Heed magic’s call! Find love on a lush tropical island among immortal warrior-mages as you explore ancient mysteries, craft dragon-rune tattoos, and discover your true loyalties. What passions shape your path?
Ink and Intrigue is an interactive erotic fantasy novel by Leia Talon, where your choices control the story. It’s entirely text-based—300,000 words and hundreds of choices, without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.
We’re excited to announce that Ink and Intrigue is releasing this Thursday, October 17th!
As part of the World of Darkness “Month of Darkness,” we’re excited to announce new content for Werewolf: The Apocalypse — The Book of Hungry Names! “Those Who Refuse to Die” is the latest DLC addition to the sprawling epic.
“Those Who Refuse to Die” is on sale, along with the Book of Hungry Names base game, and the “Wardens and Furies” DLC until October 17th!
“Those Who Refuse to Die” unlocks the options to play as a member of the Galestalkers tribe or the Ghost Council tribe. Experience Werewolf: The Apocalypse — The Book of Hungry Names as one of the relentless hunters of the Galestalkers or as a member of the secretive and ruthless Ghost Council.
It also unlocks ten entirely new Gifts accessible to other tribes. Steal magic from your enemies with the Crow’s Gift. Shatter bonds of all kinds, both physical and mental, with the Hummingbird Prince. Or call down lightning with the Stormcat’s Gift.
Finally, at no additional charge, we’ve added six gorgeous new character portraits to the game, including art for Scarper, Udolpho, Pembe, the drone, and Black Tarn (in both Homid and Lupus form).
In a Persian steampunk empire, will you use your arcane alchemy to repair a spaceship or pilot a mech? Ignite a revolution, snuff it out, or play both sides against each other?
Heavens’ Revolution: A Lion Among the Cypress is an interactive retrofuturistic fantasy novel by Peter Adrian Behravesh, inspired by eighteenth-century Iran. Choice of Games editor Mary Duffy sat down with Peter to talk about his writing process. Heavens’ Revolution: A Lion Among the Cypress will be available on Thursday, October 24th. You can wishlist it on Steam in advance of its release—it really helps!
You’re a prolific podcaster, writer, editor, and narrator in the fantasy and science fiction/fantasy space, with an impressive list of awards and nominations for your work, but I think this is more or less your first foray into interactive fiction, correct?
That’s correct! While I’d read interactive fiction prior to this, I’d never tried my hand at writing it. It was a huge learning curve, but I saw it as an opportunity to stretch my creative muscles and explore a new medium. I don’t know how successful I was! But hopefully players will enjoy the ride regardless.
What should our players know about the world of Heavens’ Revolution?
The world of Heavens’ Revolution is heavily inspired by eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Iran, particularly during the Qajar era. Alchemy is the impetus for interplanetary travel, as well as a host of other technological advances. But of course, as in the real world, those advances mostly benefit people in power. The game takes place almost entirely within the city of Seyj, which is on the brink of a conflict that’s equal parts the Rashidun conquest of Iran, the Iranian Revolution, and my own invention. I tried hard not to make the world feel like every other SFF empire/colony setting or the conflict feel black and white. I really wanted players to be able to explore the nuances of this world and forge their own path.
What did you find compelling about telling that story in ChoiceScript, in an interactive novel, as opposed to some other medium?
The aspect I found the most compelling was also the most challenging. When drafting prose, I’m used to writing characters into a corner and then coming up with a unique and cool solution for them to get out of it. But in Choicescript, I had to think of at least three unique and cool solutions for players to escape each sticky situation. It wasn’t always easy! But if I did it well, it will make for a more rewarding experience, and ideally make the game more replayable.
What surprised you most about the writing/coding process?
How difficult it is to code deception! So much of this game is about hiding your true intentions or playing one side against the other. But the more choices I created where a player could lie, the harder it was to track all of the possible branches (much like lying in real life, I suppose). If I were to do it again, I would certainly simplify this aspect, if only for my own sanity!
Do you have favorite interactive or text-based games you want to shout out?
Can I shout out a WIP game? I’m loving what I’ve read of Dragon Butcher by Summer Fletcher. I’m biased, since Summer and I worked together at PodCastle, but their prose packs such a wallop, and the world feels deliciously gritty and lived-in. I can’t wait to play the whole thing!
What else are you working on?
Too many things! I’ve written a traditional novel set in the same world as Heavens’ Revolution, so my first priority is revising that. I’m also co-editing an anthology of Iranian speculative fiction (with fellow CoG author Rebecca Zahabi) that will be out in 2025. And I’m (slowly) working on a new album of original and cover songs. On top of that, I have narrations forthcoming from Cast of Wonders, PseudoPod, and PodCastle, and I’ve written two academic essays on Persian monsters that will be published in anthologies from Oxford University Press and Bloomsbury in the near future.
Called stupid brutes, orcs are hated and looked down upon by all! If only an orc could unify the clans and turn the hordes against their enemies. Harness your might, and the power of gods and demons, to remake the world in the visage of an orc!
An Unexpectedly Green Journey is a 1.5 million-word interactive novel by James Isaac. It’s entirely text-based—without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.
Born in the baked, dusty plains, you emerge into a world of stagnation and decline. Orcs simmer in this backwater, a hopeless people dismissed as culturally stunted and irrelevant barbarians. Once, an age ago, orcs had the briefest glint of a place in the sun and held the continent of Behatland by the throat, only to fall before the united forces of the world. What hope have you to make something of your life beyond scrabbling for meagre survival?
But the fates have conspired and presented you with an opportunity. The elves are in perpetual retreat to match their ever-diminishing forests. The time of dwarven glory has long passed. The great human empire totters on the edge of decadence and the unravelling of the traditions of their ancestors. Demons tempt those of wayward faith. Worse, there are whispers and sightings of something far more sinister stirring in the Ashland to the west…
The world slumbers fitfully before the tantalizing tendrils of an encroaching nightmare. Someone needs to kick this world awake, wring its neck, roar in its face and hack at it with an axe before eating it! IT IS TIME FOR THE ORCS TO RISE AGAIN!
From the moment you first open your eyes to the instance of your last croaking breath, you will take the role of a mighty orc. Become anything from a bone idle glutton, fit only to be forgotten, to the ruler of the greatest empire the world has ever seen. Wield your influence and connections to build great armies or a holy city. Usher in an age of peace or demonic devastation. Make a mess and eat a load of halfling offal!
• Explore an open world full of danger, opportunity and adventure. • Grow your orc through every stage of their life, from the moment of birth, through childhood to adolescence, from youth to maturity and, finally, into old age. • With the knowledge of Krog-blessed resurrection, explore and die to your heart’s content using the new checkpoint system. • Rise to become the chief of your tribe, the king of all orcs or the emperor of an entire continent. Then face off against a final threat powerful enough to challenge even an emperor. • Command vast armies, with a diversity of units, and crush dwarves, elves, humans and halflings too! • Raid rival warbands riding atop your ferocious boar. • Master the arts of a shaman. Wield the will and magic of the orc god to build and manage a Holy City and breach the realm of divinity. • Succumb to temptation and devote your soul to the Powers Beyond and Below. Weave demonic taint across the world and burn it to a cinder as you become the Dark Lord itself. • Devote your life to gluttony and join the fabled Big Bellies in epic feats of gut-busting consumption. • Fight in arenas across the land to earn wealth and glory. Perhaps, one day, you will claim the title of Grand Champion. • Join an adventuring guild and go questing with a party of brave heroes across the land. • Or live a life of simple mediocrity and leave all the fighting to the stupid gits who want to die young.
20% Grub. 30% Glory. 50% Slaughter. 100% Orc.
James developed this game using ChoiceScript, a simple programming language for writing multiple-choice interactive novels like these. Writing games with ChoiceScript is easy and fun, even for authors with no programming experience. Write your own game and Hosted Games will publish it for you, giving you a share of the revenue your game produces.
Heed magic’s call! Find love on a lush tropical island among immortal warrior-mages as you explore ancient mysteries, craft dragon-rune tattoos, and discover your true loyalties. What passions shape your path?
We’re so excited to have another game from you! Tell me all about this follow up to Their Majesties’ Pleasure. What can players expect in Ink and Intrigue?
Ink and Intrigue is set in the same world as Their Majesties’ Pleasure, but on a lush island far to the west where magic flows through dragon ink and portals connect the multiverse.
There are lots of fun new elements in Ink and Intrigue! You can bond with a dragon, griffin, or phoenix, and will explore a series of initiations to become a warrior-mage as you infiltrate the island as a spy. The world building is extensive and there are countless gems to discover, from a hidden library to otherworldly realms. You can engage in blackmail or worse, decide the fate of a treasonous mage, leave a trail of destruction in your wake on a mission to another world, dance around a bonfire as the ocean crashes on the shore, and go surfing with friends who treat you like family.
Though there are many similarities, the tone in this story is quite different. Their Majesties’ Pleasure was a romp and a riot, while Ink and Intrigue is more intimate and soulful, and perhaps more intense, depending on your choices.
What changed in the way you approach crafting an interactive romance from your first and second game?
After Their Majesties’ Pleasure I told myself I was never writing another game. It was so much work! My brain protested all the different paths and seemingly-endless details. And then it was finished, and people played it, and lo and behold players seemed to actually like it, and before I knew what was happening I was coming up with concepts for another game.
The process was easier in general this time, though it was still a challenge toward the end. At least I knew how to work with ChoiceScript and had practice wrestling with the necessary complexity of an interactive novel. I also tapped into the community on the Choice of Games forum, which was helpful for camaraderie and to pick up coding tips. The longer I write this style of interactive fiction the more respect I gain for other authors out there doing the same. It’s a major endeavor, but having the experience of another game under my belt did wonders to help me write Ink and Intrigue faster.
One major difference is that Their Majesties’ Pleasure had several polyamorous routes while all the romances in Ink and Intrigue are monogamous. I had planned for a poly option, but the characters told me they didn’t want to share and the farther along my writing progressed the more I realized that was the right call for this particular game. The one-on-one relationships deepen the intimate feel of the story.
You can develop rich relationships with all of the romance characters in Ink and Intrigue, and I’m hoping players will find satisfaction in the depth of those friendships and the closeness of a chosen lover. There is also the dragon/griffin/phoenix storyline so there’s another key relationship in play.
What were you most surprised by in the writing of this one and from player feedback during the beta process?
The characters surprised me, but they always do. My favorite part of writing is the discovery as things unfold. Even with a detailed outline my characters take control and come up with much better ideas than I did at the start.
I realize that might sound a bit ridiculous. I’m the writer, after all. Aren’t I supposed to be in charge of things? But, no. My process is very much about getting out of the way of my characters and letting them do their thing. If I trust them, the words flow. That’s just how it works for me.
I want to extend a special thank you to everyone who provided feedback for Ink and Intrigue! Also, thanks to everyone who played the demo and commented on the forum or shared it with a friend! Your thoughts and encouragement are most appreciated.
I ended up writing an entire extra chapter during the beta process so players can accompany Kai and Teo on a mission to Kai’s world. It adds lots of action and emotion to the game. I’m really happy with that last-minute addition and I hope you like it, too!
Was there a character you enjoyed writing most for Ink and Intrigue?
I love them all! I adore Teo’s soft-spoken strength and the brotherhood between him and Kai. Rae is super fun, all sass and tenacity, and Thea is mysterious, revealing her playful side once she’s had a bit of moonshine. Artanian the hermit librarian wasn’t planned but he turned out to be a lovely character, and La’rast the alchemist prince became a bigger influence than I’d anticipated.
It’s hard to choose a favorite, but Kai has a special place in my heart. This story started as a manuscript I’d shelved. The game is quite different, but Kai was one of the original main characters and he helped me translate various ideas from the manuscript to the interactive novel.
Kai is utterly determined to make things right in the world he’s from, which involves vengeance, violence, and blowing things up. He’s fierce and masterfully skilled and pretty much unstoppable as a warrior and mage, but he also has this sweet, patient, tender side to him that I absolutely love.
What else are you working on/what’s next for you?
I have several other concepts for games set in the same world as Their Majesties’ Pleasure and Ink and Intrigue, including one fully outlined. I couldn’t stop the ideas as I was writing this game. They all wanted to be written at once!
That said, time is precious and my kids are growing fast! I pushed hard to write Ink and Intrigue in less than a year and am needing to slow way down now to focus on self-care and family. While I do hope to write the other games I have planned, I’m going to take a break for a bit and explore other creative outlets like sewing and making music. When I return to writing I’ll be seeking a work-life balance that’s more sustainable.
If I could wave a magic wand I’d have three more games set in this world ready to go! Alas, they take an incredible amount of work to bring to completion. However, when they’re finally ready you’ll be able to return to Ink and Intrigue and discover all kinds of Easter eggs scattered throughout that tie into the future games. Maybe you’ll pick up on some of them in subtle foreshadowing as you play. If you do, please pop into the forum and share your guesses with me!
We’re proud to announce that Bootlegger: Moonshine Empire, the latest in our popular “Choice of Games” line of multiple-choice interactive-fiction games, is now available for Steam, Android, and on iOS in the “Choice of Games” app.
It’s 33% off until October 3rd!
Quench the thirst of 1920s Prohibition New York! Build a criminal organization to distill and peddle whiskey, and you could end up rich, famous, or dead.
Bootlegger: Moonshine Empire is an interactive historical novel by Drew Morrison. It’s entirely text-based, 210,000 words and hundreds of choices, without graphics or sound effects, and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.
The year is 1920. Prohibition has begun, and alcohol has become illegal overnight. As public bars, distilleries, and distributors have shut down, thirsty patrons now turn to the black market, as organized crime rises to meet insatiable demand.
You started running whiskey in rural Pennsylvania with a few friends in a barn, trying to make a better life for you and your sister, brewing bathtub gin and white lightning. Now, you’re building an illegal operation to distill and distribute liquor.
Your target: New York City. The teetotalers call it “Satan’s Seat.” The city is full of rich folks who want to drink booze while they dance the Charleston till dawn—and you’re going to sell it to them.
Use your business acumen and instincts to outwit your rivals; or ally with them to build your own empire even higher! Bargain with union leaders and mob bosses to get your booze to Manhattan’s ever-growing network of speakeasies—or ruthlessly eliminate every one of your rivals in bloodthirsty shootouts. Life back home in Pennsylvania is almost as dangerous, with the preacher who wants to keep your hometown dry, and the Feds moving in closer every day.
As you gather your power, there’s no telling how high you could climb. Will you become the mayor of your hometown? You won’t have to worry about the cops if they’re on your payroll. Will you just get rich, living in your palatial Manhattan penthouse? Or will you become a Broadway star with your name in lights?
But you know what they say: the higher they rise, the harder they fall. If you get on the wrong side of the wrong people, you could end up in prison, or worse.
• Play as male, female, or nonbinary; gay, straight, or bi.
• Manage the workers in your operation; will you be a generous leader, or a merciless profiteer?
• Drive on wild car chases to get your moonshine to the big city before your rivals can catch you!
• Launder your illegal earnings through a Broadway play—and maybe even become the star!
• Navigate the politics in your hometown: Communists, union organizers, temperance preachers, and more—or become the mayor and put them all at your command.
• Climb the ranks of New York City’s mob to inherit an empire—or get caught by the Feds, and see it all come crashing down.
Why be a cog in someone else’s machine, when you can have your own moonshine empire?
We hope you enjoy playing Bootlegger: Moonshine Empire. We encourage you to tell your friends about it, and recommend the game on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and other sites. Don’t forget: our initial download rate determines our ranking on the App Store. The more times you download in the first week, the better our games will rank.
Quench the thirst of 1920s Prohibition New York! Build a criminal organization to distill and peddle whiskey, and you could end up rich, famous, or dead.
Bootlegger: Moonshine Empire is an interactive historical novel by Drew Morrison. It’s entirely text-based, 210,000 words and hundreds of choices, without graphics or sound effects, and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.
Fields of Asphodel is a 1.3 million-word interactive novel by JJ Laurier. It’s entirely text-based, without graphics or sound effects, and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.
Forced into an arranged marriage with the God of the Dead, only you can decide what to make of your new life. Befriend misfit deities, repel giant attacks, find the culprit behind the river goddess’s mysterious illness, and use your powers to nudge Fate in your favor! Decide what kind of deity you want to be—whether you’ll answer prayers, how you’ll develop your powers, and what role you’ll take in governance.
Play as male, female, or nonbinary; gay, straight, bi, asexual, or poly.
Play as neurodivergent or neurotypical.
Take on the powers of spring and life.
Find love and friendship among the gods of the ancient Greek Underworld.
Develop your abilities and hobbies, and choose the kind of life you want to live.
Grow a garden in the Underworld.
Defend the realm, advise the King, and solve a mystery.
Make a new home, or seize the opportunity to return to your old one.
Can you bring light to the darkest of realms?
JJ developed this game using ChoiceScript, a simple programming language for writing multiple-choice interactive novels like these. Writing games with ChoiceScript is easy and fun, even for authors with no programming experience. Write your own game and Hosted Games will publish it for you, giving you a share of the revenue your game produces.
Dragon of Steelthorne by Vance Chance has been updated with two new chapters—30,000 words of new content. This update is free for all customers who have already purchased the game. For those who haven’t:
Rule a mighty city, fight battles, and embark on quests in a steampunk-fantasy land. As the Ardent or Ardessa of Lake Steelthorne, find love, power and a secret which could change the world.
Dragon of Steelthorne is a 170,000-word interactive novel by Vance Chance, weaving together story, city management and combat in a unique take on choice-based Interactive Fiction. Customize the level of challenge with four difficulty settings. It’s entirely text-based—without animation or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.
Now with two new chapters! Join your companions on more misadventures at the Great Carnival. Enjoy a night of dancing with them at the Windrose Ball.
• Play as male or female, straight or gay. • Explore a story set in a world with steampunk and fantasy elements. • Find romance from one of five possible love interests. Enjoy a romantic night with them at the Eternal Festival. • Choose from one of five classes, with different effects on story, city management and combat. • Manage a city and train soldiers to fight for you on missions. • Enjoy a three-slot save system which provides the flexibility to try different options without losing progress or having to start over.
Decide the future of your mighty city as its leader and ruler.
Steam
Twitter
Facebook
Tumblr
RSS Feed
