Ratings and Reviews by Sharpe

"Debt" is another work in Twine that's neither a "game" nor "interactive." Unfortunately, "Debt" didn't have to suffer from that common problem, which makes it a double tragedy. It would have been easy to make this linear, traditional flash fiction a fully interactive "choose your own adventure" style IF.

As a matter of fact, had almost any effort been made to make this an interactive fiction, I believe it would have been pretty good. Give the player a choice to carry out the mission, or refuse to do so. Give the player a choice about how much collateral damage they are willing to inflict to complete the task. During interrogation, should force be used? What amount?

As it is, the reader (note: "reader," not "player") must sit back and watch as they are spoon-fed scrolling text. While the scrolling text was novel at the very beginning, before it was over, I would have rather just read through it at my own pace.

"Debt" did make good use of sounds in some places (in others, it was annoying and likely the reader will mute it) and the ending was good. If only one could have arrived at that ending by choice while playing, its impact would have been much more profound. As it is, the reader doesn't feel any responsibility, nor is there any attachment to any of the characters in this short flash fiction.

Gave the game two stars rather than one because for what it is, it was well done. Had it been interactive, I could see it getting as high as four stars, a big rating from me. I love robots. I love bounty hunters. I love dystopian near-future sci-fi and evil corporatocracies. This had all the elements of a good interactive fiction . . . Except interaction.



— Sharpe

Though short and unfinished, Enlaya: The Prison isn't too bad of a CYOA. It's refreshing to see a work of Twine with plenty of "agency"—choices that have an affect on the game. Unfortunately, many Twine works can't be called games (or even interactive) as they are completely linear flash fictions. Thankfully, that ailment doesn't afflict Enlaya.

The writing is adequate, good at parts and less so in others, and the presentation isn't quite the (awful) stock ("Sugarcane") format that comes with Twine. The author at least increased the font size so that it was legible. Had the author not made that consideration, I probably wouldn't have bothered straining my eyes to play this game.

Despite the decent writing and abundance of choice, I found it hard to grant a three-star rating due to its rough, unfinished shape. If I could have given it 2.5 stars, I would have done so. However, I chose to round up since fun and re-playability are more important than length in my opinion.

It was certainly worth the five minutes or so that it took to play through it twice.


— Sharpe