The player is an idiot.
QUEST LOG #31: RUN TAVERNQUEST
Run TavernQuest is a unique take on the choose your own adventure games of old - rather than being the adventurer yourself, you act as the dungeon master, choosing what responses, outcomes, items, and events take place, all while trying to battle the dim-witted player - Steve, who rather obstinately refused to use logic, finesse, or charm as he plough through the game, regardless of the quality of his experience or the results of his actions.
As you chat with the CUP behind the scenes you must work together to guide the oafish Steve through his adventure, trying to stop his stupidity from ending his adventure too soon. In the demo, a small scenario takes place where Steve must find some weapons and hunt down and defeat a wizard. It’s clear however that Steve is uncouth and possibly trying to get through the game as fast as possible and with little interest in the story - it’s your job to make it interesting, to keep him in line, and to ensure his survival, all while trying to mitigate (if you want to) his bad decision making.
Playing through the demo several times reveals the branching story, even in such a small slice, and it’s rather impressively done. The change in perspective is very refreshing, and the comedy of it brings to mind the Adventure Call sketches with Falconhoof from the Limmy show, in which he, as a presenter of an interactive Dungeons & Dragons-esque phone in game show has to attempt to guide the array of mad, stupid, rude, and idiotic callers through their adventures. Here’s a clip if you’re not seen it before…
The take works incredibly well in the sketch show, and works just as well here. What elevates it in this case however is the excellent writing, and above all, the narration and voice over work. The various characters change their demeanour depending on the choices you and Steve make, taking their roles more seriously on occasion, or expressing a sense of exhaustion when more silly options are taken.
The aesthetics of the game bring to mind the likes of the 1982 version of The Hobbit on the ZX Spectrum, but with a modern gloss. It runs incredibly smoothly - as it should, being just a wall of text, but it feels very polished and sleek, and the presentation of it is very nice to use. Along with this, the voiceover work, and the writing, the backing music also stands out, creating a brilliant sense of atmosphere that perfectly encapsulated the feeling of playing one of these game. I can’t speak of the full game, but if the demo is anything to go on, Run TavernQuest is going to be excellent.
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"-STEVE has no charm" - I feel seen.