Aisle

Baf's Guide

Aisle isn't a game per se, but rather a different means of approaching the idea of fiction. Rather than present a plot, it presents an ambiguous situation and gives you a chance to type a single command. The command you type determines not only what the protagonist does, but also who he is. This is definitely "concept IF," but the author has done an excellent job and it's very easy to feel for the different possible protagonists. While the level of interaction is obviously limited in a one-move game, the scenery is very "deep"; the game seems to have a response for almost everything.

-- R. Serena Wakefield

SPAG
Sam Barlow's Aisle is without a doubt one of the most unusual works to hit the IF community in quite some time. In no sense is it a game; trying to "win" it is futile, and the suboptimal outcomes aren't bad choices to be avoided as such. Rather, the point is to explore the central character and take a look at the various possibilities available to him from one point in time. That said, however, it's not clear that Aisle is an entirely successful experiment. [...] (Duncan Stevens)
See the full review

Reviews from Trotting Krips
Yes, this is experimental IF. I cringe at the very thought, normally. Aisle, however, is far and away the most effective, enjoyable experimental IF game I've come across. It's flawlessly implemented, wonderfully written, and intensely evocative. It is a very moving experience, and should stick with you long after you leave your interpreter.
See the full review

Play This Thing!
Aisle is a one-turn game. Play a turn, and the game ends.

Restart. Try something else. The game ends again.

This isn't a case where working out just the right single move will win, either. (For that, try Andrew Pontious' brilliant but difficult Rematch.) No, Aisle is partly about exploration -- an astonishing number of commands are implemented, ranging well outside the usual set of interactive fiction commands -- and partly about assembling the story that you're interested in.
See the full review

Rock, Paper, Shotgun
Crucially, a number of the less eventful endings provide hints as to your character’s backstory, which in turn fill your mind with possibilities as to new actions you could attempt. Hence, Groundhog Day - each attempt you make at the game is informed by the events of the previous one(s). You revert back to exactly the same situation every time, but though the world hasn’t changed, your knowledge has - and with that comes an uncanny sense of progress.
See the full review

SynTax
The writing is very good, evoking an atmosphere that I readily took part in. There were responses to all the inputs I tried, even to some that I typed simply because they always provoke a stock response from the game. My advice is to try as many ways getting information about the story as you can. Put yourself behind the trolley and into his shoes. Beware, I found some responses a little disturbing.
See the full review

ferkung
Aisle (1999) by Sam Barlow
Written by Sam Barlow, this 1999 game has only one move. We find, oh, about 2/3 of the endings.
See the full review