We all have examples of video games we’ve seen sitting on shop shelves or on Steam that haven’t really grabbed our attention enough to spend our hard-earned cash on. But what about those times when we’ve eventually been convinced into buying one and have been surprised by how good it was? Our next series is about exactly that situation: pleasantly surprising video games.
Instead of jumping straight into a game you’ve been looking forward to and finding it a complete waste of time like in our disappointing video games series, why have we ignored a particular game and what convinced us into finally giving it at go? Unlike our previous series we’ll be discussing what actually impressed us about the game whether it’s the story, gameplay or any other aspect which makes it worth your time.
About the game
I was instantly attracted to one of the screenshots for Cinders when I came across it on Steam Greenlight one morning earlier this year. It was an image of a lake, with bluebells flowering around the water and god-rays of sunlight streaming down through the trees, and it reminded me of a jigsaw puzzle I’d completed with my grandmother when I was very young. I reached out to Tom Grochowiak from developer MoaCube to ask if he’d mind telling us a little more about the project, and he generously gave us his time along with a review copy of the game.
Described as a ‘mature take on a classic fairy-tale’, the basic components of the Cinderella story we all know are there. Take an orphaned child of noble descent; throw in a dominant stepmother and a couple of bickering stepsisters; add a masquerade ball and a princely love interest; and finally, include a fairy godmother for a sprinkling of magic. But that’s where the similarities end! As Grochowiak said in his interview with us: “We hated how Cinderella in this original story is a very passive character and thought it’s a good basis for a story about growing up and learning to take responsibility for your life.”
This is the image that initially attracted me to Cinders.
How was it surprising?
Let me start off by saying that I use the term ‘game’ very loosely in this case, because Cinders is in fact a visual novel. I can count the number of these I’ve played over the years on just one hand; I love the story-side of such titles but, where I’m typically an adventure gamer, I usually get a twitchy finger if I can’t start clicking on things in the environment and solving puzzles. But the visual style of MoaCube’s title was enough to persuade me to give it a go and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.
The gameplay is reduced to a matter of clicking on an option whenever the story presents you with a decision. This may sound simple but when you consider that Cinders contains over 120 decision points, three-hundred options to choose from and multiple endings with a number of different variants, it’s obvious just how much time and effort the developer put into this project.
Cinders’ personality is determined by your choices.
One of the best things about this title is that nobody in the cast is perfect, not even Cinders herself. They all have a number of flaws and regardless of how virtuous or villainous they may seem initially, they’re not without their redeeming qualities. For example, the Captain of the Guard had a heart of gold but he’s sometimes blinded by his loyalty and is all too eager to resolve a situation with his sword! There’s something human about every single character, each has their own story to tell and secrets to reveal, and this makes the plot all the more poignant when it concludes.
As I said earlier in this article, I’m not the biggest fan of visual novels as I prefer the involvement of an adventure game. But Cinders had me hooked from the start and I think it’s extremely likely I’ll pick up MoaCube’s gem again at some point in the future; in fact, it has persuaded me to try other titles in the genre. Rather than forcing strict morals on the reader as is the case with traditional fairy-tales, it gives the player reason to think: what lengths would you go to in order to secure your independence and how do you define freedom?
So, there you have Kim’s choice for most pleasantly surprising video game. Do you agree or have you played a title that’s impressed you even more? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
