Nikola Tesla: War of the Currents

Without a doubt, Nikola Tesla: War of the Currents is the best Choice of Games work I have experienced in years. I will try my best to highlight particular aspects of the game, but truly it's difficult given how practically everything about it made me fall in love with it. There is a lot of gushing in this review, but I cannot help it. To start, the blending of history, science, politics, and imagination is wonderful. From dealing with the intrigue of the electric company rivalries to leading the charge in electric power (pun intended), I was absolutely invested. I enrolled in college as a mechanical engineering major before transferring to liberal arts two years later, but what I did in this game nearly made me want to go back. I didn't, of course, but that is still a feat! More broadly though, the different themes and player choices really revealed the author's voice. I really got the sense of somebody who is not just passionate about science or technology or the history touched upon in this game, but who is just passionate about making the game. No matter who the author is, a work of fiction is enhanced immensely when the creator puts their soul into it. That sounds like a no-brainer, but you can tell when a story lacks that spark. War of the Currents, thankfully, is seeping with passion. Which leads me to the actual writing style of this game. It is gorgeous! Not a single word is wasted, and there are plenty of moments that are described beautifully without sounding super pretentious. The author strikes a great balance between writing succinctly and poetically. Truly, the writing of this game stands out among the entire Choice of Games lineup. However, everything I've doted upon pales in comparison to War of the Currents's greatest feature: the characters. This game has some of the best-written characters out of all the media properties I have consumed, beyond Choice of Games. Many of the characters did exist in actual history, and few of us can truly guess how they behaved and what they valued. Nevertheless, for the purposes of this game, I loved them all. I was willing to go to war for Nikola Tesla, and I was somehow brought around appreciate Thomas Edison at the end despite the overall conflict with him. Everyone else was so full of personality, and even if I didn't agree with them, they were always a joy just to talk to. I first encountered the demo of War of the Currents on the Choice of Games forum so long ago and was immediately captivated by everything described above. Since then, I have eagerly awaited its release, and I am overjoyed with how it turned out. My one gripe with it is that its ending could have been expanded on, but I have only done one playthrough, so I do not know if different choices address this. All in all, though, I love War of the Currents. I have to stop writing now, otherwise, I'll be here forever, but I will certainly be looking into the author's other works now.

I got shot by a German Nationalist and died in Tesla's arms, saying I loved him, while Wardenclyffe Tower was being attacked by an angry mob. 20/10, Needs option to romance Tesla in some way. Edit: I have achieved a new ending where sentient robots roam the world for a day with childlike wonder, before they all power down after the day ends. 50/10 This game just gets better and better. Edit 2: I literally got abducted by aliens this time. This game is awesome. Edit 3: After building a death ray, I have completed all 4 choices for what to build with Wardenclyffe. And instead of using it to blow up Germany on the Western Front, or getting revenge on Wall Street for holding me and Tesla back, I made it self-destruct, so that no government could harness that power for themselves. All in all, this game is awesome, and I STILL haven't gone down all the branching paths withing the choices I've made yet. I highly recommend this game.

The biggest sin a CYOA game can commit is for the player to have no real agency in the story. Sadly, this does commit that sin. Now, there are choices, but very few that matter, and your abilities mean effectively nothing. The world around you dictates your successes and failures, with your own actions effectively meaning what they are named. I will make a point to praise the impressive character art, though, which deserved a better story to go with it.

you CAN tell Edison he's a JERK. you CAN'T smooch Tesla. 10/10 Do it for Topsy

Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 611: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (9/10) Wow. I know I say this all the time, but [i]Nikola Tesla: War of the Currents[/i] ("[i]War of the Currents[/i]") truly is an underrated ChoiceScript gem! I wasn't expecting much tbh—(1) it only has 19 reviews on Steam, (2) focuses on science and history, two fields I am notoriously awful in, (3) and is somehow only 225,000 words?! But somehow, it's become one of my favorites. You play as Nikola Tesla's laboratory apprentice, and it's just ... everything. I'm not selling this very well, but when reading, I had an experience similar to Kevin Gold's [i]Choice of Robots.[/i] Yeah, THE [i]Choice of Robots.[/i]. Both games have that same magic where you feel like you’re actually participating in the development of something huge. You’re not just watching history happen: you’re in the lab, experimenting, building prototypes, arguing about ideas, and trying to push technology forward. Just like [i]Robots[/i], [i]War of the Currents[/i] spans your whole life, with the focus on your young adult to adult years. And along the way, you're truly [i]living[/i] in 1886. There are moments where you make a hot cup of tea, sit in a comfy chair, and debate politics or religion with Nikola Tesla, like you're actually his friend. Dora Klindžić's writing is some of the strongest I've read from ChoiceScript authors, and their writing bleeds into every topic introduced. There's a healthy debate about the role of women, immigrants, and people of color butting heads with the capitalist status quo. There's a subplot involving romance and sacrifices, if you prioritize science over your love life. There's a rivalry between you and Thomas Edison. And, of course, there's science. The game is a love letter to science, and even me—the biggest science hater—found some delight in pretending to be an inventor. It's hard to juggle so many subplots, yet Klindžić somehow manages to give equal attention to being a gay or black or poor inventor in 1886. It's simply incredible how such a short work can be so full of life. My only quibble is that the romance and ending were a bit rushed. Thank you to the staff for the free copy. [b][h2]Pros:[/h2][/b] ✅[b] Choices matter.[/b] I love when a game makes me feel [i]stressed[/i], and boy, did [i]War of the Currents[/i] deliver. You're not just helping Tesla create awesome, cool new stuff. No, you're his friend/assistant/therapist/accountant/priest/manager. You're basically starting a business, honestly, because to fund your inventions, you need that sweet, sweet capitalist money. So, beg your rival for unlimited funds in exchange for giving up all future blueprints you create. Or you can follow the grassroots movement by asking for funds from the public. Ask a friend for a loan, perhaps, because it's fine to mix business with pleasure! Or you might do as I did and allow a super-secret society to help you in exchange for a favor... I am boggled by the sheer amount of heavy choices presented, honestly. Plan to bring electricity to everyone, create powerful weapons, or even try to talk to aliens! ➡️[b] I'm impressed with Klindžić's portrayal of the time period.[/b] Issues surrounding immigration, class, race, and gender naturally appear throughout the story, particularly depending on the background you choose for your character. Like, I played as a Native American, and when I wouldn't help with a protest, a character/potential activist RO just refused to speak with me afterward. Klindžić is quite open about their progressive beliefs, but it does make the story stronger! Edison's elitism takes on a different tone, and businesses attempting to bankrupt or control Tesla's inventions reveal how scientific progress is entangled with class power and capitalist interests. ✅[b] Historical setting.[/b] One of the game’s greatest strengths is how convincingly it brings the late nineteenth century to life. The world of [i]War of the Currents[/i] feels carefully researched without ever feeling like a textbook. I don't know how else to describe it, but you are LITERALLY immersed: there are conversations about politics, religion, the excitement surrounding new inventions, and the social tensions simmering beneath the surface of American society. There's also a neat newspaper heading that signifies the beginning of the next chapter that reads like a real one, too! I was never so into reading about copper coils and electric currents! ✅[b] Prose.[/b] I believe this is Klindžić's first published work with Hosted Games, but surely this can't be their first work overall. Their prose is simply too polished and experienced to be a novice's. Really, it's [i]stunning.[/i] Long-winded,—but in a good way!—delicate, and quietly beautiful is how I would describe it. The author's love of their topics also bleeds into the prose, too. Science, history, philosophy—none of it ever feels dry or purely informational. Instead, it’s written with a kind of breathless enthusiasm that makes the reader feel the excitement of discovery alongside the characters. You can tell Klindžić genuinely enjoys exploring these ideas, and that passion gives the prose a rare warmth! At times, the writing lingers on details longer than most ChoiceScript games would dare to, but that patience is exactly what makes the world feel so alive. Rather than rushing from choice to choice, the prose invites you to sit with the moment: to enjoy the atmosphere of the lab, the energy of a debate, or the slow process of working through an invention. [b][h2]Cons:[/h2][/b] 🟥[b] Slight undercooked/rushed romance and ending.[/b] I loved the two female ROs, especially my girl Dot! When I saw she was the daughter of Tesla's (and yours!) rival, I was SMITTEN. Her character is written quite well—she's a coy, mysterious woman struggling with the weight of her last name—but her romance isn't quite as fleshed-out as I would like. You get an option to choose your attraction to her, and there are some flirtatious scenes early in the game. However, the game does employ frequent time-skips, making the romance seem rushed. In one stage of my character's life, we are uneasy friends and rivals who flirt (it's complicated, okay?). Five years later, I ask for her help in taking down her father. Another time skip, and I'm having dinner with her and Edison! Now I'm in my 40s, and we're semi-official without discussing it? Then we're discussing CHILDREN when I'm in my 50s? I love her—but what happened to "Hello? How are you? My name is? Would you like to move in together before having children?" ➡️[b] I have the same issue with the ending.[/b] I honestly do like it; my ending was very dramatique and heroic! But to me, it came too quickly. Most of your playthrough is spent building up your empire with Tesla and putting plots in motion. It comes crashing down quite suddenly in the last chapter. A natural consequence of Klindžić's ambition, I think. 🟥[b] I wish character portraits and biographies were updated.[/b] A really neat feature of [i]War of the Currents[/i] is that it has nine character portraits and biographies. The art in this game is quite pretty: more of a stylized, painted design, giving it a classic feel. I appreciated the biography provided for the main cast, as I have a hard time remembering names and details. However, they remain static for the most part. The portraits are the characters in their early life, and no detail is given as the cast grows and is shaped by your actions. Just a small nitpick! [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 [url=https://www.youtube.com/@IndieGems2]YouTube channel[/url] for more reviews like this one. [/hr]

A truly outstanding game that I will be thinking about for a very long time, like a book you can't put down. Clear your day when you start your play through as you will truly be unable to stop "just a little more" has never been more appropriate.

What other game is going to let you play as Tesla's black female sidekick who had a homosexual relationship with Thomas Edison's daughter? No serious, I am not kidding, you can do that in this game.

i died for science. i love this game. first i got shot, then i got beamed up, then i got burnt to a crisp. literally this game is awesome and i'm starting another playthrough.

Not being able to romance Tesla is the evilest thing this author could have done.

A markedly pro-Indigenous game, with some rather pithy lines regarding the hypocrisy of Edison and his ilk.