Uncommon App casts you as a school admissions officer making decisions about student acceptance based on academics, magical aptitude, and financial factors. The game aims for a Papers Please-style decision-making loop with narrative consequences, though current technical issues—including unreadable feedback systems and unresponsive UI elements—undermine the impact of your choices. Best suited for players patient with early-access rough edges who enjoy the core concept of consequences-driven admissions gameplay.
About this game
Uncommon App is a narrative-driven simulation game where you play as an admissions officer balancing academic merit, magical ability, and finances. Review diverse student profiles, conduct interactive interviews, and make impactful decisions that shape the school’s future.
What players are saying
▼ Not recommended0 hrs
Great concept, half-baked and buggy. The newspaper that seems to be your primary source of feedback and story pops under the gameplay and can't be read. Nothing you do appears to have any impact, and it doesn't seem like there's any concern for students already admitted (is the school one year long LOL?)
Just seems to be a multivariable push your luck game at this point. Hopefully with a little bit of updating it can fulfill its promise.
Unpolished mess. The game is trying to be a papers please style game with a lighter tone. However:
The writing is inconsistent, even the opening text can't make up it's mind if we should be told the story from first, second or third person perspective, should it be present or past tense. The font does not support apostrophes. It might be because I'm tired, but I found the font taxing and hard to read, which is an accomplishment, condisering the artstyle.
The game seemingly throws you a newspaper onto your desk at the start of the next shift, but hey your screen is cluttered with the file screen of the previous shift with no way of removing it. Want to read the newspaper? Tough luck.
Before the beginning of your shift, you have optional text dumps from NPCs infront of your, what I resume to be, office. At the beginning of your shift you get new limitations like a new meter you need to keep in the green. Oh yeah, you get to review the applicants one by one and have to give them an answer instantly. Although there might be a better candidate next in line whom you just can't see yet. That's how educational institutions do bussiness right? Right? What is the waitiing list for if it is an empty tab which isn't interactable in the first couple of work shifts/years, one work shift is a years worth of students, which is 10 students. Oh, and those applicants are randomly generated meaning you can fail ... day 4 because none meet any criteria.
To spell this out one more time. What horrible academy doesn't look at all the applicants at once and then decide which students are the best or best combination? Uncommon academy, no kidding that is the name of the academy.
I like the idea and art style of the game, however a few of the features does not work/feel awkward.
- The newspaper where I assume your feedback is given cannot be seen/read - There are things in the lounge area that look like they can be clicked if you hover however nothing comes up (another instance of the newspaper which I hoped I could read to gain feedback) - Sometimes the number of students that want to enrol doesn't tick down (if this is a feature due to rejecting or accepting is not apparent) - There are no sounds while talking to people which makes it feel silent and awkward (even just silly little sounds would be better than silence like in Undertale)
I really like the concept and I do want to play this game, if these issues could be fixed I feel I could really enjoy this game.
