Reviews by Kinetic Mouse Car

If you've played The Sims 2, odds are you have been freaked out by stories of how easy it is for the game to get corrupted, and the crazy things that can happen if it does.

I want to start by saying that I was greatly impressed with The Sims 2 Corruption Creepypasta (aka TS2CC). While it’s more of an essay than a conventional Twine game, it strikes a balance between the two by combining fascinating, in-depth analysis with surprising interactivity. It's also a submission to Bare-Bones Jam 2025.

The Sims is a popular life simulation series. There have been rumors that its second installment, The Sims 2, can be horribly corrupted if the player performs certain actions, with unsettling results. Ultimately, there is no basis for these rumors. A mere myth. TS2CC seeks to understand why this myth flourished so easily…

What is it about these myths that has convinced, and, in some sense, captivated people for so long? Why have they been shared, amplified, built upon, and believed?

…and why it manages to retain its allure even after being discredited. To answer these questions, TS2CC compares The Sims 2 corruption myth to creepypastas about technology-related fears.

PART A: Gameplay/Design
The execution of this game is fantastic. It’s what earns TS2CC its fifth star.

Gameplay
Despite being an essay, TS2CC makes good use of the Twine format to include interactive content, elevating the essay from merely something we read to something that provides an experience. Something playable.

Interactivity is surface-deep and does not affect the gameplay’s linearity. Its potency lies in building atmosphere and providing ways for the player to engage with passages while reading. What’s remarkable is how this interactivity injects a subtle weirdness that pairs well with the essay’s topic. For example, the section that discusses intentional corruption has a link that, when clicked on, causes a passage’s text to shift and distort.

Even the cover art is spooky.

My only complaint is that the game (Spoiler - click to show)simply ends with a link-less passage and no indicator that the game is over. The writing implies that it is, but at the same time, players are left wondering if they’ve landed on a broken passage. A small confirmation would be appreciated.

Design
The Bare-Bones Jam is a perfect fit for this game. Entries are required to stick to their system’s default format. As a Twine game, TS2CC has a black background, white text, and blue links: Twine’s default. Jam or no Jam, this appearance works well for an essay because it’s easy to read and avoids distractions. The simplicity of this also keeps the spotlight on the interactivity.

And yet, the game finds ways to keep things visually interesting. One of my favorite moments is (Spoiler - click to show)when the game explains how glitches alter the familiarity of a game… and a creepy face appears. It’s composed of dozens of periods (“.”) which adds a visual element without breaking the Jam’s rules.

PART B: Content
TS2CC takes an analytic approach to its subject matter. The author clearly did their research- literally. The in-game Reference page will take you to the sources that the author used for writing the essay.

The player is introduced to a range of ideas and concepts, which can initially feel overwhelming. I had to play the game multiple times before I could follow the main arguments. But I loved gaining new insight in the process.

I will now share some things that stood out to me. Consider this part of the review as how I understand the game's concepts. Input welcome.

General ideas
TS2CC contemplates the "game object" which refers to the game itself, not the gaming experience we get from playing it. By responding to the player’s choices, the game object grants that person agency over it. But when a glitch occurs, "it's something the game object does in spite of the player's intentions," resulting in the loss of this agency over something you previously controlled and thought you understood.

This dynamic is showcased in “glitch horror,” a genre of horror that capitalizes on these fears and anxieties about technology. An example of a glitch horror game is "Ben Drowned."

Creepypasta like Ben Drowned dramatize a fear of loss of agency before the machine. Not only that, but loss of agency over something that used to be deeply familiar.

Glitch horror is often used in creepypastas. Creepypasta refers to horror stories/legends that are posted and circulated around the internet, often inspiring new iterations. Slender Man is a popular example. The Sims 2 corruption myth also fits the bill given how it continues to lurk in the minds of players and online forums.

From the sound of it, content that preys on our fears fascinates us in equal measure.

Corruption myth
The author claims that while the magnetic draw of The Sims corruption myth is akin to the fascination around glitch horror creepypastas, the base fear factor- or what makes this corruption particularly frightening to the viewer- is different.

The scariness of corruption in The Sims is "because it speaks to the lack of mastery of the overwhelming majority of people who use computers." Less about losing control and more about finding yourself face-to-face with something too complex to understand.

This is where I start to lose focus.

It sounds like the author is saying that when a Sims game is corrupted, it forces the user to engage with the technical side of the simulation, and that the user’s inability to understand this side is what makes corruption in The Sims so unnerving (I assume the author is referring to the average person). Apparently, the fear of this happening is so strong that some players avoid the game altogether.

Regarding this argument, I don’t entirely see how the technical details of The Sims would trigger a fear of corruption. I could understand being disturbed if this corruption produced horrifying results, as is the case with the corruption myth.

…bizarre effects such as attaching furniture to Sims' heads, turning Mrs. Crumplebottom into a bald and barefoot stalker…

But not so much with being unable to understand the ins and outs of how the simulation works. In this sense, I would just find it frustrating because the game isn’t working and I don’t know how to fix it. Well, I suppose a glitch is the same way: a machine fails to work the way it should. Still, I have a harder time drawing a parallel between the two.

Besides, a quick look online shows people using mods and fooling around with the game’s settings. Your knowledge of how the game works may be limited, but that won’t necessarily stop you from finding ways to tinker with it beyond what the game was intended for.

Or is the fear of corruption in The Sims 2 because of how supposedly easy it is to trigger a corrupted state through basic actions? I’d love to hear more from the author on this!

Further discussion
Reading through the essay’s points on glitch horror, I couldn’t help but think of a Twine classic, the uncle who works for nintendo. Its premise is based on the urban legend that kids could gain early access to video games if they had a family member, often an uncle, employed by Nintendo.

I’m not sure if it can be fully categorized as glitch horror, but there are elements that elicit the nervousness of seeing a computer act in unexpected ways. SPOILERS.

Final thoughts
The Sims 2 Corruption Creepypasta is a stellar interactive essay made with Twine. It outlines the corruption myth and how it functions as a creepypasta. Fueled by our fear and fascination of corrupted technology, the myth lives on despite the consensus that it has no practical basis. I learned a lot.

Players may be turned off by the fact that it’s an essay, especially if the subject doesn’t interest them. But even if you merely skim the text, you can still appreciate the overall experience of its creepy interactivity.

I hope to see more of the author’s work in the future.

Quick note:

You open your eyes and slowly stand up. Trees surround you. It seems you woke up in a forest. You try to remember. Who are you and what are you doing here?

You wake up in a forest with no memory whatsoever. Not even your name. You have no other option than to get moving...

Gameplay
Following a brief intro in the forest, the gameplay takes place in a house. I can’t say much without spoiling it, but it’s clear that something happened inside this house. Gameplay is spent trying to find the truth.

There are only a handful of puzzles, and they are simple and intuitive. With one exception: (Spoiler - click to show)using the knife to enter the mirror portal. The command is “use knife on mirror.” However, there is nothing to suggest that the knife has any relevance to the mirror. I figured it out thanks to the comment section on the game’s website.

The implementation has room for improvement, particularly with verbs. That is, the game tends not to acknowledge them. Entering the house becomes needlessly frustrating.

> take key
You take the key.

> unlock front door
It is already unlocked.

> open front door
The front door is locked. You need a key to open it.

> unlock front door with key
That doesn't work.

The solution is: "Use key on front door." Because the game is made with Quest, I found it simpler to skip the keyboard and instead rely on the link-menu feature located at the top right corner of the screen.

Story/Characters
I was impressed with how the game builds the story in layers. Games featuring the amnesia trope run the risk of dumping major plot reveals on the player all at once. Texture does not do that. Its build-up is gradual… and then unexpectedly pulls a bait-and-switch that makes us reevaluate what we thought were established facts.

Often, my reviews provide heavy summaries because, A, I like discussing them, and B, it sets the stage for thoughts and analysis. PLEASE PLAY THE GAME FIRST.

Thoughts
What a ride. My speculation is this: (Spoiler - click to show)After the protagonist killed his wife and smashed everything in the house, he left and passed out in the forest. The entire gameplay was the protagonist dreaming/hallucinating about what happened only to be awakened by the arrival of law enforcement. Part of my guess is based on the inconsistencies between the mirror world and the timeline of the murder. If the mirror world takes place after the murder, why is there no blood where the murder happened? It couldn’t have been cleaned up because it’s there when we explore the house in the present.

I really like how the text at the end is reminiscent of the game’s opening.

I know this is a small detail to complain about, but I don’t understand the (Spoiler - click to show)point of the tree emblem and the hole in the wall. What meaning does it have in the story? I suppose tree = forest, and we both start and end the game in a forest. Still, it felt like a weak attempt at incorporating one last puzzle before the game ended.

While I applaud the overall storytelling, there is space for growth. Room descriptions tend to be bare bones, and this is a missed opportunity to provide context on the story and give it more dimension. The layout of the house feels a bit odd, as if the author decided to only include the rooms that would have a purpose in the story. No living room?

Also, when you examine yourself, the game says, “Who are you and what are you doing here?” and “Your memory is gone.” Problem is, this stays the same after we regain our memories. It doesn’t make sense for the game to (Spoiler - click to show)force us into recreating the murder only to act like we have no memory of what is going on. It even would have been a perfect chance to elaborate on the protagonist and his history with his wife.

One last thing: I’m trying to figure out why the author chose “Texture” as the title. How does it fit into the game?

Visuals
As a Quest game, Texture uses background colours tailored to the player’s location. For example, when we’re in the forest, the background is green. (Spoiler - click to show)The bloodstained bedroom and bathroom? Dark red. And so forth.

Until (Spoiler - click to show)you enter the mirror portal (see Story section) where every location has a pure white background. I liked the storytelling merit of this. The mirror world is described as tidy and unsoiled, and the blankness of its background sharply contrasts with the blood, destruction, and ruin that is found in the house on the “real” side of the mirror portal.

Final thoughts
The amnesia trope is somewhat of a cliché, and you might roll your eyes upon learning that this game begins in the middle of a forest. But Texture really does offer something new. I did not see the ending coming. Right when I thought I had figured everything out, the game went and turned the tables on me. The use of the (Spoiler - click to show)mirror portal was especially memorable.

I would like to give Texture a higher rating, but the implementation needs refinement. Unlocking and opening a door shouldn’t be so confusing. The integration of the story with the gameplay sometimes wears thin. At least update the PC’s description once the amnesia goes away.

And yet, these rough edges did not prevent Texture from leaving me staring at the screen in stunned silence. Content-wise, this is a game with (Spoiler - click to show)explicit portrayals of sexual violence and murder. I was horrified to discover the PC’s identity. But his fate at the end allows us to part ways with the game on a more optimistic note.

If the author ever decides to make another game, I would definitely be interested.

The bloom is a submission to Bare-Bones Jam 2025.

Told in first person from the perspective of a former staff member, the game describes the aftermath of a plant-like organism, known only as "the bloom," escaping from a research facility and the transformation it had on humanity.

Gameplay
Gameplay is entirely linear and only takes 2-3 minutes. Progress is made by tapping the screen. Skip and auto-skip features are also provided for your convenience.

Story
The story is limited, but what we learn is that the bloom breached the facility and reached populated areas almost instantaneously. At first glance, the bloom’s effects on human biology appear to be devastating…

One moment you were stood in a tiled clean room, the other - your lungs were filled with sweetest spores, with tears of pollen falling from your eyes.

…until the narrator informs us that these changes were a positive transformation. It allowed everyone to form a symbiosis with each other and with nature. People possessed a newfound patience and appreciation of the world around them. Strife and other obstacles to coexistence became obsolete.

Woven in this narrative is the overarching theme of belonging. The bloom’s universal symbiosis guarantees belonging even if you haven’t found the place you’re looking for. The game ends (Spoiler - click to show)with the narrator addressing the viewer and inviting them to join. And no matter what kind of restrictions you have, the bloom will find a way to make space for you.

Out of curiosity, I couldn’t help but wonder: Did people willingly embrace these changes or was the bloom merely taking control over their minds and bodies? Ultimately, I think it was willingly embraced, both because of the game’s tone and the absence of red flag indicating otherwise.

Visuals
This is the first Ren'Py game I've played, so this format was new to me.

As a Bare-Bones Jam submission, the game has an unaltered appearance. The game’s main text is set in a gradient grey panel at the bottom of the screen while links appear in text boxes located in the center. All of this is set into a black background.

Final thoughts
This isn’t the first game I’ve played where human civilization is ambushed by spores that disrupt the status quo. Calm, an IFComp game, is one example. The bloom, however, takes a different approach. Rather than the spores’ arrival being an apocalyptic event that heralds the end of modern life, they signal the start of a new chapter for all of humanity.

I enjoyed the story’s premise but wasn’t wowed by it either because it only skims the surface of its thought-provoking concept (though this is partly due to the short gameplay and low word count). That said, if you like surreal, vaguely sci-fi, and story-driven games, The bloom may interest you.

Founded by Doctor Morben, Morben House was once a state-of-the-art establishment that could cure any mental illness, even insanity. Until patients disappeared and scandal forced the asylum to close its doors in 1930s. It’s been left abandoned- and the source of countless rumors- ever since.

Fast forward to the 21st century.

You’ve got bills to pay. And a theory: If it served wealthy patients who supposedly never left, could their valuable belongings be in there? Looting it is a gamble… but you’re desperate.

Desperate enough to sneak into this reportedly haunted (and surprisingly accessible) asylum and face whatever secrets lie within!

A submission to Ectocomp 2025 in the Le Grand Guignol category.

Gameplay
Our adventure begins outside the asylum’s entrance. The game features what I like to call “free range of movement” which is where the player navigates rooms and interacts with content like they would with a parser, except they click on links instead of type. As a Twine game Doctor Morben's Asylum has one of the largest maps I’ve seen.

You have full roam of the asylum and, for a limited time, the grounds outside it. There’s a lot to explore.

More signs: CONSERVATORY to the left, HALL to the right, and CONSULTING ROOMS pointing yet further down the passage.

>> Enter the greenhouse
>> Enter the hall
>> Follow the passage to the foyer
>> Follow the passage to the back of the house

Initially, the objective is to find valuable items until it becomes clear that (Spoiler - click to show)A, there’s not much worth taking, and B, there are ghosts who need your help (see Story section). The focus is then on finding the right item to appease each ghost and earn their support before facing the ghost of Doctor Morben and freeing the souls trapped in the asylum.

Despite the large map and long gameplay, this is not a puzzle-fest. Puzzles boil down to finding the right items to bypass doors and fulfill encounters with NPCs, but the game keeps things varied to avoid becoming stale. Players are encouraged to carefully examine their surroundings and revisit locations as they learn more secrets.

A central gameplay mechanic is a “Panic” stat that tracks the player’s fear levels. This adds an extra challenge to balance out the simplicity of the puzzles.

Panic: 6/14

You are on edge.

If you max out… (Spoiler - click to show)it’s not a good idea to max out here.

Three modes of difficulty: Gentle, Normal, and Hard, which can be toggled during gameplay. However, the game doesn’t explain what they entail. I tried them and didn’t notice much of a difference. The only thing that comes to mind is that (Spoiler - click to show)Gentle mode allows you to take Han’s photograph from the office and use it to appease his spirit in the secret downstairs area. Otherwise, he continues to be a threat.

Despite the slick interface, flexible gameplay, and spooky story, there are some noticeable snags. Several times I came across red error links (ex. Error: cannot find a closing tag for macro <<first>>), and the feature that keeps track of your endings is a mess.

There is also a bug involving (Spoiler - click to show)Beau Russell’s ghost. When appeased, ghosts disappear from their haunting spot. To do this with him, you hand over the cigar case. He thanks you and disappears. But if you revisit his location, the game acts as if this never happened. You get ambushed by an angry ghost but no longer have the cigar case.

Story
The game’s story is not exactly groundbreaking or innovative, and when it comes to the premise of exploring an abandoned (and often haunted) asylum, it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. Instead, its strength stems from a consistent and streamlined narrative, along with characters that we can care about. Topped off with the writing and suspenseful gameplay, the result is an immersive story that draws the player in.

Doctor Morben's Asylum never had a dull moment.

But what is going on?

Subject matter
Despite its subject matter, Doctor Morben's Asylum is not as grim as its premise might suggest. It’s not a graphic game. No gore. It’s not One Eye Open. If anything, the most disturbing part is the mere fact that asylums like Morben House actually existed (even today there’s room for improvement- but that’s another discussion). Content-wise, the game taps into this history without trivializing it.

What we find in Morben house reflects some of the beliefs about mental illness that were present at its time. For example, female "hysteria" equating to mental illness.

Or how certain behaviors, like wetting the bed, are viewed a matter of moral failure that requires “correction” (aka: child abuse).

I like that the game chooses to (Spoiler - click to show)humanize the ghosts rather than antagonizing them as “crazy patient” NPCs. Now, the ghosts, who are traumatized, will attack you out of confusion, until you bring an item, or “anchor”, that allows them to reclaim memories that were stripped away. They then reappear to help when you go to destroy the machine.

Endings
There are seven endings. At the end of the game there is a box listing the endings that you reached. Unfortunately, it is a tangled mess of red error links and can even misnumber the endings that are listed. As far as I’m aware, I found all but endings 2 and 3.

Endings I reached: (Spoiler - click to show)“Gave up and ran away, lived another day” (1), “The doctor’s next experiment” (4), “Greed beats charity” (5), “Lost to the device” (6), “An end to this horror” (7). I’ve played the game multiple times to find the others with no success. Does anyone have any ideas?

Characters
I discussed the NPCs. I'm a little curious about the protagonist.

An old aluminium torch. The battery isn't perfect.

You're about to ransack an infamous asylum… and all you bring is a pack of gum and a shoddy battery-powered torch? (I only mean this from a story standpoint.)

Visuals
A few years back, I played another game by the author called The Green, and I remember being impressed with its slick, atmospheric visual design. Doctor Morben's Asylum has the same level of quality.

The screen displays a generic wallpaper pattern as a backdrop; in the center is a dark translucent text box. Text is primarily white with green links, and other colours are used as accents. Readable content*, such as handwritten letters, is displayed in a textbox that mimics paper. Icons are also creatively used. For example, a notification with a green hand briefly appears when you add something to your inventory. The author goes the extra mile to enhance the player’s experience.

*(I appreciate that we can turn off the stylized fonts used for this content. Fancy cursive handwriting has a nice aesthetic but gets tiresome after a few sentences.)

Final thoughts
I was impressed with how much Doctor Morben's Asylum had to offer.

It stood out to me because while the story and gameplay are heavy on content, it is light on puzzles without sacrificing challenge. Overall, gameplay is intuitive and streamlined. I never needed a walkthrough or hints to “win” the game, though I’d still like help for two of the endings. These qualities will appeal to players who are intimidated by large Twine games.

As I mentioned, there are some error messages and a noticeable bug. But this feels minor in comparison to the game as a whole. Some players may hesitate to play the game due to its subject matter. However, it opts for atmosphere over explicit content, relying more on the idea of exploring a spooky building.

The best way to know if this game is for you is to give it a try!

It's another entirely normal day at the office. Time to sort through your emails.

You work at an office that processes print orders and provides services for online content. Everyone has their job. Jeff, for instance, covers printing. As for you, it’s implied that you work in Editing. So why does everyone seem to think that your job revolves around juggling emails?

Oh, and something odd may be happening with your coworkers…

Every day I get emails is a Twine game and an Ectocomp 2025 submission in the La Petite Mort category. (I love the cover art.)

Gameplay is linear and occurs over several days. It consists of forwarding a stack of emails to the right colleague, and these colleagues are spread across multiple departments. Sales. Tech. Accessibility. And so forth. Why do you even have these emails? No idea.

Send to Caroline
Send to Enrique
Send to Jeff
Send to Sushila

The act of forwarding emails to the right colleague is superficial. Forward a tech-related issue to Enrique? He’ll forward it to Sushila for you. Aside from feeling pleased at remembering who works in what department, your choices here don’t affect the gameplay’s trajectory.

Instead, emails are the mechanism through which the plot unfolds. Initially, forwarding emails is followed by the bliss of knowing that they’re no longer your problem.

You forward the email to Jeff. Now you don't have to think about that anymore.

Appearance-wise, the game uses a basic light blue background similar to the cover art. In fact, its cover art was initially what attracted me to the game in the first place. These multiple shades of blue make my spine tingle. There is also a cream text box with rounded corners, and this looks nice against the blue background.

To conclude, Every day I get emails is a blend of horror and humor set in an office. It has simple design, linear gameplay, and an uncomplicated story, and yet, it has suspense as (Spoiler - click to show)we slowly realize the implications for the protagonist as their coworkers steadily vanish.

However, while I enjoyed it, I didn’t find it to be particularly earthshattering, either. I think the ending could be more fleshed out. Then again, the author only had four hours to make it, and it definitely feels like a finished product. So, take my criticism with a grain of salt.

I've been a fan of the author's work ever since The Curse of the Scarab. Some authors have a signature style where if you play one of their games without knowing it was created by them, you still think, huh, this reminds me of so-and-so's work. That's how I feel about this author. I love the custom parser and scenery-oriented puzzles that reward the player for paying close attention to details in their surroundings.

And so, I was delighted to try The Horrible Escape Room of Horror. It's an Ectocomp 2025 entry in the La Petite Mort category, which means it was created under four hours.

"Well Rhoda", you think to yourself, "this is even worse than that time four years ago in Egypt."

You are Rhoda. As in Rhoda Tarcrew who may sound familiar to anyone who has played The Curse of the Scarab. But instead of exploring an entire tomb, this adventure involves escaping a room after snatching the Staff of the Owl. (Spoiler - click to show)Well, two rooms, technically.

In a corner is a deep pit. There's also a cabinet here with a papyrus laying on top.

Despite what (Spoiler - click to show)the title suggests, I was delighted to see that there are two rooms available to us. While I'm going to steer clear from outright spoiling the puzzles, I still suggest that you try the game first before continuing.

Story is limited to our objective of escaping. Instead, it focuses on puzzle solving, and I think this is a good balance considering it’s a rather short game. In fact, the (Spoiler - click to show)table puzzle took up most of my time.

That’s about it! I had a lot of fun stepping into Rhoda’s shoes once again. I’m taking off a star because the implementation could be sharper and I saw some spelling errors, but I do so reluctantly because the game was created under four hours. I was quite impressed.

...except we have no choice...

You are on a road trip to start a new life. The plan is to move in with a friend and see where life takes you! Who knows, maybe you'll stop having those weird dreams. Then your car breaks down.

At night. In the middle of nowhere.

A man appears. A mechanic. He was just passing by. He wants to help.

Sparks Fly embraces a staple of the horror genre: Car breaks down, a stranger offers help. Main character has no other choice but to accept. We find ourselves in that exact position.

No choice left. You have to get out of the car.

The stranger is Andrew. A homely yet muscular man who informs us that he’s a mechanic with a shop at his house. He proposes that we come with him and, given how late it is, spend the night and figure things out in the morning. (Spoiler - click to show)It doesn’t take long for us to realize that this was a really, really, really bad idea.

I’m just going to rip off the band-aid.

Now that you know what you’re in for, I’m going to deviate from how I usually structure my reviews.

Strengths
Opening scene
Sparks Fly makes a strong first impression with its opening scene by capturing our vulnerability and isolation of being stranded from human civilization. We can stall for time, but inevitably we must follow Andrew to his car.

My stranger danger alarm was running at full power. Has anyone experienced the sudden, quiet realization where a voice in the back of your mind says, hey, do you realize that you’re in a stranger’s car, they’re the one driving, and no knows where you are? This scene went and dug all of that up. He also asks to see your license, and this sharing of personal information only makes it more nerve-wracking.

Or maybe we’re assuming the worst because of our less-than-ideal circumstances. Jumping to conclusions, perhaps?

Talk about an opening scene. (Spoiler - click to show)No one is fooled by Andrew. And yet, we don’t know what his intentions are. What’s going to happen to us? Nicely done.

Writing
The author has a talent for writing horror. The story’s premise is good, but it’s the writing that pulls it off. I would describe the writing as quiet, dawning horror.

My favorite is this scene:

This scene deserves an award. I just burst out laughing. I love its casual morbidity.

Characters
Animals aside, the only NPCs are Andrew and (Spoiler - click to show)Lydia.

As for the protagonist, we know little about them. However, their portrayal is heavily rooted in the notion of starting over and forging a life of your own choosing. This is partly what makes (Spoiler - click to show)Andrew and Lydia so infuriating: They want to choose your life for you by making you “part of the family” and surgically altering your body against your will. Ending 2 “Freedom” puts an emphasis on you regaining control over your life.

Visuals
The author also did a nice job with the game’s visual design. Set in the middle of the screen is the game’s text box. It’s stylized with rounded edges, a semi see-through black background, and casts a slight shadow on the screen. Text is white. Behind the box is a backdrop that changes with the scene. Half of the box’s border is light grey while the other half is darker, the latter of which disappears when the backdrop has little contrast, creating an off-kilter look.

This aesthetic reminds me of the earlier horror Twine games I’ve played. It has a similar vibe as the uncle who works for nintendo. Polished, but not too polished. There’s a slight roughness that reminds the player that there is something twisted going on underneath.

Sparks Fly demonstrates how simple design changes can elevate the player’s experience. Consider the scene where (Spoiler - click to show)you wake up to find Andrew pinning you down: black backdrop… until a closer look reveals two eyes staring back! Now, imagine this with Twine’s default appearance of a black screen, white text, and blue links. It wouldn’t be the same.

Weaknesses
Pacing
After the opening scene and the big reveal, the game begins to branch out and becomes less linear. Unfortunately, the gameplay snowballs and ends soon after.

Further clarification would be helpful.

Implementation
My main criticism. There were at least two instances in the gameplay where I ran into Twine’s red “Error: <<if>>: bad conditional expression in <<elseif>>” messages that spill across the screen. And while the game is generally well-formatted, there are still some spelling and formatting errors.

There is a rough patch that puts a dent into the game’s quality.

Final thoughts
Sparks Fly is an Ectocomp 2025 submission for the Le Grand Guignol category. It was a game that I couldn’t put down before finding every ending. It’s an intriguing work of horror with excellent writing that builds atmosphere and places the player in some seriously terrifying situations. This is further enhanced by the visuals.

However, this is hindered by patchy implementation as well as how quickly the game ends just as it becomes less linear. If the author slowed down after (Spoiler - click to show)the scene where we receive our “welcome gift,” the game would be much stronger. The red error messages certainly don’t help either. All of this was factored into my rating.

Nonetheless, Sparks Fly is a memorable work of horror that is difficult to forget. I don’t know if it is the author’s first work, but if it is, this is a fantastic start.

You just wrapped up explaining to your girlfriend Amanda that ever since she plugged her TV into the cable its been plotting to kill her.

Problem is, she thinks you're crazy.

And has now gone back to her apartment...

...where her TV is waiting.

Only you can save her.

Gameplay
When the TV decides to Murder your Girlfriend - The Game is actually an adaptation of a book of the same name. It’s also a submission to Ectocomp 2025.

We begin in our own apartment. (We're Todd, by the way) The first half of the gameplay takes place here, and its puzzles center on the objective of leaving your apartment. The second half is set in Amanda's apartment (Spoiler - click to show)where we prepare to duke it out with her evil TV.

Gameplay primarily consists of interacting with household appliances and enlisting their help. It doesn't take long for us to notice that these appliances are A, sentient, and B, haunted. Possessed, maybe?

"Hey, Todd. Who's your favorite appliance? Just kidding. We all know it's me. So, what can I zap up for you?" Slender gray tentacles, like the finest strands of spaghetti, snake out lovingly from behind the control panel.

It did take me a moment to piece together that we're the only ones who can see this. No wonder Amanda thinks we're crazy.

Puzzles are straightforward and evenly distributed throughout the gameplay. They engage without being too difficult. However, that means if you were hoping for a puzzle-fest, you feel may underwhelmed by what the gameplay has to offer.

Mechanics
Made with Gruescript, this is a choice-based game that behaves like a parser. Instead of imputing commands on a keyboard, the player clicks on buttons to perform an action.

You can also see:
- [Your Television] [talk]
- [Cable Cord] [connect]

Exits and anything with interactable content are listed at the bottom of the screen along with your inventory. If you’re holding something that has an immediate application, the game will list it for you. No guess-the-verb here!

You're holding:
[Your Trusty Philips Head] [drop]

This format felt streamlined and easy to use. I adapted to it quickly.

Story
The game’s strengths are grounded in its writing and characterization because, truth be told, (Spoiler - click to show)you can predict the ending way in advance.

In her apartment, (Spoiler - click to show)we find Amanda hypnotized and held captive by her TV. We appear, fight the TV, and escape with Amanda. No unexpected plot twists or developments. And the game doesn’t need any of that. I was satisfied with this trajectory. I think that’s largely thanks to the witty, household appliance characters. If their characterization were lacking, I’d probably feel otherwise about the story.

I do have one complaint. I wish our interactions with Amanda had more depth. (Spoiler - click to show)She’s been hypnotized, so I understand that she’s not going to be particularly alert or responsive. But something about her portrayal feels overly “damsel-in-distress.” Her character doesn’t extend beyond the role of “the girlfriend.” Who also needs to be rescued.

Then again, the game is an adaptation. Perhaps it’s like that in the book as well.

This game vs. The Little Toaster
The storyline of sentient household appliances immediately reminds me of The Little Toaster. Except, I’ve never liked The Little Toaster. Too disturbing. This game? I can handle.

Characters
Characters are the best part.

The toothbrush's yellow tentacles point at its power button, then your eyes. "I'm watching you, Todd."

Particularly, the sentient appliances.

The writing reveals them to be humorous NPCs (a feral vacuum cleaner?). They are fun to listen to and fun to interact with; Important considering their role in nearly every puzzle.

Asphalt, lines, and cars. *Lots* of cars. You find yours cuddled up next to a sexy red scooter. You get the impression the scooter isn't a huge fan but is too kind to roll away.

Characterization-wise, the appliances offer plenty of attitude. A blend of stubborn snark and an eagerness to assist Todd in saving Amanda. And while some of them view you as Amanda’s oddball boyfriend, they all agree that her TV has gone too far.

Todd’s cool, too. After all, he can communicate with household appliances and see when something is haunted. According to the (Spoiler - click to show)car’s dashboard, he has “mind powers,” but aside from that, we get no further explanation. However, this suits the game’s purposes just fine.

Visuals
The game has a clean appearance with a black screen, white text, and orange links set into dark purple buttons. Reminds me of Halloween!

Final thoughts
I had fun with this!

While I haven’t read the book, the overall premise of saving-your-girlfriend-from-a-bloodthirsty-TV certainly piques one’s curiosity. But when taking a book’s concept and turning it into gameplay, there is risk of that concept losing its essence and feeling contrived. Not the case here.

When the TV decides is a well-rounded adaptation that strikes the right balance between gameplay puzzles and overarching story, and the NPCs’ humorous dialog brings it all to life.

Great option for Halloween.

Begin patient analysis.

The UK is experiencing an epidemic. No one knows what’s causing it.

You work for the Department of Health and have been placed in charge of “quarantine allocation.” Working remotely from the safety of your apartment, your task is to evaluate patients for potential infection so your colleagues can find a way to combat the outbreak.

Gameplay
Overview
Gameplay takes place in your apartment and occurs over several days. At the start of each day, you log into your workstation to read emails and review patients using a NeuroWave device.

user: [email protected]
password: ******
connection established to [email protected]

access e-mail

activate NeuroWare™ client (5 patients waiting)

log off computer

It seems that everyone has a brain implant which can be accessed remotely by health officials. The data received contains snippets of a person’s physical and mental health, as well as traces of memories.

To process this data, the player jacks in with their own implant.

Not again.

Red paper lanterns.

Scout-drone hovers.

RE-SCAN
RELEASE
QUARANTINE

Scanning patients provide three lines of info gleaned from their implant. Multiple scans can be run on the same patient. If said patient does not appear to be infected, they can be released. Otherwise, you can quarantine them, sending them to your colleague’s lab for further testing.

When we’re done with our patients for the day, we go to bed.

Use of haikus
As mentioned in its description, the game incorporates haikus into the gameplay. Haikus are poems that consist of three lines. The first and third lines have 5 syllables, while the second line has 7. Every time you run a scan on a patient, the game generates a haiku.

Commuters clutching newspapers.

Glimpse of the news.

Obsolete technology.

Or rather, the game takes inspiration from the haiku three-line structure because the syllable count is a bit off. But I liked this! It replicates the simplicity of a haiku without restricting itself. I was surprised at how effective they were at giving us a glimpse of the person’s life.

Cheap USBs.

Thrown coughing from the train.

Big group of girls.

It also brings out a cyberpunk vibe.

Thoughts on gameplay
For the first few days, I took my job seriously.

Every patient was extensively scanned. My strategy involved quarantining any mention of physical of illness: “Hacking cough,” “Taste of vomit,” “Eyes burning,” “Headache,” and so on. Following Nadeja’s updates, I added signs of mental distress such as, “Intrusive thoughts,” “Frenzied typing,” and “Distrust.” I wanted to end this epidemic.

Except, your choices don’t seem to affect the game’s trajectory.

Story
In a nutshell, We’re All In This Together is about (Spoiler - click to show)being afflicted by the same disease you are trying to observe. It comes with a horror dimension because your isolation in an apartment does not save you from being infected. And I love this concept.

Its description says, “It's your job to scan potential plague-carriers and decide whether to quarantine them,” giving the impression that we’re hunting down your typical virus. (Spoiler - click to show)It’s not. It’s something more abstract.

While the disease is never named or fully described, Nadeja (from the lab) assesses the quarantined patients and shares her findings with you throughout the gameplay.

Characters
Story is prioritized over characterization which means we know little about the characters, including our protagonist. And that suits the game just fine.

Also: I’m not sure if this is intentional but I like how the emails serve as a brief respite from your own deteriorating sanity. A bit of human contact that allows you to stay grounded.

Hey, mysterious psych colleage! :)

Nadeja, in particular.

Visual design
Made with Twine, the game’s appearance opts for simplicity. Black screen, blue links, and white text that often appears in lower caps.

There is delayed text. Aside from the dream sequences which may frustrate impatient players (hi), I think these pauses are used appropriately to build suspense. For example, each day begins with the phrase “your room” appearing on a blank screen, followed by “access your workstation” a second later.

However, there are moments where the pause after “your room” is slightly longer, signaling to the player that something different is about to go down. This tactic is used throughout the game.

Final thoughts
I was quite excited to play We’re All In This Together because its description alone was enough to draw me in. I was impressed with the game’s less-is-more style of writing and found its simple gameplay mechanics of releasing/quarantining patients- and receiving emails on the results- to be fun and immersive. I enjoyed my first playthrough when all of this was new to me.

But multiple playthroughs? Not so much. Replay revealed the gameplay to be frustratingly linear and repetitive. Especially once the game starts (Spoiler - click to show)forcing you to jack out and swallow pills after running extra scans. Overall, the framework is strong. And it does feel like a completed game. I just think that further refinement would make a noticeable difference.

That aside, it’s an intriguing game with a foot in multiple genres: The use of neuro interfaces borders on science fiction without overwhelming. Psychological horror emerges as the (Spoiler - click to show)protagonist’s work affects their sanity (pacing for these parts is excellent). And while I would not outright classify the game as “slice of life,” its premise, setting, and even its title strikes a familiar tone thanks to COVID.

If any of that intrigues you, play the game. I’d recommend it for a general audience.

One more thing…

(edit: formatting)

You're Gone is a linear custom choice-based game where a protagonist sends text messages to a dead loved one.

This story features anthropomorphized characters. Our protagonist, Marcus, is a coyote. His wife, a cat named Lee, recently died of cancer. His therapist recommended journaling about his feelings. He decides to do this by texting his deceased wife.

Gameplay
Gameplay involves clicking on a "send" icon to send text messages to Lee's phone. The player doesn’t choose what to send. They simply go along for the ride. While Marcus uses this to express his inner thoughts, the messages are addressed to her. For your convenience, a transcript of the gameplay can be found on the author’s website.

Visuals
You’re Gone replicates the appearance of a chat messenger with its layout of green time-stamped text bubbles and light grey background. The text box and paper airplane icon in the corner complete the look. While the game has minimal interactivity, these visuals make the player feel like they are messaging someone.

Story
Marcus’ text messages revolve around his volatile relationship with Lee's mom and her step-dad, Jun. Marcus notes how Lee always seemed to hate them but never explained why. Instead, she would avoid them at all costs.

From day one, her mom looked down on Marcus because he came from a different background and blames him for her daughter's death by being an inadequate husband. The fact that Lee left everything in her will to said husband certainly doesn’t help.

As the drama winds down, Marcus starts to follow his therapist’s advice and channels his energy from grieving Lee to working on himself and moving forward. And yet, the player doesn’t feel ready for the game to end.

Characters
Despite the deeply personal nature of Marcus' narration, his character feels rather inaccessible. We really don’t know much about him. We see him go through the various stages of grief and there is clear character growth. However, this growth can feel overshadowed by the increasingly explosive encounters he has with Lee's mom and Jun.

This extends to Lee as well. While she is the central focus of the game, she can get lost in the narrative. There are moments where Marcus talks about “reminiscing on the good times,” but hardly shares these with the player. If Marcus were to offer further reflection on the woman he loved (and continues to love) so we can get to know her as well, the game would have more dimension.

And yet, the game never fails to convey the depth of his love for her.

Also
What’s interesting is how there are two versions of You’re Gone. The story file that accessed via a “unbox.ifarchive.org” link contains a version of the game with human characters. Here, Marcus is a white man, and Lee is a Chinese woman. However, these changes are superficial and do not affect the gameplay as they both effectively illustrate the mom’s bias towards Marcus.

I think that the anthropomorphized is the "final version," and my guess is that the author wanted to move from racial themes to something more simplified, such as a canine husband with a feline wife, so the player can focus on Marcus' grieving.

Final thoughts
You’re Gone is a poignant glimpse into one person’s grieving. Though it’s bittersweet, it ends on an optimistic note. It handles a tough topic without becoming too dire. The minimal interactivity fits with the game’s premise of a protagonist sending text messages, but unless you’re interested in the story you may be turned off by the gameplay.

I played this game a while back, and I’m starting to think I didn’t give it the attention it deserved. I zipped through everything, looking for some action, and ended up missing the essence of the game which stems from the story not the gameplay itself. I now appreciate the game more than I did before.

If you are looking for a simple game about grief, loss, and moving forward that doesn’t involve a lot of detail, You’re Gone is a great option.