Ratings and Reviews by manonamora

I am in this photograph is a retelling of the Bluebeard story, as a point-n-click kinetic piece made in Twine. The poetic prose, revealed by clicking on different parts of the displayed photograph, depicts the perspective of one of Bluebeard’s wives, as she defies her husband’s directive, going into the fated basement and running away. Some of the previous wives are mentioned in passing, forgotten or done dirty. It is pretty chilling.

Losing Track is a short interactive game in Dendry where you realise you stepped out the train at the wrong station and must find your way home, by choosing the lighter or darker path before you. Fate watching over your shoulder, your choices will bring you closer or father from your goal, leading you to your home… or somewhere else.

The game does an interesting thing with the game play, as you need to counteract Fate, who is trying to predict your next move. Essentially you need to move between light and dark without making a pattern. Like trying to figure out the result of the coin toss. It’s silly fun, that works best in a small game (or a section of a larger one).

Big Brother, is an epistolary kinetic entry, where the narrator pens one last letter to an imaginary big brother, the one you never had, before saying goodbye. Whether created out of a need for support or loneliness, they now feel old enough, maybe strong enough, to let go of that childish creation. The one that gave them courage when they had none, comforted them when they felt low, celebrated them. The big brother they never truly had, but felt in their heart.

It is pretty emotionally charged, feeling like you’ve grown up enough to let things go, but still being anxious to do so, questioning whether you need to do so, removing that crutch you held on for so long. The yearning for good when all around is pain. And behind the metaphors and the “fancy” writing, vulnerability and maybe a bit of fear.

Soft prose under rugged feelings.

Hearth is a short conversation in Twine between you and a luxuriously dressed woman named Eloise, waiting for you before a fireplace, needing informations from you, which she will get one way or another. The game branches twice, leading to four different endings, each of them more disturbing that the last.
Yet, with the little word count, it is so gripping I felt the need to find at least one ending that would not end so badly for me. Needless to say, violence is invited in all paths, unchanging and still distinct from the other paths.

In this small format, there is only so much you can learn from or about Eloise, and the more you dive into the story, the more mysterious she becomes. Almost inhuman. God-like. Demonic maybe. Her cold behaviour contrasting with that is supposed to be a warm environment.

Very intriguing, I would love to read more of this!

leave the lights on is the sequel of let the lights bleed, a sort of continuation from the previous entry, where your abusive partner left you, and you find yourself completely alone, questioning yourself and your actions. Feeling cold (because you are alone), you leave the lights on to keep yourself company, or trick yourself into thinking he will come back. Though your situation has improved (in some fashion), you still struggle with the conflicting feelings and consequences of the abuse (like gaslighting was like… strong there). It portrays sensibly and raw some of the complex aspects of being a survivor of abuse.

a night at the inn is a short binksi piece set at the Cherry Marmalade Inn located in an unnamed fantasy land. After much travels tiring you, you decide to stop at the inn for a filling meal and a good night of sleep. Except… this inn is quite special. It will make whatever you desire right now, even if you don’t know what you want.

This is probably one of the cosiest little IF I’ve played in a while, filling me with joy and warmth (and making my empty stomach really hungry). I think it did those authors (the one who make found sound so delicious in their writing) real credits here. And it also reminded me of Isekai Izakaya in the setting. Really cute.

STRUDEL is a short mystery action piece in Twine, where you play as Riley, a cop (on dismissed leave?) who seems to see conspiracies everywhere, especially Pie-related conspiracies. Taking advantage of a few free days, you aim to try as many sweet delicacies sold in town. It is without wonder that you, a hot-head of a cop with a sus background, somehow ends up entangled into some shenanigans.
Though the premise is silly and had an interesting hook, the end felt a bit rushed (likely ran out of words).

Jellyfish is a short poetic kinetic entry, where you take a glimpse into another reality, after (what I assumed was) taking some drugs. In this psychedelic short piece, real and imagined merge and separate, memories and dreams dance, all as your brain process the next hit. It is very surreal and confusing (as trips often do), and melancholic.

A Description of the Newest Sculpture in the Gallery is a kinetic entry made in Decker looking at a new sculpture in a very cold and clinical way, focusing on details and their gruesome implications. The artist is only mentioned in passing, but seems to be holding your head, forcing you to look at his creation(s) and understand the control over their Muses’ body. You only need to look at the dates.

It is gruesome and bleak, but beautiful in its disturbing nature. All the retro/dithering effects from Decker adds a lot to this uncomfortable experience.

Suspended […] is the second instalment of the RGB cycle, where we play as a very flawed man, finding himself wounded and locked in some sort of basement. Above (and around), we can hear the voices of our wife and her mother (a returning character) looking for you (or better yet, “looking” for the latter). With your limited mobility and incredible pain, you still attempt to escape this dark situation. Surely… not in vain?

As the first instalment, the title is unsurprisingly quite telling about the setting, but nonetheless chilling. Though, unlike the former, the game plays with futility in actions. You can do much, but your influence over the story is well… what much can you do suspended. Still, you don’t seem to despair, trying anything you can, fighting for yourself.

It is an interesting look at man’s drive to push forward even when nothing good will surely come out of it. The unwillingness to give up. And with your MIL’s parting words, it made me wonder what it does day about the PC…

I can’t wait to see who/what we’re getting next!