The Daring Mermaid Expedition Reviews

This has got to be the weakest title by CoG I've played. Choices don't seem to matter as much and the writing is pretty bad compared to others.

The weakest title by CoG I've played so far. Generally subpar I'd say, choices don't seem to as much and the writing is nothing to... write home about. It has an interesting premise but lacks in it's execution. Sad since it it sthe type of writing we don't see much of anymore.

The game feels very short compared to other Choice of Games titles. Despite the game joking about the ending being anticlimactic, it truly was. There's a lot of build up towards seeing the mermaids and it's so underwhelming.

The worst choice of games game i have played to date. Way too short, and in the end i just completed to see if it got any better as far as the story and gameplay were concered. Feels like it was cut short, i excpected it to go on but it just end suddenly. Give this one a pass folks.

An adventure CYOA game from COG. A bit different than usual fantasy or hero subjects. An interesting premise and story of an scholar to prove or not existence of mermaids. I liked it. Unfortunately, the story is very short. As I was slowly progressing through story, came to an abrupt conclusion and ending. Author definitely could have worked more on supporting character development as there was a lot of potential to do so. A good buy but not a must buy. 7/10 Forced to chose side in a marital issue. Tried to not take side so they both sided against me. Mission accomplished?

Most of the Choice of Games games I've played were engaging, even the simplest ones, compelling enough to make me want to play again (if only to get all the achievements!) but the same cannot be said about The Daring Mermaid Expedition. Sections of it seemed hastily slapped together, much of the narration seemed to think that the reader/player is probably either an idiot or a small child, and it was consistently contradictory about how to obtain a decent outcome. It was impossible to get immersed in the story, and the only good thing I can say about it is that it is, mercifully, incredibly short.

I played this game with my brother on a car trip across the midwest. In the beginning, he just wanted to know what I had been laughing at, and so I told him. And then I read him a bit of the story, and asked him what he wanted to do. Soon, I was reading the entire thing to him, and waiting for him to make a decision, and doing silly voices for the different characters. Eventually I had to stop, since I had worn out my voice by talking constantly for two or three hours. When we got to a hotel, he immediately bought the game, so that he could do a replay, and try to get a different ending than the one we ended up with after the first playthrough. I haven't played many other choice of game's games, and so I can't speak as to where how this ranks as compared to other games of it's type. It is short, and maybe a bit shallower than you would want. But sometimes you don't want to read an epic, 10 hour saga; sometimes you just want to spend a nice time telling a story with a friend.

I am a big fan of Choice of Games, having enjoyed all of the games from them I've played thus far. Unfortunately, that streak of enjoyment has come to an end with "The Daring Mermaid Expedition". This is the first time I've ever played one of their games and just wished for it to be over. And, wouldn't you know it, my wish came true: it was over incredibly fast. Honestly, it feels more like a demo than a fully fleshed out game. Perhaps even a beta release rather than the finished product. The premise of the story had me hooked. The thought that I'd be going through a lengthy and in-depth trial to prove the existence of mermaids along with my own skill. Sadly, the game itself was a let down. It's boring and disjointed, the way choices change your stats seems iffy at best. They really don't make much sense, you are given very generic choices that lead to long scenes that really don't seem to relate all that much to the choice you've chosen. There's very little to be done in order to research and the patron system, while intriguing, was not fleshed out. You're pushed into chosing your patron, who also seems to be your one possibility for a romantic partner for that playthrough, minutes after the game begins, without knowing anything but small rumors and hearsay about them. It feels like a novel that was published with only the prologue included. Perhaps that's because they want to make it a series, but whatever the reason, it doesn't feel like a complete game. I might try playing it through again in the future and at $2 it's not like it's that much to chance on whether you'll like it, but overall I wouldn't recommend one way or the other. However, since I have to choose one way or the other, I suppose I don't recommend it. It's mostly a matter of taste, but in this case, it's a taste I don't enjoy.

Unless I'm mistaken, I believe this is only my second Choice of Games game. And while it's not quite as good as the first (Hollywood Visionary), it's still pretty charming. It's an agreeable little "period" tale about - you guessed it! - mermaids. It's not quite worthy of the likes of Terry Gilliam or early Tim Burton, but has a humorous eccentricity which kept me sufficiently hooked throughout (pun probably intended). Don't come in expecting anything too deep or dark or meaningful, and you may well find something to enjoy...especially if you have a thing for merpersons. The writing is quirky yet solid, the choices at least sufficient; though some may find it a tad lacking in the length department. Personally, I become more enamoured with short games with each passing month, and don't see the need for every gaming experience to be an epic undertaking. If you don't agree with me, you may at least want to wait for a sale. Recommended, but perhaps only to avid readers seeking something a little different in their diet. Verdict: 7.5/10. (PS Quite a few people have noted that the climax is a tad on the abrupt side. In one way, I agree; on the other, I found the ending I received to be quite satisfying and wholly appropriate. Different strokes for different folks, etc etc...)

I'll give The Daring Mermaid Expedition a 7/10. [list]Things I noticed (Might be slightly spoilery... but nothing major): [*]Great premise for a story. (Trying to become a member of an explorer / adventurer / scholarly guild.) (Reminds me of Pathfinders in a way.) [*]The pace seemed a bit rapid. You would quickly move to a new location or situation, and about the moment you would get comfortable... Instead of being able to experience the new location more and enjoy the flavor of the story, you seem to be abruptly rushed to the next scenario. Sometimes worst, the results from a choice would also feel a bit jarring and very VERY abrupt, then swept under the rug. (I'm looking at you two Sandoval and Madame, making kissy face for no real good reason at all. I guess I rolled a natural 20 on my diplomacy check, and now we'll never see these characters again after all that buildup... *rolls eyes*) [*]The chance for romance seemed as if the story was trying to force your hand down a romantic path. The problem is that it also seems to be limited only to the four patrons you meet at the beginning of the story and you don't know enough about any of them at that time to make an informed decision about them before you're stuck with one of them. The Romance seems to be only tailored to the Patron you are paired with, and there's never any alternatives given. I guess there aren't too many fish in the sea after all... Speaking of Fish... There are no chances for romance with mermaids as far as I can tell, so you'll be disappointed if you wanted to get your freak on with a fish. ~~~ <>< ~~~ ;-) [*]It was an entertaining exercise in gaining evidence to support a claim, but because the time rapidly moved-by via the text, and late game literary devices are used to funnel your final findings... you never really felt like you were able to explore the possibilities of real research and sharing your findings, which forces the reader into a strange form of anticlimactic stalemate no matter how much evidence you collect. Which leads me to my final observation: [*]This game felt like a great prolog to a much larger story. This makes for a good first act with three short scenes: establish the premise, introduce the reader to the world and how it operates, instruct them with the types of things they need to do and... we're sorry, your story is now over. :( But I'm ready to begin now... do some real hard science! Some great investigation and legwork! I'm ready for adventure, chasing rumors, and a journey into uncovering the unknown, and maybe getting into a few fights along the way... But alas, they only get you prepared to be in that mindset, then the story ends. [/list] So... Would I recommend this game to others? Yes, but I would recommend other Choice of Games' stories first! If you're looking for something with a more complete story arc, and great plot branching... Try "Choice of Robots" or "A Wise Use of Time". (Both of those are 'Great!' and every choice you make in those stories seem to have consequences, for better or for worst, no matter how small of a choice it was.) (The Daring Mermaid Expedition is just 'good', or maybe just 'okay', but the premise has potential. I bet they do another one similar soon or just expand based on the world building that has already been done for a future title.) I'll leave you with this thought: The most interesting part of The Daring Mermaid Expedition was a mechanic where you would report your findings via correspondence with your Patron and the Royal German Marinological Society. (This should have been played up more, and used to further more story bits. If a new "explorer guild" type of story game is written again, I would suggest focusing on these beats. It's a perfect wrap up to what just happens, and leaves you expecting fallout (both good or bad) from how you report it. Unfortunately, this never came to full fruition because 1. it didn't happen enough (needs more story), and 2. seemed like it was just used as a litmus test setup for if your patron would like you or not. (And not an ongoing journal of your findings or adventures, which is what it should have been.) Buy it, Try it, and let me know what you guys think. I'm interested in reading other people's take with this game. Much Love & Peace!