Heroes Rise: The Prodigy

Ma*****

This CYOA is kind of simple. The concept is pretty cool, and some of the customisation options are appreciated, but most of the choices you make don't feel like they add anything. The story is going one way and you can't change its direction. Another thing is that you can't be the bad guy, or even the anti-hero. You will ALWAYS be the good guy and not even get the choice of being anything more than that. The game is good but it could have been much better.

The idea of a superhero text-based choice game is brilliant, however the outcome is rather limiting in terms of how the linear and inevitable the plot feels or how boring and cardboard the player character feels, for example- no choice on what sort of powers you get. Still enjoyable to play but not in the same league as Zombie Exodus, Tin Star or Sabres of Infinity.

Ma*****

This game has a lot of flaws. It's incredibly linear, for one, which makes your choices feel pretty pointless. Second, the so-called protagonist has no actual effect on the game at all; the entire game is just him being led around by the nose by every single other character. The only actual love interest you have comes off as a manipulative sociopath, and only one or two of the other characters come off as even remotely likable. Yet despite all that, I can't bring myself to hate this game. Maybe it's because I'm a huge superhero fan, maybe there's some glimmer of potential here that my unconscious mind sees, but I still feel at least mildly entertained by this game. Here's hoping the sequel has fixed these flaws.