Wizard Confidential

I cannot recommend this because of a sin the game commits. On my first playthrough I tried and failed to murder a character and they escaped. When encountering them later there was zero mention of this choice from either my character, the internal prose or them. It really took me out of the experiance and made me feel like my choice had no consequence.

[h2][i]Wizard Confidential[/i] is an interactive noir novel with case-solving, gangsters, corrupt cops, *and* magic, but ultimately fizzles out like a mushed cigarette in the rain.[/h2] You’re working as a private investigator in 1920s Seattle, trying to solve three big cases that touch upon the social unrest in the city as well as some trouble within your own detective agency. Corrupt cops, gangs on the loose, and a powerful wizard ripping holes in reality – it’s up to you on how and when to deal with it all. [u]A very much “ugh, I’ll forget about this in a few days” out of 10.[/u] … I don’t know what it is with the [i]Choice of Games[/i] releases these past few years, but none of them have been hitting as hard for me as some of the classics in their catalogue. But maybe it’s just me, and I’ve gotten a bit jaded. [i]Wizard Confidential[/i] is okay as entertainment for a couple of hours, but lacks depth in terms of worldbuilding, character writing, and even plot for it to ever become truly interesting. Even with so many things I love – the noir setting, the time period, the inclusion of the supernatural – it didn’t live up to its full potential. That said, I really did love the snappy dialogue. The game was at its strongest whenever you’re dazzling someone in conversation, either with charm or deduction, and it made me like the protagonist so much. I wasn’t sure if I’d be a fan of the prose at first, but it absolutely shines in these moments. [h1][b]Pros[/b][/h1] + Sharp dialogue befitting a clever private eye + 1920s noir atmosphere / vibe + Lots of choices in terms of which cases to pursue [h1][b]Neutrals[/b][/h1] ~ Choices match up accurately with your skills ~ Runs fine on the Steam Deck (especially just using the touchscreen) ~ A single playthrough takes you around 2.5 hours [h1][b]Cons[/b][/h1] - Magic doesn’t feel well-integrated in the setting - Storylines and characters are overly simplified - Doesn’t engage properly with its own themes [i]Wizard Confidential[/i] came across to me as unfocused and overly simplified, providing the player with more of a 1920s vibe / aesthetic with a bit of magic sprinkled in rather than a lived-in, immersive world. The choice for Seattle seems deliberate, and yet there is little that makes the setting stand apart from other 1920s noir settings I’ve encountered. Likewise, the choice to include the supernatural and magic is presented as a selling point, but I felt it turned into just another skill for you to wield rather than fully integrated into this world and all its characters. Because what [i]would[/i] a 1920s supernatural Seattle look like? How has magic affected the development of technology and/or guns? Are there any supernatural creature gangs? Do you need to become a vampire to join the vampire gang? Are there cops specializing in uncovering dangerous magical artefacts; are there laws against magic? Wizards brewing alcoholic potions that look like normal drinks to combat prohibition? Do stock brokers employ fortune tellers or diviners? The game answers none of these questions. There just happens to be a Merlin-esque figure running around wrecking the city that you’ll have to face up against, and that felt so random to me. Why would I ever be more interested in pursuing this dude rather than trying to solve a case my boss appears stuped by, for example? Nobody bats an eye if you use magic yourself. Characters will turn out to be magic-users or supernatural creatures, and that's kind of it. None of that properly intersects with the world. Magic seemed almost… boring, and that’s kind of a feat to pull off. As far as the main cast of characters, romance options included, is concerned, all are scattered around in their own storylines or cases. That means that there’s a very immersion-breaking swap every time you choose to pursue a lead or talk to someone; they rarely intersect. Characters and stories only show up if you make a certain choice, which means they can disappear for eons if you keep pursuing another lead. (But still remain your romance option / friend / ally etc. while maybe having met you... twice.) The game also suffers from making your moral choices easier by simplifying them to the degree where they don’t even feel like moral choices. The story tries to engage with all kinds of systemic social issues, but very much so through a black-and-white modern lens. I found this reductive, as well as a missed opportunity for more characterization and nuance that probably would’ve made me like some of the (side) characters much more. [spoiler]For example, you can choose between supporting a criminal gang versus a bunch of corrupt cops. Neither are ‘good’, obviously, but rather than making the gang leader an interesting and nuanced character it turns into a whole spiel of him actually being the sole ‘truly evil’ person in the gang, so getting rid of him will make the gang somehow… better? And maybe even more better if you take over as a ‘good’ gang leader?? (Likewise, the corrupt cops are also big bad evil. None of them have anything nuanced to say on prohibition or how they view law enforcement.)[/spoiler] I did really like the main character. Choose Your Own Adventure games can get a bit tricky on this aspect, having to balance providing an interesting character while simultaneously giving you enough blanks / choices to fill in their personality and skills yourself. I felt this was very well done, and that plenty of opportunities were given to show off different skill sets. I truly felt like a private investigator, and a cool one at that. Openly pull a gun, charm your way through, impress people with your deductions like a regular Sherlock Holmes – there’s plenty of options here, all very much in line with previous choices you’ve made. You’ll never have to guess which option corresponds to which skillset. And as mentioned before, the dialogue here is REALLY solid, and I almost wish there would’ve been even more back-and-forths with the rest of the cast. Anyway, I think I would’ve liked this one a lot more if it had been focused more on solving cases and left the magic aspect behind. I liked the dynamic with your boss / fellow private eye quite a bit, for example, and wouldn’t have minded if we’d just done a few cases with him before his plot truly kicked off. The game also could’ve been lighter in tone and not tried to tackle so many themes I feel it isn’t fully able to explore in depth – but then it probably wouldn’t have been a real noir, would it? Unfortunately, not recommended. If you want to solve crimes and deal with nuanced, layered characters in a 1920s setting (alas, no magic) who all encounter unjust social systems and have something to say about it, just play [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/3218530/Best_Served_Cold/]Best Served Cold[/url] instead.

Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 627: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆☆ (7/10) [i]Wizard Confidential [/i]is the newest Choice of Games release by Anthony Eichenlaub, and I’m quite impressed! Though it doesn’t seem to be Eichenlaub’s first work—it’s too professional for that—I’m higher on it than most people, from what I’ve seen from the rather lukewarm reviews on the subreddit and on Steam. To be fair, the criticisms are pretty correct. The biggest con is how [i]Wizard Confidential[/i] tries to juggle too much, and in doing so, loses sight of its strengths: its incredible prose and detective protagonist. It’s a big flaw, but I found myself being invested in the Prohibition-era anyway. I would recommend it if it were on sale … and to forgiving readers! [b]Thank you very much to the staff for the free copy![/b] [b][h2]Pros:[/h2][/b] ✅ [b]Writing.[/b] This is the game’s shining merit; in terms of prose, it’s my favourite CoG release in a while. The dialogue is snappy and seems period-appropriate while also being sharp and quick. (The examples and analysis are cut for length; see the rest [url=https://forum.choiceofgames.com/t/kates-reviews-new-wizard-confidential/174532/414?u=kate27]here.[/url]) ✅ [b]Atmosphere/setting.[/b] This pro is a continuation of the previous one, really, but Eichenlaub’s Prohibition-era Seattle is so … cool. It has all the traditional hallmarks of the time period: speakeasies, backroom offices, rain-slicked streets, moonshine, and jazz music. And, of course, a smooth-talking, witty detective as a protagonist. Yes, you can also dress in a trench coat and a fedora. What else do you need? ✅ [b]Detective gameplay and protagonist.[/b] One thing [i]Wizard Confidential[/i] absolutely nails is making you feel competent. Passing skill checks contributes to your actual investigation progress, which, if you fail … good luck! A lot of detective games end up making the player feel more like a spectator to the mystery than an active participant, but [i]Wizard Confidential[/i] does a good job avoiding that. You’re smooth-talking suspects, reading people during conversations, chasing down leads, getting into gunfights, and occasionally engaging in some somewhat illegal activities. The noir detective fantasy really comes through. ✅ [b]Stats screen. [/b]I love when authors put their own spin on the stat screen. In Wizard Confidential, your stats are written like a personal dossier by your mentor. For context, I had no stats in Illusion Magic, some in Elemental Magic, and a lot in Divination. Additionally, I had no stats in Firearms and Fists and Muscles. Instead, I put all my stats in Raw Brilliance. For personality traits, I was Above Board, Flashy, and Outgoing. (Examples are linked above.) [b][h2]Cons:[/h2][/b] 🟥[b] Too many disconnected side plots. [/b]This is something I’ve noticed with authors who publish their first IF. In an attempt to grasp the reader’s attention with choices that matter and multiple diverging plots—good!—some authors will shoehorn too many sideplots—bad! Now, if you (yes, you!) could humor me and read the Steam description of [i]Wizard Confidential.[/i] It previews a possible conspiracy in City Hall, a notorious gang, your missing partner, and a mysterious, dangerous wizard. Oh, and your reputation as a solo P.I. I have to praise Eichenlaub for giving each “quest,” as it were, its own threads to follow and a climax that reveals a major secret, but it’s too much. It’s a bit hard to explain while keeping spoiler-free, but it’s difficult to keep track of the characters, their motivation, and details when all the sideplots converge somehow. It’s almost as if the game has four main plots in one, which actually takes me out of the narrative. ➡️ [b]The wizard plotline felt out of place to me, tbh. [/b]This plotline felt so removed from the rest of the detective gameplay. There’s a wizarding group made for problems like these! I even had the chance to go to the group, and their response was just 🤷‍♀️ "sorry, can’t help ya!" Good luck! Man, I don’t want to take this dangerous dude! I did like his character and ending, but the wizard pops in and out of the narrative. Bizarrely, no one in the city quite seems to care about him? 🟥[b] This is tangibly related, but a fantastic review on Reddit brought up how the worldbuilding was actually lacking. [/b]Don’t get me wrong, playing as a magical detective was a blast; I loved using divination or elemental magic. But I also can admit … the magical element felt a tad out of place. There’s not a lot (or any!) explanation on how magic users are treated, the frequency of magic, or the different types of supernaturals. For example, two characters are revealed to be [spoiler]a vampire hunter and vampire[/spoiler]. Before this, there was zero (0) mention of these monsters. I was forced to choose choices with little context—all I knew about thes entites were from other media. What does it mean to side with one creature over the other? Why should I even care? ➡️ [b] To elaborate more, it’s revealed that a certain character’s brother is a [spoiler]werewolf[/spoiler]. [/b]Again, this is not foreshadowed or explained. Accordingly, you are forced to choose between “X should let him go; X should let him go and tell Y about him; he needs to go back into the bunker; he needs to go to the bunker, and they need to tell Y about him.” Instead of weighing meaningful moral options, I was often trying to figure out what the game was even asking me. What does being “let go” mean? If I let him go, is he gonna kill people? Is that what his species does? Is the bunker for containment, protection, or both? Because those rules are never explained, the choices become hard to parse. 🟥[b] Meh characters and romance. [/b]It’s funny, I actually genuinely like the characters I saw—they’re not blank slates—but there simply isn’t enough time to feel connected to them. Because of the jerky pacing, some characters are only present in their storyline, so if you don’t choose to spend your time on them, then you’ll only see one glimpse of them. It’s quite a shame because my chosen RO, Berenice, a hopeful jazz singer, is a stunning, flirty character. There was actual chemistry between my silver-tongued detective and this alluring singer who batted her eyes. But the romance isn’t fleshed out enough to actually make anything … last? [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]

This game really needs some love. Great writing in an unusual setting, characters that I found generally compelling. It really does feel like a proper noir story and the prose fits its setting perfectly. If you're at all interested in the setting, you should seriously consider giving it a shot.

[h1]UNDERWHELMING[/h1] Wizard Confidential is an interactive text-based novel (or interactive fiction, if you prefer) that puts you in the boots of a mage-detective in 1920s Seattle. The fantasy-noir setting during the Prohibition era was the main reason I gave this game a chance, and I'm probably not the only one. Sadly, it didn't live up to my expectations, and [b]I can't recommend it. The story is weak, the characters are uninteresting, and the setting feels underutilized.[/b] It's not that Wizard Confidential is outright bad, but there are simply too many great games out there to spend your time on something this mediocre. [b]World[/b] The whole idea of a Prohibition-era America populated by mages, vampires, and other magical creatures is undeniably appealing, but it often feels as though the author didn't know what to do with it. Casting fireballs and performing illusion tricks was fun, but the world around me rarely seemed to care. Maybe I expected too much from a game that lasts less than six hours, but I couldn't shake the feeling that the setting had far more potential than the author was willing or able to explore. [b]Story[/b] Not gonna lie, the story just didn’t interest me. You play as a detective who receives three new cases, and on top of that, you need to figure out what happened to your business partner. You can choose which case to prioritize, but it ultimately doesn’t matter much, since there’s enough time to complete all of them. There are some variations - for example, you can spend more time investigating the old mage instead of focusing on the cases - but it’s still very hard to actually fail. Unfortunately, none of the cases felt particularly compelling. I also struggled to get emotionally invested in any of the romanceable characters, even though they play a key role in each investigation. Coming back to the characters, it doesn’t help that everyone (with one exception, lol) is written in shades of grey. [spoiler]Even when you’re dealing with gangs or corrupt cops, there’s often this awkward "I can fix them" angle. It feels especially strange when you end up becoming a gang leader while still supposedly playing a good character. At that point, it raises the question: are they meant to help you do good now?[/spoiler] I also wasn’t a fan of the writing style used by Anthony Eichenlaub. It feels a bit try-hard, and because of that the text doesn’t always flow naturally. It may be technically fine, but it’s not the kind of writing I’d want to relax with at the end of the day. Obviously, that’s subjective, so I wouldn’t treat it as a major flaw of the game on its own. There is, however, a bigger issue: pacing. Some scenes move too quickly, and transitions between them are often weak or missing altogether. This becomes especially noticeable toward the end, where the story feels rushed through its final chapters. There are also a few odd or inconsistent details, such as your character’s wealthy background not translating into having enough money for your own apartment. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it stands out. [b]Audio & Visuals[/b] This game is purely text-based, so there’s not much to comment on in terms of audio or visuals. Still, I’ll leave my usual note for interactive fiction: even basic visuals and audio could make these games more accessible and appealing to a wider audience, similar to what Roadwarden or Wayfarer have done. [b]Technicalities[/b] The lack of a save system - or at least a "back to the previous page" button - is just incredibly frustrating. I can’t stress enough how much I dislike it when interactive fiction games do this. It’s all too easy to misclick on a choice you didn’t intend, especially in longer games, so give players a way to fix it. I only encountered one bug, where the game incorrectly assumed I had stolen something from the shop and triggered dialogue indicating that I had.

A pseudo-noirish attempt to make a choose your own adventure. I want to like this because it isn't super woke and it is written with native competency in the English language. But it is generally flat and boring. Although, it did surprise me once. The game gave me a blind choice, then immediately punished me for the decision I made. This made me gun shy the next time a similar choice was offered. Was that good or bad? I don't know, I only know that it took the fun out of the adventure, for me. The choices, there are often a ton of them. And they all seem coded for a type of character. But they don't seem to make much difference. The game has the typical 'build your character through the introductory narrative events' structure of many of these these titles. But you still end up railroaded with an ability that outshines the character creation choices. And the game seems built around the character having this pre-determined ability. This shouldn't be a big deal. But it comes out of nowhere, after you've been made to believe you had control over your build. Anyway, this game is too boring and frustrating for me to even try to finish. I just can't even with this pseudo-noir, non-story. I've tried, but it sucks all desire to continue from my soul at nearly every page. So, this is a solid thumbs up for being plain boring schlock instead of incoherent super-woke schlock.

So-so

Entertaining noir detective adventure with magic and supernatural elements. It turns out magic is a quite a fun addition to a prohibition-like setting! Most of the game is spent investigating for a detective agency. You get to choose your own path when deciding which of the many different threads are best to follow. Your time is limited however and you'll need to prioritise what you find most important. The story and investigations build toward a satisfying conclusion. Seems very replayable too. Feels like I barely scratched the surface of many goings on and I sure fumbled a lot of conversations with the main protags. Plenty more to discover on another go.

Magic, detectives, a fellow UW alumnus - 10/10 game. Go Huskies.

really fun game and short as well, was nice for breaking a gaming drought. romance and side stories were a bit stunted but the core writing and setting really star here. 3 and 1/2 stars outta of 5.