Jazz Age

I've played a number of CYOA games and this one was not it. It's short, clunky, and it doesn't feel like a well written story. It feels like a decent first draft/outline, but it's lacking in many aspects. I feel bad being so harsh but after playing other games where I enjoyed the stats, writing, and/or romance, this one didn't check any of the three. Try it out if this is THE genre you're interested in, but if this is just a passing curiosity then I recommend you keep on looking. Stats: Didn't feel relevant to the game. I'm sure they are, and this is honestly the least of my concern since I personally would rather not worry about my stats being high enough to beat a stat check. The problem was, it didn't feel like any of them were really reflected throughout my play through. Writing: The plot was too fast paced for my liking. So many things happened at once and it didn't feel like it was intentional. It feels like something rushed that someone would later on be like 'huh? oh yeah! I did that on purpose yeah!' when asked. It didn't feel like my character was overwhelmed, it felt like /I/ was. The characters aren't memorable besides how annoying the little sister is. And there's …

So, this has five characters. Two of the characters are great! (Toni & Vilma). Then three are terrible! There's the creep theater director, the cop who breaks into your apartment to sexually harass you, and the landlord. The stalker cop (ACAB) and the landlord are the are the only ROs! And you don't even have an option in most cases to be like "Nah I hate them I'm gonna just stay single and keep away from them," and in fact you have zero choice about ending up with at least one of those pieces of ♥♥♥♥. For the character of John, his behavior is so egregiously awful that the game really ought to come with a trigger warning for victims of stalking and sexual harassment.

I personally really enjoyed Jazz Age! Although it may be a bit shorter than other games like it, I found the story very compelling and I loved the characters! Toni was great but John was my favourite!! I definitely can't wait to play it again and again!

The ending was incredibly abrupt. It felt like the story was just getting started when the curtains closed. I'd understand if this was part 1 and part 2-5 came out later. But as it is, I'm disappointed. The characters were well-written. They felt like different people. Yet they didn't feel real based on how they interacted with the main character. Scenes felt alive in the first half, but later they weren't very well described. It felt like the second half was rushed. The UI was nice for the price point. I enjoyed reading through what little was available and making decisions which often felt impactful. Bethesda could learn a lot from this game. Character creation was decent. Not incredible, but good enough for the theater of the mind. I'm left wanting for more. I might buy another game, but one with better reviews than this one.

“Jazz Age” is a stylish, atmospheric romance set in 1920s New York, but it’s also a very short experience, and that brevity affects almost every part of the story. (6/10) The inclusivity is welcome and you can pursue any romance regardless of gender, but it doesn’t always mesh naturally with the historical setting the game aims to evoke. The tone is far more tolerant than the era realistically suggests, which can create some dissonance between premise and execution. Because the story moves so quickly, the romances develop at a rushed pace. You can end up kissing someone you supposedly “love” before the narrative has really given you time to get to know them. The game also ends quite abruptly, and many players, myself included, were left with the feeling that the story didn’t quite reach a satisfying conclusion. It reads more like the first half of a longer tale than a complete arc. Despite these issues, the writing has charm, the characters are interesting to get to know, and the setting is fun to inhabit for the short time it lasts. Just be aware that this is a brief, lightly sketched romance rather than a fully developed journey. (6/10)

Super fun and interesting! I love the ideas that occur in the story and I also just love anything set in the 1920's era!