Ratings and Reviews by Kinetic Mouse Car

You are exhausted after hiking across who-knows-where. All you want to do is rinse yourself off in that cool, refreshing waterfall... But for some reason, when you approach the flowing stream of water, it stops. If you want a shower, it seems that you’ll have to earn it first.

In a nutshell, you need to find a way to get the waterfall “working.” This objective is tied in with a light story with a touch of whimsy. Why is there (Spoiler - click to show)a monkey-themed tin in the cavern? Don’t ask. Just roll with it. To avoid spoiling the fun, I’m going to focus on the game’s implementation of which I was quite impressed.

It’s made with Ink. But if you didn’t know better, you may have thought Twine. I’m used to Ink consisting of text followed by links that add more text until you have a long, scrollable page of content. Behind the waterfall does away with scrollbars and opts for a neatly formatted body of text in the center of the screen. Links are embedded in the text, resembling something you may find in a Twine game.

You are on a boulder in front of the opening leading to the cavern that the waterfall hid. Down below, you can see the deep bottom of the pool, which is now empty.

Clicking on links then brings up a list of actions whether it be moving to a different area or examining an item. The gameplay has an easy rhythm. It encourages you to slow down, carefully observe, and appreciate your surroundings.

All of this can be summarized with a term I use called “free range of movement” which describes when a choice-based game allows the player to travel around a map-like environment and engage with its contents as if it were a parser, minus the keyboard. I mostly see this in Twine works, but Ink? This is a first (and refreshing, just like that tempting waterfall). It really adds dimension and movement to the gameplay.

Final thoughts
Five stars. The story and gameplay are good, but what elevates Behind the waterfall as a whole is how these components mesh together with smooth implementation, resulting in a truly atmospheric experience. Word count and details are kept to a minimum- a perfect example of less is more.

I feel calmer after playing this. I can almost imagine standing at the edge of a cool body of water with mist in the air and plants surrounding me. The ambient sounds of wildlife. A strong game can transport you anywhere.

Note: The game’s itch.io site says that there is a commercial version of the game available. I'm reviewing the non-commercial version.

I was drawn to Within Rotation due to its colourful cover art and uplifting slice-of-life focus. Its central message is: Brief encounters with strangers can bloom into something enduring and fruitful. When focused on daily life, it’s easy to overlook the talents, insights, and perspectives that surround us.

Why make space for strangers?

To explore this question, the game gives the player an opportunity to witness the kind of “fleeting moments” that can occur between strangers- and see the impact that grows from this initial meeting.

The gameplay uses a candy machine to illustrate the concept of chance encounters. You click on the screen until two random pieces of candy roll out of the machine and transform into two humans- strangers- who meet and start a conversation. After a brief chat they disappear. The process is then repeated.

What tanked my experience were the lag issues. I don’t know if the issues were on my end or if that’s the case for everyone, but the screen would freeze or I’d get these “This page isn’t responding” messages. The candy machine segments became tedious, interrupting the flow of gameplay.

The characters’ conversations are meaningful. When two meet, they introduce themselves, ask open-ended questions, and inquire about each other’s interest. They then finish the conversation by making plans to further the connection they’ve made. For example, Party A has a neat shirt. Party B likes photography. Their conversation results in Party B recruiting Party A for a photoshoot at a later date.

As the game puts it: That all who are intimate start from anonymity.

Watching these conversations unfold left me with the sunny feeling of, “wow, what a wholesome, well-balanced conversation.” But from a gameplay standpoint, they aren’t particularly engaging, especially after the first few conversations. Plus, once you run out of candy (strangers), (Spoiler - click to show)the game is like, “The end. The game is over.” I sat there thinking, wait, is this it? Of course, I would have enjoyed it more without the lag issues.

To be fair, there is tremendous replay value. The version I played has eight strangers that can be paired, meaning that it’s possible for, say, Mira to have seven separate conversations. The randomization keeps the player guessing at what combination they’ll get, and I appreciate that the game allows you to “refill” the machine with candy that you’ve already used. Also, the character art is polished.

Final thoughts
I’m reluctant to rate Within Rotation because I have this feeling that I’m overlooking some important detail. Overall, I didn’t have the best experience, particularly due to the lag issues, and I’m not sure if I can rate it fairly.

That said, while it doesn’t really feel like a game, the deeper themes of expanding one’s horizons via basic interaction with strangers is something that we can all embrace and benefit from. Within Rotation provides the basic building blocks on where to start.

Neon Case is a short custom choice-based cyberpunk/murder mystery game. You are Mei Ling, a Hong Kong police officer in the year 2065. A call comes in: a murder at a strip-club/brothel called Neon Lotus. The victim? An android... and therefore a legal shade of grey. Told in first-person P.O.V.

The investigation kicks off when you and fellow officer Kai Wong arrive at the club to interview three persons of interest: the manager, the patron suspected of murder, and the murder victim, Luna. Yes, we hear her side of the story by accessing her memory. Cue the main event: an actual A.I. interaction. According to the game’s description, "the player interrogates the android’s memory through an in-story AI system (a real chatbot interaction)." The player is directed to type questions into a text box to sift through Luna’s memories. I thought this was clever.

Thing is, (Spoiler - click to show)it’s obvious that she was murdered by the patron, making the “investigation” superficial. You also only get to ask a handful of questions before her diagnostics system fizzles out (no matter what, she’ll tell you what you need). This lack of interactivity and depth fails to showcase this chatbot feature in a meaningful way. It does, however, effectively convey Luna’s individualism and how she feared for her life.

You: Who hurt you?

Luna: I-I'm so frightened, (Spoiler - click to show)it was Vincent Bo...

Which leads to a key question: Is this ultimately a matter of murder or destruction of property? I found it difficult to explore this question due to the spareness of backstory on android technology and its legality within the story. NPCs refer to androids as “it,” but not with malice. Just matter-of-fact, “please don’t damage our androids because we paid a lot for them” kind of way. Perhaps they really are programmable property. And yet, the “lethal deactivation” (aka murder) of an android can land a person in prison. Lots of mixed messages going on.

What is clear is that, regardless of mainstream belief, Luna’s death was traumatic. The scraps of memory from her mind show that she was fully aware of the violence inflicted upon her.

Final thoughts
As a work of cyberpunk science fiction, Neon Case is filled with familiar elements. Rainy nighttime setting, androids, nightclubs, neon signs, glowing advertising, economic disparities, synthetic food, you name it. Cliches, sure, but that can be part of the fun. Even the generic sci-fi artwork adds flair (though I suspect it’s A.I.-generated). There’s no denying that the game has atmosphere.

But don’t expect in-depth gameplay or a suspenseful story. Neon Case is best approached as the experimental game that it is. Its goal is to showcase its implementation of A.I. as a means for investigating a murder mystery. I think the chatbot and its text input fits well with the premise of sifting through an android’s memory banks in search of clues. Unfortunately, it currently feels more like a gimmick and less like the investigative tool that the author was hoping for.

I recommend Neon Case if the chatbot feature interests you and/or you are an inherent fan of cyberpunk ambience. Fans of the video game Detroit: Become Human may also enjoy the themes in the story.

April 6th, 2004. Nina is 14 years old. She likes anime, video games, chatting with friends online, and building websites. But recently, things have taken a complicated turn. It has to do with her best friend Amy.

Amy is interested in Jared, a mutual friend. Because Nina is closer to Jared, Amy wants Nina’s help in setting her up with him. Problem: Nina also likes Jared, but is at a loss as to how to express this to Amy.

So, she says nothing and hopes that these feelings will pass.

Lost Memories Dot Net is a Unity game where you watch a love triangle unfold via online messaging.

Gameplay/Visuals
Gameplay is broken into Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 despite the story taking place over nearly a month. Visually, the game is set up like an internet browser with multiple tabs open. Two tabs are always open: the chat room and the editor for Nina’s website. But links to other fan websites can be accessed as well. This diegetic interface really sets the vibe of a teenager sitting at a computer.

Chat
The chat room is where you spend the most time. It’s also the source of my main criticism: delayed text. I understand that the game is trying to simulate someone typing.

Kayla is typing…

Thing is, t takes 3-5 seconds for each message to appear, and when it applies to the entire gameplay, it gets tedious. Especially as a longer game. Occasional dramatic pauses aside, if there were an option to, perhaps, double tap the screen to skip the wait time, it would be a huge help. For me, delayed text is often a turn-off when it comes to replays, but at least the game allows you to jump ahead to Days 2 and 3.

Editor
The website editor is the coolest part of the gameplay. Here, you get to decorate the front page of Nina’s website, “lost-memories.net.”

Welcome to lost-memories.net!!! I'm Nina!

Is it required? No. But’s it’s really fun. Experiment with colour schemes, backdrops, and imagery that can be resized and moved around. In fact, visuals found in other parts of the gameplay can be “downloaded” and added to the website. Probably the most impressive use of Unity I’ve seen so far.

Story/Characters
Time in the chat room is primarily split between Amy, a long-time best friend, and Kayla. Despite not having ever met Kayla in person, Nina is also good friends with her. Amy doesn’t appear to know about Kayla.

ONLINE
roseblush112 (Amy)
TarnishedDreamZ (Kayla)

Now that I think of it, do we ever see Nina’s screen name?

Social dynamics + Being a teenager
Friendship dynamics are a complex thing. Especially in middle/high school. How well do you know someone? Do they feel like you understand them and see them for who they are? What happens if you fail to notice? Lost Memories Dot Net tackles the subtlety of what it means to be there for a friend.

Amy adores Nina. She does care. They are, in fact, best friends. But does Amy provide the friendship that Nina needs? Lately, Nina has begun to relate to her best friend less and less. For one thing, Nina’s parents are often fighting and struggle with finances. Amy has a stable home life and can comfortably confide in her parents. Amy is extroverted (and gets attention from male peers) while Nina is quiet and nerdy.

A notable moment that illustrates this difference is when Nina says, “sorry im so depressed all the time,” Amy’s response boils down to, “NO apologizing… you’re just sad because your parents suck and school sucks… i totally understand. let’s play some games…” etc. She means well but this isn’t helping because she doesn’t understand. She may hear Nina, but she’s not actually listening.

Fortunately, anything she can’t share with Amy she can always share with Kayla. Especially since Kayla is a “non-school friend,” which makes her somewhat of a neutral party when discussion Jared/Amy-related issues.

Love triangle
Regardless of what you envision when you hear the phrase “love triangle,” Lost Memories Dot Net may surprise you with the direction it takes. In this case, (Spoiler - click to show)one of the two sides pining for the love interest never realizes there’s ever a triangle to begin with. Certainly not the friendship meltdown that I predicted, thankfully.

The story is linear. The player doesn’t have a lot of room to influence what’s going on. But in a way, this goes hand-in-hand with feeling Nina’s indecisiveness. Should she risk rejection and hurting her relationship with her best friend? Or should she stay quiet and continue to help Amy date Jared?

Granted, sometimes you want to yell, “JUST DO IT, NINA! ASK HIM!” If only it were that simple. Her situation may not seem like a big deal in the grand scheme of things. However, the story is unfolding from Nina’s frame of reference which barely extends beyond high school, home life, and their respective dramas. It is a big deal. And by no means is it easy.

Themes
Lost Memories Dot Net largely centers around the use of creative outlets as a way to escape the dramas of everyday life. Part blog, part fanfiction, part semi-private diary, lost-memories.net is Nina’s go-to spot for expressing her hopes and vulnerabilities.

Kayla, too, is an outlet. She may “only” be an internet friend, but she’s also Nina’s biggest support system. Nina has a tendency to apologize after sharing personal worries out of fear that she takes up too much space or is a burden. Kayla picks up on this. Rather than tossing around solutions she listens and reassures Nina that she's not alone in how she feels.

Amy: you gotta get off your computer and get a boyfriend!

(Amy, I know you mean well, but this isn’t helping.)

This interception of escapism, creativity, and human connection are alluded to at the end when (Spoiler - click to show)Kayla sends Nina a piece of artwork from Kayla’s own website, a piece that Nina had complimented earlier. It depicts someone lonely sitting in front of a computer screen while someone from inside the screen reaches out to them. A touching symbolic moment.

Final thoughts
If I were basing my rating solely on my enjoyment and level of engagement, I’d give this game three stars (partly because of the timed text, but don’t let that deter you). But I realize that its story carries a lot of meaning. It picks apart the complex dynamics of friendship by contrasting a well-meaning friend who is out of touch vs. a friend who reads between the lines when it matters most. Three stars isn’t enough.

Plus, it’s a high-quality work. I’m surprised it hasn’t received more attention on IFDB.

As a longer game, it’s possible that you’ll try it out of curiosity but not necessarily finish it. Let’s put it this way, if you love Lore Distance Relationship, this will be your cup of tea. And if the premise of a love triangle between two teenage girls interests you, go for it. It’s also worth trying just to see the innovative use of Unity. Otherwise, it may not be a good fit for you.

It will certainly resonate with the right audience.

This game is currently under development, so I’ll hold off on assigning it a rating.

You are a flesh harvester, a nightmare creature of body parts and barbed wire who likes to snack on mortals’ bodies to enhance your own twisted form. In doing so, you become… powerful. The world awaits.

BLACK FLESH begins in your den. Initially, the only gameplay actions are hunting humans for flesh, modifying your body with said flesh, and making painkillers (because as much as you enjoy pain, it can still kill you).

Acquired: 21 flesh + raw muscle fiber filament.

Nice. Sort of.

A status bar on the left tracks your pain level, the number of limbs you’ve added to your body, and collected raw material. Certain actions increase your pain. If it reaches 100%, game over. And there’s no way to save, either. After enough modification, you “level up” and unlock more actions such as capturing servants to do your bidding. Others are listed but not currently implemented. Raiding villages will have to wait.

Unfortunately, the gameplay is extremely repetitive. The author notes that BLACK FLESH has no story and instead focuses on the gore element to “boost your primal dopamine.” Alright. Except the lack of variation dulls the effect. Hunt. Take painkiller. Modify body. Take painkiller. Repeat. Any dopamine rush (or is it adrenaline?) soon fizzles out as you micromanage your pain levels.

Also, the requirements for leveling up are unreasonable. To level up a second time, you need 40 arms, 40 legs, 20 heads, and 8 torsos. It took way too long. When I finally succeeded, (Spoiler - click to show)the game ran into a dead end. The only link on the screen (“Hahaha!”) kept taking me back to the same screen. Either it’s a bug or the implementation ends there.

Players may be turned off by the game’s graphic and directionless carnage, but there is an odd charm to it. It heaps on the gore with such in-your-face enthusiasm that you start to think, “okay, I’m into it.”

…flaying a hole to accommodate NEW TISSUE.

Yeah, new tissue! The effect is accentuated with the ALL-CAPS pulsing red text that is reserved for the extra gnarly moments. This visual also stands out nicely with the game’s black screen, red buttons, and otherwise white text. (Made with Twine, btw).

Over the top, yes, but think of it as a resource management game or an RPG. You collect resources (flesh) to construct limbs to level up and gain new abilities, all while staying within a set threshold (pain levels). However, these need to be developed further if the author wants to retain players beyond the first few minutes.

Final thoughts
As of now, BLACK FLESH is hovering around a rating of two stars because for a game that promotes itself as being a thrilling gore-fest, it is quite mind-numbingly repetitive. Do you know how long it takes to stockpile 40 arms and 40 legs?

Fortunately, it’s still in the early stage of development. The author appears to be quite excited about the game which makes me eager to see what they have in store for us.

Fans of the Twine game MARTYR ME will get a kick out of this.

Robot Recovery Mission is the most upbeat, light-hearted robot war that you may ever find in interactive fiction. Simple, short, and made with Ren’Py.

Cirq. An unremarkable rocky planet with four moons.

In orbit is Flywheel Station- home of the Cipy robotic race. But a recent attack by the Decabots, a rival robot group, has left the station in critical condition. You and your fellow Cipys have now been called upon to assist with repairs.

In a nutshell, the player visits Cirq’s moons to harvest gems that are brought back to Flywheel Station. These gems are needed to repair the station's vital systems. A set number of each kind of gem must be collected within a limited timeframe before the Decabots attempt another attack.

Gameplay is easy and uncomplicated. A point-and-click map is used for selecting destinations. Moons, mostly. Upon arrival, you select a mining method to extract gems which are automatically collected. Then it’s back to the map. And if you’re attacked along the way, combat boils down to a simple “Fight” or “Flee.” The time limit, however, is where the challenge comes in because all actions consume time.

Hull Integrity:
100/100
---------------
Time remaining:
100/100

Oddly enough, (Spoiler - click to show)running out of time does not result in a “game over.” The game essentially says, “you know what? Let’s reset your time limit and pretend this didn’t happen. Off you go.” You don’t even lose your gems. Which… I appreciate since time goes by quickly. But the game could be more subtle about it. Who knows, maybe this will be changed in the future. Fortunately, there is a respawn mechanic if your ship gets destroyed. This is a forgiving game.

Final thoughts
I wouldn't outright classify Robot Recovery Mission as a "kids’ game," but it would be a good pick for older kids. Middle schoolers, maybe? Heck, I could see myself playing this in 4th/5th grade, partly because most of the character art is reminiscent of a children’s sci-fi picture book. Professor Coghead could quite possibly be the mascot from some library’s summer “reading challenge” program. The streamlined gameplay is especially suited for such audiences.

And yet, more experienced players can find things to appreciate. While the gameplay may feel underwhelming, there is a charm to the “Oh no! Decabots!” dialogue during action sequences. I also liked that the cartoonish character art is contrasted with more realistic backdrops and differently stylized imagery. The game never fails to be visually interesting. A fun 20 minutes.

The Vault of Stories is a rather unique Twine game that both entertains and educates. It was created by a professor at the University of Maryland for a course titled "INST388Q Interactive Fiction,” and describes itself as “half story-game and half instructional material.”

I am NOT a student. But I still ended up having a positive and memorable experience. Hopefully, my (rather long) review, will help you get the most out of it.

Overview
The story-gameplay portion is set in the future where the player attends the fictional Palisade Institute as a student. Fun and immersive, this part adds flair through worldbuilding and makes players feel more invested in the assigned work.

The instructional part teaches different narrative structures and genres in interactive fiction before guiding players into crafting their own Twine stories. Throughout this section are checkpoints where real-life students submit assignments for the course in exchange for assignment codes. More on that later.

Gameplay
PART I: “Story-game”
Gameplay is broken into three stages, class time at the Palisade Institute, a trek across a desert, and investigating a ruined city. While linear, plenty of interesting things occur.

Renowned for its unique blend of cutting-edge survival science and cultural heritage studies, the Institute is one of the last bastions of higher education in North America.

You begin by choosing a student avatar. Six diverse options are available and ties in with a stat system that is further shaped by your choices in the gameplay. The name and character portrait is just cosmetic. The stats, however, determine the genre and narrative structures covered in the instructional section of the game.

Later, you stumble across unfamiliar files belonging to an employee at the “Vault of Stories,” a place that supposedly collects fictional narratives. Without spoiling the details, it appears the Vault had experienced a structural failure. This led to the creation of a (Spoiler - click to show)human-A.I. (I think) entity known as the Archivist…

Now you know.
Now you see us.
Now, come find us.

…who contacts you and provides a set of GPS coordinates leading to a derelict city!

In a way, everything up to this point serves as an intro. The trip across the desert includes a sampling of some interactive fiction games, but the main action takes place in the city where the Archivist awaits with a special task. Soon after, the game then asks for an assignment code to continue playing.

To my delight, all I had to do was message the author on IFDB.

PART II: Instructional material
Once you become acquainted with the Archivist, the gameplay switches to the instructive half of The Vault of Stories. Because this game is for a college course, it’s tailored to its primary audience: students taking the class. For non-students like myself, the organization and amount of content can be overwhelming. So, I’m going to focus on what I consider to be the best of the game’s instructional content has to offer.

Initially, the game starts by providing some basic Twine tutorials that you may have seen elsewhere (note: The Vault of Stories focuses on Harlowe.) Next, are basic overviews on game engines, POV, character design, the history of interactive fiction, and more.

But the highlight is when the game teaches three narrative structures (ex. hub-and-spoke narratives) and three genres. Which three? Depends on your highest stat, though multiple playthroughs revealed that they often overlap. You are then directed to try another Twine game that demonstrates the narrative structure or genre that is being described, followed by a photo tutorial on a related technique.

For example, when learning about hub-and-spoke narrative structure, you try the game The Great Mortality before receiving a tutorial on variable tracking.

This combination of explanation, outside examples, and a visual breakdown of what to do is where the game shines as an educational tool. It may not be a complete, comprehensive guide, but it gives you a starting point and some building blocks.

Once you’ve learned about three different narrative structures and genres, the Archivist challenges you to pick one of each to create your own Twine game. Several spinners select your setting, protagonist, quest, story twist, and conclusion. In fact, these spinners have some clever ideas. This might come in handy if you ever experience writer’s block.

In submitting assignments to the teacher, you are supposedly adding your work to the Vault in-game. If you want to see how everything wraps up, do so with the assignment codes. The author will provide them by request (see the end of Gameplay PART I).

Story
While there is more story on the Archivist and the Vault, I don’t want to spoil everything. Instead, I’ll delve into my favorite part of this game: the overarching backstory as unveiled during the lecture we attend at the Institute. It outlines a moment in history called the Great Collapse… where everything changed.

Prior to the Collapse, humanity opted to address the climate crisis with technology-based solutions while countless data centers were entrusted to house ancient and modern knowledge. This all relied on vast infrastructure, functioning as a “house of cards waiting for the smallest gust of wind.”

The Collapse began when solar flares devastated electronics globally. An overreliance on automated systems brought daily life to a halt and triggered a cascade of problems. Meanwhile, climate change only worsened. Humanity plunged into a “pre-biotech reality” with diminished cultural memory and scientific knowledge. Survivors transitioned to isolated pocket communities, leaving cities behind as relics of a lost age.

Thoughts
This backstory is intriguing because it draws parallels to our world now. Like the building of data centers. The growing use of A.I. has brought questions about the amount of infrastructure needed to support and power it. And then there’s climate change…

What’s refreshing about The Vault of Stories is that it offers a vision for a future in a scenario where human civilization nearly leads to its own demise. Now, the immediate gameplay takes place in a post-Collapse world. But do we see a drab, miserable, post-apocalyptic existence? No. Civilization has found a way to flourish.

The lecture reveals that humanity gradually rebuilt in desert regions with an emphasis on working with nature rather than trying to conquer it. By pooling together different areas of knowledge and expertise, modern civilization turned its focus to the “art and science of survival.” The Institute is one such product of this philosophy.

✦ BOTE024 Symbiotic Infrastructures. Investigates how botanical systems can serve as living infrastructures for shelter, energy, and data exchange.

I would totally attend this school.

Ideally, we’ll avoid our own Great Collapse. Regardless, I’d like to think that it’s always an option to embrace the themes of adaptation and coexistence as outlined in this story.

Visuals
First off, I was pleased to see that The Vault of Stories uses a wide range of fonts, colours, and visual effects. And the art. Filled to the brim with art! Some of it gives the impression of being A.I.-generated, but that doesn’t stop it from looking really cool (if not breathtaking). I would often linger to marvel at the scenery. It brings the story to life and works well for the game’s purposes.

That said, the game tends to go overboard. Not every scene needs a visual, especially when the gameplay follows a pattern of click on link, wait two seconds for a large picture to load, scroll down to the bottom of the screen to read the text, repeat. Especially when we’re crossing the desert. Also, our meeting with the Archivist feels dominated by the gameplay showing off her hair colours. The game could tone it down without sacrificing her characterization.

Final thoughts
Reviewing and rating this game has proved to be an interesting task because its hybrid nature as both a gameplay experience and a learning tool was something I had never encountered before in a Twine game. My rating of four stars reflects the fact that I was enamored by the story presented in the first half, and was impressed with what it teaches in the second half. Overall, an ambitious and impressive effort.

It does, however, have room for improvement. Some vocab terms had broken links and the text input boxes can be fickle. (Spoiler - click to show)The answer to the interactive fiction puzzle is, “interactive fiction,” right? So why does it act like it’s the wrong answer the first time I punch it in but not the second? Also, it takes a while to reach the part that teaches narrative structures and story genre which I argue is the most informative part. And of course, some players may be turned off about having to input a code at all.

Who knows? Maybe there’s things I missed. But for now, I had a fun time and will leave things here.

You should try this game if…
-The worldbuilding and backstory in the first half interests you
-The artwork sounds appealing
-A college course Twine game piques your curiosity
-You want to learn techniques that turn a story idea into an interactive narrative (Especially this!)

Otherwise, the game might not be your style.

In this custom choice-based game, you are starship captain looking to make a living through commerce!

Gameplay
The gameplay centers around fielding job offers, most of which involve being paid to ship goods to other planets.

Vyphoo Turul: I have a job for you, Captain. Can you deliver this shipment of exotic matter to Toedud?

Some opportunities feature NPCs willing to pay for passage to a particular destination.

As a choice-based game, the layout is well-organized. The left side of the screen displays your inventory and crew roster while the right half has a star map and panel that displays information on any links you click on.

Procedural generation appears to be the game’s key feature and is used for the names of characters, planets, species, and more.

Sasow is an inhabited planetary system. The majority culture is Tawaw. Primary exports include gold, grain, and water. Major imports include antimatter, livestock, and synthstim.

Tawaw is a distinct culture in this region of the galaxy.

There are helpful features that streamline the gameplay. For example, if you linger for too long, a crewmember will nudge you and say the equivalent of "hey, maybe we should leave and travel to [planet name]." Planets that have active content- delivering goods or dropping off passengers- are also flagged on the map. This visual reference is helpful so you don't have to worry about mixing up Eathlowthu with Eathlouthu.

But this strong implementation does not make up for the fact that the gameplay lacks any broader objective beyond completing the same kind of jobs in exchange for payment. No way of upgrading your ship (repairs are occasionally possible) or aligning yourself any faction or characters.

[NPC name]: I’ve got a job for you, Captain. Can you deliver this shipment of [cargo] to [planet name]? I’ll pay you [$ amount] – half now, and half when you make it to [Planet name].

That's it. Over and over again. After about 20 minutes I realized, "I’m done.” As far as I'm aware, it only ends if (Spoiler - click to show)your ship falls apart or you fail to pay back a loan. (To top it off, loans give you little upward mobility in the gameplay).

Story
None, really. There is no narrative introduced at the start of the game. But I suspect that might be the author’s intent, instead choosing to showcase the procedural generation behind the game’s world.

Visuals
Emoji icons! Not too many, just enough to provide visual metrics and make the game’s appearance livelier. Like how you can see the morale of your crew at a glance.

😃🙂😐😒😡

The most impressive feature is the large, clickable, colour-coded planetary map on the right side of the screen. It makes a great impression and sets the mood for hauling goods across solar systems.

Final thoughts
I'm a big fan of another work by the author: Epitaph. It, too, is heavily structured around procedural generation. However, I didn’t get the same satisfaction with Starfreighter.

Starfreighter, as a space commerce sim, demonstrates one possible way procedural generation can be implemented in a choice-based game. Unfortunately, the end product lacks trajectory. It is worth playing to sample what it has to offer, but beyond that, players will likely lose interest after 15-20 minutes.

On the flip side, you pick up this game and set it down without feeling guilty about abandoning a story halfway through. (And I still enjoyed those 20 minutes of playtime.)

Before you go…
If you like this game or enjoy elements of it, I suggest Star Tripper and 4x4 Galaxy.

Star Tripper is a ChoiceScript game with a mechanic of buying and selling units of resources akin to that in Starfreighter, along with the colourful use of emojis. While not without flaws, it is easily one of the most ambitious and innovative ChoiceScript games I've played. It does have a long intro, but after that, it's all space exploration and economic-driven gameplay. Recommended for those who like the technical micromanagement of buying and selling various goods.

4x4 Galaxy is made with Twine and involves exploring a grid of 16 planets. It has multiple stories to choose from and the commerce component is easy to master. I would recommend it for anyone in general, especially if you’re interested in economic gameplay that is more casual and simplified.

You are the Editor-In-Chief (EIC) for NATIONALNEWS.web, the most popular source of news for a nation called "Meadowland." Such a large audience wields a degree of social and political influence. As EIC, you have the power to shape this.

Made for inkJam 2025.

Gameplay
Gameplay spans over a week. Every day you decide what gets published on the front page: Top Story headline, Editorial headline, Secondary headline, and a puzzle.

Meadowland is split into two groups, Gen-Star and Gen-Flower, that prioritize different values. What gets published affects the social and political attitudes of readers. Inevitably, content is going to be "Gen-Star leaning" or "Gen-Flower leaning." Or maybe an oddball third party. It's up to you to decide which ones get the spotlight.

The impact of your choices is summarized through Action Reports made available at the start of each day, allowing you to track reader metrics.

Gen–Flower:
❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚❚ ➹8
Topics: ❲precision❳ ❲neighbors❳

At the end of the week, you leave on vacation. When you get back, (Spoiler - click to show)you will discover that NATIONALNEWS.web has fallen under new leadership, of which depends on the faction you most aligned with in the gameplay.

Story
The game begins on the cusp of the "Festival," a major political event where tensions can run high. That's about the only thing about the story I can say with certainty.

Even after multiple replays, I still don’t fully understand the events that unfold over the week. This vagueness isn’t necessarily a bad thing because it prevents the short gameplay from being weighed down by details. Nonetheless, I felt like a distant spectator of the game’s quirky world.

Visuals
The visuals are simple but excellent. First of all, it's easy to forget that this game is made with Ink. When I think of Ink games, I think of a black or white screen with plain text and links at the bottom. And every time you make a choice, the page scrolls down to more text. Editor-In-Chief completely breaks from this.

The game's layout consists of a white panel that uses pop-up boxes instead of a scrollbar. Text is black with a "newsprint" font. Links are blue. The black and white colour scheme is mixed with bright red accents that pop against the screen. Different shapes, lines, and symbols are also used.

Reminds me of freshly printed paper and ink. Even if it is a news website.

Final thoughts
In terms of ratings, it's definitely a strong three stars, though not quite enough to tip the scale for me to make it four. I like the game as a demonstration of what is possible with the Ink system both visually- especially the visuals- and implementation-wise. As for everything else, I just didn’t feel invested. But if you’re in the mood to step into the shoes of an EIC, give this game a try.

The Acreage is an oddball sci-fi game that slowly grows on you. You are Lain Bellets, a mercenary born in the Pisces constellation. A man named Desmond hires you to escort him and his companion Isaac to a monastery on a planet called Surst.

Isaac is unlike anyone you’ve ever met. Childlike stature, sickly pale skin, mechanical eyes, and black wires growing from his scalp. He communicates via a device hidden in his clothes and only speaks in verses… and he’s taken an interest in you.

But your ship, The Vigil, was damaged after escaping a scuffle with law enforcement. The three of you are now stuck in Bluèl, a city on some nondescript world.

Gameplay
Gameplay revolves around the end goal of getting your ship in working condition so you can leave. This means navigating the city and networking to find individuals who can help you. There are just over a dozen locations. You begin in a seedy motel room.

A CLINIC and GROCERY STORE are nearby. A short flight of stairs leads to a PAWNSHOP. Between two buildings you see a small TENT, firelight still flickers from within. A VENDOR stands by her STALL, holding out various trinkets for sale.

ISAAC huddles next to you, wrapping his tunic close in the cold.

Exits are listed at the bottom of the screen. A built-in map is also available. It is a Quest game (fortunately, the website now allows you to save without an account).

While I do wish that more scenery could be examined, the game does reward the player for noticing certain details. For example, (Spoiler - click to show)you listen to the men gambling outside the shacks, you get another dialog option when talking to the seer.

The coolest feature is probably the three characters who exist inside your head as colour-coded dialogue: Synapse (yellow), Animus (blue), Sinew (red).

Familiar voices echo within the architecture of your being.

I’m not sure if they are A.I.s or something more abstract, but they contribute guidance and humour, sometimes even disagreeing with each other. They are especially helpful in making sense of Isaac’s cryptic manner of speech. As a result, I was never lost and always knew what my immediate objectives were. Plus, they’re fun characters. Like when we spot a stunningly beautiful person in the bar.

SINEW: Wow.

ANIMUS: Wow indeed.

They also serve as a moral compass, weighing the pros and cons of available choices.

Story
Backstory
Humanity resides throughout the constellations of the zodiac. The space between them, if I’m not mistaken, is called the “acreage.” Sometime ago, all sources of starship fuel were destroyed by an unknown agent, preventing travel between regions. This event was known as the Divide. Deprived of trade and commerce, many civilizations died out.

Thanks to the invention of “fold engine” technology, travel has been restored. But the Divide’s left regions vulnerable to exploitation by corporations like GasTechnin that seek to monopolize and control workforces. Just listen to what the citizens of Bluèl have to say about life there. (Spoiler - click to show)The parasitic secretary expects us to work 10 months at a gas refinery just to leave the space port.

Immediate story
Initially, it appears that Isaac is Desmond’s “sidekick.” It’s actually the other way around.

Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the ideas contained in this story. I won’t spoil it, but the things Isaac reveals about himself are shocking and kind of cool. A recurring joke is how people assume that Isaac is your son.

He looks over at Isaac and beams a smile in his direction, seemingly unconfused by small figure’s strange appearance.

“We also have plenty of roles for children eager to earn some spending money.”

The volume of Isaac’s silence seems to suddenly increase.

With Isaac, there are also some philosophical, perhaps even religious, themes associated with his character. We get the sense that he is (Spoiler - click to show)on a mission for a higher purpose regarding the acreage. He hints that you can be a part of this, if you so choose.

Endings
The game’s description says that there are multiple endings, but I only found two. Without going into detail, they align in the fashion of (Spoiler - click to show)“do you go back to your old life or do you try something new?” I’m curious to know if there are any other outcomes.

Visuals
Its appearance is of a black background and primarily green text. The font does take some time to get used to, but this is offset by key words being displayed in white text and in ALL-CAPS. Cleverly, the screen changes when you (Spoiler - click to show)access the office terminal.

I did find spelling errors (the game is currently Version 1.0.)

ISAAC leavevs and waits silently for you at the bar's entrance, simmering with angy.

Then again, I suppose there is a lot of text to proofread in this game.

Final thoughts
Some games, when you play them, feel like an easy five stars. With The Acreage, its potency snuck up on me. It wasn’t until I reached the end that I realized, “I love this game. What a great experience.” The appeal is hard to pin down. It feels more surreal than other sci-fi games I’ve played. Its depiction of space travel is especially interesting. And Isaac. Odd… but elusive. As I said, it grows on you.

It certainly helps that the gameplay has features that guide you in the right direction. That way, you can complete it and decide whether it resonates with you. I noticed that the game begins with “PART ONE: OLD BEGINNINGS.” Does this mean The Acreage is only the first installment? I hope so.