Choose-your-own-adventure mobile games may have earned a reputation for being nothing more than juvenile and kitschy wish-fulfillment games thanks to popular apps like Episode and Choices, but the newly released app Storyscape may just be the literal gamechanger in this genre. It seems that the only thing that the latest interactive fiction game, created and developed by FoxNext and Fogbank Entertainment, shares with the abovementioned apps is its gameplay functions and premise. But in terms of story writing, artwork, and overall enjoyability as a piece of interactive art, Storyscape excels as a captivating game you won't want to miss out on.

Every Decision Affects The Story

Storyscape's premise is quite simple. Choose from one of the available stories - at the time of writing, five stories have been released - and proceed through a visual novel where each choice affects the course of your journey. Though the game is free-to-play, players can purchase "diamonds" which can be used to buy extra story options, as well as "tickets" which can be used to either purchase future episodes or replay previously played ones.

Though the gameplay may sound similar to its interactive fiction predecessors, Storyscape features a few key differences that elevate the storytelling to the next level.

Via: Storyscape

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The first thing I noticed when I began playing was the artwork - it is beautiful. The detail in each panel is exquisite, with multiple layers that create a dynamic image. But even more impressive beyond the images themselves were the animations that accompanied it. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from the animation department with a free-to-play mobile app. However, the animators have put in a ton of effort to both make this game visually appealing and emphasize the impact each player's decision makes. Depending on what characters choose to say or do, others will react with animated facial expressions. And I'm not talking just a simple smile or frown. Characters will furrow their brows, shake their heads, lift a hand, or smile so hard you'll see their dimples. Even more impressive are the stories that give the players the chance to choose the appearance of their avatar, like Life 2.0 or Eternal City. No matter what avatar you choose, the smooth animations will follow.

Via: Storyscape

Another aspect that separates this game from others is Storyscape's intended audience. Before even playing the game, I noticed that the App Store had assigned a rating of "17+" to the game. This is noticeably different from Episode and Choices, which both sports a rating of "12+" and are clearly marketed towards adolescent players and primarily feature stories with high school-aged protagonists. As Storyscape is marketed towards a more mature audience, I, as a recent college graduate, entered the story refreshingly excited for what was to come.

True enough, in nearly every story, you take on the role of an adult about to embark on some big life change. Whether it's moving across the country for a new job in Life 2.0, boarding a ship to New York in Titanic, or taking on a new secret agent position in The X-Files, the choices you make are all played through the eyes of a mature adult. The only exception to this would be in Eternal City, where players control a character from childhood to young adulthood, but the choices are certainly quite different from a typical high school Choices story.

Via: Storyscape

Speaking of the writing, no matter what story you play, the game's scripts are utterly engrossing, with plots full of twists and turns that will keep players engaged until the end. When I researched more about the game and the time behind it, I discovered that the game's authors all hold pretty impressive credentials. Collectively, you'll find New York Times Bestselling Authors, established playwrights and comic book writers, and game writers from titles like Horizon: Zero Dawn, BioWare’s Anthem, and The Walking Dead: A New Frontier in the roster of Storyscape's authors.

So far, I've played through the entirety of Life 2.0, Eternal City, Titanic, and the first couple episodes of The X-Files, and all available episodes of Edge of Extinction. Whether you're looking for a new romance, drama, or science fiction story to explore, Storyscape's library of stories has you covered.

Lastly, Storyscape does an incredible job of not only telling a cohesive story, as any visual novel should, but it does a fantastic job of making you feel like you're playing a basic RPG as well. Especially with stories like Eternal City and Edge of Extinction, whose science fiction plots create the perfect basis for a survival RPG, the game does a great job of showcasing different abilities and powers players collect during the game, as well as marking relationship levels with other characters.

Create An Exciting Story... As Long As You Can Afford Those Microtransactions

Storyscape's main gripe is that many of the exciting and ultimately rewarding story options cost diamonds to unlock. If you're hoping to take advantage of the game's incredible replay value and go back through played stories to try out new choices and get new endings, you'll have to spend money on tickets, as replays are not free.

Via: Storyscape

Additionally, while Storyscape's writing and mechanics make it a game players will be unable to put down, that praise does come with one major complaint. With only five games currently available, hardcore gamers will likely blow through all stories in just a matter of days. According to developers, two additional stories are in production. But without a set release date, it's unclear how long it will take for new stories to be released.

However, if the only major complaints about Storyscape are microtransactions and demands for more content, it's clear that the developers at FoxNext and Fogbank Entertainment may have figured out exactly how to create a serious, impressive, and ultimately engaging interactive fiction mobile game.

An iOS version of Storyscape was provided to TheGamer for this review. Storyscape is currently available for iOS and Android devices.

Storyscape

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