Ratings and Reviews by mg51

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View this member's reviews by tag: (actually many rooms) (but single room in spirit) content warnings exploration five stars four stars limited verbs multiple endings replay friendly resource management single room spell casting three stars treasure hunt unfinished
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The Wizard Sniffer, by Buster Hudson

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Unique, intriguing, and hilarious, October 20, 2021
by mg51
Related reviews: five stars, limited verbs

This is one of the most entertaining IF games I've played, period. The story isn't overly complicated but it's never boring, and while the "twist" (Spoiler - click to show)that the pig is the princess didn't take me long to figure out, that didn't detract from the experience at all, as enough hints are dropped later in the game that it shouldn't be a surprise by the time it's revealed.

The gist of the game is that you're playing as a pig, and because of that, you are very limited in what you can personally do and need to manipulate the NPCs around you in order to navigate the world. It makes for a completely different kind of gameplay experience and puzzles that are entirely unlike those you find in standard IF games. I enjoyed it immensely.

The characters were a charming mix of standard archetypes and subversions of those same archetypes (Spoiler - click to show)(the brave but dimwitted knight, the cowardly but reliable squire, the evil sorcerer, and the vain prince) and I found myself somewhat invested in their stories. (Spoiler - click to show)I especially enjoyed Tuck and Tristain's awkward friendship, as it defied both hetero and homosexual romantic cliches.

As far as difficulty, this game was on the easier side, but it wasn't so simple that it detracted from my experience personally. I think it is a good game for beginners or players who might often rely on guides and hints to finish games.

TL;DR: Wizard Sniffer is charming, engaging, funny, and doesn't require a huge time commitment. I loved it.

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Photopia, by Adam Cadre

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Fascinating story, limited gameplay, October 14, 2021
by mg51
Related reviews: four stars

It's a captivating story that unfolds in a way that makes more sense as you go, leading you to understand the characters and their relationships to each other. I went into my first playthrough completely blind, so my understanding was absolutely zero when I started and the first few sections made no sense whatsoever, but this didn't at all take away from my experience. It made it more rewarding when I began putting pieces together.

The game's only weak point is that it is more of a story than a game, and interactivity mostly comes down to different choices of dialogue. I understand that this was a choice on the creator's part, and I definitely still recommend giving it a play-through, but it's best to be aware going in that you're going to get a non-traditional, non-linear story rather than an interactive adventure with puzzles.

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Anchorhead, by Michael Gentry
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