The Silver Tree has also since been made into a completely free browser game. After all, there is a companion browser game, The Silver Tree, which has already formally concluded its overarching story, and it was about the previous city. Up to now, there are many things to suggest that the game world of Fallen London will not last forever. There is no turning back for the player character. The motivations and pasts of the player character are up to the player to decide, but all player characters will have one thing in common: London and Neath are now their proverbial oysters – albeit oysters with snapping teeth and pearls which can drive people crazy by merely looking at them. It is into this London that the player character comes into. Despite its fall, London has become the nexus of many intrigues both mortal and supernatural, and somewhere in between. Like the previous cities, London has been forever changed by this shift, though it retains much of its cultural identity, such as its Victorian qualities. The most recent city to have been brought underground is none other than the titular London. The means to do so will not be described in this article, for it is a spoiler that might attract unwanted attention to this review article. To achieve this plan, they bring entire cities and their mortal denizens underground. They have a reason for doing so, and it involves a grand plan which spans eons. It is in this realm where certain otherworldly entities have built a home for themselves (though it is debatable whether they consider this place their “home”).
It is also a place where there are worse fates than death. This realm is called the “Neath”, and it is a bizarre place of many wonders and horrors. This Earth has been visited by literally otherworldly things, who also revealed the presence of a subterranean realm where many laws on the surface, including even the laws of physics, do not exactly apply. To describe the game’s premise as a smorgasbord – or a mess – of writing would not be an overstatement.Īnyway, the game is set on an alternate Earth. There are also elements of Lovecraft and Edgar Ellen Poe, alongside the styles of more contemporary writers such as Jack Vance and Terry Pratchett. The Victorian era is particularly prominent, considering that the game is set in a fictitious version of Victorian-era London (though it is not exactly set in the same place as real-world London more on this later). Seasoned story-goers will be able to recognize the sources of inspiration for the premise of Fallen London. Speaking of the changing artwork, there will be remarks on these later in the section for visual designs. Therefore, there are visual differences in the screenshots, such as the different artwork that is used for the thumbnails and side images of options. Quite a number of the screenshots which are seen in this article were taken before the current state of the game. The always-available help page is an indicator of how complicated and bewildering the game can be to a newcomer. Unfortunately, these are some of its worst and most displeasing aspects typically, as to be expected of a “free-to-play” game, these concern its business model and how it affected its gameplay. Yet, there are some aspects about the browser game which have not changed since its inception. With all that said, as a “free-to-play” game, Fallen London has an incredible amount of content and complexity in its gameplay that belies its web-based infrastructure.
(Also, hopefully, this article doesn’t end up being subjected to requests for changes by Failbetter that indie developer can be rather proactive in trying to muzzle spoilers.) This review article might become obsolete in a year or two, assuming that Failbetter suddenly gains speed on finishing what it has started. Many of the changes are far more than just cosmetic many gameplay elements have been overhauled to address both player feedback and the whims of its creators.įailbetter still has some major projects going on, such as the revamping of the system of Connections into Favours and Renown (there will be more on these later) – though at this time of writing, further work on these projects has been rather slow. Ever since its conception in 2009 (or perhaps even earlier), it has undergone many changes, including a name-change. It will not be easy to write a review for this game, it has to be said first.įallen London is still being worked on by its creator, the indie team that is Failbetter. By Gelugon_baat | Review Date: February 18, 2016