Rosewater

Seemed like it would have been a cool game conceptually. It is too slow, and it is waaay too linear. There are parts that if you don't make the right decisions, you cannot advance the game. I do not recommend at all.

enjoying the journey, am sure there is a long way to go

9/10. An excellent second venture into the land of Vespuccia. The narrative arc comes together beautifully and there is a juicy amount of companion dialogue that develops over time. The graphics are crisp, and the backgrounds are beautiful. I personally don't always love the rotoscoped animation but I don't find it degrades the game in a significant way. I could see how the pacing might be seen as slow or sluggish, but I actually found it to match what I would expect of a story that takes place while [spoiler] traveling across the rugged mid-west [/spoiler]. It wasn't clear which incidences or dialog choices would be consequential, for gameplay and/or NPC friendliness, and I was surprisingly okay with that: I found that in Lamplight City I would waffle over decisions for too long because it was clear that x choice would lead to y outcome--I'll admit that I usually would say that I'd prefer to know, so I can make the "right" choice, but not knowing allowed me to play more immersed. I will also admit that I got a liiiittle tired of dialogue around the 3/4 mark and would click through conversations rather than engage with the whole thing, especially when progressing meant I needed to talk to EVERYONE in the area multiple times, and that was a [i] drag [/i]. All in all, a very good game with wonderful stories, characters, voicing, art, environment, etc. [h3] It's evident Francisco Gonzalez et al are very passionate about creating their games, and I appreciate that. [/h3]

A straightforward point and click set in an alternate western universe. Characters are memorable and the story is compelling. Puzzles are quite simple but its a worthy addition to the genre.

While I like its predecessor, Lamplight City, more, Rosewater is still an enjoyable and ambitious stand-alone follow-up. While Lamplight City was set in an alt-history steampunk American South, where the Americas are still colonized well into the late 1800’s, Rosewater shifts it focus to the Southwest, and it utilizes the real history of region to apply its own alt-history twists, like how the Mexican Revolution is the first major one in the Americas. Rosewater has a unique pacing and vibe to it, as after you’ve finished the prologue, and protag Harley has gathered together her party of misfits on a quest for rumored treasure, most of the game is an episodic road trip where you can run into several scenarios that the game randomly chooses (Once you beat the game for the first time you can choose them yourself for replays) as well two major fixed stops that you will always encounter. During your travels you can also build rapport with your party members with the choices you make, and their opinions of you can unlock scenes and locations as well change how the story can play out. Once you reach your destination, the game returns to a more traditional adventure game structure for the climax. The puzzles are mainly fine, though I felt that the game could be a bit obtuse at times, namely in the second major set stop on the journey. There are multiple solutions to some of the puzzles, which is always a plus. The party mechanics are the real star of the show though. The cast are all interesting and this is helped by the quality voice-acting; it was nice to have a little Telltale Walking Dead reunion with Dave Fennoy (Lee) and Gavin Hammon (Kenny) voicing characters, the latter does a great job as Jake. The main plot is good, and it ends well, though the game is mainly about the journey to get to that plot, so if you’re expecting a fast pace, you will be disappointed. As mentioned, I’d say this is an asset though, because there are not many games I can think of that are so focused on a vignette structure. Rosewater is just a fun adventure that needs more love. Do hope that Francisco Gonzalez revisits this world again, because it’s a real good setting.

I mean this is lightyears better then Lamplight City. The voice actors are drastically better, the game’s story is better, the characters are better, the art and design are better. The game is also decently long at around 15 hours. The amount of choices in this game also have real impact on the story as the story goes as opposed to it just having some random note at the very end. So again, this is a really well done adventure game and yet…I just could not stand it. I was soooooo bored, like ridiculously bored. I think my problem is I must hate westerns. I also want basically all adventure games to be murder mysteries and this isn’t that. This is a Oregon Trail the adventure game. Literally, you go on a wagon across the west and your wagon constantly encounter things on the trip. I just didn’t care. I wanted to be in the super cool city of New Presidio, you know with like people and airships and crazy scientists…I didn’t want to be in a wagon meeting weirdos as I travel across the west. I’m sure a lot of people would like that and the amount of choices you can make on your way can make for a fun game…but I just didn’t care. I also felt the relationship system to be so confusing. It’s not very easy to tell what will increase or decrease your relationships. I feel it should be much clearer what actions are going to increase or decrease relationships. I don’t have the energy to replay this game where I would have now a better understanding…it’s just so weird. It feels almost old school…I mean it is an adventure game so…ok…but I feel it’s still 2026 and game should not be hiding what actions are affecting character reputation. There are some story things that I want to discuss, but they are spoilers: [spoiler] I was very annoyed that Phil dies and when I looked up how to save him I was baffled. To save him Nadine has to get shot and apparently if she is shot she survives and you get this if your relationship with her is high. I thought I had the highest relationship with her, but again because it’s so vague it’s almost impossible to tell. So apparently I didn’t…not sure how that’s possible as I did everything she asked. It was so frustrating. Then the reveal that Jake tricked you all into this quest and was really working for an oil baron just seems crazy and nonsensical. I mean I know he is a con artist…but I felt their was no groundwork to really lay out this even more ridiculous plot point. I did really enjoy jake coming back and sacrificing his life to save you and becoming a hero, I felt that was a fitting ending…so that was nice…but still…the ending that you go back to Rosewater and write basically a scifi novel is so weird. For one…I don’t want to go back to Rosewater that town suckssssss. Two…I was even more confused because Leger is not someone who would ever settle down somewhere and to pick Rosewater is just so nonsensical to me. Overall I just kind of found the ending very strange. I wish I had the option to work with Shaw at the end. Also…I don’t understand why their was not an option to fake the scientists death…you have a gun that disintegrates bodies…and he insisted my plan would never work… [/spoiler] this game is great at giving you different options to solve situations and it felt like at the end of the game you had no options to solve the final “puzzle.” Look…if you like westerns you’ll probably like this game…if Oregon Trail was your favorite game you’ll probably love this…but otherwise…no…To me all the interesting part of this game occurred in El Presidio which you only spend a short time in at the end of the game. You want a better adventure game with fun puzzles and a cool story then I would say pick up Foolish Mortals or Unavowed. Two games I would describe as the best modern adventure games.

Sequel (sort of) to Lamplight City but you don't need to have played that one first. Light on puzzles but the graphics, voice acting and story are the main focus. The best bits of the game are in the middle where you are travelling with your crew and coming across random adventures. You get to know each character and choose which ones you want to know better, with some random encounters differing per playthrough. Well worth your time

Das erste Spiel des Dev "Lamplight City" war einfach nur genial. Es war spanenden, lustig, etwas fordern und hätte eine Geschichten wie aus eine Guss. Aber hier bei Roswater ist der Guss ab der Abreise aus der Stadt vorbei und wird immer langweiliger und belangerloser. Nach 9 Stunden wollte ich einfach nicht mehr weiterspielen. Echt schade und für mich ein Fehlkauf. Auch wenn die Sprecher eine Top Job erledigen und es Grafik schön ist(für die Art von Spiel) Überlegt es euch gut ob ihr es auch käuft, oder nur wenn ihr es billig bekommt.

yet another absolutely brlliant game from grundislav. francisco gonzalez surely is one of the grand masters of the fine art of point and clicking adventuring. i've been fascinated by ben jordan, paranormal invesitgator many years ago and the fascination never ceased.

Wow, choć początek nie wyglądał na taki i wręcz przynudzało i nie chciało mi się grać to im dalej w las tym lepiej, bardzo dużo miejsc, dobrze rozbudowane postacie, z którymi idzie się zżyć i fabuła, która jest naprawdę w porządku. Grafika jak na pikselówkę jest dobra, ale bywały lepsze. Sama gra nie jest trudna, zagadki raczej logiczne i idzie się domyślić co zrobić. Fajne, że wybory w trakcie gry mają znaczenie na zakończenie gry. Myślałem, że to będzie jedna ze słabszych przygodówek, jednak myliłem się, twórcy Lamplight City (do którego jest w grze miliard nawiązań i wspominek) dowieźli dając nam grę, która powoli buduje ciekawość, napięcie i wszystko co najlepsze w point and clickach. 8/10