Browsing
If you're looking for a specific kind of IF, you can create a poll to ask other people for recommendations.
"Before you played X, you never thought you'd like horror games. Before you played Y, you never thought you could take a game with a dragon in it seriously. Before you played Z, you thought linear games would just frustrate you. Tell me..."
by Aintelligence - 17 votes for 7 games, last vote on February 25, 2023; created on November 26, 2010"What is the best classic zork adventure which includes all zork including classics and subdivisions."
by tggdan3 - 56 votes for 29 games, last vote on July 20, 2023; created on November 3, 2010"Games that can be completed in less than 30 mintues. Need not be one room (though that obviously helps). Hopefully, the games are fun as well. "
by Fredrik - 24 votes for 20 games, last vote on February 12, 2023; created on November 2, 2010"I really need to improve my rotten Spanish, and I can think of no better way to do it than by playing IF. But there are tons of games out there, so what to choose? In other words: Por favor, ¡dame los favoritos tuyos!"
by tggdan3 - 51 votes for 35 games, last vote on December 31, 2023; created on November 1, 2010"Obviously not counting "death" as an ending, but non-successful ends can count if there are other successful ends. Variation in endings should at least vary the ending somewhat (as opposed to be an extra word or two). "
by Xervosh - 16 votes for 14 games, last vote on November 25, 2022; created on September 9, 2010"I'm hoping to be reminded of some of the obscure little IF games I may have played during the 1980s, but since can't recall. In addition, this poll may get a few more obscure games from the 1980s (or early 90s, or late 70s) listed in the..."
by Victor Gijsbers - 35 votes for 19 games, last vote on May 22, 2023; created on September 1, 2010""[T]he thief [in Zork] is important to the development of interactive fiction because he functions as a true villain, not simply an obstacle or opponent.", writes Nick Montfort. Apparently, he moves around, taunts the player, actively..."
by Ghalev - 76 votes for 35 games, last vote on January 20, 2023; created on July 30, 2010"As of the founding of this poll, the IFDB has only seven games with the "amnesia" tag. I don't buy that for an instant. Please vote for games where the player-protagonist-person is dealing with a bout of forgetfulness (usually about who..."
by strivenword - 16 votes for 12 games, last vote on August 6, 2022; created on July 27, 2010"My favorite genre of fiction, interactive or otherwise, is high fantasy -- the genre of such epic series of novels as The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien and The Wheel of Time by Jordan. I'm especially interested in games with an alternate..."
by MyTheory - 54 votes for 35 games, last vote on April 22, 2021; created on July 27, 2010"Whether it was the witty dialogue, the charming atmosphere, or the cleverness of the puzzle - you played "this" game and it inspired you to write your own. Selfishly, I'm looking for my own inspiration, but I am also very, very curious..."
by tggdan3 - 9 votes for 9 games, last vote on April 3, 2015; created on July 22, 2010"User-made challenges for existing IF games meant to make the game harder/more fun"
by joncgoodwin - 205 votes for 112 games, last vote on February 7, 2024; created on July 16, 2010"I'm very interested in hearing truthful accounts of at least somewhat difficult games (or games that don't solve themselves at least) solved completely without recourse to hints, walkthroughs, etc. "
by Anya Johanna DeNiro - 30 votes for 16 games, last vote on February 3, 2022; created on July 16, 2010"What I'm looking for are games that aren't "other-world" fantasy, but rather use one of the following as part of its thematic underpinnings: Renaissance magic, Neoplatonism, hermeticism, gnosticism, alchemy, or any other kind of..."
by Stickz - 28 votes for 20 games, last vote on May 5, 2023; created on June 23, 2010"I'm looking for games where the PC is faced with needs like eating, sleeping, and thirst. Unusual inventory limitations. Things that make them appear a little more human."
by Juhana - 47 votes for 26 games, last vote on August 4, 2022; created on May 28, 2010"Fast-paced action is something that's notoriously hard to do in IF where waiting for player's input necessarily pauses the game every turn. Which games have succeeded in creating action scenes that convey the sense of urgency, danger and..."
by Ghalev - 29 votes for 16 games, last vote on August 1, 2022; created on May 17, 2010"In some games, you play a brave hero, or a cynical crime-fighter, or a cunning robber. In others, you play an artificial mind, an alien, or an animal. In many, you play nobody in particular, just an average person of some kind, doing a..."
by baf - 66 votes for 26 games, last vote on September 20, 2023; created on April 21, 2010"In a normal game, there is a single fictional entity that is considered to be: - The protagonist: the character that the player is meant to identify with, and whose goals you are trying to achieve - The viewpoint character: the character..."
by Sorrel - 65 votes for 27 games, last vote on February 26, 2024; created on April 8, 2010"I'm looking for IF that inspires one or more strong emotions in the player – an IF that pulls on your heartstrings a little. "
by tggdan3 - 64 votes for 27 games, last vote on August 28, 2023; created on April 7, 2010"I'm looking for a one room game, where the purpose is NOT to escape that one room. (Eliminating games such as Enlightenment, Suveh Nux, 69,105 keys, etc). I'm not sure if there even ARE many such games, but I would be interested in..."
by aaronius - 7 votes for 7 games, last vote on June 23, 2015; created on April 7, 2010"In the best story-centered board games, the rules and system mechanics create or encourage the sorts of stories the game is supposed to be about; one suspense-themed game I discovered recently uses a Jenga tower to create rising dread in..."