Ratings and Reviews by Jacqueline A. Lott
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A Light Puzzle Game, July 17, 2022If you are looking for a light puzzle game for the sake of light puzzles, this is a relatively short game that is solidly coded, intuitive, and we (ClubFloyd) got through it quickly but not too quickly. The title and plot seemed intriguing, but are ultimately a thin veneer for the puzzles. Our (spoiler-filled) transcript is at this link.
Simple, elegant, beautiful, and touching, July 3, 2022This is a simple game, beautifully written, forgiving and elegant in its execution. It is a relatively short but very memorable experience, and definitely recommended.
Come for the Puzzles, Stay for the History, August 1, 2021This game is interesting in a couple of key ways, so I'm glad to have experienced it, even if I didn't necessarily love the game itself. This is a 2020 Inform port of a BASIC game from 1984. Aside from one fun narrative twist near the beginning, it's mostly a game of "puzzles for puzzles' sake." The backstory (if any) is not explained, you solve a few puzzles leading to The Final Puzzle, then the game ends suddenly with no epilogue. Essentially, there's no story. But afterward, Gavin Lambert provides some lovely background, including his own very plausible head cannon of the prologue/plot, history of the game, and background on this period of text gaming. I enjoyed the post-game commentary more than the game itself, though you have to have played the game to make the post-game commentary worthwhile.
Silly stupid fun, January 17, 2021This game is just fun and kind of (very) dumb, but it has many clever little touches from the author. It could have been a little bit more deeply implemented, but then there are a variety of hilarious (or horrifying) things that the author DID implement that will surprise you. If you're looking for a weird, fun, short game, this is recommended.
Unforgettable, January 4, 2021Some will find this game disturbing, but I definitely recommend it if you're looking for a surreal game that evokes images of an older, darker time, and deals in the sort of monsters seen in woodcut-illustrated books from the nineteenth century, when fairytales were far more sinister.
The game can be a bit frustrating due to under-implementation... but it was written for Rapidocomp, so that comes with the territory.
I may never have found the ending if I hadn't been playing as part of a group. There are clues to what you're meant to do, contained in text you are 100% likely to encounter in the game. Part of the reason you may struggle to find the solution is that it's ... counterintuitive. But the author definitely gives you the clue or two that you need. If you can hang in there until you figure out the solution on your own, you're more likely to get the full impact of the ending.
If you really can't figure it out, the command you're looking for is (Spoiler - click to show)FEED RAGMAN.
If, after you play the game, you'd like to see the moment when ClubFloyd figured it out, and our reaction, here's the ending, which I feel is worth reading all the way down to the jokes and puns at the end.
It's not the most polished game in the world, but I will always remember the writing and the experience, which is why it gets a 5 from me.
Delightful, September 14, 2020While there are a couple of spots where precise wording in commands can be a little frustrating, this game on the whole is absolutely lovely. It's a small game with straight-forward puzzles that are fun to solve. It contains adorable NPCs, amusing writing, and cute hidden touches. It is clear that it was written by someone who loves nature and the ocean and being in the ocean.
A Weird, Lovely Little Thing, January 26, 2020I loved this, but it will not be for everyone (or likely, for many). It is novel, unlike any other game I can recall playing, and had a core dynamic that had an immediate effect on my emotional state, which is always worthy of note. I played it as part of ClubFloyd, and the transcript of our session can be found here.
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