Choice of Broadsides

Choice of Broadsides is an interactive naval adventure set in a fictionalized Age of Sail, drawing inspiration from classic maritime literature like C.S. Forester’s Horatio Hornblower and Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin series. Players take on the role of a Royal Navy officer, navigating the treacherous waters of a conflict between the imperial powers of Albion and Gaul, rising through the ranks aboard ships like the H.M.S. Courageous, Defender, and Dauntless. The game blends text-based storytelling with RPG mechanics, allowing players to shape their character’s skills in sailing, gunnery, leadership, and patronage, while also engaging in political intrigue, rivalries, and even optional romantic subplots—including gender-swapped or same-sex relationships. With a mix of historical naval combat and narrative flexibility, the game offers a dynamic experience where choices directly influence the protagonist’s career and legacy.

Choice of Broadsides: A Pioneering Voyage Through Text-Based Naval Adventure

Introduction: Setting Sail on a Literary Legacy

Choice of Broadsides (2010) is not merely a game—it is a digital artifact of interactive fiction’s golden age, a bridge between the choose-your-own-adventure books of yesteryear and the modern resurgence of narrative-driven gaming. Developed by Choice of Games LLC, this text-based RPG plunges players into the tumultuous world of 19th-century naval warfare, drawing heavy inspiration from the works of C.S. Forester and Patrick O’Brian. Yet, it is more than a pastiche; it is a bold reimagining of the genre, offering players the freedom to shape their captain’s destiny through a labyrinth of choices, stats, and moral dilemmas.

At its core, Choice of Broadsides is a love letter to the Age of Sail, wrapped in the mechanics of a stat-driven RPG. The game’s premise is deceptively simple: rise through the ranks of the Royal Navy of the fictional nation of Albion, command ships like the HMS Courageous and Defender, and engage in a decades-spanning rivalry with the Gaulish captain Villeneuve. Yet, beneath this straightforward narrative lies a web of complexity—gender-swapped worlds, same-sex romances, and a staggering array of stats that govern everything from your sailing prowess to your political acumen.

This review will dissect Choice of Broadsides with the precision of a surgeon’s scalpel, exploring its development, narrative depth, gameplay mechanics, and lasting impact on the interactive fiction landscape. We will navigate the treacherous waters of its design choices, celebrate its triumphs, and critically examine its flaws. By the end, we will determine whether this game is a masterpiece of digital storytelling or a relic of an era when text-based adventures were still finding their sea legs.

---

Development History & Context: The Birth of a Genre

The Studio and the Vision

Choice of Games LLC, founded by Dan Fabulich and Adam Strong-Morse, emerged in the late 2000s as a pioneer in the interactive fiction renaissance. Their mission was simple yet revolutionary: to create text-based games that were accessible, engaging, and deeply replayable. Choice of Broadsides was their second major release, following the wildly successful Choice of the Dragon (2009). While Dragon was a whimsical, tongue-in-cheek fantasy romp, Broadsides aimed for something grander—a historical epic with the weight of literary classics.

The game’s development was a collaborative effort. Adam Strong-Morse served as the lead writer, with Heather Albano (who would later pen A Study in Steampunk and Choice of Romance) contributing to the narrative. Dan Fabulich, the company’s co-founder, handled design and development. The team’s vision was clear: to craft a game that captured the essence of naval adventure novels while embracing the interactive potential of the digital medium.

Technological Constraints and Innovations

Choice of Broadsides was built using ChoiceScript, a proprietary engine designed by Fabulich. ChoiceScript was a revelation in the world of interactive fiction—a lightweight, accessible tool that allowed writers to focus on narrative rather than coding. It supported branching pathways, stat tracking, and conditional text, all while maintaining a clean, user-friendly interface.

However, the engine’s simplicity came with limitations. The game’s UI was sparse, consisting of little more than text and hyperlinks. There were no graphics, no sound effects, and no animations—just the player’s imagination and the power of the written word. This minimalism was both a strength and a weakness. On one hand, it allowed the game to run on virtually any device, from browsers to early smartphones. On the other, it placed an enormous burden on the writing to carry the entire experience.

The Gaming Landscape of 2010

The year 2010 was a pivotal moment in gaming history. The indie revolution was in full swing, with titles like Minecraft and Super Meat Boy proving that small teams could create experiences as compelling as those from AAA studios. Meanwhile, the mobile gaming market was exploding, thanks to the proliferation of smartphones and app stores.

Yet, interactive fiction remained a niche genre. Text-based games were often dismissed as relics of the 1980s, overshadowed by the graphical prowess of modern titles. Choice of Broadsides arrived at a time when the genre was struggling to find its footing in the digital age. It was not the first game to attempt a revival—Choice of the Dragon had already proven that there was an audience for text-based RPGs—but Broadsides sought to elevate the form by blending historical fiction with deep mechanical complexity.

The game’s release on April 1, 2010, was met with curiosity and cautious optimism. It was free to play in browsers, with optional purchases for mobile and desktop versions. This freemium model was still relatively new, and Choice of Games was one of the first studios to embrace it for interactive fiction.

---

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive: A Tale of Sail, Steel, and Society

Plot Overview: From Midshipman to Admiral

Choice of Broadsides charts the career of a naval officer in the Royal Navy of Albion, a thinly veiled stand-in for Britain. The game begins with the player’s character as a lowly midshipman, fresh-faced and eager to prove their worth. Over the course of the narrative, the player rises through the ranks—lieutenant, captain, post-captain, and eventually admiral—through a series of naval engagements, political intrigues, and personal trials.

The story is divided into several key arcs:

1. Early Career (HMS Courageous): The player’s introduction to naval life, featuring their first battles, promotions, and encounters with the rival Gaulish captain, Villeneuve.
2. The Defender Crisis: A pivotal moment where the player is assigned to the HMS Defender, a sloop-of-war with a mutinous crew. This section is infamous among players for its difficulty and the high stakes of managing a rebellious crew.
3. Peacetime and Romance: A brief respite from war, where the player can pursue romantic interests in a Jane Austen-esque social setting.
4. The Final Showdown: The climax of the player’s rivalry with Villeneuve, culminating in a duel or naval battle that determines their legacy.

The narrative is non-linear in the sense that player choices drastically alter the course of events. However, the overarching structure remains consistent—a rise through the ranks, punctuated by key set pieces like the Defender mutiny and the final confrontation with Villeneuve.

Characters: The Crew, the Rivals, and the Loves

Choice of Broadsides features a cast of characters that are, by modern standards, somewhat underdeveloped. Yet, they serve their purpose within the game’s constrained scope.

• Villeneuve: The player’s primary rival and the game’s most compelling character. Villeneuve is a Gaulish naval officer whose relationship with the player can range from bitter enmity to reluctant respect—or even romance. Their dynamic is the emotional core of the game, providing tension, drama, and moral ambiguity.
• Captain Pigot and Lieutenant Jones: The player’s immediate superiors and subordinates aboard the Defender. Their personalities and loyalties shift based on the player’s choices, making them pivotal figures in the mutiny arc.
• The Romance Options: The game offers three potential love interests during the peacetime interlude:
  • Beatrice West: The shy, bookish brunette.
  • Anne Hawthorne: The wealthy, intelligent blonde.
  • Lady Musgrove: The fiery, red-haired socialite.
    Each romance is tied to specific stat requirements (e.g., intelligence for Beatrice, wealth for Anne), adding a layer of strategy to the courtship process.

One of the game’s most innovative features is its gender-swapping mechanic. Players can choose to play as a male or female captain, and this choice flips the gender of every character in the game. In a female-led world, men are the “delicate” gender, staying at home while women command ships and fight wars. This mechanic was groundbreaking for its time, offering a fresh perspective on gender roles in historical fiction.

Themes: Honor, Ambition, and the Cost of Command

Choice of Broadsides grapples with several weighty themes, though it often does so with a light touch:

1. The Burden of Leadership: The game repeatedly forces players to make difficult decisions—whether to punish a mutinous crew, how to treat prisoners of war, or whether to sacrifice men for the sake of victory. These choices are not merely mechanical; they shape the player’s reputation and the morale of their crew.
2. The Duality of War and Peace: The contrast between the brutal realities of naval combat and the refined social maneuvering of peacetime is stark. The game’s Jane Austen interlude serves as a palate cleanser, reminding players that war is not the only arena where battles are fought.
3. Identity and Society: The gender-swapping mechanic is more than a gimmick—it’s a commentary on how society constructs gender roles. By allowing players to experience a world where women are the warriors and men the homemakers, the game challenges preconceived notions of power and agency.
4. Rivalry and Respect: The relationship with Villeneuve is a masterclass in narrative design. Depending on the player’s choices, Villeneuve can be a hated enemy, a noble foe, or even a lover. This flexibility makes them one of the most memorable characters in interactive fiction.

Dialogue and Writing Style

The writing in Choice of Broadsides is functional rather than florid. It eschews the poetic prose of O’Brian or Forester in favor of clear, concise storytelling. This is not a criticism—given the game’s branching nature, verbose descriptions would have been impractical. Instead, the writing prioritizes player agency, ensuring that every choice feels meaningful.

However, the dialogue can sometimes feel stiff or repetitive, particularly in the romance sections. The courtship sequences, while charming, lack the depth of modern visual novels. Similarly, some characters—particularly the subordinate officers—are little more than names on a screen, with minimal personality or development.

---

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems: The Art of Naval Command

Core Gameplay Loop: Choices and Consequences

Choice of Broadsides is, at its heart, a stat-based interactive novel. Players begin by allocating points to four primary attributes:

• Sailing: Determines your ability to navigate, outmaneuver enemies, and survive storms.
• Gunnery: Governs your skill in naval combat, affecting your ability to land shots and cripple enemy ships.
• Leadership: Influences crew morale, discipline, and loyalty.
• Patronage: Represents your political connections and social standing, affecting promotions and favor with superiors.

These stats are not merely abstract numbers—they directly impact the available choices in any given scenario. For example, a player with high Gunnery might have the option to “Fire a devastating broadside,” while a player with low Gunnery might only see “Order a volley” or “Attempt to grapple.”

The game’s branching narrative is impressive for its time, with dozens of possible endings based on your stats, choices, and relationships. However, the branching is not always organic—some paths feel railroaded, and certain critical events (like the Defender mutiny) are unavoidable, regardless of player actions.

Combat and Naval Warfare

Naval combat in Choice of Broadsides is abstracted but engaging. Battles are resolved through a series of choices, with outcomes determined by your stats and a hidden dice roll. For example:

• Gunnery-focused players might choose to “Fire a broadside” or “Target the enemy’s rigging.”
• Sailing-focused players might opt to “Outmaneuver the enemy” or “Ambush from behind.”
• Leadership-focused players might rally the crew for a “Desperate boarding action.”

The lack of real-time strategy or tactical depth may disappoint fans of games like Sid Meier’s Pirates!, but the system works within the constraints of a text-based adventure. The tension comes not from twitch reflexes but from strategic decision-making—do you risk a bold maneuver, or play it safe?

The Infamous Defender Mutiny

No discussion of Choice of Broadsides would be complete without addressing the HMS Defender sequence. This section is the game’s most challenging and divisive segment, requiring players to manage a crew on the brink of mutiny.

The mutiny is inescapable—players will always be assigned to the Defender, and the crew will always be restless. The key is to balance discipline and happiness through a series of choices:

• Clean the ship (increases both discipline and happiness).
• Drill the crew (increases discipline but decreases happiness).
• Punish the worst offenders (high-risk, high-reward for discipline).
• Investigate a murder (a critical subplot that can stabilize the crew).

Failure to manage the crew effectively results in mutiny, which can lead to the player’s death, demotion, or even a pirate ending (where the player joins the mutineers). The mutiny sequence is a masterclass in emergent storytelling—no two playthroughs are alike, and the consequences of your choices ripple throughout the game.

Romance and Social Mechanics

The peacetime interlude introduces a Jane Austen-inspired romance system, where players can court one of three potential partners. Each romance has unique requirements:

• Beatrice West (the shy brunette): Requires low Bloodthirst and high Intelligence.
• Anne Hawthorne (the wealthy blonde): Requires high Wealth and Patronage.
• Lady Musgrove (the fiery redhead): Requires high Fighting and Likeability.

The romance sequences are brief but charming, though they suffer from a lack of depth. The courtship feels more like a stat-check minigame than a genuine emotional connection. However, the inclusion of same-sex romance (including a potential relationship with Villeneuve) was progressive for 2010.

UI and Accessibility

The game’s UI is minimalist to a fault. Players interact with the story through hyperlinked choices, with occasional stat checks and inventory management. There are no graphics, no sound effects, and no animations—just text and a handful of public-domain illustrations.

This sparseness is both a strength and a weakness:
– Strength: The game is lightning-fast and can be played on any device, from a desktop PC to a flip phone.
– Weakness: The lack of sensory feedback makes it difficult to immerse oneself in the world. Players must rely entirely on their imagination to visualize the naval battles and social intrigues.

---

World-Building, Art & Sound: The Power of Imagination

Setting and Atmosphere

Choice of Broadsides takes place in a fictionalized 19th-century Europe, with Albion (Britain) and Gaul (France) as the primary superpowers. The world is richly detailed, with references to real-world naval tactics, ship designs, and historical events.

The game’s greatest strength is its authenticity. The writers clearly did their research, and the naval terminology, battle tactics, and social customs feel grounded in reality. However, the world is also constrained by its text-based nature. Without visuals or sound, the setting exists only in the player’s mind.

Visual Direction: The Absence of Art

Choice of Broadsides features no original artwork. Instead, it uses a handful of public-domain paintings and lithographs (e.g., Claude-Joseph Vernet’s A Calm at a Mediterranean Port) as decorative accents. These images are static and sparse, serving more as mood setters than true visual storytelling.

This was a deliberate design choice—Choice of Games prioritized accessibility and narrative depth over graphical fidelity. However, the absence of art means that the game relies entirely on the player’s imagination to conjure the sights and sounds of the Age of Sail.

Sound Design: The Silence of the Sea

There is no sound design in Choice of Broadsides. No creaking of ship timbers, no roar of cannon fire, no crash of waves against the hull. The game is completely silent, save for the occasional system notification.

This silence is both a blessing and a curse:
– Blessing: The lack of sound forces players to engage deeply with the text, filling in the sensory gaps with their imagination.
– Curse: The absence of audio cues makes it difficult to immerse oneself in the world. A well-placed sound effect—a distant cannon blast, the cry of a wounded sailor—could have elevated the experience immeasurably.

---

Reception & Legacy: A Mixed Voyage

Critical and Commercial Reception

Choice of Broadsides was released to modest acclaim. It holds a 3.7/5 rating on MobyGames (based on 3 player ratings) and a 62/100 “Mixed” score on Steam (based on 13 reviews). Critics praised its ambition, replayability, and innovative gender-swapping mechanic, but criticized its lack of depth, repetitive writing, and punishing difficulty.

The game’s freemium model (free in browsers, paid on mobile/desktop) helped it reach a wide audience. However, it never achieved the cultural impact of Choice of the Dragon or later Choice of Games titles like Choice of Robots.

Awards and Recognition

Despite its mixed reception, Choice of Broadsides earned an Honorable Mention at the 2011 IGF Nuovo Award, a prestigious indie game award that recognizes innovation and creativity. This nod from the indie gaming community underscored the game’s significance as a pioneer in interactive fiction.

Influence on Subsequent Games

Choice of Broadsides laid the groundwork for future Choice of Games titles, particularly in its stat-driven narrative design and gender-inclusive mechanics. Later games like Choice of Romance and Choice of Magics would refine these systems, offering deeper character development and more nuanced storytelling.

The game also inspired a wave of naval-themed interactive fiction, including Choice of Broadsides: HMS Foraker (2018), a spiritual successor that expanded on the original’s mechanics.

Evolution of Its Reputation

Over time, Choice of Broadsides has been viewed through the lens of nostalgia. Early players remember it fondly as a groundbreaking experiment in interactive storytelling, while modern audiences often find it dated and clunky. Its legacy is that of a flawed but ambitious pioneer—a game that pushed the boundaries of what interactive fiction could achieve, even if it didn’t always stick the landing.

---

Conclusion: A Flawed Masterpiece of Interactive Fiction

Choice of Broadsides is a game of contradictions. It is ambitious yet constrained, innovative yet flawed, deep yet shallow. It is a product of its time—a bridge between the choose-your-own-adventure books of the past and the narrative-driven games of the future.

The Good:

• A rich, historically inspired setting that captures the essence of naval adventure.
• A groundbreaking gender-swapping mechanic that challenges traditional gender roles.
• A complex stat system that rewards strategic thinking and replayability.
• A memorable rivalry with Villeneuve, one of the most compelling characters in interactive fiction.

The Bad:

• Underdeveloped characters who often feel like little more than stat-check obstacles.
• Repetitive writing that lacks the depth of modern visual novels.
• Punishing difficulty in sections like the Defender mutiny, which can feel unfair.
• A lack of sensory immersion, with no graphics or sound to enhance the experience.

The Verdict:

Choice of Broadsides is not a perfect game, but it is an important one. It stands as a testament to the power of interactive fiction—a medium where words alone can transport players to another world. For fans of naval adventure, historical fiction, or text-based RPGs, it remains a must-play experience, warts and all.

Final Score: 7.5/10 – A pioneering voyage worth taking, despite the rough seas.

---

Post-Script: The Enduring Appeal of Text-Based Adventures

In an era dominated by open-world epics and cinematic blockbusters, Choice of Broadsides reminds us that storytelling is the heart of gaming. It proves that a game does not need cutting-edge graphics or Hollywood voice acting to captivate players—only a compelling narrative, meaningful choices, and a world worth exploring.

For those willing to embrace its limitations, Choice of Broadsides offers a unique and rewarding experience—one that challenges, entertains, and occasionally frustrates, but always respects the player’s intelligence and imagination.

So hoist the sails, take the helm, and set course for adventure. The high seas await.