Guenevere (ChoiceScript Game)

[Aurélie]

"Guenevere" is a ChoiceScript game by Jean Townsend which is probably one of the best pieces of interactive fiction that I've seen in a while. I love the ChoiceScript format tbh, I think it's a gift.

Guenevere is a character- and relationship-focused interactive novel, planned as a series of seven books. Book I (76,600 words) and the first half (117,200 words) of Book II are now available.

The main character is Queen Guenevere, who finds herself, at the start of Book I, about to enter an arranged marriage to King Arthur. I've tried to create a lot of space for the player to imagine different personalities for Guen; she can be played as power-hungry or kind or romantic or aloof, etc. She can have a wide range of feelings about, and relationships with, her husband Arthur, his sister Morgana, and his best friend Lancelot. Guen can be played as bi/pan, lesbian, asexual, or straight and can have romances with any or all of the three main characters.

It's a personality-focused game. My main goal has been to design NPCs that are responsive, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways, to Guen's actions. Book I’s central purpose is for the player to define Guen's personality. By the end of Book II, Guen’s choices (in conjunction with her skills, reputation, and relationships) will start to have major repercussions on the world around her. By the end of the series, Guen’s lifetime of choices will determine the fate of Camelot.

The personality mechanics are so good. You never feel like you've lost control of Guen's character, because she reacts to things exactly as you've told her to. If you do something with an ulterior motive, the game will check for your motive and take it into account in future descriptions. Guen can be stubborn and refuse certain options and gets a whole new scene instead of just skipping the possible one. Personality-shaping aside, it's also engagingly written, with fireworks, sheep-herding and lines like "I've never been able to find out if Merlin turned me into a badger on purpose, or if it just happened by some strange chance."

I have to admit it gets a bit text-dump heavy in places for history/military context, and I couldn't really keep up with the Bigger Scheme of Things. But it's really enjoyable despite the early stages it's in.

[Taleweaver]

Liked this one very much; probably the only Choice Of game I preferred was Dragon (which was much, much shorter and less complex).

Great effort, good writing, maybe a tad too much Deus Ex Machina in a few places (forced Lancelot relationship for example). Sets the mood more than well; anyone into the Arthurian myth should have played it. For all others: 8/10.

[Haze]

I played this game a couple days ago after seeing this post, and it was so enjoyable that I finished it(well, what's currently available: Book 1 and half of Book 2) by the end of the day. Guenevere is really whoever you want her to be, and that is a great aspect of the game that I really appreciated. My Guenevere was loyal to Arthur, fended off Lancelot's advances, and specialized in sword fighting and dark magic. What about you guys?

[papillon]

Yeah, I really enjoyed the amount of room it gave you to work with the story.

My Guenevere was quite fond of Arthur (but not madly in love) and loyal to him, wanted to be besties with Lancelot and Morgana but wasn't actually attracted to either of them, blaming the whole sparkle effect on an evil enchantment. I suspect my Lancelot is more angsty over his actions than she is; she doesn't blame him (and told him so) but maintains a careful distance. I specialise in white magic, but spend some time on sword-fighting and leadership because they're important to the stability of the realm.

[potouto]

Ah, I spent the whole night playing this I need sleep to function.
My Guenevere is very kind to Arthur and admires his idealistic ambition. She wants to be best friend with Lancelot and wishes she has been kinder to Morgana. And funny, she puts a blind eye over Lancelot's attraction to her and act like nothing happened between them. Her specialisation is swordfighting and leadership, along with some dark magic on the side.
@papillon: I check the thread on CoG forum and find the players comparing Guenevere with Royal Trap. Personally, I found both not very similar to each other on any aspect as I haven't finished all of Royal Trap yet, only Oscar's route and it seemed that Arthur was compared to him for the naive and kind traits

[Katta]

The characters are really nice)
I liked the first part of the second book more, because the first book has a lot of choices that I don't like "are you happy? how was the sex?" - how do I know? you tell me. I think this stuff should come as a result of my previous choices, not something to decide. And the plot in the second book looks more creative and fun to me.
I feel obliged to stay loyal to Arthur but it makes me feel I'm missing the fun, so I'd preferred Guen wasn't married(

[Lucky-pon]

It was great (I read it all last night because it was very interesting, I'm tired now ._.) !
But, is there any way to be informed when the 2nd part of the 2nd book will be out ? I didn't see a newsletter...

My Guenevere is kind, brave and responsible, practise swords, leadership and light magic, is attached a lot to Arthur (even if she was sort of cold at the beginning and didn't want to have sex, because she didn't like the idea of an arranged mariage, she became fond of him with time), but can't stop herself to be attired by Lancelot (even if she doesn't want to cheat on Arthur ). Oh, and she is a good queen, loved by her country.

Anyway, I recommand it !

(and I don't know if it's the good place to ask, but does anyone know another game/choice of game like that, set in a medieval and fantastic place ?)

[Taleweaver]

[quote="Lucky-pon"(and I don't know if it's the good place to ask, but does anyone know another game/choice of game like that, set in a medieval and fantastic place ?)[/quote]
https://www.choiceofgames.com/dragon/ (a dragon is you)

https://www.choiceofgames.com/romance/ (fantasy renaissance)

https://www.choiceofgames.com/broadsides/ (fantasy swashbucklery)

[potouto]

@Lucky-pon: As a long time Choice of Games fan, I would suggest you player Heroes Rise trilogy to begin, it's a very fun read and play, although the second one was the best one. Other than that, there is SLAMMED and Fatehaven (my personal favorite). For shorter one, Psy High or Way Walkers: University would be your choice, also my favorites. Longer one though, try Zombie Exodus. Some of my other recommended title would be Tin Star and Choice of Deathless

[papillon]

Don't all of those fail the 'medieval fantasy' request, though?

(I don't know the Fatehaven setting but I know most of those are definitely not...)

[potouto]

@papillon: I didn't notice the Medieval Fantasy requirement, but Fatehaven would be it, definitely

EDIT: there's also a new game in fantasy setting called The Lost Heir: The Fall of Daria, it's the first in the trilogy with pretty decent romance subplot and nice to read.