From a maker who has been involved in a vast array of video games across 20 years or so (Ben Jordan, A Golden Wake, Shardlight and Lamplight City to name just a few) my first hour of play has been particularly promising.

Rosewater is set in the same alternate 19th century world of Lamplight City, and while you don't need to have played that (I haven't), there are references to earlier events from the get-go so if you have played it may add to your appreciation.

Our protagonist, Harley 'Spitfire' Leger, has left the city behind and headed west, looking to get a gig as a writer at the Rosewater Post. It's a small out of the way place, a frontier mining town, that has seen better days. Having left the train station, you quickly encounter the so-called welcome committee, an interaction which will likely be a heads up to things to come.

In my hour to date I have seen a person thrown out a window, broken into a Blacksmith, survived a bar room brawl and watched a wild west show. Plus joined a treasure hunt and gotten the job at the paper. I have just triggered being able to leave the town for the first time.

Rosewater looks good, utilising rotoscoping (think Take On Me by A-ha or the tv series Undone) to help produce its animated world. It plays in the third person, is all voiced, and while I turned the music down I thought the game did a good job of letting the ambient sound take the lead. Conversations are prominent, and I have had a few inventory puzzles. Plus, a lock pick challenge, and the journal in the inventory suggests there will be more of these to come.

It's exclusively point and click, you can highlight hotspots, and the mouse will react to a hotspot to indicate what can be done there. It autosaves but you can also save at will. Double clicking an exit point will jump you there.

Based on an FAQ at Steam, I will gather some more companions, obstacles might have different solutions, and I can't/won't get locked out of content because of a particular choice.

I look forward to what is to come.

Thanks for the first look, flotsam! Thank you also, Drac!

Thanks' so much for the first look, flotsam! I think lots of members will enjoy this one!

Thank you Drac!

Ana

This is a western I have been interested in. Thank you flotsam for the first look

Developer Play

Thanks Drac

I have been looking forward to this game for a while. Thank you for the descriptions of the game, flotsam!

And thank you too, Drac.

For some strange reason, I hate those "watch the developer play" things on Steam!

Those developer plays most of the time I'm sure you know Drac are demo runs. There are times I don't care to play a demo but will watch a broadcast instead. They give you a very good look at the game and in a few cases have saved me from purchasing having to return. Personally I don't mind them except when there is too much talking going on like this play. I wish this developer would have just ran the demo without all the extra talk

Thanks for your First Look, flotsam (and Draclvr)

I think that's what I despise about these things... all the talking. On the rare occasion that I look at a video walkthrough, I look for those with NO TALKING!

You and I both on the NO COMMENTARY

This game IS a lot of fun. This is a game you can and should replay… choosing different options gives you a different play … (again I’m a tester). Fun, fun game.

I wonder, am I the only person who would prefer a game that you don't have to choose different options? I just want to follow an already written story.

Options such as statements and questions by characters one after another? If so I don't care for that either oldbroad. I never play a game with options over again to see if things go in a different direction or to get another outcome

Me neither, Orion. I may replay a game years later and may make different choices at that time because I am in a different place myself then, but to replay soon after JUST to make different choices and maybe get a different ending? No!

Oh, I guess I should admit to replaying some endings if there is a save point right near the end that I can use.

oldbroad, I don't like any conversations.