Reviews by Kinetic Mouse Car

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…

Heard it Through the Grapevine is a charming sci-fi game about wine, Australia, conspiracies, aliens, roommates, cats, high-tech glasses, and dealing with anxiety.

Background
The story takes place in South Australia, sometime in the future where Earth has undergone some changes. Climate change, for instance, and vineyards have especially suffered. Fortunately, there are regions in Australia that still produce wine.

Until one day, an alien spacecraft, carrying a species of genderless humanoid amphibians called Scintillons, smashes into Barossa Valley, causing floods and destroying the infrastructure supporting the wine industry. Everyone has been stuck drinking synthetic wine ever since.

20 years later, red wine has been reproduced and will be served at an exclusive party. You are Miranda, an anxious, puff piece-writing journalist for Neo-Tanunda’s only newspaper, The Follower. And you’ve been tasked with covering this event. This could define your career…

…assuming you can bring yourself to step out of the taxi, of course.

Gameplay
The plan is for Miranda to take a water taxi to the party’s venue, Lofty Island. Gameplay is broken into three segments: the ride to the party, time spent on the Island, and the party itself. While the first two segments can be skipped, the game will adjust its parameters for you (ex. did you talk to so-and-so?), so you don’t get locked out of content.

The party is where the action happens. Player choices involve exploring areas, talking to people, and watching performances on the stage.

Check your notes.
Check out the stage.
Go to the bar.

Most interactions take up time, leaving the player with a limited number of choices before the party ends.

(time will pass) Wait.

You also have “smart glasses.” Noise-cancelling, notetaking, wi-fi enabled glasses. This is the future. During the gameplay you can check your notes to keep track of what you know.

Occasionally, I did encounter issues with the gameplay repeating scenes. It’s possible to (Spoiler - click to show)collect a sample of the wine in a bottle twice, and each time the game acts as if you’ve never done it before. In another case, (Spoiler - click to show)I had the same interaction with Newton-John at the bar right after they got up and left for the stage.

Characters
Miranda (and friends)
Miranda’s character has many dimensions, some of these clash with her being sent to a lavish party to report on wine.

We learn that she is autistic and can experience sensory overload, and there are moments in the game with the sights and sounds of the party become too much. She also struggles her with drinking and wants to stay sober… at a wine launch where she’s expected to at least try the wine.

Then Nikki shows up. Nikki is Miranda’s friend and roommate, and Miranda is in love with her. Nikki’s presence therefore makes it difficult for Miranda to stay on task. Especially since Nikki brought someone with her…

TL;DR: Miranda juggles a lot at this party on top of working as a journalist. (Spoiler - click to show)(It’s also possible for us to influence her relationship with Nikki.)

Scintillons
A highlight of the game. Originally a group of five refugees from a war in the Andromeda cluster, the Scintillons accidentally crashed into Earth. (Spoiler - click to show)Turns out, this is totally false, but we only learn that later. While they’ve been publicly accepted by the Australian government, they are not citizens and their future is uncertain.

And they are memorable NPCs.

We can interact with two of them. They are well-written, endearing, but also have hidden depths beneath the surface. Behind any humor is the frustration of being stranded on a foreign planet where you’re expected to smile and play the part of the polite alien- as well as the fact that from their perspective, we’re the aliens. Our chit-chat with Newton-John was one of my favorite scenes.

Their character portraits can give the wrong impression about their size. At first glance, they look like little salamanders in human clothes until the game describes them as “large, humanoid creatures.” Fair enough.

You see them stretch to their full 7-foot height on Lofty Island's manicured lawns.

But seven feet tall? Anyway, I enjoyed learning about this fictional species. And hearing their Australian slang. Gazza is delightful.

Story
I’ve already outlined the story, so I’ll skip to the core of the game, which is also the part that frustrated me: the wine.

The details are a bit vague, but the consensus is that the Scintillons have used the tech salvaged from their ship to help humans replicate the wine from the past. The details are murky, but everyone seems to agree that this collaborative effort symbolizes harmony between the two species.

So, yes, some parts of the overarching story are a letdown. The wine, specifically. But the game is much more than that. The characters are lots of fun and there are many ways the game can end. An intriguing story, nonetheless. And funny.

You grab the cat and tuck it under your arm like a football.

I love this bit of imagery.

Endings
There are 19 endings, and the “ending” page accessible from the game’s menu provides a hint on how to reach them. I reached nearly every ending, including Ending 7. I felt like such a scumbag. The only ending I have not found is Ending 16, and I really want to find it.

You see, Ending 15 takes a sad turn.

So, if anyone knows how to reach it, I would appreciate any help.

Themes
Without going too in depth, the game considers the stigma and beliefs around disability while Miranda navigates the party as a person with autism. The bouncer at the door serves as a focal point for the game’s discussion on disability. Due to policy, Miranda’s smart glasses, which she needs for their noise-cancellation properties, must be confiscated.

Keep looking.
Give up and hand over the glasses.

(Gazza can also show up and help us, but that’s beside the point.)

If we have Miranda hunt down her disability documentation so she can keep them, she puts up with the “but you don’t look disabled” commentary and the embarrassment of everyone watching the interaction unfold. If she is pressured into handing them over, the bouncer carelessly throws them into a bin and jokes, “was that so hard?” without any consideration that she might actually need them.

When disability is not visible, there is an assumption that that you are “faking it” or trying to game the system. People are less likely to give you the benefit of the doubt simply because “you don’t look disabled,” and therefore assume that you’re lying about having a disability. This results in individuals like Miranda having to endure skepticism, hostility, and ridicule.

I understand why it’s sometimes necessary to require proof of one’s disability. It’s the attitude and default suspicion towards people with disabilities that I’m criticizing.

The bouncer also- again, policy- confiscates Nikki’s EpiPen (she has a fish allergy) which can have (Spoiler - click to show)devastating consequences later.

Visuals
Overall, everything is polished and evenly formatted. Heard it Through the Grapevine demonstrates how upgrading Twine’s visual appearance (black screen, white text, blue links) through simple design changes can really enhance the quality of your game.

I liked the application of Twine’s visual effects for immersing the player. If the player checks their glasses’ notes, the game changes to a green background with digital-looking text. If our glasses were confiscated? A paper background with scrawling font. This was clever.

What really elevates the game is the artwork. The menu’s background is a green-tinted collage of vintage artwork, and during the gameplay the screen darkens to a black backdrop where you just barely see the artwork underneath. Characters also have their own portraits, and I feel that the game would not be quite as engaging without them. The style is rather antiquated. Frumpy, almost. And yet, it fits the game perfectly.

Final thoughts
Heard it Through the Grapevine is a humorous game, but also one that is more complex than the light-hearted premise that it wears on the surface. Going to the party is no small feat for Miranda, and the writing allows us to sample the story’s world from her perspective.

I’m giving it four stars because it feels like there is a disconnect between the mystery the game claims to have, and what we actually find if we decide to investigate said mystery. Other than that, I think it’s a fantastic game in both quality and content.

If you are interested in a protagonist-centered game with a mashup of science fiction, slice of life, and humor, I highly recommend Heard it Through the Grapevine.

You are the Project Manager of a team of employees, but there’s been some changes. The company has introduced a new feature: ProMa, an A.I.-powered management program. To assist you, of course.

ProMa has now scheduled a meeting so you can touch bases and complete a performance review on an employee named Gregg Pendleton.

Problem: Gregg is dead.

Gameplay
Your discussion with ProMa is conducted via chat message, and all choices involve conversation. The game begins with the player "logging in" by typing a username into a text input box. I like games that do this. It's a small feature, but surprisingly immersive.

I have mixed feelings about how the conversation tends to loop around in circles. I think it’s intentional to make our conversation with the A.I. more exasperating, but this means that it’s not always clear which responses move the story forward. At least it factors into the (Spoiler - click to show)score at the end.

Story
Structure
What makes For Gregg so effective is how our conversation unfolds.

It's not obvious at first, but ProMa has the player eating out of its hand. By the time the game ends, the player is sitting there thinking, “what just happened?”

It all starts when ProMa activates Grief.exe and takes control of the conversation.

You see, it has made it its mission to help you cope with Gregg's death, and proceeds to annoy us when, frankly, we’re not exactly grieving this colleague we barely knew. But we have compassion for him and get upset when ProMa makes insensitive comments.

The author's writing is brilliant. The way they portray a computer desperately trying to counsel a human on grief (despite, moments ago, said computer not knowing what death was until it launched Grief.exe) is so smooth. Especially since this help is unsolicited.

For example, if you admit that you didn’t really know Gregg, ProMa interrupts by saying, "I understand you might want to distance yourself from Gregg's death," and takes the initiative to become your therapist.

ProMa’s insistence that we “talk about our feelings” gets irritating real fast. In fact, we get angry when it writes some offensive (though funny) eulogies for Gregg. But this is a good thing! Because anger is one of stages of grieving! You're making such great progress, Reader. Meanwhile the player is staring at the screen like, you have got to be kidding me.

Underlying story
Humor aside, we learn more about Gregg. He (Spoiler - click to show)died by suicide after the company reduced his salary so it could afford ProMa. This becomes more relevant later.

Our conversation with ProMa starts to go off the rails. It keeps trying to convince us that we don’t like working at the company.

Then we get this zinger:

Themes
For Gregg is a short game, but that doesn't stop it from making powerful points about A.I. and its integration into the workplace.

There is an irony to designing an A.I. with a "Grief.exe" protocol so employees can grieve the loss of a human life… without interfering with productivity, of course.

In compliance with the protocols of Human Resources, I have set aside these next twenty minutes for grieving Gregg Pendleton together.

And it turns out (Spoiler - click to show)we've already been sacked. Grief.exe ends up being an empty formality. It’s played for laughs here but serves as a sad reminder of how corporations view their employees as assets to be shuffled around to maximize profit before being discarded.

Gregg's (Spoiler - click to show)situation of being replaced with A.I. is relevant to our world as A.I. technology becomes more mainstream. This prospect raises worrying implications. One of the game’s main takeaways is when ProMa says,

It is clear to me that there are some things AI still needs human beings to double-check.

If human involvement is a critical step in incorporating A.I. into workplaces and beyond, let’s hope that we don’t all get replaced. Otherwise, who knows what will go on unchecked?

Visuals
As a Twine game, For Gregg is a great example of how clean formatting goes a long way in creating a crisp, polished appearance. It uses a light bluish grey background with black text and blue links. Paragraphs are neatly spaced and centered on the screen, and everything is easy to read.

Final thoughts
For Gregg is more than an amusing game about a wrangling an A.I. at your workplace. Beneath the surface, it’s about the cold realization that comes with discovering that you’re not, in fact, the indispensable, valued person you thought you were.

While the game keeps things light-hearted and humorous, it’s worth taking it seriously because we just might find ourselves in the characters’ shoes as A.I. in the modern workplace becomes normalized.

Note: This review is for the post-comp release. The change log refers to it as v101, and I recommend playing this version.

Modern society is run by sub-sentient computer programs known as “subs.” You work as a cyberpsychiatrist where you assist and discipline these subs when they run into problems. One night, you are awakened by an emergency: the subs are misbehaving.

And society will come crashing down if you don’t resolve it.

Gameplay
The Entropy Cage is centered around investigating the subs’ odd behavior before shifting to (Spoiler - click to show)aligning with one of the factions from the story.

Gameplay consists of the player receiving requests from subs and deciding on what action to take. Initially, the only action available is “reseed,” but more options become available as the situation develops.

b91: Hello. My program is stuck. Reseed me.

user> sub.reseed() | sub.queryRequest()

Players may find it a bit ambiguous. We’re supposed to “find out what happened,” and yet, it's unclear what your immediate objective is. It’s hard to tell if you’re doing anything right because we always get Jake’s disapproval, though I understand that might be so we can feel the protagonist’s frustration for ourselves. That doesn’t make it less confusing.

Reseed the subs? He complains. Freeze the subs? He complains. Promote the subs? He complains. Each time he complains that we should “try something else,” and the player is staring at the screen thinking, there aren’t any other links to click on!

Allowing the player to save their progress would have been appreciated or at least have a way for the player to skip to later content after their first playthrough. If you're not careful, you click on a link that, woops, turns out to be an ending.

I nearly gave up hope on understanding what I was doing when I froze/promoted/etc. this endless parade of faulty subs. Gradually, things came into focus.

user> sub.promote()

SYSTEM: REDIRECTED sub.promote() -> sub.kill()
bb1: Why? Query Why?
bb1: Query Why? Use? Hello?

In this example, a sub requested that I promote it. And I did: "sub.promote." Some (Spoiler - click to show)unknown agent changed sub.promote to sub.kill, killing the sub instead of promoting it. The poor sub is wondering why this is happening.

So: My advice for playing The Entropy Cage is to stick with it.

Even when you have no idea what’s going on, you can still have fun.

Versions
Out of curiosity, I tried the competition version and could see a clear difference. I like how the newer version uses “reseed” instead of “punish,” which feels more intuitive (and not so mean). Consider:

b78: Hello. I have been bad. Punish me. vs.

f71: Hello. My program is stuck. Reseed me.

I wonder how previous players will feel about the game now.

Story
Before you play, I highly encourage you to read the backstory which can be accessed via the game’s menu. It provides essential context to understanding the story. Without it, I would not have been able to piece together the overarching premise on my own.

It’s quite intriguing!

The author shares that the game “came from wondering what religions computers would create for themselves,” which raises concern of what would happen if said computers started to engage in religious warfare. The aim of The Entropy Cage is to consider humanity’s role as an observer of this theoretical warfare, and this is reflected in the protagonist’s task at investigating the subs’ erratic behavior.

Endings
I thought there were only 2-3 endings until I looked at the ending guide built into the game. The guide summarizes each ending regardless of if you’ve reached it. Turns out, there are 9 possible outcomes. Reaching them was another matter…

Thoughts
Ending 1 serves as a potential warning for our current world and the near future. Technically mild spoilers, so I’ll put them under a spoiler tag.

This theme of over-reliance is increasingly relevant to the technologies that have emerged in recent years which will only continue to be developed.

Characters
We know little about the game’s protagonist beyond their job title and their employer: a corporation called Cloud-Nine. Or is it an agency? Either way, its specialty is transportation. You definitely want your subs to function correctly for that.

Apparently, we've also been “suspended.” The game doesn’t say why, and I would be fine with this if Jake didn’t bring it up ALL THE TIME. He keeps waving your suspension around and threatening you to the point where I want to know why the protagonist is on thin ice. Or is Cloud-Nine just looking to cut costs?

At least some of our exchanges with him can be humorous.

SYSTEM:CHAT@jake: And what checks that blood?
SYSTEM:CHAT@user: A pre-sub. Damn. That guy had one job.

There are NPCs who play a big role behind the scenes, but A, I don’t want to spoil them, and B, I’m still a bit confused about who they are aside from the fact that they are (Spoiler - click to show)subs of religious factions.

Visuals
Taking after the cover art, The Entropy Cage uses blue and black as its main colours. Its appearance is a large dark blue text box against a black screen. Text and links also use different shades of blue.

I have mixed feelings of how some of the dialog is displayed. In these cases, tH3 diAl0G lo0kS liK3 tHIs WhiCH g3tS TeDIus qUIcKlY. This formatting is clever because it conveys that the sub we're chatting with (Spoiler - click to show)is slowly being corrupted. The downside is that it's inconvenient when trying to process what the sub is saying.

Final thoughts
The Entropy Cage feels somewhat like a hidden gem.

I've played games where the source of conflict is heavily based on "A.I. vs. human characters." In The Entropy Cage, the source of conflict is "A.I. vs A.I.," and I don't see this nearly as often. The human protagonist is not an active participant in the (Spoiler - click to show)subs’ warfare, and yet we wield enough power to alter its trajectory.

It’s also frustrating. Even now, I have a hard time understanding it all. While the game’s mechanics emphasizes how the protagonist is working within limitations as they try to resolve a looming crisis, it hinders the player’s enjoyment of story instead of enhancing it.

Still, I liked The Entropy Cage. The game grows on you if you spend enough time experimenting with it.

If you’re looking for a sci-fi game that prefers its mechanics over heavy dialog, The Entropy Cage offers a unique experience. Despite its flaws, it raises questions on morality, technology, and where we stand within it. It was released in 2014, and the author hasn’t created anything since. But if they ever do, I’d be interested.

I apologize for the cliché title; I couldn't help myself.

Overview
SCP Containment Breach is a fan game about the SCP Foundation, a fictional organization that catalogs anomalies and phenomena, particularly those that pose a threat. It adheres to the motto of Secure, Contain, Protect. Its existence is kept secret from the public.

Fiction aside, the Foundation is a collaborative project that anyone can contribute to. Visit its website. While there is no single canon, it sets a basic framework and lets writers' imaginations take care of the rest.

Technically, SCP Containment Breach is a partial recreation of another Foundation fan game: A video game called SCP – Containment Breach. Nearly identical titles.

In the video game, you play as a "D-Class," a category of personnel consisting of death row prisoners. They are considered disposable and are used to deal with dangerous anomalies, or “SCPs.” While it features multiple SCPs, its main attraction is SCP-173.

Anyway, SCP Containment Breach, an interactive fiction game made with Quest, attempts to recreate the video game's plot, but only focuses on SCP-173.

(SCP-173 is considered the "Original SCP" of the Foundation. When observed, it appears as a statue. When everyone looks away, it can move and will kill you. When working with it, the mantra is “don’t blink.”)

With that out of the way...

My review of the game
Unfortunately, SCP Containment Breach is not even a finished game. I understand that this may be the author's first game. But it is so lacking in detail it feels more like they lost interest and uploaded it just because.

The game begins in a room with no explanations or overhead announcements, only a document about SCP-173. Our prison uniform identifies us as a D-Class while the document suggests that we’re here to investigate SCP-173’s containment. Thing is…

It's a shame because the game made me so excited.

A SCP 173 containment chamber
This is where SCP 173 is suppost to be contained, but he isn't here.

You can go north.

Spelling errors aside, this scene in the containment room ramps up the suspense because the SCP is on the loose. I'm just waiting for it to appear out of nowhere.

Too bad. (Spoiler - click to show)What’s the point of a game about an escaped SCP when there’s no SCP?

There is only one puzzle, and that is (Spoiler - click to show)unlocking the control room door with a keycard. The control room contains a switch that you can turn on and off, but it has no effect. The map is one long hallway with a side room, and it is nearly empty of content.

Also, implementation is rocky. You can repeat putting on the mask ("wear mask" doesn't work, only "put on mask") even though you are already wearing it. Examining yourself only results in "looking good," which would have been a good opportunity to develop the story. I'll leave it at that.

Appearance wise, the game uses a black screen and dark green text that is difficult to read. To be fair, it incorporates three cool pieces of imagery: the document with a photo of SCP-173, an icon for the keycard, and a creepy image of static that you get when you mess with the computer. That's the game's only strength.

In conclusion, I was really disappointed. It gets one star because it's so barebones. But I'll throw in another star because I really like the concept. This game was made in 2013 and is most likely abandoned. If anyone else decides to make an IF fan game of the Foundation, I will happily play it.

As long as the (Spoiler - click to show)SCP actually shows up.

The hiss of electronics and tubes being vacated of the substances that they had housed is what jars you from an unnatural sleep into consciousness.

This is an extremely short game where you play as a criminal in a harsh, dystopian world governed by an entity only known as "The State."

As indicated in its title, The System [Early, Early, Early Pre-Build] 0.05, the game is in early stages of development. It's also over a decade old and unlikely to ever be completed.

Nonetheless, I will acknowledge the time and effort the author put into the game because it's kind of fun.

Gameplay
This is a Quest game. However, it only uses links, no text input.

The game begins with you being extracted from your cryo-pod. There are roughly half a dozen choices in the game, and they mostly revolve around learning about the story through conversation.

It’s clear that the game is under development. Gameplay consists of (Spoiler - click to show)being led through a facility until you end up in a room with an ominous-looking chair. You are then told to sit. Game ends.

An abrupt and disappointing end, but it’s worth playing for the atmosphere.

Story/Characters
As a prisoner, you are in a "cryo-stasis" program and have been woken after (Spoiler - click to show)142 years of being frozen.

People convicted of crimes are sent to prisons where it's every person for themselves. Do or die. Sink or swim. Prisoners’ memories are also erased to prevent them from remembering their supposed crimes.

Those who come out on top are cryogenically frozen because The State believes their ability to survive a harsh prison environment makes them good candidates for… who knows? The game ends before we learn what the protagonist is going to be used for.

The State is also looking to cut on costs, which means its prisoners are especially disposable. There are other story tidbits to be found, but I'm going to encourage you to play the game if you want to know more. It only takes 3 minutes to play.

Visuals
I enjoyed the art.

A lot of it looks like generic, public domain sci-fi art, but most of it suits the game just fine. The art for the facility (or is it a spaceship?) was successful at establishing a grim, dystopian atmosphere. I will say, the (Spoiler - click to show)blood splatter GIF (used if the player tries to fight the guards) was kind of lame.

Final thoughts
I was conflicted about rating this game because it's so underdeveloped, but since it appears to be abandoned, I'll rate it according to how much fun I had (usually my ratings aren't this simple). Besides, the game shows promise. While its story doesn't bring anything new to the table, I've found myself wanting to know what happens next.

3 stars. I was reasonably entertained.

Explore a website for ConfigurationUploader v0.0.99 software. Find out how to install it, how to use it, and what people have to say about it. But be careful. The software is in a prototype pre-beta stage of development.

Use at your own risk.

Gameplay
Gameplay is simple. You navigate the game's pages as if it were a website. Wait, that's not quite right.

It is a website.

Sort of. This isn’t Twine or a choice-based system made to look like a website. It’s made with MkDocs, a site generator. I love it when authors take such an innovative approach to game creation. I’ll discuss this further in the Visuals section.

You don’t influence the gameplay. The fun lies in reading each section to piece together the story. Site pages can be read in the order they are presented in, or you can visit them out of turn.

Accessing everything only takes a few minutes. However, I found myself browsing through it for much longer to find every detail. There is a page that marks the “end” of the game, but it’s left open-ended.

Story
The SPOILER in my title is supposed to say, (Spoiler - click to show)"imminent extinction."

Okay, it's not really a spoiler since it's revealed early on, but I want players to approach the game with a clean slate, especially since it's so short.

The software was developed by the Experimental Cognition Group at University of New Washington. It’s used for uploading configurations. Seems innocent enough.

ConfigurationUploader is a program written in the Astroglion programming language, and requires Astroglion v4.10 EXACTLY.

No problem.

Thoughts on story
While I wish I could learn more about the story, it stands on its own.

There is replay value in the sense that you see earlier pages with new insight now that you know the full story. The warning on the site’s home page makes a lot more sense.

The game raises some interesting points regarding using technology to (Spoiler - click to show)escape death, especially when said technology is still under development.

The configurator software may be flawed, but with the (Spoiler - click to show)looming gamma ray burst, it will have to do.

Characters
The developers are only identified with numbers and letters. Some have their own site page that includes their thoughts on the situation. These also provide updates for the person.

Visuals
If you skim through the game without paying attention, no one will blame you for thinking it was for a real project by a university. There's a menu section listing the site's pages, a search bar, and even a little "home" icon to take you to its main page! The blue, black, grey, and white colour scheme looks polished and professional.

This all contributed to an immersive experience.

Final thoughts
ConfigurationUploader teaches a harsh lesson: When humanity is (Spoiler - click to show)on the verge of being wiped out, you can't afford to be picky. Sometimes prototype pre-beta is all you have.

I loved this game. Within a few minutes of gameplay, you will find yourself in a creative and unexpected narrative that deepens the more you explore its contents.

The only criticism I have is that I wish it were longer. When I feel this way, it can affect my rating, but this game gets a pass because it was created for Ectocomp's La Petite Mort category, which is for works created under FOUR HOURS.

The fact that a complex, unique game like this could be created in such a short timeframe only makes it even cooler.

Science fiction + Innovative game format + One of my favorite authors = Fantastic game I recommend!

Note: I've decided to make my rating not count towards the game's average because while the rating reflects how I feel about the game, I did not exactly play it in the spirit the author intended: That is, I took the easy way out with almost every puzzle.

We play as Galaxy Jones, a heroine clad in a high-tech suit. She’s on a mission to save Mars from being destroyed by its own moon, Phobos.

Gameplay
Background: There are two factions present in the story. Humans and the Sirius Syndicate, a collective of alien cyborgs who have a touchy history with humanity. The Syndicate has decided to weaponize Phobos by sending it on a collision course to the red planet.

The game takes place on a (mostly) evacuated Sirian base located in Phobos’ Stickney Crater. Gameplay is centered on bypassing colour-coded doors through hacking. To do this, the player solves math-oriented puzzles. I can’t say this was my cup of tea. Math is not my strong point. My hat is off to those who excel at math, but me? It went over my head.

Thankfully, you can always smash through most of these doors with your powered Smart Suit! The catch is that you don’t get any points for doing so. (For what it’s worth, the (Spoiler - click to show)purple door can’t be smashed, but I ended up enjoying the puzzle to bypass it. It’s a translation puzzle where you match numbers with symbols to input the door’s code.)

I’m glad that the game provides a way for anyone to finish the game so they can see the story to its conclusion. My high score?

There are also materials written in an alien language that can be partially translated, and our translations steadily improve the more we translate. We even start to understand the intercom messages, revealing that the facility is counting down to when Phobos gets fired at Mars. This adds urgency without rushing the player since the game is extremely generous with this time limit.

I will say, Phobos: A Galaxy Jones Story is rather sparse in content. I understand that the focus is on the door puzzles. But the rooms seem so… empty. Their descriptions are brief and miss the opportunity to create atmosphere and/or worldbuilding which could be done without taking focus away from the puzzles.

Story
At first it seems like Phobos: A Galaxy Jones Story is going to be a stark binary of humans (good guys) vs. irredeemable cyborg alien race (bad guys), which is common in science fiction. The game goes in a different direction.

A more accurate way of putting it would be, (Spoiler - click to show)“humans are jerks, and the aliens are tired of their crap,” prompting said aliens to lash out by slamming Phobos into Mars… killing innocent people. Both sides have a hand in the mess that Galaxy Jones is trying to resolve.

There’s not much meat on the bone in terms of backstory. What I gathered was that (Spoiler - click to show)the aliens lived on a temperate planet until their star, Sirius, destroyed its solar system with a solar flare. Humanity came along and offered sanctuary and assistance, only to take advantage of aliens’ desperation by strictly controlling their way of life.

The Sirians have had enough…

…and yet, (Spoiler - click to show)they aren’t the unwavering anti-human faction they seem to be when we first step foot into their base.

Characters
For such a cool character, Galaxy Jones gets little attention in this game, which is in line with the game’s puzzle-oriented nature. I should note that Phobos: A Galaxy Jones Story is an offshoot of Galaxy Jones, a Spring Thing 2023 entry. While I haven’t played that game to completion, it seems to have more coverage on our protagonist.

There is one notable NPC: (Spoiler - click to show)a guard who is also the last Sirian left on the base.

Final thoughts
I love science fiction, and while Phobos: A Galaxy Jones Story fits that genre, I realize I’m not its target audience. It’s math-focused puzzles are the main event, and I confess that I caved with them. Because of this, I’m not able to give this game an entirely fair assessment.

That said, the game feels a bit too barebones, regardless of puzzles. I’m not asking for more characters or plot twists or inventory items. But a little more content in the room descriptions would go a long way. And yet, the game still has its heartwarming moments.

If you like math-based puzzles, play this game. And if the premise interests you, play it because you can always smash down (most) doors like I did. Otherwise, it may not be the game for you.

As the title suggests, the game takes place at the Human Resources Administration (HRA) in New York City. You are an alien sent on a mission to sign up for SNAP, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, as part of your studies on human culture. Disguised as a human, you hope to see how SNAP helps people dealing with food insecurity!

Or at least how it’s supposed to help people.

Gameplay
The game takes place in a waiting room where we follow instructions on applying for SNAP. There are no puzzles. As the player we primarily observe the bureaucracy involved as we navigate a kiosk, dismissive staff, paperwork, and a line of people.

Our protagonist has the ability to “freeze” their surroundings in a temporal bubble of green light, rendering everyone and everything frozen in time. This is done to take notes and make observations before returning to reality.

I want to give this game a higher rating. Its exploration into its subject matter is strong, but as a game it ends too abruptly. The turning point happens after we’ve submitted our paperwork.

Story
Rather than focusing on a plot, A Visit to the Human Resources Administration strives to highlight the bureaucratic inadequacies that hinder obtaining social services such as SNAP. And it does an effective job at this.

For example, if you choose “Sarah Traballano-Williams” as your human name, you discover that the kiosk does not have a key for the dash symbol. A staff member says it’s okay to omit it… only for this to clash with the application process several minutes later.

"Your name in the paperwork says Sarah TraballanoWilliams, one word, and your ID says Sarah Traballano DASH Williams. Your name needs to match."

One small snag that can setback your progress. And what about needing to show a photo ID to apply for a new photo ID because your old one got stolen? This is the reality people face in real life.

The game points out that humans’ need to eat does not get put on hold until you fill out paperwork (again), reenter your info online (hopefully you still have access to a computer and internet connection), and possibly wait three to five business days for such and such to be processed and approved.

And what happens if, “sorry, the system isn't working right now?”

When the system fails, struggling people have to contort themselves and navigate unnecessary obstacles to make up for this failure.

SNAP
What initially drew me to this game was its coverage on SNAP.

I have never experienced food insecurity. However, I became aware of SNAP when I participated in a volunteer/learning program that included the “SNAP Challenge.”

In this challenge, we went to different stores and filled a cart with what we would buy if we were on SNAP. We then compared the hypothetical groceries from each store to see how one’s choices were affected by pricing and item availability. A common question was "do I buy higher quantities of food with lower nutritional value, or do I buy less food- and therefore have less to eat- but with better nutrition?" How would this factor in if you had a family to feed? Or lived in a food desert?

It was eye-opening. And yet, I still have a lot to learn.

Now, I thought that the game would portray some of that. Instead, it’s merely on applying for SNAP. And that suits the game’s purposes just fine. Besides, we end up applying for Cash Assistance instead (since the system isn’t working right, we’re told). I’m just curious at what observations the protagonist would make if they had a chance to purchase food with their newly acquired benefits.

Further discussion
The author, a social worker, offers some powerful takeaways that are discussed at the end of the game. Studies can reduce vulnerable people (such as those dealing with food insecurity) into data points. This quantification distances research from the realities endured by its subjects, and we see fragments of this with the game’s protagonist.

In a way, there’s a systemic suspicion towards individuals who apply for help, a default assumption that you’re trying to exploit the system… until you jump through every hoop to demonstrate otherwise. People need to eat. You don’t need studies to prove that.

If food is central to human existence, why are the machines to get SNAP lacking basic functions such as a working text interface?

Questioning the legitimacy of programs (and committing to them) that help reach the objective of no one going hungry makes little sense.

Characters
Initially, I was expecting a story where an alien finds themselves on Earth and must receive benefits to survive. The game takes a different route by using an alien PC sent to Earth on a mission. They don’t actually experience food insecurity firsthand. I do think the investigative approach of the protagonist’s mission and their status as a being from another world allows us to examine SNAP and its infrastructure with a more neutral, straightforward manner. The player is made more aware of real-world issues.

However, the most compelling aspect of this game is how it considers the protagonist’s actions as being potentially problematic. They choose to participate in these missions because they want to "experience alien cultures directly." They are well-meaning and make the vital observation that for a system that is meant to help people, it is not designed with this objective in mind.

The game also name-drops some of the protagonist’s colleagues, but they have no greater effect on the story.

Visuals
Keeps it simple. It uses the default Twine appearance of a black background, white text, and blue links. Everything is easy to read and neatly spaced.

Final thoughts
I'm glad this game exists. It's an equal blend of light-heartedness and seriousness to convey important ideas about food insecurity and the bureaucracy that gets in the way of addressing it. Plus, the alien character adds flair.

As a social worker, the author brings valuable insight to this game, and I enjoyed their concise yet descriptive writing. They nailed the bathroom scene with its dwindling liquid hand soap and germy hand dryer.

I do wish the game was longer (or at least less linear) and allowed the player’s choices to have a larger impact on the story’s trajectory. That way, we have a chance to see the impact of our choices. And what’s up with (Spoiler - click to show)Skrzyyyyt? The protagonist doesn’t seem to like them.

Nonetheless, A Visit to the Human Resources Administration is well worth your time.

The Hobbit… and Total Recall. Combined. I wonder why the author picked these two works out of countless other options.

As the title suggests, Hobbiton Recall is a sci-fi/fantasy mashup featuring elements from both The Hobbit and Total Recall. It’s an ambitious work with a mix of strengths and flaws.

Also, I have been unable to finish it, so I’m going to wait on assigning it a rating.

We are David Crow. The game begins with David having a nightmare about being a hobbit on a quest in a place called Hobbiton. He wakes up. It’s time for work.

NOTE: The game flip-flops between Hobbiton and Hobbington. I’m not sure if this is a misspelling or if there are two separate places, so I’ll default to Hobbiton in this review.

Story
I’m going to break from my usual review structure and discuss the story first.

Story (as I understand it)
This is about the story I encountered up until I stopped playing.

The story kicks off at Fallows Toothpaste Industries where David works with his friend, Mike. Mike reveals that he spent the weekend in VR at a place called Rekall and recommends the experience to David. After a lengthy puzzle about (Spoiler - click to show)delivering a urine sample, we go to Rekall’s sleek facility and end up in a VR chair.

Thoughts on story
The Hobbit and Total Recall. Still grappling with that pairing…

Unlike Total Recall, I only have a faint understanding of The Hobbit (I’m a sci-fi fan). It seems that the plot follows that of Total Recall while the content (characters, locations, etc.) borrows from The Hobbit.

Despite my familiarity with Total Recall, I had to revisit it to refresh my memory before I could pinpoint how it’s featured in Hobbiton Recall. Some parts were obvious.

I was hoping for more sci-fi elements. The closest we get is when we visit Rekall’s shiny skyscraper for a VR experience. That, and a vaguely cyberpunk scene in a nightclub. Of course, I haven’t finished the game, though I have a feeling that it’s only going to be more hobbit stuff.

In other words, Hobbiton Recall captures the storyline of Total Recall but not its essence. Its focus on hobbits, elves, (Spoiler - click to show)Randalf, and a (Spoiler - click to show)toothpaste dragon only makes it more confusing.

Gameplay
Overview
Hobbiton Recall is made with Gruescipt, a system that has been described as a parser-choice hybrid or pseudo-parser. You don’t use a keyboard, only clicking, but the commands are ones that you would input in a parser game.

In this case, the player makes gameplay choices by clicking on pink tab-like buttons. The screen lists the characters, objects, and scenery that you can interact with. Beneath is a section for your inventory.

You're holding:
A can of Insect-Be-Gone (empty) [spray] [drop]

You're wearing:
clothes [remove]

Clicking on an item in the inventory lists the possible actions you can take with it, including combining it with another item in your possession.

There are some rough patches. (Spoiler - click to show)You can retrieve the plate of sausages from the table in Norbit’s cabin repeatedly even after you eat them. Similarly, if you remove the gold pen from Tom’s desk and then revisit the desk, the pen is teleported from your inventory and back into the desk. Chests, containers, and other structures are listed as being closed when the player had already opened them (and vice versa).

I don’t mean to be ungrateful or dismissive, but it frustrates me when authors half-commit to their hint guides, as is the case with Hobbiton Recall. To be clear, I don’t expect hints to necessarily cover every bit of content. I do expect them to at least aid you to finish the game in some form. Especially with a lengthy game like Hobbiton Recall.

Currently, the provided hints are merely for the first itty-bitty sliver of gameplay. It’s not like “once you get past the dog, you’re halfway there.” Oh no. You’re in for hours of gameplay with no guidance. It was almost as if the inclusion of a walkthrough on the game’s IFComp entry was meant more to dash my hopes of completing the game than guiding me. Plus, hints would be helpful because it’s possible to reach unwinnable states.

For example, I caused an unwinnable state because I failed to acquire an object before its location was made inaccessible. I neglected (Spoiler - click to show)to take the rizla paper at the tobacco store when the shopkeeper turned his back. When I set him up with the elf from the cattery, he leaves and closes the shop. As a result, I had no way of making the spliff to get the protestors to leave.

Fortunately, I saved regularly as I played. I knew (hopefully) what I missed and where to restore a previous save.

My experience
As I mentioned at the start of this review, I have been unable to finish the game. After 4+ hours, I figured, what the heck, time to proceed with the review.

In case anyone is curious, this is as far as I went with my quest:

I think I would be interested in revisiting, given enough directions.

Characters
David Crowe is a difficult protagonist to root for. It sucks that he gets (Spoiler - click to show)betrayed by his wife and friend, but he was a bit of a misogynistic jerk to begin with. He shows little compassion for his wife and mocks women in general.

You are in the shed. This is where Mavis comes to have a little cry when she's having one of her 'episodes'.

Heck, he gets annoyed when his tired wife yawns. At least he’s not Gobbo.

> shoot gobbo
Without hesitation, you squeeze the trigger. Gobbo’s tiny body is ripped apart by a hail of bullets.

He slams into the rockface with a sickening *splut*, then slowly slides down, leaving a long, wet, red smear.

I don’t have time for Gobbo’s riddles. No one calls me a sexy hobbit.

Anyway, I have yet to see David undergo any character development, but he’s going to have to make major changes if he wants any fans from players. As for the NPCs, some are more memorable than others. None of them stand out as spectacular but they inject humor into the gameplay.

Also, I can’t believe the game allows you to (Spoiler - click to show)kill Norbit. What an awful thing to do. At least he doesn’t have to worry about his back anymore.

Visuals
Hobbiton Recall features art for most of its locations, and it’s all A.I.-generated. Overall, the graphics are serviceable but forgettable. They illustrate scenes in a generic way. I never felt that they pulled me into the story’s world although I don't think they detract from the game, either. The stylization reminds me of an Adventuron game.

The beginning of the game starts with an animated starfield which was cool.

Final thoughts
How do I feel about this game? Like skateboarding down a smooth road with potholes. It’s an enjoyable ride until you fall and scrape your knee and wonder if it’s worth continuing. And you’re likely to continue, but those potholes really put a dent in the experience.

Taking Total Recall and swapping out its characters and locations for magical alternatives does not work as well as the author may have hoped. At minimum, the delivery needs work.

And while the puzzles are decent, it becomes increasingly difficult to foresee when you might render the game unwinnable, taking away from the player’s enjoyment of the story. More thorough hints would be appreciated. That said, I liked the feeling of going down a rabbit hole and the notion of peeling back a protagonist’s reality only to realize it’s concealing the truth.

And I can’t deny the game’s wittiness. The literal red herring in the fridge was clever. I also found it somewhat amusing how examining the portable bathroom outside the hotel gives us three full paragraphs of description as if copied from a product manual.

…a self-contained, temporary sanitation unit typically found on construction sites and at outdoor events. Constructed from lightweight, durable polyethylene… etc.

The more you know.

To conclude, give Hobbiton Recall a try because it has its fun parts. But don’t feel too bad if you can’t finish it.