how I had predicted. That made the game rather difficult to get certain endings or achievements. However, I still enjoyed the overall feel for the game. It sort of reminded me of the play "The Importance of Being Earnest" where the nobility is rediculous, over the top, and funny. It was a neat game with many different paths you can take.
Funny and challenging! Normally, I only read an interactive story once and am good with it, but "Tally Ho" is a story where curiosities arise and you will want to read it again choosing different paths to the story. I ended up being a butler for a wealthy family that Mrs. Patterson suggested. I had much laughter and nail biting decisions to make!
By the way: Tally-ho is a very old traditional cry made by the huntsman to tell others the quarry has been sighted. It may also be used with directions, including "away" and "back". First used in fox-hunting, it was adapted in the 19th century to describe some horse-drawn vehicles and in the 20th century to advise of enemy aircraft and space junk.
Thank you Kreg Segall! A brilliant piece of work! Cheerio sir!
Thoroughly excellent! Deep engaging story-telling and genuine choices with real impact. There are many ways this story can go.
Played through this game in a communal setting over slack with a bunch of friends, each person taking turns making choices what to do next, and we absolutely had a blast. The continually-branching story is at times exciting, hilarious, and whimsical, and it clearly contains an amazing amount of replayability. I can easily see how different choices would have let to entirely different stories and endings. It's clear that in Tally Ho, yoru choices have real consequences.
On top of that, the writing is top-notch. Very stylized, but encapsulating a fanciful tone that makes it a pleasure to read. Overall, it took us about 2 weeks to get through a single play-through, in a setting where multiple people were getting to it as their daily availability allowed (thus we often had to wait several hours for the next person to make their choice). I suspect that, condensed, a single person could get through one playthrough in 10-15 hours, depending on the story choices they make and their reading speed. But it will definitely leave you with those nagging questions - what would have happened if I'd done X instead of Y? - that will make you want to revisit it.
Quite frankly, this is the best COG game that I have played. The writing is charming, the characters memorable, the humour is fun, and it is a nice change of pace from a lot of the other games where something big always seems at stake. Some people have mentioned that the choices are not very intuitive and you sometimes have to make blind guesses, and while that's true at first, I feel like it's a matter of practice. Once you've played it a couple times you become pretty okay at guessing which ones use which stats.
Also the Rory and Valentine romances are some of the most adorable things ever.
A dapper good game for gentlemen and gentlewomen.
《Tally Ho!》一週目通關心得
在steam上購入，可以下載試玩版。昨天偶然看到這遊戲，也不知道哪根筋不對就刷下去了，抱著就算是糞作也沒關係，衝著這私心滿滿的伍德豪斯式喜劇設定，遊玩初期帶點批判的眼光和好奇的興頭，但很快發現「這遊戲做得很好」的事實。文本全英文，逐句閱讀，扣除掉可能讓人考慮再三的選擇故事走向，本作一週目時間大約是七～十個小時。如果有愛的話，想跑其他故事線，全部通關也要很長一段時間。
如果玩過Choice of Games開發的作品，就會知道他們主打高質量的文本冒險遊戲，近期大受此類遊戲粉絲好評的佳作是《Choice of Robots》。提供玩家飽滿的劇情、左右主角際遇的多選題，遊戲介面就跟提供稍後閱讀服務的instapaper有異曲同工之妙，陽春單調，但讓人專注於閱讀，這也是遊玩此類遊戲的唯一需求。
在《Tallo Ho!》中，玩家扮演年輕紳士Rory Wintermint先生的男僕，除了要打點Rory的生活大小事，還要處理來自四面八方的麻煩。故事會從玩家接受Rory面試開始，逐步建立好基本人設，被錄取後便直接跳到五年後，主線故事於焉展開。很顯然，此作大大借鑒P.G.伍德豪斯的作品，不論是情節、人物和對白都會讓伍德豪斯的書迷感到似曾相似。由於完整度及遊戲性都有一定水準，玩家扮演男僕涉入一連串的事件，斡旋於眾多角色之間，面對各種難以兼顧的難題，可說是帶入性滿高的遊戲。雖然玩得不亦樂乎，但身為伍德豪斯書迷，還是想說一下此作雖然大量借鑑，在幽默感與文字風格上還是跟伍德豪斯有明顯區別。
《Tally Ho!》並未過份使用戰前俚語，用字遣詞不會過分古風、倒也沒有明顯缺失。雖然我希望讀到更有伍德豪斯文風的作品，但中規中矩的第一人稱敘述也許更適合現代讀者，倒也沒有減損此作的遊戲性。另外，此作喜劇成分偏重，借重伍德豪斯笑料，同時也調和現代人口味。但為了提高遊戲性和攻略難度，主角的遭遇自然不可能行雲流水，這取決於玩家想讓故事怎麼進展，這使得每一次選擇都在為玩家準備好新的可能。作者文筆引人入勝，完整設計了一齣包含罪案、冒險、愛情、秘密結社與博弈競賽的豐富腳本，這些都是伍德豪斯作品中會以喜劇形式共同出現的元素。
我最初的一週目計畫是，讓故事盡量朝詼諧的路線發展，同時扮演一個相當矜持盡職的男僕，直到最後才與主人Rory共結連理（！）簡單說就是一個將伍德豪斯筆下的Jeeves和Wooster這對主僕視為英國國民CP的人會採取的路線XDDDD 但我把這遊戲想得太天真了，想一邊扮演「Jeeves」式的理想男僕，並按照自己的意願闖出主僕劇情其實不難（如果你很無趣的只專注選項的話）。但故事開始沒多久、接二連三出現的有趣角色和多重事件，還有數不清的出醜與失敗，都會讓認真扮演男僕的玩家一個頭兩個大，要維持男僕的基本形象還真不容易。
在遊戲中，你可以決定要做一個忠心不二、奸詐狡猾、可疑危險或魯莽草率的男僕，追求你感興趣的角色、跟討厭的角色結仇。如果你不打算跟任何人在一起，故事中的幾個主要事件也夠你煩惱了。《Tally Ho!》共有79個成就，我一週目結束才解開7個，足見《Tally Ho!》多條路線與結局的可變動性。另外也有簡單的男僕人格變化量表、NPC好感度量表、對外形象量表，遊戲中隨時可以查看主角的養成情形。
只走了一週目，所以無法還進一步談《Tally Ho!》整體的故事縝密度，但至少第一週目可看出通關後大致的可玩性還是有的。真要說的話，主僕線算是fluff系的《萬能管家》同人文，最大的遺憾也是最大的感慨，也許是主僕線涉及時代禁忌或階級問題的部分太少（我以為這應該是此設定下必須特別側重的部分），讓這條感情線變得純粹是現代勞資關係譜出的戀情XDDD 總之瞬間跨越分際的那條線掌握得差強人意。讓我勉強接受這項不足的主因是落在主人Rory Wintermint身上，這年輕人跟伍德豪斯筆下的Wooster先生一樣討人喜歡，只是多點智商、少點樂天性格就是了。
雖然主僕線沒有完全達到我的腦洞標準，其他角色卻在通關後繼續吸引我的注意。例如可愛的Mopsie小姐（我二週目想攻略她看看）、神秘帥氣油條的Haze先生（這傢伙快把我主人的伊頓戒還來！！！）、冒失健氣的Valentine（下次想專心經營師徒關係，不過是純師徒，我望子成龍啊這不成材的東西），以及想弄清楚男僕俱樂部的高級單位到底是怎麼回事，划船和賭馬會有贏的一天嗎？等等細節，希望之後的探索也同樣不會讓我失望。
不論是作為上世紀初的輕鬆版唐頓莊園故事，或者帶有高度戲謔的伍德豪斯式幽默文學，遊戲本身的設計配合玩家的腦洞，除了主角身為男僕的言行需要更加嚴謹外，整體來說故事的渲染力算是相當不錯。最後也要讚美一下此作的喜劇金粉，在某些關鍵時刻撒得恰到好處，確實讓我忍不住發笑了好幾次。總得來說是款歡快討喜的喜劇冒險之作。
I enjoyed this game so much that I am now physically in pain. During the game I nearly scalded the inside of my nostrils with the tea that I was unfortunate enough to be drinking when I snorted with laughter, and grinned so much that my cheeks actually hurt. I love all of the characters, especially Rory, the sweetest idiot I have ever seen. The second person narration is handled exceptionally well; although there is to some extent a pre-established character which I sometimes find constraining and irritating, the choices available to personalise them while also retaining the general flavour of the setting and I found myself loving Waverly as much as all the others.
I heartily recommend this, just don't try to eat or drink while you play. It won't end well.
A funny and charming text game with very entertaining writing and surprisingly endearing characters, as well as surprisingly long side-paths.
And yet another great story! Honestly, I was really scepticle at first, and it took a lot of self convincing to get myself to read after the description. I'm glad I did though. The story blended well, was very decently paced, and I think I only found one grammatical error. I loved this story, and man, Haze? Well she sounds like a pretty awesome lady. I'm giving this a 10/10.
Such a [b]rich, compelling and funny[/b] story, I love this. It has the right amount of each to make the game engaging and fun to play for the player. If you enjoy text adventures then, I highly recommend this game, it's one of the better ones out there :)
Tally Ho is great, I think its one of the better offical COG releases in a while. The writing and characters are A+. Its funny, its entertaining and its a very nice lenght.
Honestly its worth it just for the Rory romance. Shes absouletly adorable. One of the best ROs in all of these games.
If you're looking for a good read or a funny, relaxing story I highly recommend it.
What a delightful experience! A finer homage to PG Wodehouse's "Jeeves & Wooster" there never was. The writing is sharp, witty and funny while the (mis)adventures are very entertaining. I did not want to stop playing for a second. This is definitely one of the better Choice of Games titles out there, if not the best. If you want to enjoy a good romp, this game is for you.
I never review games, but I loved this. It's the perfect balance of ridiculous.
'Indeed, Sir'.
I haven't reviewed anything on Steam before, but make an exception for Tally Ho, even after playing dozens of Choice of Games adventures in the past. I should say from the first that the lumpen thumbs up/thumbs down function attached to reviews on Steam is utterly useless here. I thoroughly enjoyed playing this, and I'm not sure you should pay for it.
Why should this be? I would divide my experiences with COG into three categories. One, thankfully the rarest by far, is the underwhelming. That would be the insulting 'Congresswolf', and a handful of stories that were too short, sported a blunt instrument approach to choice and its effects upon character statistics, or were simply badly written.
Poor writing tends to be the main and sometimes only affliction of the games that I have most enjoyed – occupying the second category, 'good'. These games tend to have an imaginative premise, or at least one that trancends the genre trappings of many COG features. They tend to progress effectively, with multiple story arcs and sub-plots handled to ensure mamimum engagement for the duration of any given adventure. Most of all, their stats screens tend to reflect an internally consistent but imperfectible matrix of choices tailored to the thematics of the story. But clunky metaphors and occasionally idiotic dialogue often proliferate, especially when it comes to romance threads.
The third category has been fully occupied by only one game to date, which I will not name (it was removed from Choice of Games after I brought the problems with it to the website's attention). It was a story that barely flirted with fan fiction before only plagiarising its source material, a notable, rolliciking piece of literature that the game's author arrogantly assumed the website's users would not have read. Needless to say, his story might have been improved if he'd bothered to read the novel properly himself.
I mention the above because, from its first sentence, 'Tally Ho' draws with a seemingly unquenchable thirst from P.G. Wodehouse's writings on Bertie Wooster and his 'gentleman's gentleman', Jeeves. These were adapted into a successful television series, which you are encouraged to seek out alongside the book, featuring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. Both are worthy of your ecstasy, though certain beats of the story, elisions and a notably absent zing from the dialogue suggest that the series was a greater influence on this game.
Regardless, in numerous places the writing of this game borrows from the tales of Jeeves and Wooster to the point of egregiousness. This was most apparent in the personification of Bertie/Rory's aunt(s); a romance between a hopeless painter and a young girl from an aristocratic family, including the consequences of his ghastly attempt at a society portrait; a system of wagers on a race at a village fete, which the player inhabiting Jeeves may attempt to manipulate with equivalent tact and cunning; and much more. There is truly nothing to the game's DNA beyond Jeeves and Wooster, and their adventures are sufficiently rich and numerous for the game's long duration to feel well stuffed with ideas.
Paramount among the appropriations here is the dynamic that will, I suspect, drive most players through this game – that between you, the maid or manservant, and your charge. Irrespective of choice, 'Rory' is to all intents and purposes Bertie Wooster, maintaining a great deal of his charm and losing a great deal of his amusement (Bertie is extraordinarily funny in the novels, and for all his oafnishness he often means to be). Equally, though you are free to violate many of the tenets that governed Jeeves's actions and provided his unforgettable flavour as a literary character, you will repeatedly find yourself in exchanges that mimic the same pleasing cadences of Wodehouse (answering Bertie/Rory with an iconic 'Indeed, sir', for example).
It is worth noting, in passing, that the essence of Jeeves is that his clearly superior wit and (sometimes overanalysed) love for his master were always held in tension with his position. This is to say that Jeeves's cleverness and kindness marked him for our affection, but these qualities couldn't function without the inviolable, profoundly English notions of class and decorum into which they are set like jewels. He would be nothing is he didn't have absolute respect for his balance. A choice-based game would be all too narrow if it shared this respect, and only allowed you to act within its confines. However, that doesn't make diversions from the beautiful equilibrium at the heart of the Jeeves character any less jarring.
But, to the point – does this work lean so heavily on its source material that it constitutes plagiarism? By a whisker, no. By a whisker, it is the best game that Choice of Games has ever released.
There is a huge difference between fan fiction and plagiarism, and it goes beyond the highly contested ethical boundary that separates them. Fan fiction tends to thrive on the writer's very personal relationship to the material they are working with. They 'ship', they focus on details of relative unimportance to the larger picture drawn by the source material, and most importantly, they extrapolate. Plagiarists, meanwhile, are attempting to reproduce a sensation they would never be capable of generating independently. They concentrate chiefly on the structures and voices of a piece and they embellish sparely, lest they give the game away.
The author of this game is far closer to a plagiarist. As a result, he produces nothing novel. What he does, however, is regurgitate aspects of the work with enough attentiveness and affection that a faint echo of its spirit can be heard, In the case of Wodehouse, the spirit in question is so profoundly joyous, good-natured and intelligent that even a shard of it remains nourishing. This is evidently as true for the author as it is for the reader, as the writing and the network of causes and effects underlying it feel infinitely more sublte, and less binary, than in 95% of COG games.
The question remains, however, especially since the author is purportedly a university-appointed lecturer in English, and thus knows the rules: how can you justify aping a set of texts so thoroughly and neglecting to mention them in either your introductory text or the 'About' section? It is presumably an attempt to avoid the possibility of a legal dispute, if it isn't an attempt to present this work as original in its conception. In either case, any serious person should resent this.
I like good literature, and I like the cheap thrills garnered by participating in cheap imitations of it. Therefore, provided an explicit nod to the creator of Jeeves and Wooster was made where anyone purchasing or playing this game could see it, I would play the sequel teased at the game's close, safe in the knowledge that Wodehouse himself would have refused to give the reader a part in his fictions. If only anyone could match the withering tones he'd muster in doing so.
tl;dr. Email Choice of Games to ask them about their definitions of plagiralism, and enjoy this game if they deal with it adequately.
EDIT: Shortly after this review the game's description was edited on the Choice of Games website to acknowledge its special debt to P.G. Wodehouse. The author also messaged the present reviewer directly to express his wish to provide the creator of Jeeves and Wooster due credit.
I love this game more than any of the other Choice Of Games I've played before, honestly. The characters are so genuine and the story is well written, not to mention I had my heart stolen to the point where I've played the same route for one character several times. Definitely would recommend!
