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Review for RPG Maker Web's IGMC 2017 Secret Santa!

The basic essence of this game is that of a graphic adventure: explore the world, find items, apply those items to unlock new areas to explore. The world in question is a sprawling mansion where you and a number of other guests are trapped for the amusement of your host, the mysterious "game master".

This game feels like it wanted to be something much more, which isn't a surprising result for a month-long game jam product. There are twenty playable characters, and the ones you didn't choose for your avatar can be found meandering within the various rooms of the mansion. Most of them don't have anything particularly important to say, just bits of flavor text. A few actually give practical hints, such as the suggestion to examine things several times (the necessity of which is a questionable game mechanic, but more forgivable since the game informs you it's needed). The items and puzzles are few and far between, spread out across the mansion. There are also a few cases of non-obvious progression requirements, such as speaking with a character again after doing something else.

Considering there is a message as the game opens saying "This version of the game is for the Indie Game Maker Contest 2017", perhaps we can expect it will be expanded and improved. Some things I would hope to see in a newer version are a larger and more intricate web of items and puzzles, better indication that an NPC may need to be revisited, and a conclusion to the story beyond "you escape the mansion" -- a confrontation with the game master, for example.

Thank you AubreyTheBard for your detailed review! I hope you liked the game! I have taken notice of your ideas for improvement and will consider them if I make an improved version of this game after the IGMC17 is over.