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I'm looking for a great surreal game.

by Bishopofbasic - 54 votes for 21 games, last vote on June 7, 2025; created on July 12, 2015

"It's pretty hot up here in Canada and I was wondering if anyone knew of any great surreal type games. Something I can spend my time in front of the AC or in my office hiding from the world. Thanks you guys."

Multi-Part Games

by Bloodsong - 54 votes for 38 games, last vote on August 23, 2022; created on June 10, 2009

"I was wondering just how many games out there, either completely text based, or text-adventure hybrids, are out there that involve a story line over the course of several games. I know for sure of the Sorcerer trilogy from Infocom...any..."

Oh, You BEAST: Games where you're an animal!

by Ghalev - 53 votes for 35 games, last vote on July 17, 2024; created on August 6, 2009

"I know of a small handful of games where you play a beast, and I want to know of more. (By beast I mean a cat, a dog, a chicken, an orangutan, that kind of thing ... not looking for mythical monsters and not looking for part-timers, so..."

Outstanding Humor Game of 2023

by MathBrush - 53 votes for 13 games, last vote on February 18, 2024; created on February 1, 2024

"This poll is part of the 2023 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best humor game of 2023. Voting is open to all IFDB members. Suggested..."

very hard games

by aw1231 - 53 votes for 30 games, last vote on May 23, 2025; created on January 16, 2010

"I am look for the hardest IF games ever."

Games with a city setting

by JonathanCR - 52 votes for 18 games, last vote on August 1, 2022; created on July 30, 2009

"I'm interested in games that are set in cities - historical, modern, fantasy, or science-fiction. In particular, games that make you feel that you are in a real, functioning, busy city where life is being lived all around you. Which..."

Games with a great city setting

by penguincascadia - 52 votes for 15 games, last vote on July 13, 2025; created on February 19, 2016

"I'm looking for games that attempt (with at least some success) to portray a large city setting that the player can explore and interact with to at least some depth. Games like Gotomomi, City of Secrets, and A Mind Forever Voyaging are..."

Games with unique hint systems

by delano - 52 votes for 28 games, last vote on February 6, 2025; created on April 27, 2014

"I'm looking for games that offer hints in any way, except for printing them in sequence on the screen. For example: characters that offer hints; objects that, when examined or used in a certain way, suggest actions to the player; etc."

Outstanding Slice of Life Game of 2024

by MathBrush - 52 votes for 19 games, last vote on February 16, 2025; created on February 1, 2025

"This poll is part of the 2024 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best Slice of Life game of 2024. Voting is open to all IFDB members...."

Games that show everyday life

by Sam Jackson - 51 votes for 26 games, last vote on August 24, 2022; created on February 24, 2014

"I'm looking for preferably short games that focus on part of someone's life in our world and preferably our time. I would like games with an emotional focus."

Games with multiple endings

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). "

Mother-Daugher Relations

by matt w (Matt Weiner) - 51 votes for 32 games, last vote on December 23, 2023; created on March 13, 2015

"What are some IF works that involve a relationship between a mother and a daughter? Not necessarily as the center of the work, but as something that impinges on it at all."

Outstanding Debut 2024

by MathBrush - 51 votes for 12 games, last vote on February 16, 2025; created on February 1, 2025

"This poll is part of the 2024 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best game of 2024 by a new author. Voting is open to all IFDB members...."

Outstanding Game in an Uncommon System of 2024

by MathBrush - 51 votes for 16 games, last vote on February 16, 2025; created on February 1, 2025

"This poll is part of the 2024 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best game of 2024 written in an uncommon system. Voting is open to all IFDB..."

Outstanding Game over 2 hours in 2024

by MathBrush - 51 votes for 11 games, last vote on February 16, 2025; created on February 1, 2025

"This poll is part of the 2024 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for an outstanding game of 2024 with a playtime of over 2 hours (as judged by the..."

Outstanding Use of Interactivity in 2024

by MathBrush - 51 votes for 15 games, last vote on February 16, 2025; created on February 1, 2025

"This poll is part of the 2024 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the an outstanding game of 2024 that felt truly interactive. Voting is open to..."

Trailblazer Award of 2023

by MathBrush - 51 votes for 10 games, last vote on February 18, 2024; created on February 1, 2024

"This poll is part of the 2023 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for a game of 2023 that you saw as a trailblazer. Voting is open to all IFDB..."

2024 Review-a-thon - games seeking reviews (authors only)

by Tabitha - 50 votes for 49 games, last vote on August 3, 2024; created on March 10, 2024

"EDIT 2: I've locked this poll, but have started a new one here for next year's Review-a-thon! EDIT: The inaugural IF Review-a-thon is now underway! Full information here. Are you an IF author who would like more reviews of your work?..."

Games where the PC is an antihero

by Sorrel - 50 votes for 21 games, last vote on August 9, 2022; created on December 23, 2009

"I'm looking for games where the PC is the villain/antihero of the story and the traditional plotlines of "good beats evil" aren't followed. "

Games with accurate (present or historical) settings

by Emily Short - 50 votes for 27 games, last vote on June 22, 2018; created on October 10, 2008

"I'm looking for works in the general spirit of The Fire Tower or 1893: they can be puzzly or not, have a story or not, but they should attempt to represent a real-world setting as accurately as possible, and in some detail."

IF with a sense of wonder

by Cosmic Hamster - 50 votes for 24 games, last vote on January 9, 2024; created on July 17, 2014

"What interactive fiction would you recommend that evokes a sense of wonder? These could be games that capture wonder or beauty in ordinary things, perhaps by viewing the world through the eyes of a child. Or they could be games that..."

Outstanding Fantasy Game of 2023

by MathBrush - 50 votes for 16 games, last vote on February 18, 2024; created on February 1, 2024

"This poll is part of the 2023 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best fantasy game of 2023. Voting is open to all IFDB members. Suggested..."

Outstanding Ink Game of 2023

by MathBrush - 50 votes for 14 games, last vote on February 18, 2024; created on February 1, 2024

"This poll is part of the 2023 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best Ink game of 2023. Voting is open to all IFDB members. Eligible games..."

Outstanding Slice of Life Game of 2023

by MathBrush - 50 votes for 16 games, last vote on February 18, 2024; created on February 1, 2024

"This poll is part of the 2023 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best Slice of Life game of 2023. Voting is open to all IFDB members...."

Games that include a maze you would describe as 'hey, actually fun'

by Jeremy Freese - 49 votes for 25 games, last vote on March 29, 2024; created on July 16, 2009

"Everybody always dissing mazes in IF. What are the games that prove them wrong?"

Outstanding Historical Game of 2024

by MathBrush - 49 votes for 8 games, last vote on February 16, 2025; created on February 1, 2025

"This poll is part of the 2024 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best historical game of 2024. Voting is open to all IFDB members. Suggested..."

Fast-paced action scenes

by Juhana - 48 votes for 27 games, last vote on October 8, 2024; 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..."

Games with good magic system

by RedHatter - 48 votes for 18 games, last vote on January 21, 2024; created on December 7, 2011

"I'm looking for some games with a good magic system. Doesn't have to be at brilliant as Savoir-Faire but consistency would be nice."

Most Sequel-worthy game of 2023

by MathBrush - 48 votes for 14 games, last vote on February 18, 2024; created on February 1, 2024

"This poll is part of the 2023 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the most sequel-worthy game of 2023. Voting is open to all IFDB members...."

Most unique games

by Jeremy Freese - 48 votes for 29 games, last vote on June 29, 2025; created on August 4, 2009

"Whatever else might be said about ___________, there's not another game like it."

Outstanding Horror Game of 2022 - Player's Choice

by MathBrush - 48 votes for 13 games, last vote on February 17, 2023; created on January 30, 2023

"This poll is part of the 2022 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best horror game of 2022. Voting is open to all IFDB members. Eligible..."

Games with amusement parks/fairgrounds in them

by Cerfeuil - 47 votes for 26 games, last vote on April 15, 2025; created on June 20, 2023

"Games that feature carnivals, fairgrounds, amusement parks, circuses, etc. Of any kind!"

Games with Books/Bookshelves/Libraries

by Andrew Schultz - 47 votes for 32 games, last vote on January 9, 2024; created on May 13, 2016

"I'm interested in games with lots of books you can read through. Maybe it's just a lot of cool titles and authors. Maybe they're randomly or procedurally generated. Maybe they reference pop culture, or maybe they're the author's own..."

Games with Toys

by IFforL2 - 47 votes for 30 games, last vote on September 6, 2022; created on March 12, 2017

"I want to distinguish toys from three other IF game elements: Puzzles require the player to find a solution to a problem in the narrative. If she can't find a solution, she's stuck. Branching allows the player to steer the plot of the..."

Outstanding individual puzzles

by Jeremy Freese - 47 votes for 23 games, last vote on December 8, 2018; created on June 6, 2009

"I'm interested in examples of excellent individual puzzles in IF. In other words: not 'Spider and Web' so much as 'getting out of the chair' in 'Spider and Web' "

Outstanding technical implementation of 2024

by MathBrush - 47 votes for 11 games, last vote on February 16, 2025; created on February 1, 2025

"This poll is part of the 2024 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the most outstanding technical implementation in a game from 2024. Voting is..."

Twine-bending Twine Games

by Mostly Useless - 47 votes for 23 games, last vote on January 19, 2024; created on January 3, 2014

"Twine games that do something you found unusual and interesting, not in terms of story, but visually or mechanically, or both."

Great game sequels

by Teaspoon - 46 votes for 29 games, last vote on June 22, 2025; created on April 9, 2016

"Whilst writing a review of "All Alone", Joey Jones's sequel to his game "If I Wasn't Shy", I became curious - how many examples of sequels are there in IF? Preferably good ones."

Outstanding Game in an Uncommon System of 2023

by MathBrush - 46 votes for 12 games, last vote on February 18, 2024; created on February 1, 2024

"This poll is part of the 2023 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best game of 2023 written in an uncommon system. Voting is open to all IFDB..."

Speed IFs that are awesome

by trojo - 46 votes for 23 games, last vote on August 9, 2020; created on December 27, 2011

"Expectations for Speed-IFs are generally low, but sometimes games written as Speed-IFs are in fact awesome-- not just "awesome for a Speed IF" but truly worthwhile. List some favorites here."

Games part of an unfinished series

by Jonathan Blask - 45 votes for 29 games, last vote on May 17, 2023; created on January 15, 2012

"I think it is both funny and interesting when games bill themselves as "Part # in the [blank] series" (and other games are never written). It is fun to speculate what directions those future games may have gone. This poll is a memorial..."

Games that are adaptations of conventional (not CYOA) books

by ChrisM - 45 votes for 31 games, last vote on January 21, 2024; created on February 24, 2021

"I'm interested in games that are straightforward adaptations of conventional books (probably novels, but I'd be interested to know if there are any non-fiction book adaptations). The ones that I know of are The Famous Five and The..."

What are your favorite games?

by Christopher Caesar - 45 votes for 24 games, last vote on February 3, 2022; created on December 19, 2013

"I was wondering which games are worth playing, as I haven't found any games that take a while to complete that are worth playing"

Best of The Quill, PAW and GAC

by Denk - 44 votes for 35 games, last vote on May 26, 2023; created on November 15, 2020

"More than 1000 games were made with the British tools "The Quill", "PAW" and "GAC" through the 80s and early 90s. Some bad, others worth playing today. I would like to know which are the best. Those with the most votes are probably among..."

Educational IF

by Spike - 44 votes for 25 games, last vote on March 19, 2023; created on July 7, 2019

"Several of us are interested in using IF for education, both in the classroom as well as more broadly. The purpose of this poll is to collect examples of IF with an educational focus."

Multiple point-of-view characters

by Joan - 44 votes for 30 games, last vote on December 31, 2024; created on April 22, 2024

"Interested in games where you swap between different characters' heads (whether at will or at specific points in the story), not games where a single main character possesses different bodies or games that play with different..."

Outstanding Game of the Year 2022 - Author's Choice

by MathBrush - 44 votes for 13 games, last vote on February 18, 2023; created on January 30, 2023

"This poll is part of the 2022 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best overall game of 2022. Voting is anonymous and open only to IFDB..."

Outstanding Worldbuilding of 2022 - Player's Choice

by MathBrush - 44 votes for 12 games, last vote on February 18, 2023; created on January 30, 2023

"This poll is part of the 2022 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the game with the best worldbuilding of 2022. Voting is open to all IFDB..."

Cool Murder Mystery/Detective Games

by Christopher Caesar - 43 votes for 18 games, last vote on August 6, 2022; created on September 25, 2013

"Hey everybody. I am looking for a murder mystery text game. I finished An Act of Murder a while ago and want to play more games like that, where to get to solve the murder yourself. If you could tell me some of your recommendations that..."

Games that broke containment

by OverThinking - 43 votes for 42 games, last vote on July 15, 2025; created on July 13, 2025

"I could have sworn this was already a poll, but I can't find it now. This is for games that gained some amount of recognition outside our bubble. Any amount of notice will do, from write-ups on non-IF gaming blogs to Wikipedia pages to..."

Games where the interaction is really cool and clever

by Isa - 43 votes for 19 games, last vote on November 10, 2024; created on September 26, 2018

"I'm really interested in games which put a new spin on the mechanics. I'm thinking of a specific one where the narrator is really mean to you and is its own character in the game, but I'm really interested in any games which are..."

Most Sequel-worthy game of 2024

by MathBrush - 43 votes for 11 games, last vote on February 16, 2025; created on February 1, 2025

"This poll is part of the 2024 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the most sequel-worthy game of 2024. Voting is open to all IFDB members...."

Nontradiational Parser, Gamebook, IF and Systems

by thecanvasrose - 43 votes for 35 games, last vote on November 25, 2023; created on October 20, 2019

"I'm making a list based on this poll as I play the elected games and can write snippets about them. See here: https://ifdb.org/viewlist?id=3n6rheokfkcsntf - - - - - - - - - I'm looking for games which are: 》Neither parser nor gamebook..."

Sex in non-adult IF

by Ferret From Hell - 43 votes for 26 games, last vote on November 27, 2024; created on March 20, 2012

"It struck me the other day that sex is one thing that actually seems to feature rarely in IF. What games are there, other than out and out AIF, that give prominence to sex or sex scenes? The only ones that immediately spring to mind are..."

Vertical Games

by Anya Johanna DeNiro - 43 votes for 23 games, last vote on June 24, 2024; created on November 17, 2014

"Looking for games that really explore verticality, which go up (way up) in their setting. Human-made structures in particular: towers, skyscrapers, radio antennae. Games that figuratively can make you feel dizzy, particularly after a..."

Highly atmospheric and immersive games

by Cryptic Puffin - 42 votes for 22 games, last vote on June 7, 2025; created on November 14, 2021

"I'm looking for games with effective use of location, language, etc. to really immerse you in the locale and the story, no matter the genre-- any game which you felt really taken with the atmosphere would be great. Thank you!"

No Mazes, please!

by AndyC - 42 votes for 25 games, last vote on June 6, 2022; created on October 10, 2011

"I am a returning player to IF (which I loved 30 years ago) having recently discovered the fantastic Frotz for the iPad. Looking at some of the old games again has really blown me away. I don't enjoy drawing maps but I love reading good..."

Games for introducing teens and tweens to interactive fiction

by albie - 41 votes for 24 games, last vote on March 23, 2025; created on January 10, 2024

"Looking for Twine games (ideally) that are appropriate for 10-16 year olds. Bonus points if it has an interesting/fun story or showcases some of the cool stuff that can be done with this medium. Thanks! :)"

Games with high replay value

by Wendymoon - 41 votes for 27 games, last vote on January 1, 2023; created on October 2, 2009

"What games do you find yourself returning to again and again? Maybe to get every last lousy point, to do some amusing things, to try for different endings or just for the enjoyment of replaying?"

IF of yours you'd most recommend

by Cosmic Hamster - 41 votes for 39 games, last vote on March 29, 2023; created on September 9, 2015

"If someone were going to play one IF you've written, which one would you recommend? This can be based on any criteria you choose: personal favorite, highest rated, most representative, most accessible, whatever. (You can always change..."

Outstanding Mystery Game of 2024

by MathBrush - 41 votes for 9 games, last vote on February 16, 2025; created on February 1, 2025

"This poll is part of the 2024 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best mystery game of 2024. Voting is open to all IFDB members. Suggested..."

Games about Time Travel

by Estrong157 - 40 votes for 26 games, last vote on January 26, 2025; created on June 15, 2016

"more specifically, games with time travel as a gameplay element."

Give me a second chance!

by verityvirtue - 40 votes for 22 games, last vote on March 12, 2025; created on February 1, 2015

"I'm looking for games which work like Bigger Than You Think - where dying isn't the end, where you're given second chances, where your second chances give you gear or skills or knowledge that you need to know to win the game."

im looking for a good horror game

by nick love - 40 votes for 16 games, last vote on August 1, 2022; created on February 22, 2014

"I'm looking for something with a creepy environment. It also has to be very challenging."

One Hit Wonders

by deathbytroggles - 40 votes for 21 games, last vote on September 27, 2024; created on May 11, 2019

"Good games by authors who apparently retired after their one gem."

Outstanding Fantasy Game of 2022 - Player's Choice

by MathBrush - 40 votes for 12 games, last vote on February 18, 2023; created on January 30, 2023

"This poll is part of the 2022 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best fantasy game of 2022. Voting is open to all IFDB members. Eligible..."

Outstanding French Game of 2024

by MathBrush - 40 votes for 14 games, last vote on February 16, 2025; created on February 1, 2025

"This poll is part of the 2024 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best French game of 2024. Voting is open to all IFDB members. Suggested..."

Really hard puzzle/adventure games

by Silius - 40 votes for 20 games, last vote on August 9, 2024; created on April 9, 2009

"You know like with lots of puzzles you have to solve."

For Your Consideration - XYZZY-eligible settings of 2015

by verityvirtue - 39 votes for 39 games, last vote on April 10, 2016; created on February 11, 2016

"This is for suggesting settings from games released 2015 which you think might be worth considering for Best Setting in the XYZZY awards. This is not a zeroth-round nomination. The category will still be text-entry, and games not..."

I am new to interactive fiction, could anyone recommend a game for me?

by Urtikor - 39 votes for 22 games, last vote on May 24, 2025; created on August 19, 2012

"Hello, I just recently came across interactive fiction and I want to try it out and see if it's my kind of thing. I tried Dreamhold for maybe half an hour, but even though it seemed well written, solving puzzles isn't interesting for me...."

Outstanding French Game of 2022 - Player's Choice

by MathBrush - 39 votes for 11 games, last vote on February 18, 2023; created on January 30, 2023

"This poll is part of the 2022 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best French game of 2022. Voting is open to all IFDB members. Eligible..."

The absolute hardest non-broken games you've played

by MathBrush - 39 votes for 24 games, last vote on September 16, 2024; created on September 23, 2017

"After reading Jason Dyer's post on his excellent adventure blog (at bluerenga.wordpress.com) about the hardest adventure ever (which I haven't tried yet, but want to!). Everyone has a game that they've experienced that is just absolutely..."

Vast but not Cruel

by Floating Info - 39 votes for 13 games, last vote on April 4, 2025; created on December 10, 2012

"I'd like to see games that are long and spacious, yet aren't Cruel (or very Nasty) on the Zarfian scale. Essentially, games that the main reason for saving is for time or the occasional timed part."

I'm looking for mysteries.

by MCCLUTCH32 - 38 votes for 20 games, last vote on June 25, 2022; created on March 14, 2013

"I like a game with a good story, good puzzles that aren't too difficult to understand and a good mystery. I was thinking more along the lines of horror, but murder mysteries work as well."

Best ChooseYourStory games

by MathBrush - 37 votes for 11 games, last vote on April 9, 2021; created on December 9, 2020

"I'm interested in knowing what the best ChooseYourStory games to play are"

Games with exploration (or even just games w/ secret passages and such)

by Cygnus - 37 votes for 22 games, last vote on February 27, 2024; created on March 28, 2023

"There seems to be a LOT of games where you just.. explore hidden secrets in mansions, or similar. some of them have a plot, some of 'em don't, but i'm lookin' for stuff like D'Arkun, the Manor at Whitby.. Or any games with just..."

Great treasure hunt games

by Molly - 37 votes for 22 games, last vote on February 13, 2024; created on January 1, 2009

"Good treasure hunting games in the vein of Zork and Adventure, although they may not necessarily be set in caves."

Long-Form Games That Don't Require Mapping

by Sdn - 37 votes for 19 games, last vote on September 1, 2020; created on August 30, 2013

"Playing Losing Your Grip has reminded me of just how tedious I find manual mapping in lengthy games, no matter how much I enjoy everything else. So, I'm looking for some long, engrossing games that don't require the player to draw maps...."

Once More, With Feelies

by Ghalev - 37 votes for 23 games, last vote on August 2, 2022; created on May 22, 2009

"I'm polling to learn of modern (post-commercial-era) IF that revels in the tradition of providing additional documentation & related materials which are evocative and deepen your enjoyment of the game. What games have gone that extra..."

One room games

by cpuguy - 37 votes for 20 games, last vote on August 4, 2022; created on July 22, 2009

"I would like to know what one room games are available. I enjoyed the acorn court, and am looking for more similar games."

Plot over Puzzle Parser

by thecanvasrose - 37 votes for 21 games, last vote on August 13, 2021; created on September 8, 2019

"Looking for what it says on the tin."

Trading and Buying Games

by Emily Short - 37 votes for 20 games, last vote on August 24, 2022; created on June 2, 2009

"Games where a significant portion of the gameplay involves buying, selling, or trading items, especially if there are tactical advantages associated with different objects and the player has to decide which things to acquire for what..."

Outstanding Choicescript Game of 2022 - Player's Choice

by MathBrush - 36 votes for 11 games, last vote on February 18, 2023; created on January 30, 2023

"This poll is part of the 2022 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best Choicescript game of 2022. Voting is open to all IFDB members...."

Outstanding Mystery Game of 2023

by MathBrush - 36 votes for 11 games, last vote on February 18, 2024; created on February 1, 2024

"This poll is part of the 2023 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best mystery game of 2023. Voting is open to all IFDB members. Suggested..."

For Your Consideration - XYZZY-eligible games of 2015

by Brendan Patrick Hennessy - 35 votes for 32 games, last vote on April 17, 2016; created on February 12, 2016

"This is for suggesting games released in 2015 which you think might be worth considering for Best Game in the XYZZY awards. This is not a zeroth-round nomination. The category will still be text-entry, and games not mentioned here will..."

Games exploring trauma and other messy subject matter

by Kastel - 35 votes for 27 games, last vote on July 13, 2025; created on August 24, 2023

"Looking for, as Nathalie Lawhead puts it, art caught between “everything is horrible”, “everything is survivable”, and “this is too hard to talk about”. I'm interested in how people explore the messy things in life through IF..."

Games that could use more reviews

by MathBrush - 35 votes for 24 games, last vote on March 31, 2024; created on April 23, 2020

"I love to review games. Let me know if you've made a game that needs more reviews, or can suggest someone else's! I might not be personally able to review every game due to time, content, or platform, but I'll try!"

Outstanding Short Game of 2022 - Author's Choice

by MathBrush - 35 votes for 15 games, last vote on February 18, 2023; created on January 30, 2023

"This poll is part of the 2022 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best short game of 2022, with the definition of short left up to the voter...."

Villains

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..."

Combat puzzle games

by Jeremy Freese - 34 votes for 19 games, last vote on June 8, 2025; created on December 12, 2012

"What I'm looking for are games that have fights that are ostensibly combat, but the solution to winning the fight is really a matter of solving a puzzle."

First and Third Person Second Person Narratives

by dacharya64 - 34 votes for 23 games, last vote on June 15, 2024; created on March 20, 2013

"Not as complicated as it sounds! Interactive fiction is dominated by the iconic second person narrative (*You* find yourself in a room). But this is not the only way that these stories could be told. I'm looking for those games out there..."

For Your Consideration - XYZZY-eligible writing of 2015

by Brendan Patrick Hennessy - 34 votes for 32 games, last vote on August 13, 2016; created on February 12, 2016

"This is for suggesting games released in 2015 which you think might be worth considering for Best Writing in the XYZZY awards. This is not a zeroth-round nomination. The category will still be text-entry, and games not mentioned here..."

Games You Return To

by Ghalev - 34 votes for 20 games, last vote on January 1, 2023; created on July 27, 2014

"What games do you find yourself revisiting from time to time, games that have proven to be a kind of comfort-food of text adventuring, the warm old socks of parser and puzzle, the socks-full-of-comfort-food of overextended metaphor? What..."

Getting back into IF, best re-introductions to the genre

by Sorrel - 34 votes for 17 games, last vote on July 27, 2017; created on May 29, 2016

"I haven't played any IF for roughly the past 6 years and am excited to get back into it. So, what have I missed? What have been some of your favorite games released since 2010? Alternatively, what games do you think would serve as a good..."

Great games that consist of a single puzzle

by Spike - 34 votes for 19 games, last vote on February 18, 2021; created on June 15, 2018

"I'm looking for well-designed and challenging games that revolve around solving a single puzzle. The puzzle may have multiple parts, but the whole game needs to be essentially about solving that single puzzle."

IF that centers around holidays

by Molly - 34 votes for 25 games, last vote on December 4, 2022; created on December 27, 2008

"I'm looking for IF that centers around specific real-world holidays, e.g. Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, Passover, the Fourth of July, Guy Fawkes Day, Halloween, etc."

Neil Armstrong Commemorative Space Poll

by Joey Jones - 34 votes for 17 games, last vote on December 31, 2023; created on August 25, 2012

"I'm hankering to play a good space-themed game. That is to say, a game not necessarily set in space, but a game that is in some way about space or our relation to space. Any takers?"

Outstanding Game over 2 hours in 2022 - Player's Choice

by MathBrush - 34 votes for 10 games, last vote on February 18, 2023; created on January 30, 2023

"This poll is part of the 2022 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for the best game of 2022 with a playtime of over 2 hours (as judged by the voter)...."

Outstanding Game over 2 hours in 2023

by MathBrush - 34 votes for 8 games, last vote on February 18, 2024; created on February 1, 2024

"This poll is part of the 2023 IFDB Awards. The rules for the competition can be found here, and a list of all categories can be found here. This award is for an oustanding game of 2023 with a playtime of over 2 hours (as judged by the..."

Games with amusing deaths

by Andrew Schultz - 33 votes for 24 games, last vote on January 9, 2024; created on April 7, 2015

"Lots of games have one amusing death, but what games best take the concept and run with it? These deaths could be nudges on messing something up, or even better, or even a nice reward for a reader who is playing attention and notices a..."

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