Ambition Minuet in Power

I love backing games on Kickstarter. Compared to backing hardware or other genres, it is slightly less risky and you get the feeling that your contribution makes a real difference to an indie game publisher, even if it is just knowing that they have just sold a future copy of their game. That said, there are quite a few of my backed projects that have just not managed to realise their grand vision for their games... either falling very short of the vision, producing a buggy version or producing something completely different to what what was expected.... and then there are those where real-life rears its ugly head, and due to circumstances out of their control the small development team (usually one or at most a handful of people) get completely derailed. These teams are often doing it for a shared vision, and it is more than likely that it isn't going to be their main way of earning an income, especially during the long lead-up time where they are only being supported by Kickstarter and whatever funding that they have manage to scrounge for their vision!

So, after backing it at the end of 2017 (wow, that is almost four years ago!), Ambition: A Minuet in Power has finally launched. Like many of these Kickstarter backings, I am sold on the pitch, and then will back it and just wait it out until it finally launches (or doesn't). I'm not one of those who will stay active in the community and give lots of feedback on the ongoing development... maybe it would be nice to do that, but I want my first experience with a game to be fresh, and not spoilt by any prior exposure and experience.

I've now had about 5-10 hours with Ambition, and this is my first impressions for what it is worth!

Ambition Minuet in Power

Ambition is a visual novel, dating simulator and one of these turn based games where you can do up to two actions per day to develop your character. It is a particular style of game which doesn't grab everyone, sort of like a turn based Sims, but with a storyline and light RPG elements that help give the mechanics some meaning and purpose.

So, you play as Yvette Decaux, the finance to a recent Baron, who has just arrived in Paris from an outlying province. You are expecting to join your finance in a house and to take your place in the parties of French high-society.... however, upon arrival, your finance is missing and there are large scale events that are brewing. Namely, the French Revolution is just around the corner... but until then, society and parties must continue... but there is a chance for you to shift the balance of power between the Revolutionaries and the Crown, and perhaps find a true love for yourself!

Ambition Minuet in Power

If there is anything that sticks out about the game, it is it's crazily enduring charm. In a way, everyone around you (and your own character) is so adoring naïve to the politics and the cut-throat conniving of Paris, although one wonders if everyone is really that naïve, or if it is a mask and cloak for a hidden dagger.

Ambition Minuet in Power

Like all the games of this genre, you have a calendar that will mark out key events and give you some idea of how to spend your time during the days. There are various resources that need to be juggled (thankfully, a few less than some other games of this ilk...) that will help shape your success or failure. Credibility, Peril, Livres (gold) and Dresses are all going to juggled in order to present your best side at parties and to navigate the politics and skull-duggery that pervade the whole Parisian society from top to bottom.

Ambition Minuet in Power

If you aren't planning to go to a party on a particular day, you can spend the time to explore the city... early on, you are introduced to a gossip rag owner (reputable newspaper....) who enlists your help in collecting interesting news (gossip...) from the parties that you attend. This appears to form your main source of income at the beginning... collecting and selling interesting news, or using that gossip to influence the power dynamics between the various factions in the city... the Crown vs the Revolutionaries, and the minor powers of the Military, Church and Bourgeoisie (middle class).

Ambition Minuet in Power

So, parties... you accept or decline the sometimes conflicting invitations. Which will mean that that particular day will be now blocked off for preparations for the party. These are prime moments for collecting gossip, influencing events and for making interesting contacts within the competing factions (or finding a lover...).

However, each party will start to exhaust you, which means that without rest (spending a whole day to rest), you will be progressively much LESS effective at the various challenges and opportunities that appear at the parties. With the chance that failures will lead to increases in Peril, which will actually put your life in danger, ending the game.

Ambition Minuet in Power

As someone who will just wear whatever is on the top of my clothes pile... well, putting some thought into the selection of outfits to match the expected guests and hosts of a party was quite a new experience! Each dress will have its own stats that will measure the effectiveness and bonuses against a particular faction, but wear the same dress at too many parties at your own peril... they degrade in effectiveness as their novelty wears off!

... who knew that parties would be so much work to prepare for!

Ambition Minuet in Power

... and then there is the party itself! Each party is divided into two parts, essentially the chance to take part in two conversations/opportunities. Success will result in credibility, gossip and possible new contacts (or the development of contacts), failure will result in peril increases and loss of credibility... stripped of the story elements it is a chance to take a risk in order to boost or lose a particular resource. Isn't that like real parties???... actually, I'm not so fond of parties in real life!

So, after a few hours... my first impressions of the game are quite promising! I've managed to navigate the parties and am starting to explore the city of Paris. I wonder how the overarching story will turn out... I've focussed more on staying alive and getting my household budget in some order, so I've mostly ignored the larger story and any potential romances/friendships. In many of these types of games, there is a relentless min-maxing strategy that is required to survive, you need to efficiently use your limited character development turns to get through... at the moment, I don't sense that so much in Ambition, and I suspect that is due to the lesser number of skills/resources that is at play... I think that is definitely a good thing there!

One thing that I must note... as I'm a musician.... the music for this game is pretty damn good! They have employed a composer and musicians to realise the soundtrack for this game, and they have gone for early Classical (era, note genre) style. It is something that really adds quite a lot to the game, and from that point of view, it is a definite bonus. However, as a musician who specialises in this sort of music, I find it both good and bad. Some tracks are amazingly well composed and performed (mostly the tender type ones...), but I find the faster versions to be lacking in punch and rawness... they seem to aim for that "genteel" interpretation of Classical music that is at odds with what I understand and aim for as a musician.

In the end, I will have to class Ambition: A Minuet of Power to be a successful Kickstarter! I'm definitely interested in how it will progress as the game develops, but I have very happy and favourable first impressions! Proper review when I get more time under my belt!

Review Specs

Played at 1080p (144Hz) on:

XMG Fusion 15

CPU: Intel Core i7-9750H
RAM: 16 GB
Storage: SSD (SATA/Nvme)
GPU: Nvidia GTX 2070 Max-Q

I can also be found cross-posting at:
Hive
Steem
Publish0x

Splinterlands (aka the best blockchain game out there!)

Humble Bundle

Have you heard of Humble Bundle? It's a place to get some really great deals on Games, e-books and comic bundles. However, if you sign up for a Humble Bundle Subscription (12 USD per month) you get some really nice bonuses!

1. A 100+ USD bundle of games delivered direct to you each month, redeemable on Steam, Uplay or direct download (depending on the game). This includes recent Triple A games!
2. Access to the Humble Bundle "Trove", a list of 60 games (and growing...) which are free to play as long as you remain a subscriber!
3. Additional Discounts on the Humble Bundle store, with the choice of supporting charities, Humble Bundle or developers in whatever percentage that you wish!

Humble Bundle Subscriptions, it's a no brainer for the dedicated gamer!