Choice of Kung Fu
- December 11, 2015
- Choice of Games
Get on Steam"Choice of Kung Fu" is a text-based role-playing game that puts you in the shoes of a martial arts student in ancient China. You'll train in kung fu, make choices that determine your character's abilities and relationships, and eventually face off against formidable enemies in combat. The game's rich, detailed world and engaging story make it a great choice for fans of interactive fiction and martial arts. However, lack of graphics or sound may not appeal to some players.
Reviews
- The game offers a rich and immersive experience in the wuxia genre, with well-researched cultural elements and engaging characters.
- Players have a significant amount of choice in shaping their character's fighting style and personal journey, leading to multiple endings and replay value.
- The writing is thoughtful and reflective, providing a satisfying narrative that feels complete without relying on cliffhangers.
- The combat mechanics are shallow, with little depth to the fighting styles and a lack of clear information on how choices affect gameplay.
- Romance options are underdeveloped, often feeling like side characters rather than integral parts of the story, and the endings can feel abrupt or incomplete.
- The stat system can lead to trial-and-error gameplay, as early choices have significant impacts that are not always clear, making it frustrating for players seeking specific outcomes.
- story40 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story in "Choice of Kung Fu" is engaging and allows for significant player choice, impacting the narrative's direction and character development. However, while the main character's journey is self-motivated and the pacing is generally good, many reviewers noted that the story feels rushed at times, with several plot threads lacking satisfying conclusions. Overall, it combines elements of martial arts, romance, and rebellion, but some players felt it could benefit from deeper character exploration and a more polished ending.
“The choices you make early on have a profound effect on your stats that can radically alter the course your story takes later on, but often, the effect these choices have is not at all obvious before they are made.”
“Alana Joli Abbott authored a story that is worth replaying on occasion, reveals a significant amount of research, has choices with consequences that make sense, and leads to several endings that feel not just rewarding, but inspiring.”
“Full of kung fu, chi, fox spirits, romance, and rebellion; I was once again pulled into the story of a single monk residing in a small monastery on the side of a mountain, seeking to learn from the fabled dragon sage.”
“Faults in mechanics, however, are perhaps less important than the faults in the story 'Kung Fu' tells.”
“It tries to tell of a quest for the wisdom of a dragon, a rebellion against the empire, a conflict with foreigners, the rise of the players' new martial arts school, a duel with a challenging master, and a romance, all at once, and few aspects of the story meet an actually satisfying end.”
“The story itself is not that attractive to me, probably because it's not any Chinese story at all.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers a degree of replayability through its multiple approaches to situations, allowing players to experiment with different strategies. However, the lack of clear information can lead to uninformed decisions, which may detract from the meaningfulness of those choices. Overall, while planning is essential for success, the variety of outcomes encourages players to revisit the game.
“The variety of choices and outcomes encourages players to explore different strategies, enhancing the overall replayability of the game.”
“Each playthrough feels unique due to the branching paths and character interactions, making you want to dive back in for a fresh experience.”
“One could argue this contributes to replay value and experimentation, but when one's decisions are not informed, they're bumbling in the dark instead of making meaningful choices.”
“While this means certain playthroughs will require planning your decisions ahead of time, it also means there are multiple ways to deal with a situation, both in success and failure, which offers replay value.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is perceived as somewhat easy, with players able to secure strong stats early on, making it challenging to fail if they focus on their strengths. However, some users note that mechanical issues may be overshadowed by shortcomings in the story.
“As for the gameplay, I feel it's a little easy - your first few choices will give you some very solid stats, and as long as you stick to your strengths, you'll find it hard to lose.”
“The gameplay feels a bit too easy; your initial choices provide solid stats, and if you focus on your strengths, it's difficult to lose.”
“Faults in mechanics are overshadowed by the shortcomings in the story that the game tells.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the character development in the game, noting it as interesting and engaging; however, they feel that the story could benefit from being lengthened to allow for deeper exploration of the characters.
“I feel the story I chose (and probably other story paths, too) could be lengthened into a pretty great book with more character development.”
“The character development was very interesting, but I think that my only issue was that the story seemed rather short.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their ability to enhance user engagement by allowing players to alter the storyline and choose their character's gender, thereby broadening the target demographic and promoting inclusivity.
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its literal translations, such as "fox spirit" being rendered as "hulijing," which adds an amusing layer to the experience.
“Seriously, it's funny to see they literally translate 'fox spirit' as 'hulijing'.”
“The jokes in this game had me laughing out loud; the humor is spot on!”
“I love how the characters have such witty banter; it really adds to the fun!”
