Ratings and Reviews by manonamora

Whether is a philosophical branching piece, asking you on each screen to choose between two options: light or darkness, sweet or salty, forward or backward, love or hate… Forever ending, forever starting, round and round you go through the poetic prose, building choice by choice your personal poem. Not only the writing is fantastic, but the dithered vibe of Decker with the text boxes and the chosen illustration, really does make it a great piece of IF.

*Primordial* is a *strange*, very weird/surreal piece. After playing it, I am still not sure what to make of it. You start with birthing yourself, coming out into a strange world where you must fend for yourself (I honestly thought this was (Spoiler - click to show)the birth of an actual child and didn't get why crying out had someone literally EAT ME). Through encounters and exploration, you find enough sustenance to help your body grow and expand, with visual to match. It's weird, like *really weird*, but in a good way.

Though, I ended up being a bit bored of the fighting sequence, being pretty repetitive and same-y, so I ended up clicking the same action over and over until I could pick my reward.

Dragonslaying is a short branching visual novel, where you are a dragon-slayer, facing a dragon in a cave, with the intent of fulfilling your destiny… or maybe you will choose against it? For beast may be misunderstood or you wish to see the story end unexpectedly. With 2 choices, the game branches into 4 distinct endings, mixing acceptance and anger, questionable actions and trickery. Through your perception of the situation, and your reaction, blood may be shed. Will it be yours?
I thought it was an interesting take on fate and following orders.

inertia is a short kinetic entry about two men and their failed relationship. One still clings on his feelings for the other, while the latter has clearly moved on for better or for worse… With awkward dialogues, and descriptions of awkwarder behaviour, the prose creates an uncomfortable situation, which will not get any better, as neither participants seems willing to change their stances (for good reasons). One will not understand the other’s point of view, the other won’t return to a hurtful space.
Pretty well done, I could visualise so clearly the scene (and cringe).

Letters to strangers is a wonderful collection of letters, which you can receive from or send to strangers. Comforting words, positive stories, tiny slices of life, the mundane and the precious moments. Kindness to its pure form. Gentleness overflowing through each words, each bits sent. It is so freaking lovely and comforting. And we need more of this.
The only negative thing of this game is that it is WAY TOO SHORT!

EldritchMon is a short humorous adventure in Twine, in which you incarnate a 10 year-old going on an adventure. On the way, you even get a companion, that you can name, and become closer! The short adventure, that ends a bit abruptly, reminded me of Pokemon where… a 10 year old gets a companion and goes on an adventure! Though it is supposed to be “super wholesome”, there are some little bits that implies some darker elements in the adventure to come (like in the intro… or the title).

I was honestly surprised the game was really just 500 words (I went and double-checked), because it felt much longer with the different actions, and by the end I wished my adventure wouldn’t end… just yet. I would have loved to get maybe into more combats and such!

Temporal Thief is a moody ChoiceScript piece where you play as a time-traveller (or well, a time-thief), trying to change fate (their fate). With a dark modern fantasy setting, the prose really embodies the atmosphere of those gloomy back street, where nothing good ever happens. As to whether you do change things, only rewinds will tell…

Obsessive Tendencies is a short branching piece about the hold obsessive tendencies can have on people, and how it can disrupts someone’s state. Told from a very personal perspective, the piece shows some harsh realities of seeing themselves becoming obsessive specifically over fictional characters, knowing something is not quite right about it, but being unable to find a suitable solution to overcome it. A courageous effort.

Census is a short ink conversation between a retired widowed teacher and a strange census caller. The census starts pretty simple, asking (insistently) your run-of-the-mill questions. Though… something seems off about the questions asked and their responses. The hint of uneasiness from the conversation veer the short piece into horror territory… unless you hung up.

the vile want is a short piece in Twine set in an undescribed fantasy world, where you are a (elven?) fighter having a final showdown with their nemesis (I think? you are not told how/why). After such a long time since you last saw him, with your hatred fuelling you forward, you get to confront that person, and end him. Yet, you still hesitate to finally fulfil this want of yours. A very absorbing prose.