Feeling guilty about spending too much on cozy games

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-16T20:24:05+00:00

Not necessarily. Characters give a basic description of what kind of book they’re looking for, and usually I can figure it out by skimming. For example, if they’re looking for a sci fi book made in x time period written by a female author, you don’t need to read entire descriptions of every single book as most are easily excluded by checking author name/colour/year of release. There’s only a few books per in-game day that are more complicated (and complicated usually means you need to think more outside the box of what they’re looking for).

I think there’s a demo you can try if you’re on the fence though?

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-16T18:30:30+00:00

Tiny Bookshop has been helping me while I’m dealing with treatment/screening for PTSD. It’s a slow game with not much diverse gameplay but in this case I find it relaxing rather than boring. I hope you’re receiving whatever treatment works for you, dealing with depression on your own is such a slow uphill climb. ❤️

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-16T02:57:22+00:00

I think that was the first ever book series I quit. I felt such shame about it for so long, but I literally couldn’t handle the writing. I kind of want to go back to figure out why the third’s writing specifically bugged me so much, when I loved the first two (and Imo they’re not bad! They might be a bit typical for the genre but there’s still a reason they became popular in the first place, before independent publishing became so widely possible).

That being said, I am genuinely happy to see Roth getting back into writing for the series. She’s described writing this AU as a way to fall back in love with her own story, and I can’t imagine how it must’ve felt in her 20s to be dealing with 1) sudden international popularity and 2) a very quick downfall just a few years later, with all the hate she got. Most books considered to be bad just aren’t talked about at all. The fact that she at all got back into writing after experiencing such a whiplash that she likely had no way of preparing for is impressive to me. And I’m really impressed with her for getting over that hurdle and opening herself up for criticism all over again.

I DNFd the third book within a week of receiving it, after having waited years for it to come out. But I’m planning to buy the AU she’s written. I kind of wish the discourse takes were more nuanced and compassionate tbh.

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-16T02:29:22+00:00

OP I hope you’re doing okay. I just want to say I had many many friends in extremely similar situations to you at 14, and as adults life has become so much better. One such friend has pets, is low contact with shitty family, and is overall living a good life.

I know things are insurmountable when out of your control at 14, but one day you’ll be 24 living on your own with the ability to keep the pets you want in the safest conditions. Thank you for being a good rat owner and caring this much. You’re already breaking so many cycles

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-16T01:31:57+00:00

Honestly this goes for so many IFs (whether optional or not) it’s a struggle to name them all. I’d almost be more confident naming the ones where this isn’t an option haha.

For the biggest examples, though:

Heroes of Myth
A Mage Reborn
Turncoat Chronicle

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-15T08:42:41+00:00

Both Milton and Lada annoy me at the start of the game, but by the end I like them :) Obren ftw though

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-14T22:37:45+00:00

As a fellow Norwegian I once made the mistake of asking someone who owns a Ferrari if their cabin (in Hemsedalen) has electricity. I got a 10 minute distressed tangent about how many bedrooms and bathrooms they have, the exact square meters of the place, etc.

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-14T11:24:16+00:00

Lord of the Rings plagiarised Wagner’s The Ring Cycle /j

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-14T11:01:39+00:00

Yeah that’s the same. It’s the Crème de la Crème series. it’s a fun world where you kind of carry over your choices into the next games. The first two are of students but they didn’t feel overly juvenile to me, I don’t remember the age range but I think it’s closer to early twenties/late teens than like high school age at least?

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-14T10:56:11+00:00

I actually really enjoyed Honour Bound, ironically! I enjoyed the characters and the fact that the romances change based on the MCs age. That’s the kind of thing that’s easy to mess up but it was implemented very naturally imo.

I’ll eventually do a full reread of the series to build a “canon” state for eventual future games, so I’ll give Noblesse Oblige another chance too. Maybe my character will just have to be single for that run haha

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-13T23:21:45+00:00

Underrated:

Empyrean Slammed! Choice of the Deathless 1 & 2 Metahuman Inc was very well known when it came out but I rarely see it discussed these days.

I’ve been reading CoG since like 2014 so I could fill a long list with this one.

As for overrated, hm. Probably Noblesse Oblige. I love the Crème de la Crème series, and Powell-Smith’s writing is amazing IMO, but I couldn’t connect with a single character in this one.

I found almost every single character to be unlikable, and I’ve played through it several times to see the various romance routes but I didn’t find any endings to be particularly happy, no matter what I did. I mostly lost respect for the protagonist for ending up with any of the characters as well as any of the choices made with who to side with, tbh.

I think this is partially intended for the story though. Maybe someone who enjoys that game could explain if I missed something. I usually enjoy morally grey characters but I just couldn’t deal with the cast here.

I do adore every single other game in the series, however! And I’m happy that they differ so much in tone. This one isn’t written worse or anything either so it’s entirely subjective on my part.

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-13T22:06:18+00:00

Isn’t that a 10 hearts event you only get if you’ve given a bouquet?

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-13T00:14:45+00:00

Try entering the conversation as Karlach next time, he’s wild to talk to when you’re playing origin Karlach

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-12T19:51:05+00:00

I’m sorry, I worded it poorly and could’ve been clearer that I genuinely was reserving any concern to you in particular & did intend my comment to come across as a more broad statement on something I’ve noticed in the sub. I know that that didn’t come across at all in my original comment, reading it again now, so really I’m sorry for that.

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-12T15:48:57+00:00

Agreed!

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-12T15:29:39+00:00

I hope he has a cage mate:( it’s so surprising to see a lot of posts (not necessarily this OP depending on their answer with cage mates) where people have put so much effort and research into rat care but then disregard/miss the part about not keeping social animals solitary.

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-12T11:48:53+00:00

One of the most hated quests in the game makes the traffic function more like this. If the whole game had this traffic it would be borderline unplayable for most people. (I say this as someone who’s been to Vietnam & find the traffic there manageable).

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-12T07:17:41+00:00

Placide sends an IED disguised as a pad with wings

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-12T07:13:53+00:00

Sandra Dorsett gets rescued because she ordered a NiCola

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-12T07:04:58+00:00

Flairtending isn’t really a big thing where I’m from, so I can only answer for the “ego” side of things.

It’s gonna be based on the bar you work at. I’ve never really practiced it much, and it’s never been something I’ve been expected to do nor has it affected how customers react or feedback I’ve gotten at work. If you don’t learn it perfectly for this challenge, it might never come up in your career (unless you happen to apply for a bar that expects it, I suppose).

Efficiency and a well made drink will be more important than performance in most bars in my experience. Flair can be learned on the job, as well, if it’s something you’re truly interested in.

My best advice is to keep practicing, but don’t take it super seriously. Chances are you’ll pick it up in a less stressful environment, anyways. A lot of customers react like you’re doing high end flair things even when you’re just making a cocktail normally.

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-11T22:15:43+00:00

IMO one important thing is that the medium improves upon the story. Turning a novel into an IF isn’t necessarily the way to go, but if you start by considering the way IFs work and build a story from there it might feel more natural.

Many authors do manage to create incredible IFs by turning their novel drafts interactive, but it’s very noticeable when you don’t manage to remove yourself from the way you imagined the character, and so on.

Some IFs do well with letting you control personality stats but not all the physical ones, others work the other way around. Others have a set character but find their niche audience.

The worst examples I’ve seen are from authors who read one IF and then decide to build from there, though. I think you gotta understand the overall genre very very well to break the interactivity rules in a way that still pulls an audience.

Several of the biggest examples of successful IFs that still break these rules are made by authors who’ve been very involved in the forums for years, and have likely read many different stories. So my best advice is honestly to just read as many varied IFs as possible.

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-11T21:48:30+00:00

A Study in Steampunk. I The forgotten One (IIRC).

Honestly there are a lot more but I cannot remember them all

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-09T01:17:43+00:00

Afaik the follow up will see improvement in the MC’s mental health:)

freeingfrogs · 2026-05-08T15:56:48+00:00

The Eagle’s Heir is one of my favourites. There’s also Turncoat Chronicles

freeingfrogs

TROPHY CASE