Info about Mohism: Battle of Words:

Official game description:
  
Mohism: Battle of Words is a detective game set in the world of wuxia. You play as Zhang Xiaochen, a young Rift Watcher, navigating through a series of unsolved cases at his master's behest and eventually becoming a master detective. This is not a traditional wuxia game, as our protagonist Xiaochen knows no martial arts. Instead, you must rely on wits and rhetoric to reveal the truth and best the opponents. Find the true culprit and ensure justice prevails!
Storyline
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Step into the shoes of a detective in the world of wuxia!  
Mohism: Battle of Words comes with 4 individual cases that together tell a complete story. Key dialog segments feature voice acting to improve the immersive experience of the investigative process. Pay attention to the subtle changes in tone and key hints hidden within. Follow the footsteps of Xiaochen as he enters the tumultuous world of wuxia and uncovers a massive conspiracy!  
**Intrigue at the Tang Keep**  
Tang Hechun, the Master of the Tang Keep in central Sichuan, is suddenly found murdered in a locked room. Investigate and reveal the untold secrets behind this crime.  
**Murder under Our Noses**  
Despite its neutral stance, the Rift Watchers are about to face violent tribulation. How would its disciples respond to the threat?  
**Slaughter in the Shrine**  
Zhang Xiaochen and his companions, Criminal Affairs, the Secret Service, and mysterious assailants in black have all gathered in this remote shrine. What fate awaits our heroes?  
**The Case on the Lake**  
Director Miao Xiang of the Secret Service is found dead in his personal study within the heavily guarded Secret Service headquarters... and the suspect is the statue within the room?
Characters
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You will come across a variety of people and encounters as you work on the cases.  
In addition to the courage to unearth the truth from the crime scene, you'll also need to think logically and piece the evidence together.  
Unlike traditional wuxia games, Mohism: Battle of Words is a story-rich adventure game featuring tons of detective elements. You and your opponents will enter the miraculous Rift and battle with rhetoric to determine the victor.
Identify Fallacy
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In this phase, you must identify loopholes in your opponent's speech and point out how they contradict the evidence you have gathered in order to achieve victory!  
Brainstorm
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Think and reason to reveal the truths behind the crime or identify suspect elements!  
Reconstruction
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Sort the events leading up to the crime and its aftermath. Piece together evidence and reconstruct the entire crime!  
**Developer's Acknowledgments:**  
The detective gameplay that we have developed is inspired significantly by classic whodunnit classics such as Ace Attorney, Danganronpa, and Sherlock Holmes. We would like to take this opportunity to thank these game developers for their wonderful work.

Release date: 17 Apr, 2023

Categories: Investigative Gameplay, Deductive Reasoning Puzzle, Visual Novel, Choice-based Narrative, Single-player Story, Rhetorical Combat


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Excellent Wuxia Detective Blend (weight 0.52): Players highly praise the game's overall quality, especially its unique blend of Wuxia and detective elements, often comparing it favorably to Ace Attorney and Danganronpa. The game is seen as a well-executed, innovative, and enjoyable domestic production.
- Engaging Story & Case Design (weight 0.48): The game's story and case design are highly regarded, with players appreciating the logical flow, engaging plot twists, and well-structured cases, especially from the third chapter onwards. The narrative is described as immersive and cohesive.
- Stunning Art Style & Design (weight 0.44): The art style, particularly the ink-wash and comic-style cutscenes, receives widespread acclaim for its aesthetic appeal and effective integration with the Wuxia setting. Character designs are also noted for their quality and realism.
- High-Quality Voice Acting & Music (weight 0.41): The voice acting, including the use of dialects, is consistently praised for its quality, naturalness, and ability to enhance character portrayal and immersion. The background music also contributes positively to the overall experience.
- Well-Developed & Likable Characters (weight 0.37): Characters are well-developed and likable, with specific mention of the detailed and realistic portrayal of various personalities, including the supporting male characters.
- Effective Narrative & Save System (weight 0.34): The game's use of comic panels for narrative is seen as an unconventional but effective way to maintain tight pacing and manage production costs. The save system is also user-friendly, allowing for exploration of multiple endings.

Common complaints:
- Poor Plot & Unsatisfying Ending (weight 1): Players are highly dissatisfied with the game's plot, particularly the character Qin Shuangshuang and the ending. Many feel the story is illogical, morally problematic, and that the villain is unpunished, while the protagonist is forced into undesirable choices. The narrative is perceived as rushed, especially in later chapters, and lacks the expected depth and satisfaction of a detective game.
- Weak Logic & Deduction (weight 0.61): The game's reasoning and deduction mechanics are criticized for being illogical, far-fetched, and often requiring players to guess the developer's intended solution rather than applying genuine detective skills. Players feel the game fails to capture the essence of its inspirations like Ace Attorney, lacking the satisfying progression of truth revelation and robust logical chains.
- Incomplete Voice Acting & No Skip (weight 0.54): The voice acting is a significant point of contention, frequently described as incomplete, intermittent, and poorly implemented, often cutting off after a few words. Additionally, players are frustrated by the inability to skip dialogue, especially for already-read text, which negatively impacts the pacing and overall experience.
- Short Game Length (weight 0.5): Players feel the game is too short for its price, with some noting that the main story effectively consists of only three chapters after the prologue. The overall length and pacing are seen as rushed, contributing to a lack of depth and a feeling of unfulfilled potential.
- Presence of Bugs (weight 0.43): Players reported encountering bugs, particularly in the prologue and during sections requiring multiple selections. Some also noted issues with achievement unlocking, indicating technical flaws that detract from the gameplay experience.

Gameplay feedback:
- Ace Attorney-style detective gameplay (weight 0.53): The game's core gameplay is a detective visual novel, heavily inspired by 'Ace Attorney' and 'Danganronpa'. It involves investigating crime scenes, collecting evidence, and engaging in 'verbal battles' or 'tongue wars' within a unique 'Ink Mirror' system where martial arts are nullified. Players must identify contradictions in testimonies using evidence, solve 'brainstorm' puzzles, and reconstruct cases. The game features four interconnected cases, with the first serving as a tutorial, and offers multiple endings based on final choices. While some find the deduction logic and puzzles solid, others note the presence of misleading evidence and a generally lower difficulty compared to its inspirations, allowing for brute-forcing without penalty due to unlimited retries.
- Linear story with branching endings (weight 0.33): The game's narrative is largely linear, with the main story progression unaffected by most choices. However, there are at least two significant choices, particularly at the end of the prologue and the game's conclusion, which can lead to different story outcomes or endings.
- Adjustable difficulty with mixed deduction feedback (weight 0.31): The game includes a difficulty setting that can reduce time pressure during verbal battles, making it more accessible. While some players find the overall deduction difficulty to be medium to low and suitable for new players, others note that the timed deduction segments can feel too short, and some deduction logic might require conforming to the author's specific reasoning.
- Non-combatant, intelligent protagonist (weight 0.31): The protagonist, Zhang Xiaochen, is a scholar who possesses no martial arts abilities. His strength lies solely in his intellect and rhetorical skills, which he uses to solve cases and engage in debates, aligning with the game's focus on verbal combat over physical confrontation.
- Fully voiced debate segments (weight 0.27): While general dialogue may not be fully voiced, the critical 'court segments' or verbal battles are fully voiced, enhancing the immersive experience during these key gameplay moments.

Performance notes:
- Performance issues and bugs (weight 0.04): Players reported frequent game crashes and significant lag, especially during deduction stages and scenes with many effects. There are general mentions of bugs impacting performance.
- Display resolution problems (weight 0.01): One player suggested that adjusting the resolution could resolve issues with the screen being blocked at the top and bottom, indicating a potential display scaling problem.

Recommendations:
- Highly Recommended Game (weight 0.12): Many players highly recommend the game, especially for fans of detective games, visual novels, or titles like Ace Attorney and Danganronpa. Its solid experience and affordable price point are frequently cited as reasons for purchase.
- Desire for Sequel/DLC (weight 0.05): Players express a strong desire for future content, including DLC or a sequel, hoping for improvements, particularly to the plot quality of later chapters. There's a clear interest in the series continuing.
- Support Domestic Games (weight 0.03): Some players explicitly state their support for domestic game development, indicating a willingness to overlook minor issues to encourage local productions.
- Check Other Reviews (weight 0.01): One piece of feedback suggests that potential buyers should review other player opinions before making a purchase decision, indicating a cautious approach.

Other player notes:
- Mixed English localization quality (weight 0.04): While generally legible, the English localization has some formatting issues, particularly with word wrapping. Players also noted the initial language setting defaults to Chinese, requiring manual adjustment.
- Acceptable quality, needs polish (weight 0.01): The game is recognized as a debut work with acceptable quality, though it still has room for polish. Initial bugs were reported but seem to have been addressed.
- Sequel uncertainty (weight 0.01): There's speculation that a sequel was planned, but developers might be discouraged by sales, indicating uncertainty about future installments.
- Concise and effective script (weight 0.01): The game's script is praised for its conciseness and effectiveness in conveying information with minimal text.
- Demo content missing (weight 0.01): A specific case from the demo, 'Sword Forging Villa Case,' was not included in the final game, which some players noted.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.21): Players were highly satisfied with the game's overall quality, including its art style, music, and voice acting. The engaging story, well-developed characters, and unique blend of Wuxia and detective elements, reminiscent of Ace Attorney, contributed significantly to this positive experience. The game's core mechanics, such as gameplay and plot structure, were also sources of enjoyment.
- Frustration (weight 0.2): Frustration stemmed primarily from issues with the game's logic, particularly in reasoning and puzzle design, which players found stiff, forced, or inconsistent. Technical problems like bugs, crashes, and sound balance issues, along with localization problems and unskippable cutscenes, also contributed to a negative experience. Additionally, certain character portrayals and perceived unfair or illogical narrative choices, especially in the endings, caused significant annoyance.
- Disappointment (weight 0.2): Disappointment arose from several factors, including the game's short length, perceived high price, and an abrupt or unsatisfying ending. Players also expressed dissatisfaction with logical flaws in cases, underdeveloped characters, and a plot that felt rushed or morally manipulative. The game's failure to fully inherit the core philosophy of Ace Attorney and the disbandment of the development team further contributed to this sentiment.
- Anger (weight 0.13): Anger was predominantly directed at the game's plot, particularly the final chapter, which many found illogical, outrageous, or terrible. Specific character actions, especially those of Qin Shuangshuang, and perceived injustices or forced moral choices in the narrative and endings, fueled strong negative reactions. The unpunished villain and the game's overall moral implications also angered players.
- Disgust (weight 0.09): Disgust was strongly associated with the character Qin Shuangshuang and the game's overall morality and values, particularly in the endings. Players were repulsed by forced choices, illogical narratives, and the perceived lack of consequences for villainous actions. The portrayal of certain characters, especially Qin Shuangshuang and the senior sister, also evoked strong feelings of revulsion.
- Confusion (weight 0.03): Confusion arose from illogical plot developments and character actions, particularly in the tutorial and final chapters. Players often felt they had to guess the writer's intent rather than logically deduce solutions within the game's cases.
- Excitement (weight 0.03): Players felt excitement due to the enjoyable and intellectually stimulating gameplay, especially the unique combination of detective games and Wuxia elements. The challenging nature of the game and its Chinese-style aesthetic also contributed to this positive emotion.
- Thoughtfulness (weight 0.02): Thoughtfulness was prompted by the game's unique concept, its blend of Wuxia and visual novel elements, and the ability to influence the story. Players engaged in analysis of character development, plot choices, and even offered suggestions for narrative improvement and budget allocation.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.02): Enjoyment was derived from the overall game experience, including engaging plot despite slow pacing, and innovative gameplay mechanics that provided tension. The visuals and the game's similarity to Ace Attorney also contributed to a positive and enjoyable experience.
- Hope (weight 0.02): Hope was expressed for future improvements, including DLC and additional content, as well as a desire for more sound effects, forceful voice acting, and a longer story, indicating a wish for the game's continued development and success.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Sadness was primarily caused by the low sales of the game and the subsequent disbandment of the studio due to funding issues. The inexplicable deaths of favorite characters also contributed to this emotion.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Players expressed appreciation for the game's blend of genres, its traditional Wuxia themes, and its similarity to other beloved games like Ace Attorney and Danganronpa. The developers' passion and effort in completing the game were also highly valued.
- Support (weight 0.01): Support was shown for domestic games and indie developers, indicating a desire to encourage and uplift local game development efforts.
- Annoyance (weight 0): Annoyance was specifically caused by issues with text formatting within the game.
- Skepticism (weight 0): Skepticism arose from elements of the game's backstory that were perceived as implausible.
- Pain (weight 0): Pain was felt due to the death of a character perceived as truly chivalrous, indicating a strong emotional connection to the character's fate.
- Understanding (weight 0): Understanding was expressed regarding the developer's responsiveness to bugs, indicating an acknowledgment of their efforts to improve the game.
- Amusement (weight 0): Amusement was derived from the game's similarity to Ace Attorney, suggesting that players found the homage or comparable gameplay elements entertaining.
- Moved (weight 0): Players were moved by the Tangmen case and the principles upheld by its characters, indicating a deep emotional impact from specific narrative elements.}