Wayhaven Chronicles: Book One
- March 9, 2018
- Hosted Games
- 20h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Apple StoreIn "Wayhaven Chronicles: Book One," you are a detective in a noir-inspired city, unraveling a supernatural mystery. Your choices affect the story's outcome and your relationships with other characters. This visual novel combines detective work, fantasy elements, and romantic options for a unique and engaging experience.
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Reviews
- Engaging story with well-developed characters that feel real and relatable.
- Strong emphasis on romance with multiple unique love interests, allowing for replayability.
- Well-written with a good balance of humor and serious moments, making it an enjoyable read.
- The plot can feel predictable and lacks depth in the mystery aspect, focusing more on romance.
- Some characters may come off as one-dimensional or tropey, which can detract from the overall experience.
- Choices may not significantly impact the story, leading to a feeling of limited agency.
- story554 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Wayhaven Chronicles" is a well-crafted blend of romance and supernatural mystery, featuring a small-town detective who collaborates with vampires to solve crimes. While the narrative is engaging and the characters are richly developed, many players noted that the choices made throughout the game have limited impact on the overall plot, leading to a more linear experience. Despite this, the writing is praised for its depth and humor, making it a compelling read that encourages multiple playthroughs to explore different character interactions and story nuances.
“The story is amazing, every character's personality is interesting and their background story still has so many mysteries to know in the next sequel, and the world story is still vast to explore.”
“The characters are interesting and have excellent chemistry with both each other and the reader, the story is atmospheric and sets up each scene well, the language is eloquent yet not insanely difficult for the average reader--this book was well-rounded in just about every sense!”
“The story is engaging and the characters are really great.”
“I felt like I was playing Charlie's Angels meets Twilight, with a feeble attempt at a detective story.”
“The story was simple, more like a vehicle for a drawn-out romance than anything.”
“Playing through this story left me feeling tricked, disappointed, and unsatisfied.”
- replayability38 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a mixed bag in terms of replayability. While many players appreciate the nuanced dialogue changes, character interactions, and various romantic options that enhance replay value, some express disappointment over the limited impact of choices on the overall story. Despite these criticisms, a significant number of players find enough variability and enjoyment to warrant multiple playthroughs.
“Instead, the choices you make change the dialogue in small ways, which makes the replayability super high.”
“There is a ton of replayability here, as your detective can be male/female/non-binary with any romantic preference.”
“A really well-written game with great characters, an interesting and well-thought-out world, and a lot of replayability!”
“Was a bit disappointed that most choices didn't really impact the story in any way, so the replay value wasn't that great.”
“So replay value is limited unless you are a completionist.”
“Very low replay value.”
- humor26 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with many players finding the dialogue and character interactions genuinely funny, often leading to laughter. While some humor tropes, like the "about-to-kiss-but-someone-walks-in" cliché, can become repetitive, the overall comedic timing and character dynamics are praised for their effectiveness. The blend of humor with serious moments adds depth to the narrative, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate a mix of lightheartedness and emotional engagement.
“The humor hits well, and I have found myself laughing and smiling at the dialogue and interactions many times.”
“I laughed so much at this; the characters are funny, and the author has great comedic timing, whilst still keeping things in tone depending on the situations the characters are in.”
“Made me laugh out loud a bunch of times!”
- character development14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the depth and progression of the love interests, noting that they evolve beyond their initial tropes, others criticize the lack of organic growth and personal details. Overall, many reviewers highlight the strong writing and variety of choices that enhance character development, contributing to a rich and engaging narrative experience.
“Good game, the character development, the choices, and story are strong.”
“I've been a fan of choice of games and their hosted games for a long time now, and while I don't think anything is going to top the hero trilogy, this story is up there with some of the best writing, setting, and character development so far.”
“The writing is amazing and it really draws you in. I also loved the variety of choices it gives you and the character development!”
“There is no organic character development, and I could not tell you a single personal detail about any of these jackasses.”
“I can see where the four love interests could be considered 'tropey' (you do have the stoic team leader, the romantic softie, the flirt, and the 'kid/jokester'), but as with the story, you learn more about these characters as the series progresses and you'll soon see there's a lot more to each love interest as the character development progresses.”
“There is no organic character development, and I could not tell you a single personal detail about any of these jackasses.”
- gameplay10 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The gameplay is criticized for being poorly executed, particularly in its detective elements, which are not very prominent. Players cannot lose, which may appeal to some, but the experience can be frustrating due to the hit-or-miss nature of deductions. Despite these issues, the character interactions and the engaging vampire romance aspect are highlighted as the game's strengths, making it more enjoyable for players who appreciate narrative depth.
“Investigating these events will lead you to work with the previously mentioned vampires, and how the case will go from then on is based on how good you're at keeping the team in check. The way you define if you're a charming, brooding, funny, momma's boy, or a bastard kind of character influences the reactions of each team member on a friendship or flirtation level.”
“The gameplay element of it is poorly executed, but I could forgive that on some level from a text-based game if it had good enough writing.”
“A really big gameplay choice I want to highlight is that you cannot lose in this game.”
“The one thing I'll warn about, at least from my gameplay, is that the detective aspect isn't all that prominent.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game is a text-based experience with no graphics or music, focusing on storytelling and player choice. While it features graphic moments related to its supernatural detective theme, the lack of visuals allows for a unique immersive experience that many players find engaging and enjoyable.
“It's a pretty feel-good game (though be warned: it still has a lot of graphic moments because you do play a detective solving supernatural crimes).”
“But it is a choice game which is enjoyable just without all the graphics and stuff.”
“As usual with these text-based games from Choice of Games, there's no music, graphics, or whatever.”
“I can't tell you how long it's been since I've been able to sit down and focus on something with no visuals anywhere to be found, but once I started playing this, I couldn't put it down until I finished it.”
- emotional10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the book is highly praised, with readers noting the strong connections they felt to the characters and their experiences, particularly in poignant moments that elicited tears. The writing effectively balances heartwarming interactions and intense emotional scenes, creating a memorable and impactful experience. However, some felt that the resolution was rushed, detracting from the emotional buildup.
“This book is incredibly well written, from the action scenes to the emotional ones.”
“Amazing experience, wonderful cast of characters, wholesome interactions.”
“I won't spoil it, but the emotional connection I felt in each path, especially Ava (my favorite), was so strong I ended up crying a bit during a certain bittersweet moment.”
- music4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game lacks its own music, typical of text-based games from Choice of Games, leading players to recommend creating a personalized listening experience by using Spotify playlists that match the game's romantic themes.
“I recommend reading with music - you can find playlists for every love interest on Spotify.”
“As usual with these text-based games from Choice of Games, there's no music, graphics, or anything.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its eloquent writing and effective scene-setting, creating an engaging environment that enhances the story. The chemistry among the characters adds depth to the experience, making it accessible yet immersive for players. Overall, the atmosphere contributes significantly to the game's well-rounded appeal.
“Very well-written, with an interesting cast of characters and some great atmosphere.”
“The characters are interesting and have excellent chemistry with both each other and the reader. The story is atmospheric and sets up each scene well; the language is eloquent yet not overly difficult for the average reader. This book was well-rounded in just about every sense!”
