Ambition: A Minuet in Power
- August 18, 2021
- Joy Manufacturing Co.
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"Ambition: A Minuet in Power" is a visual novel set in 18th century France. You play as a young widow seeking to rise in society by attending glamorous soirées, gathering information, and using your wit and charm to influence key figures. Navigate political intrigue, form alliances, and make choices that will determine your path to success. Will you play the game of societal advancement as a cunning minuet, or leave a trail of chaos in your wake?
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features an interesting and well-written story set during the French Revolution, with engaging characters and a compelling narrative.
- The mechanics of balancing credibility and peril add depth to the gameplay, making choices feel impactful and strategic.
- The art style and music are beautifully crafted, enhancing the overall immersive experience of the game.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs, including issues with saving, unresponsive invitations, and glitches that can disrupt gameplay.
- Some characters and events can feel repetitive, leading to a lack of variety in interactions during multiple playthroughs.
- The ending can feel abrupt and unsatisfying, with some players expressing disappointment in the resolution of character arcs and storylines.
- story129 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally praised for its engaging narrative, rich historical context, and well-developed characters, offering multiple storylines and choices that significantly impact the outcome. However, some players find the gameplay mechanics repetitive and the pacing uneven, with certain plot points feeling disjointed due to random generation. Overall, while the story captivates many, it can become tedious over time, leading to mixed feelings about replayability and character development.
“The plot writing is interesting and well done; you can tell some serious research went into this game.”
“The characters are very well written, the dialogue feels realistic, and the story is woven incredibly well.”
“The story is very well written and engaging.”
“For me, the fiancée was the least interesting of all the characters; the game allowed me to pretty much ignore him except for a few obligatory scenes to carry the main plot forward.”
“The concept is fun and there were definitely elements I enjoyed, but by midway through the game I literally had nothing to do but collect repetitive gossip at a faster rate than I had a use for it, and passing in-game time felt like a chore I was slogging through in the hopes that the story would resume.”
“The most frustrating being that many of the randomly generated interactions kept appearing 'out of order' in such a way that the story felt massively interrupted and disjointed.”
- gameplay66 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a blend of visual novel and strategy elements, offering a compelling and engaging experience with a rich narrative and interesting mechanics. However, players have noted issues with repetitiveness and unclear mechanics, which can lead to frustration and a sense of tedium in the later stages of the game. While the game features a unique approach to court intrigue and character interactions, it struggles to maintain excitement throughout, often requiring players to replay for a more fulfilling experience.
“Well-written branching alternate-history Machiavellian French Revolution scheming simulator with a simple but compelling gameplay loop (where balls and soirées are a battlefield and your outfit choices are tactical) and a surprising depth of choice.”
“It has a brilliant and intriguing story, all the characters are immensely interesting, the music is grand, the art is expressive, the gameplay was really fun - it pretty much had me hooked from start to finish, just an all-around excellent game.”
“A great visual novel with fun gameplay mechanics and interesting choices to be made.”
“Once you figure out the basic game mechanics, it gets quite boring.”
“My main issue is that a lot of gameplay is unclear and unpredictable.”
“The bad: several mechanics are not explained, and you just discover them by chance: the café, how to set up rendezvous, etc.”
- music47 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful and period-accurate classical soundtrack, which enhances the overall aesthetic and storytelling experience. While some players noted that the music can become repetitive over time, it remains non-distracting and fitting for long play sessions, contributing to both tense and peaceful moments throughout the game. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, complementing the art and writing effectively.
“The music is lovely and despite how repetitive it is, it never becomes jarring.”
“The soundtrack is amazing and so, so fitting for the setting and atmosphere.”
“This music is awesome, you can tell it was recorded on mostly period instruments, which really adds a fun layer to the playing experience.”
“The soundtrack can be a little repetitive after a while or out of context, such as being in an inn and hearing horses.”
“There are a few grammar mistakes and I don't think it makes much sense that the music effects for the street continue playing when you are inside a building - not sure if this is a bug or not.”
“In the first half of the game, monotonous and peaceful music is mainly played, but in the second half of the game, there is a lot of tense and fast music.”
- graphics23 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beauty and charm, with a lively art style that enhances the overall aesthetic experience. However, some players express mixed feelings about the art style, noting that it may not appeal to everyone and that certain character designs can appear aggressive or unnerving. Despite these critiques, the artwork, user interface, and music contribute positively to the game's immersive storytelling and replayability.
“I really enjoyed the storyline, dialogues, characters, setting, and art style.”
“Graphics are simple but beautiful.”
“Overall, I think that ambition is a fine example of the developer's efforts and it blends graphics, music, story, and choice to make a wonderful game and a fine work of art.”
“The art style chosen for the sprites is not my favorite, and some of the sprites depict the characters as unnecessarily aggressive or unnerving.”
“I've definitely had a few people in the server comment that they don't like the art style, but the art on the store page is absolutely representative of the style throughout the game.”
“I also was not totally crazy about the art style, but that's just a matter of taste, and it is well drawn.”
- replayability22 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its diverse paths, relationships, and unique endings that encourage multiple playthroughs, while others find the experience repetitive and lacking in variety after initial runs. Many appreciate the potential for different outcomes based on choices, but some express frustration with the randomization elements that can detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, while there is a foundation for high replay value, it may require breaks between playthroughs to maintain interest.
“There's tons of replayability in it as you can go extremely different directions in any one playthrough.”
“Much more nuanced and complex than it appears at first glance, and it has replay value due to the different possible paths, relationships, and endings.”
“There is clear replayability with the different endings where each is unique and each playthrough feels different.”
“The problem is that there is virtually no replayability.”
“The randomization doesn't make the game more replayable, it just makes the game more frustrating.”
“In my opinion, the replayability of a visual novel should come from following the various story paths and making divergent choices.”
- stability12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting persistent glitches and bugs that hinder gameplay and enjoyment. Many players recommend waiting for a sale due to these issues, which have been ongoing since 2021, and express frustration over the lack of reliable information on resolving them. Overall, while the game's premise is promising, its current state is described as a "buggy mess," making it difficult to progress reliably.
“For now, buy when it's on sale as there are still occasional glitches and bugs.”
“Overall the premise of the game is good, but the game is far too buggy to reliably progress.”
“It is so buggy, and these are things that were complained about back in 2021 and supposedly dealt with.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its light-heartedness and cleverness, with players enjoying exaggerated character expressions and witty dialogues that evoke laughter. Many found the interactions, such as characters gossiping about your actions and the absurdity of the game's roulette wheel theme, to be particularly amusing. Additionally, the ability to manipulate love interests adds a humorous twist to the narrative, balancing comedic elements with deeper themes as the game progresses.
“My favorite part of the game was when people gasp and gossip at almost anything you do, which was quite hilarious.”
“A lot of the parties you'll attend in this game feature roulette wheels, which is funny because the entire game is a roulette wheel.”
“I found it really funny that you can choose (and you're even encouraged!) to two-time people, to get close to multiple love interests so you can manipulate them to get the outcome you want.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to repetitive dialogue and randomly generated events that can frustrate quest completion. While some appreciate the unpredictability it offers, many express that the gameplay becomes overly easy and monotonous in the late game, making it challenging to stay engaged. Overall, the experience of grinding is seen as a mixed bag, appealing to those who enjoy a certain level of repetition but potentially off-putting for others.
“I know there are more endings, but I don't know if I have the patience to go through all the tedious and sometimes meaningless conversations again.”
“In full transparency, it does become a bit tedious after a while, and the fact that events, parties, and NPCs are randomly generated can make completing certain quests frustrating.”
“My problems with the game are with how the gameplay can get a little tedious and even overly easy once you reach the late game of your first playthrough.”
- character development6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is noted as lacking, with some reviewers highlighting that while character designs are visually appealing and high quality, they tend to be repetitive. However, the engaging plot, fun action, and strong writing contribute to an enjoyable experience that encourages multiple playthroughs, despite the shortcomings in character growth.
“Good characterization and character designs.”
“The background and character designs are also excellent.”
“The character designs are consistent, but the art is of high quality.”
“I would say character development is lacking, but the plot and action surrounding it are loads of fun.”
“While these parties can become a little repetitive, the writing, music, character design, and the sheer number of different ways events can play out make it good for at least two or three play-throughs.”
“I have to replay it again even if I have to see all those repetitive narratives because Armand's character design is too handsome to make me give up playing this game.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by an exceptional soundtrack that perfectly complements the setting. Reviewers feel that these elements work together to create a captivating experience.
“They really are the cherry on top and make the atmosphere complete and immersive.”
“The soundtrack is amazing and so, so fitting for the setting and atmosphere.”
