IF Comp 2012 Review - The Test is Now READY

Okay boys and goils, we're back in the realm of traditional IF! Parsers! Z-code! Blue background and white font! Ahh, the memories. And I like the title. It puts me a bit in mind of the Portal series, which despite involving some reflexes and the necessity of shooting a "gun", I deeply loved. Both for being wonderfully exciting puzzle experiences and also for being probably the funniest and most well-acted games I've played since Grim Fandango. (I love you Grim. I'll never forget!!!) Anyways, let's see what this game is all about, shall we? I have to say: love the title.

Final Verdict: Interesting experience. Not quite a game. More like an interactive narrative morality test. But definitely intriguing.

IF Comp 2012 Review - Transit

Uh oh, guys. It's another web one. I've got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. The last one... not so good... not so comprehensible if you catch what I'm saying. But I shall keep an open mind. Lord knows there's been a lot of dreck written for Z-code and TADS while obviously there have been many many great games written for those platforms as well. I can't generalize about a medium based on one sample. What would Nate Silver say?? Anyway, let's see if we find Transit a "moving" experience. Yuk. Yuk. Yuk.

Final Verdict : A fun if slight game. However much better than I was expecting. Definitely a decent example of competent CYOA.

IF Comp 2012 Review - Valkyrie

Hmm, a curious start to the competition. Now granted, I've been out of the loop for roughly two years now, but this I think this is the first entry in a comp that I've had to play online... (maybe I'm wrong about that... I'm trying to remember) More than that this game is not alone. There are seven games in the same category, easily besting Tads which only has one. (Sad face emoticon) Oh well. I really have no expectations about this one. Let's see what happens. Full review after the jump! 

Non spoilery Final Verdict: Only comprehensible if you follow a very specific tree line. Otherwise it plays like a game written in the style of E.E. Cummings with a 12 year old boy's imagination. 

IF COMP 2012!!! - Better Late Than Never!!

Hello friends! Long time no see. I know. I know. I'm super late to the game on this one. The competition has been over and done with for 22 days now. Not only that, but I didn't even play ANY of the games from last year's competition. But, in my defense, last year at this time I was in the middle of moving to Boston, and readjusting, and blah blah blah. Why didn't I review the games promptly this year?? Well, cause I was in the middle of doing a play and theater can suck up a lot of your time.

All of these excuses. They are of no interest to you. You just want me to get to the games. Luckily, I should hopefully have a bit more time in the upcoming month and a half. What better activity to stimulate my media starved mind than some calm and relaxing Interactive Fiction?

I'm sort of a flitterer. I flit back and forth between hobbies. It's been a while since I really got into Interactive Fiction, but I do love it, and despite my recent penchant to waste stupid amounts of time playing tower defense games, IF has always been and will always remain my greatest love. Gameologically speaking. I mean I'm not going to marry it.

But I just got a new computer and I went and installed the latest Inform 7 on it and I was looking at some of the awesome extensions people have written ( I'm particularly interested in this baby ). And it reminded me what an insane and crazy amount of work it takes just to build the most middling game. I'm going to try to keep that in mind during my upcoming reviews and attempt to tone down the snark should I feel it rise in my gullet. But NO PROMISES!!!

Here's to getting back in the game. I can't wait to start playing! (for those following at home, I'll do the same thing I did two years ago: review the games in reverse alphabetical order)

P.S. - I have not spoiled myself. I do not know which games won, which games took which place, etc. Please feel free to leave comments (not that it's likely) but please heed the words of Doctor River Song. Thanks!