Ratings and Reviews by Kinetic Mouse Car
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It's another entirely normal day at the office. Time to sort through your emails.
You work at an office that processes print orders and provides services for online content. Everyone has their job. Jeff, for instance, covers printing. As for you, it’s implied that you work in Editing. So why does everyone seem to think that your job revolves around juggling emails?
Oh, and something odd may be happening with your coworkers…
Every day I get emails is a Twine game and an Ectocomp 2025 submission in the La Petite Mort category. (I love the cover art.)
Gameplay is linear and occurs over several days. It consists of forwarding a stack of emails to the right colleague, and these colleagues are spread across multiple departments. Sales. Tech. Accessibility. And so forth. Why do you even have these emails? No idea.
Send to Caroline
Send to Enrique
Send to Jeff
Send to Sushila
The act of forwarding emails to the right colleague is superficial. Forward a tech-related issue to Enrique? He’ll forward it to Sushila for you. Aside from feeling pleased at remembering who works in what department, your choices here don’t affect the gameplay’s trajectory.
Instead, emails are the mechanism through which the plot unfolds. Initially, forwarding emails is followed by the bliss of knowing that they’re no longer your problem.
You forward the email to Jeff. Now you don't have to think about that anymore.
(Spoiler - click to show)Until your coworkers vanish one by one. If you forward an email to them, the system acts as if they never existed. If you bring this up with your boss, he claims that he does not know who you’re talking about. In fact, he claims that these so-called coworkers’ jobs have always been your job ever since you were hired. You must be slacking off.
This kicks off a trend that continues for the rest of the game: Each day, a coworker vanishes without a trace, and each disappearance means more work for you. To top it off, you seem to be the only person who notices.
Now you don't have to think about that anymore.
Such irony.
And while you might consider the possibility that it’s all in the protagonist’s head, there are external signs that suggest otherwise.
…the fluorescent light flickers even more erratically. You wonder if the office chatter is quieter than usual today…
Will you be next?
After every coworker disappears, you visit your boss again. He dismisses you and recommends that you balance your responsibilities with Copilot. Because that’s going to help. And so, all you can do is return to processing emails and wait for your turn to disappear. The game then ends.
The way it ends could have been smoother. It simply ends with “Return to start” which felt abrupt. This clunkiness gives the feeling of, oh, the game’s over? ok then.
I must admit, I thought there was going to be a big twist where it’s revealed that your boss murdered or is behind the disappearance of your coworkers and is pretending not to know who you’re talking about. That said, I think the existentialism of endless office work and the protagonist’s quiet acceptance of their looming demise is just as horrifying.
Appearance-wise, the game uses a basic light blue background similar to the cover art. In fact, its cover art was initially what attracted me to the game in the first place. These multiple shades of blue make my spine tingle. There is also a cream text box with rounded corners, and this looks nice against the blue background.
To conclude, Every day I get emails is a blend of horror and humor set in an office. It has simple design, linear gameplay, and an uncomplicated story, and yet, it has suspense as (Spoiler - click to show)we slowly realize the implications for the protagonist as their coworkers steadily vanish.
However, while I enjoyed it, I didn’t find it to be particularly earthshattering, either. I think the ending could be more fleshed out. Then again, the author only had four hours to make it, and it definitely feels like a finished product. So, take my criticism with a grain of salt.
I've been a fan of the author's work ever since The Curse of the Scarab. Some authors have a signature style where if you play one of their games without knowing it was created by them, you still think, huh, this reminds me of so-and-so's work. That's how I feel about this author. I love the custom parser and scenery-oriented puzzles that reward the player for paying close attention to details in their surroundings.
And so, I was delighted to try The Horrible Escape Room of Horror. It's an Ectocomp 2025 entry in the La Petite Mort category, which means it was created under four hours.
"Well Rhoda", you think to yourself, "this is even worse than that time four years ago in Egypt."
You are Rhoda. As in Rhoda Tarcrew who may sound familiar to anyone who has played The Curse of the Scarab. But instead of exploring an entire tomb, this adventure involves escaping a room after snatching the Staff of the Owl. (Spoiler - click to show)Well, two rooms, technically.
In a corner is a deep pit. There's also a cabinet here with a papyrus laying on top.
Despite what (Spoiler - click to show)the title suggests, I was delighted to see that there are two rooms available to us. While I'm going to steer clear from outright spoiling the puzzles, I still suggest that you try the game first before continuing.
(Spoiler - click to show)Puzzles for the first room were intuitive and streamlined, and I solved them quickly. The subtly of Staff of the Owl was a highlight. Second room was more difficult, largely due to implementation. Examining the table and then examining each of the four notches felt tedious. Then again, this was made in four hours.
I'll be honest. I have no clue as to how the wall mosaics correlate with the owl statuettes and the table notches, or why tasting the statuettes is supposed to be useful. I solved it by making a chart of possible combinations and went down the list. Luckily, it didn't take as long as I thought it would.
That said, the application of the vials was one of my favorite parts of the game. If you drink the vial depicting the cocktail glass, you become slightly intoxicated. To illustrate this, the text temporality blurs! Clever use of visual storytelling. Also, I quickly solved the skull puzzle and initially thought it was optional- something amusing to do- since I managed to light them before I discovered the wheel. However, players may struggle with lighting all six.
You have an uncanny feeling as you leave.
Nothing to worry about, I’m sure.
Story is limited to our objective of escaping. Instead, it focuses on puzzle solving, and I think this is a good balance considering it’s a rather short game. In fact, the (Spoiler - click to show)table puzzle took up most of my time.
That’s about it! I had a lot of fun stepping into Rhoda’s shoes once again. I’m taking off a star because the implementation could be sharper and I saw some spelling errors, but I do so reluctantly because the game was created under four hours. I was quite impressed.
...except we have no choice...
You are on a road trip to start a new life. The plan is to move in with a friend and see where life takes you! Who knows, maybe you'll stop having those weird dreams. Then your car breaks down.
At night. In the middle of nowhere.
A man appears. A mechanic. He was just passing by. He wants to help.
Sparks Fly embraces a staple of the horror genre: Car breaks down, a stranger offers help. Main character has no other choice but to accept. We find ourselves in that exact position.
No choice left. You have to get out of the car.
The stranger is Andrew. A homely yet muscular man who informs us that he’s a mechanic with a shop at his house. He proposes that we come with him and, given how late it is, spend the night and figure things out in the morning. (Spoiler - click to show)It doesn’t take long for us to realize that this was a really, really, really bad idea.
I’m just going to rip off the band-aid.
(Spoiler - click to show)Andrew takes you to his home where he lives with his grandmother, Lydia. The bedroom they give you is oddly tailored to your personal tastes… but you’re tired and fall asleep. You have one of your recurring dreams.
…and wake up with Andrew laying on your chest. His skin is alarmingly hot, and as he continues to invade your personal space, you cannot help but notice that he has no pulse. He’s some sort of “automaton” of flesh and machinery, as is Lydia.
And their dog, Leo.
And a deer, resurrected after being killed by Andrew’s car.
All of this was accomplished through a twisted surgical procedure. Andrew reveals that he anticipated your road trip and prepared the bedroom because you’re going to be joining the family! Which means you only have a short amount of time left before Andrew puts you under the knife to make you one of them.
Now that you know what you’re in for, I’m going to deviate from how I usually structure my reviews.
Strengths
Opening scene
Sparks Fly makes a strong first impression with its opening scene by capturing our vulnerability and isolation of being stranded from human civilization. We can stall for time, but inevitably we must follow Andrew to his car.
My stranger danger alarm was running at full power. Has anyone experienced the sudden, quiet realization where a voice in the back of your mind says, hey, do you realize that you’re in a stranger’s car, they’re the one driving, and no knows where you are? This scene went and dug all of that up. He also asks to see your license, and this sharing of personal information only makes it more nerve-wracking.
Or maybe we’re assuming the worst because of our less-than-ideal circumstances. Jumping to conclusions, perhaps?
(Spoiler - click to show)However, any consideration that he might be genuine quickly evaporates when his car hits a deer, injuring it. He “consoles” us in manner that indicates his lack of regard for personal boundaries.
"Between you and anything that could pop up on the road," his hand, large and rough from years of work, rests on yours, thumb moving to rest on your inner wrist as gold brown eyes burn into yours, "I'll pick you."
(Is it too late to run?)
And then he runs over the deer to put it out of its misery. He’s oddly nonchalant about it.
You're left to sit with this for the rest of the drive.
Talk about an opening scene. (Spoiler - click to show)No one is fooled by Andrew. And yet, we don’t know what his intentions are. What’s going to happen to us? Nicely done.
Writing
The author has a talent for writing horror. The story’s premise is good, but it’s the writing that pulls it off. I would describe the writing as quiet, dawning horror.
This is because there’s a strong dissonance between your situation and how Andrew and Lydia act. If you lash out, they respond as if you are a child throwing a tantrum. The fact that their plan involves surgically altering you…
"Come on back inside now, dear. You have a long procedure ahead of you." She walks to towards you, unthreatened.
…only makes it worse.
My favorite is this scene:
(Spoiler - click to show)Grabbing a blood covered tool, you call, "fetch," and throw it as far as you can.
With a bark, Leo flies across the grass for it. Realizing it's coated in deer's blood, he sits with it, licking the treat.
"That's nice, it's been a while since he's had deer."
This scene deserves an award. I just burst out laughing. I love its casual morbidity.
Characters
Animals aside, the only NPCs are Andrew and (Spoiler - click to show)Lydia.
Lydia is unsettling, but Andrew? You don’t even want to be in the same room as him. His characterization makes every scene uncomfortable. He’s decided that you’re his soulmate and has no concept of personal space. You’re all his! In fact, the player can get kind of anxious just thinking about it. But for a horror game, this works well.
I think many players will be rattled by the scene where you wake up to find Leo sleeping on top of you. You go to stroke his fur only to realize it’s human hair.
This is hair, not dog fur.
Andrew, not Leo.
The player starts to panic. Are we really going to be trapped here? (Spoiler: There are four endings. Thankfully, one of them involves escaping all of this.)
As for the protagonist, we know little about them. However, their portrayal is heavily rooted in the notion of starting over and forging a life of your own choosing. This is partly what makes (Spoiler - click to show)Andrew and Lydia so infuriating: They want to choose your life for you by making you “part of the family” and surgically altering your body against your will. Ending 2 “Freedom” puts an emphasis on you regaining control over your life.
Visuals
The author also did a nice job with the game’s visual design. Set in the middle of the screen is the game’s text box. It’s stylized with rounded edges, a semi see-through black background, and casts a slight shadow on the screen. Text is white. Behind the box is a backdrop that changes with the scene. Half of the box’s border is light grey while the other half is darker, the latter of which disappears when the backdrop has little contrast, creating an off-kilter look.
This aesthetic reminds me of the earlier horror Twine games I’ve played. It has a similar vibe as the uncle who works for nintendo. Polished, but not too polished. There’s a slight roughness that reminds the player that there is something twisted going on underneath.
Sparks Fly demonstrates how simple design changes can elevate the player’s experience. Consider the scene where (Spoiler - click to show)you wake up to find Andrew pinning you down: black backdrop… until a closer look reveals two eyes staring back! Now, imagine this with Twine’s default appearance of a black screen, white text, and blue links. It wouldn’t be the same.
Weaknesses
Pacing
After the opening scene and the big reveal, the game begins to branch out and becomes less linear. Unfortunately, the gameplay snowballs and ends soon after.
Confident that we can’t escape, Lydia and Andrew allow us some freedom before our surgery. We can choose to go with Andrew or stay with Lydia.
You'll stay here.
Go to the shed.
This serves as a branching point for the gameplay. Between the two, Lydia offers slightly more content and flexibility. Either way, the player will find themselves at the end of the game after a few moves. Up until now, the narrative gradually unfolded. Ending it like this makes it all feel rushed.
Plus, we’re left with some loose ends. Notably, what is Andrew’s connection to our dreams? Is he causing them? Or are the dreams merely warning you?
You've been having that dream for months. How has he been sneaking into your room every night for a year?
“Sneaking into your room every night.” Is this still referring to dreams?
There are also moments where Andrew appears to read your mind. When you notice that your bedroom is suspiciously personalized, Andrew says, "'Really? Hope you feel at home then,'" even though we never said anything out loud. What’s going on?
Further clarification would be helpful.
Implementation
My main criticism. There were at least two instances in the gameplay where I ran into Twine’s red “Error: <<if>>: bad conditional expression in <<elseif>>” messages that spill across the screen. And while the game is generally well-formatted, there are still some spelling and formatting errors.
There is a rough patch that puts a dent into the game’s quality.
(Spoiler - click to show)It occurs when we choose to either wait with Lydia or go with Andrew to the shed. If you choose Lydia, Andrew leaves. The game then says,
The smell of oil and hot metal linger on you as he disappears behind the building.
However, this passage repeats itself anytime you make a dead-end choice while with Lydia. For example, if you immediately walk to the scrap pile, Leo pulls you back, leaving you at square one. And each time, you get the same message of Andrew walking away even though he already left.
Final thoughts
Sparks Fly is an Ectocomp 2025 submission for the Le Grand Guignol category. It was a game that I couldn’t put down before finding every ending. It’s an intriguing work of horror with excellent writing that builds atmosphere and places the player in some seriously terrifying situations. This is further enhanced by the visuals.
However, this is hindered by patchy implementation as well as how quickly the game ends just as it becomes less linear. If the author slowed down after (Spoiler - click to show)the scene where we receive our “welcome gift,” the game would be much stronger. The red error messages certainly don’t help either. All of this was factored into my rating.
Nonetheless, Sparks Fly is a memorable work of horror that is difficult to forget. I don’t know if it is the author’s first work, but if it is, this is a fantastic start.
You just wrapped up explaining to your girlfriend Amanda that ever since she plugged her TV into the cable its been plotting to kill her.
Problem is, she thinks you're crazy.
And has now gone back to her apartment...
...where her TV is waiting.
Only you can save her.
Gameplay
When the TV decides to Murder your Girlfriend - The Game is actually an adaptation of a book of the same name. It’s also a submission to Ectocomp 2025.
We begin in our own apartment. (We're Todd, by the way) The first half of the gameplay takes place here, and its puzzles center on the objective of leaving your apartment. The second half is set in Amanda's apartment (Spoiler - click to show)where we prepare to duke it out with her evil TV.
Gameplay primarily consists of interacting with household appliances and enlisting their help. It doesn't take long for us to notice that these appliances are A, sentient, and B, haunted. Possessed, maybe?
"Hey, Todd. Who's your favorite appliance? Just kidding. We all know it's me. So, what can I zap up for you?" Slender gray tentacles, like the finest strands of spaghetti, snake out lovingly from behind the control panel.
It did take me a moment to piece together that we're the only ones who can see this. No wonder Amanda thinks we're crazy.
Puzzles are straightforward and evenly distributed throughout the gameplay. They engage without being too difficult. However, that means if you were hoping for a puzzle-fest, you feel may underwhelmed by what the gameplay has to offer.
Mechanics
Made with Gruescript, this is a choice-based game that behaves like a parser. Instead of imputing commands on a keyboard, the player clicks on buttons to perform an action.
You can also see:
- [Your Television] [talk]
- [Cable Cord] [connect]
Exits and anything with interactable content are listed at the bottom of the screen along with your inventory. If you’re holding something that has an immediate application, the game will list it for you. No guess-the-verb here!
You're holding:
[Your Trusty Philips Head] [drop]
This format felt streamlined and easy to use. I adapted to it quickly.
Story
The game’s strengths are grounded in its writing and characterization because, truth be told, (Spoiler - click to show)you can predict the ending way in advance.
In her apartment, (Spoiler - click to show)we find Amanda hypnotized and held captive by her TV. We appear, fight the TV, and escape with Amanda. No unexpected plot twists or developments. And the game doesn’t need any of that. I was satisfied with this trajectory. I think that’s largely thanks to the witty, household appliance characters. If their characterization were lacking, I’d probably feel otherwise about the story.
I do have one complaint. I wish our interactions with Amanda had more depth. (Spoiler - click to show)She’s been hypnotized, so I understand that she’s not going to be particularly alert or responsive. But something about her portrayal feels overly “damsel-in-distress.” Her character doesn’t extend beyond the role of “the girlfriend.” Who also needs to be rescued.
Then again, the game is an adaptation. Perhaps it’s like that in the book as well.
This game vs. The Little Toaster
The storyline of sentient household appliances immediately reminds me of The Little Toaster. Except, I’ve never liked The Little Toaster. Too disturbing. This game? I can handle.
Characters
Characters are the best part.
The toothbrush's yellow tentacles point at its power button, then your eyes. "I'm watching you, Todd."
Particularly, the sentient appliances.
The writing reveals them to be humorous NPCs (a feral vacuum cleaner?). They are fun to listen to and fun to interact with; Important considering their role in nearly every puzzle.
Asphalt, lines, and cars. *Lots* of cars. You find yours cuddled up next to a sexy red scooter. You get the impression the scooter isn't a huge fan but is too kind to roll away.
Characterization-wise, the appliances offer plenty of attitude. A blend of stubborn snark and an eagerness to assist Todd in saving Amanda. And while some of them view you as Amanda’s oddball boyfriend, they all agree that her TV has gone too far.
Todd’s cool, too. After all, he can communicate with household appliances and see when something is haunted. According to the (Spoiler - click to show)car’s dashboard, he has “mind powers,” but aside from that, we get no further explanation. However, this suits the game’s purposes just fine.
Visuals
The game has a clean appearance with a black screen, white text, and orange links set into dark purple buttons. Reminds me of Halloween!
Final thoughts
I had fun with this!
While I haven’t read the book, the overall premise of saving-your-girlfriend-from-a-bloodthirsty-TV certainly piques one’s curiosity. But when taking a book’s concept and turning it into gameplay, there is risk of that concept losing its essence and feeling contrived. Not the case here.
When the TV decides is a well-rounded adaptation that strikes the right balance between gameplay puzzles and overarching story, and the NPCs’ humorous dialog brings it all to life.
Great option for Halloween.
Begin patient analysis.
The UK is experiencing an epidemic. No one knows what’s causing it.
You work for the Department of Health and have been placed in charge of “quarantine allocation.” Working remotely from the safety of your apartment, your task is to evaluate patients for potential infection so your colleagues can find a way to combat the outbreak.
Gameplay
Overview
Gameplay takes place in your apartment and occurs over several days. At the start of each day, you log into your workstation to read emails and review patients using a NeuroWave device.
user: [email protected]
password: ******
connection established to [email protected]
access e-mail
activate NeuroWare™ client (5 patients waiting)
log off computer
It seems that everyone has a brain implant which can be accessed remotely by health officials. The data received contains snippets of a person’s physical and mental health, as well as traces of memories.
To process this data, the player jacks in with their own implant.
Not again.
Red paper lanterns.
Scout-drone hovers.
RE-SCAN
RELEASE
QUARANTINE
Scanning patients provide three lines of info gleaned from their implant. Multiple scans can be run on the same patient. If said patient does not appear to be infected, they can be released. Otherwise, you can quarantine them, sending them to your colleague’s lab for further testing.
When we’re done with our patients for the day, we go to bed.
Use of haikus
As mentioned in its description, the game incorporates haikus into the gameplay. Haikus are poems that consist of three lines. The first and third lines have 5 syllables, while the second line has 7. Every time you run a scan on a patient, the game generates a haiku.
Commuters clutching newspapers.
Glimpse of the news.
Obsolete technology.
Or rather, the game takes inspiration from the haiku three-line structure because the syllable count is a bit off. But I liked this! It replicates the simplicity of a haiku without restricting itself. I was surprised at how effective they were at giving us a glimpse of the person’s life.
Cheap USBs.
Thrown coughing from the train.
Big group of girls.
It also brings out a cyberpunk vibe.
Thoughts on gameplay
For the first few days, I took my job seriously.
Every patient was extensively scanned. My strategy involved quarantining any mention of physical of illness: “Hacking cough,” “Taste of vomit,” “Eyes burning,” “Headache,” and so on. Following Nadeja’s updates, I added signs of mental distress such as, “Intrusive thoughts,” “Frenzied typing,” and “Distrust.” I wanted to end this epidemic.
Except, your choices don’t seem to affect the game’s trajectory.
(Spoiler - click to show)Early on, choices influence the tone of the emails you receive, but only for the first half of the gameplay. For one playthrough I released every patient. In another, I quarantined them all. In both cases I got two warning emails from my colleagues but then that was that. I wasn’t fired. No one followed up on my continued incompetence. The emails I received in the second half of the game were cut-and-paste.
And I don’t think any of these choices influence the outcome of the game, either.
My complaint, however, is geared towards the gameplay’s repetitive nature. After a few days, the scans start to overwhelm you, forcing you to jack out and take a suppressor pill before resuming your work. Problem is, it doesn’t take much for you to get overwhelmed. Re-scanning a single patient can be enough for the game to urge you to jack out.
RE-SCAN
RELEASE
QUARANTINE
JACK-OUT (this option uses shaking text effects; clever)
You can ignore this… but the game will only bombard you with a large paragraph of frantic text, forcing you to disconnect and take a pill.
Gameplay became a pattern of: Login, boot up NeuroWare, scan 1-2 patients several times, jack out, take pill, log back in, boot up NeuroWare, resume scanning, repeat, etc.
It gets to the point where I would just quarantine or release the patients without re-scanning them. That way, I had enough tolerance to power through them all without having to jack in and jack out. At least my colleagues’ emails were no longer tailored to what choices I made.
Ultimately, your choices don’t matter. And maybe that’s the point, to put the protagonist on a one-way track to succumbing from the same ailment that has infected the patients (more on that next). But that symbolism doesn’t make this gameplay any less tedious.
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.
(Spoiler - click to show)Notably, she observes that patients’ symptoms are potentially psychosomatic and have included hallucinations. This probably wouldn’t be a big deal- after all, we are isolated from any infected individuals- if it weren’t for the fact that we’ve been taking suppressor pills every few scans and dreaming about a girl in grey.
A girl in grey?
If you pay attention, you’ll notice that there is a recurring theme cropping up in the gameplay: a girl wearing a grey dress. She occasionally appears in patients’ scans, but our main interaction with her is in our dreams where she talks to us directly. She is curious about your motives and marvels at your perceptiveness. This is hardly reassuring.
18/11/2023: [email protected]: "urgent"
Then, we get an alarming email.
According to the email, a security officer “kept ranting + raving about some girl; who is she; what does she want," before killing himself. Connect the dots. It is unclear if she is the source of the epidemic or merely an anchor point for us to make sense of it, but either way it begs the question: are we next?
your room
step outside
Guess who’s waiting for us outside? Cue the endgame.
She takes us on a walk through the city, during which the game continues to use its three-sentence pattern of narration. Sometimes, she’ll make comments along the way.
We end up at a huge pyramid with human bodies plastered on the sides. The girl apologizes to us and says something about “fixing things” before raising her hands and shattering the pyramid. Then the screen starts flashing with a non-stop chaotic jumble of words.
…
The player is sitting there thinking, “is that the end? Is it over?” Seems like it. And it appears to be the only ending, too. The way I understand it, the protagonist, having been infected by this mysterious ailment, succumbs to its psychosomatic effects, and the ending represents their demise.
I have mixed feelings about this. It doesn’t quite hit the target. Something’s missing.
It’s an ending that is edgy and cool, but also a bit too disconnected with the previous gameplay for the player to fully appreciate its impact. Confusing. Not confusing in a compelling, make-your-own-interpretation kind of way. Confusing because you’ve been carrying around all these questions and are suddenly rewarded with a gibberish screen.
What exactly is the pyramid? I can’t tell if it’s an actual pyramid or a representation of a broader concept. Are we hallucinating? For all we know, the protagonist could be passed out comatose on their bedroom floor.
It’s just that I was hoping for more updates from Nadeja or additional exposition about the epidemic itself. Or maybe further insight about NeuroWare technology and how it interfaces with our senses. In fact, this would help the gameplay feel less repetitive.
If the protagonist is doomed to follow the girl in grey, so be it. And I do think she’s an intriguing character. But we’re left with so many questions.
Like this eerie email:
13/11/1996: [email protected]: "HA"
I'm not sure what this scene is supposed to represent. We have a dream between days two and three where we receive an email containing random words. It’s probably just another side effect. But why is it dated from 1996? Is there deeper story to be found? I will say, it succeeds at rattling the player.
I really want to know what’s causing the epidemic. I understand the merit of not revealing this bit of information to the player, but I’m still curious.
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…
(Spoiler - click to show)Just for fun, this game was published in 2015 and has a story that takes place in the future: 2023. Except 2023 was two years ago now. Also, the idea of an outbreak forcing employees to work from home is reminiscent of COVID, and yet, this is a pre-COVID game. I wonder what the author has to say about the game now.
(edit: formatting)
You're Gone is a linear custom choice-based game where a protagonist sends text messages to a dead loved one.
This story features anthropomorphized characters. Our protagonist, Marcus, is a coyote. His wife, a cat named Lee, recently died of cancer. His therapist recommended journaling about his feelings. He decides to do this by texting his deceased wife.
Gameplay
Gameplay involves clicking on a "send" icon to send text messages to Lee's phone. The player doesn’t choose what to send. They simply go along for the ride. While Marcus uses this to express his inner thoughts, the messages are addressed to her. For your convenience, a transcript of the gameplay can be found on the author’s website.
Visuals
You’re Gone replicates the appearance of a chat messenger with its layout of green time-stamped text bubbles and light grey background. The text box and paper airplane icon in the corner complete the look. While the game has minimal interactivity, these visuals make the player feel like they are messaging someone.
Story
Marcus’ text messages revolve around his volatile relationship with Lee's mom and her step-dad, Jun. Marcus notes how Lee always seemed to hate them but never explained why. Instead, she would avoid them at all costs.
From day one, her mom looked down on Marcus because he came from a different background and blames him for her daughter's death by being an inadequate husband. The fact that Lee left everything in her will to said husband certainly doesn’t help.
(Spoiler - click to show)The tipping point is when Marcus finds a letter on Lee left on her computer that explains why she despised her family. With minimal detail, the game reveals that Lee's father did something abusive to Lee, and her mom and Jun covered it up. When Marcus shares this letter with them...
...things go off the rails.
Afterwards, Marcus considers how his interactions with her mom reveal two sides of the same coin. There's woman who is the source of Lee's trauma, and then there's the grieving mother who is trying to make sense of her daughter's death.
As the drama winds down, Marcus starts to follow his therapist’s advice and channels his energy from grieving Lee to working on himself and moving forward. And yet, the player doesn’t feel ready for the game to end.
Characters
Despite the deeply personal nature of Marcus' narration, his character feels rather inaccessible. We really don’t know much about him. We see him go through the various stages of grief and there is clear character growth. However, this growth can feel overshadowed by the increasingly explosive encounters he has with Lee's mom and Jun.
This extends to Lee as well. While she is the central focus of the game, she can get lost in the narrative. There are moments where Marcus talks about “reminiscing on the good times,” but hardly shares these with the player. If Marcus were to offer further reflection on the woman he loved (and continues to love) so we can get to know her as well, the game would have more dimension.
And yet, the game never fails to convey the depth of his love for her.
(Spoiler - click to show)So goodbye, Lee.
7:24 PM
Sleep well, miss prissy whiskers.
7:24 PM
Also
What’s interesting is how there are two versions of You’re Gone. The story file that accessed via a “unbox.ifarchive.org” link contains a version of the game with human characters. Here, Marcus is a white man, and Lee is a Chinese woman. However, these changes are superficial and do not affect the gameplay as they both effectively illustrate the mom’s bias towards Marcus.
I think that the anthropomorphized is the "final version," and my guess is that the author wanted to move from racial themes to something more simplified, such as a canine husband with a feline wife, so the player can focus on Marcus' grieving.
Final thoughts
You’re Gone is a poignant glimpse into one person’s grieving. Though it’s bittersweet, it ends on an optimistic note. It handles a tough topic without becoming too dire. The minimal interactivity fits with the game’s premise of a protagonist sending text messages, but unless you’re interested in the story you may be turned off by the gameplay.
I played this game a while back, and I’m starting to think I didn’t give it the attention it deserved. I zipped through everything, looking for some action, and ended up missing the essence of the game which stems from the story not the gameplay itself. I now appreciate the game more than I did before.
If you are looking for a simple game about grief, loss, and moving forward that doesn’t involve a lot of detail, You’re Gone is a great option.
Your favorite bar is closing down, and tonight is the goodbye party.
The author notes that the game is based around the experiences of LGBTQ people in today's world. While there are occasional moments in the game where this subject is directly mentioned, it leaves things open-ended for the player.
Gameplay/Visuals
The game features anthropomorphized characters. You are a dog named Snuggles. We begin outside our favorite bar.
The game is made with Bitsy and makes a great first impression with its visual design. It kind of feels like playing a video game. There are graphics for the scenery, and all the characters appear as animal avatars.
Gameplay involves visiting the different areas of the bar while observing and talking to characters. Conversation is menu-based, and you travel by using the arrows on your keyboard. Once you’re satisfied, leave the bar to end the game.
All of this creates an immersive experience. Because of this, however, some players may be left wishing that the gameplay had more things for them to explore.
Story
You Don't Have To Go Home, But You Can't Stay Here seems to be an incredibly personal game for the author, so I'll refrain from overanalyzing it as I often do in my reviews.
There are two themes that stick out. I’d like to briefly discuss.
First: As you get older, you become more aware of the distance between yourself and younger generations. Snuggles views the younger patrons with the nostalgic sentiment of, "I was once like that," and reflects, with some sadness, on how this kind of place was not available to Snuggles when they were younger. Now, they identify more with the older patrons and even joke about this with some friends.
Second: Venues that offer a respite from mainstream bias and hostility are limited and at risk of being closed due to costs- as is the case with Snuggles’ bar- and other factors.
There aren't a lot of spaces for people like us as it is.
The closing of the bar goes beyond feeling sad about losing a place to hang out. It's a gathering space for community. Its closure brings the worry of what else will be closed or taken away. Then what?
There’s a lot to think about.
Final thoughts
You Don't Have To Go Home, But You Can't Stay Here is a bittersweet game about saying goodbye:
Not to a single person, but to a place and the people who brought it to life.
The bar clearly means a lot to the characters. Our conversations with them give us a glimpse as to how the bar became so loved, and these interactions, though brief, convey insights relevant to our world now.
Ultimately, it is an introspective game. Everything is infused with Snuggles’ own memories and life experiences. It has an unrushed ambience, and I think many people will enjoy it.
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.
(Spoiler - click to show)Except, there seems to be something suspicious going on.
The wine ends up tasting disgusting. After Miranda writes her article, her boss informs her that it can’t be published because the wine launch was quietly cancelled and that there’s a “total blackout” on coverage of the event. No mention of the event in the media, either. The game then suggests that there is a hidden truth for the player to discover.
What frustrates me is how anti-climactic this mystery turns out to be.
The “big secret” is that the wine was partially made with Scintillon eggs, which isn’t even that shocking if you went drinking with Newton-John and they gave you a crash course on Scintillon biology. And in the two endings where you share this with the world… no one really cares.
So really, the wine was cancelled because it tasted gross.
I don't know...
It seems like the game often leaves it up to the player to connect the dots while the characters shrug and accept that “no one will ever really know,” and while that might work for some games, the plot twists in Heard it Through the Grapevine feels too disjointed to pull this off. As a result, the game’s big reveals are underwhelming.
Also: The Scintillons are selling their eggs because they need the money, right? Can someone confirm?
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.
(Spoiler - click to show)Nikki has a severe allergic reaction at the party and gets airlifted to a hospital where she falls into a coma. Her uncaring parents, who originally casted her out for being “sinful”, dismiss you as riffraff and take Nikki with them. You contact them for updates, but they don’t respond. Eventually, you fly down to their address to demand answers, only to be told that she died and that her parents deliberately left you in the dark because they didn’t want “your lot” at the funeral. Yeah.
Now, the hint for Ending 16 is “You'll keep her safe. It's all going to be okay,” which makes me wonder if it involves the same scenario, but with a better outcome.
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.
Frolic RPG is a procedurally generated Twine game with emoticon characters and a light-hearted atmosphere.
✿~✿~✿~✿~✿~✿
It begins with a simple menu of actions, stylized with flower icons.
Gameplay primarily involves three activities: Making friends, dancing, and frolicking around a surreal landscape. If you pay attention, a closer look reveals that (Spoiler - click to show)some of the flower icons have content as well.
Everything is randomly generated, and the delight of playing Frolic RPG stems from discovering the range of symbols, words, and emoticons featured in the game.
The “RPG” aspect is rather superficial and limited to NPC descriptions, which may disappoint players eager to play an RPG. On the flip side, its simplicity may also appeal to players.
APPEARANCE: ^(.__✿]~
CLASS: BIRBO
HOME: FUZZY TIDEPOOL
STATS: +1 WOBBLINESS
My favorite is the frolic part, also known as WANDERFROLIC. You spend several turns frolicking through a landscape, watching the text cycle through symbols and verbs, before taking you back to the menu.
GIRL CAVE
☁♫_✽
bounding 2gether
This game has the same surreal introspective qualities found in the author's other works, qualities that showcase a talent for assembling descriptive imagery and complex concepts in the player's mind with only a handful of words. While Frolic RPG is only surface-deep in comparison, it still feels distinctively like a Porpentine game.
GLOSSY COVE
☁_✿☆☁
gliding 2gether
Picturing these landscapes was oddly soothing.
Frolic RPG has no storyline, player objectives, or ending, but there are occasional themes on gender and identity. These aren’t explored in-depth, however. They merely exist as just another component of the game’s carefree world.
GENDER TREE
☆✿
scampering 2gether
Design-wise, game uses a BRIGHT PINK background with large glowing white text, creating a joyful effect… and hurt my eyes until I adjusted the brightness of my screen. I mean that as a compliment, though. Its appearance radiates cheerfulness which boosts your mood.
Final thoughts
A pink game with emoticons may not sound like your thing, but its use of procedural generation in the gameplay is surprisingly effective at drawing you in. You might just end up playing longer than you intend to. The lack of objectives makes it easy to pick it up and set it aside without worrying about playing it to completion.
If you feel like your day is dragging on, Frolic RPG may be the escape you need.
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:
(Spoiler - click to show)Okay. Since you were so honest and candid with me, I'll tell it to you straight.
We're firing you.
The ENTIRE TIME, the outcome was already decided. And the justification for our firing only makes it worse. Management needs to fire someone to meet a quota. Gregg was supposed to be it, but he died. They fire you instead.
I was not expecting this. At all. Talk about naïve.
Our conversation was merely the A.I. dragging its feet in telling you the bad news. It also puts its behavior into perspective. Its attempt to make us consider leaving is so the reveal of our firing is less of a blow. So there. That’s how much the company values you.
And yet, ProMa is not entirely devoid of empathy. In a rather conspiratorial manner, it advises us to quit before we're officially fired just to spite management and use this small act of rebellion to honor Gregg.
The game ends here, though I cannot help but wonder if quitting means someone else will be fired...
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.
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