by Rose - 509 votes for 65 games, last vote on November 21, 2024; created on February 1, 2009
"As a historical exercise, I've begun compiling a list of IF games that have either done something ground breaking with the medium or otherwise influenced it; and I've turned it into a poll so everyone can have input on the expansion...."
by Jeff Sonas - 321 votes for 61 games, last vote on November 24, 2024; created on March 26, 2009
"I am looking for the games that, in your opinion, you simply must have played in order to really call yourself an IF aficionado. Or if someone wanted to play N number of IF games in order to get as good an overview of the IF classics..."
by WriterBob - 283 votes for 73 games, last vote on August 29, 2024; created on November 11, 2008
"I'm looking for games that are suited for adults who are new to IF. My purpose is to share these games with friends and let them get experience IF without being frustrated by mazes or guess-the-verb issues. Please avoid children's games...."
by juliaofbath - 235 votes for 52 games, last vote on November 27, 2024; created on July 27, 2017
"I'm interested in determining whether or not a clear canon has emerged within the world of IF/hypertext. Of course, there is a clear critical opinion regarding which works belong to this tentative canon, but I'm interested in what..."
by Sasha Davidovna - 224 votes for 68 games, last vote on August 5, 2024; created on July 12, 2009
"I'm pretty new to IF and am having a lot of fun, but in between a toddler and a job and other real life stuff, I'm having trouble finding time to finish many of the longer games I want to play. Can you please recommend me some fun and/or..."
by joncgoodwin - 216 votes for 114 games, last vote on October 21, 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 Fredrik - 180 votes for 61 games, last vote on December 7, 2024; created on February 13, 2011
"No doubt you have played some great games with great titles, or been disappointed to find games with great titles that did not hold up to expectations. What are the best titles of IF? They can be funny, elegant, evocative, or whatever..."
by eyesack - 168 votes for 88 games, last vote on August 12, 2022; created on December 15, 2008
"I couldn't find an easy way to search for this, so I figured I'd ask the hivemind: What games use graphics and/or sound to enhance the gameplay, similar to City of Secrets and Necrotic Drift?"
by WriterBob - 134 votes for 37 games, last vote on March 26, 2024; created on November 15, 2008
"I'm interested in games that take the fiction of IF to new levels. These are not straightforward, plot driven games. Think instead of games that play like poetry, or games that focus on a character's revelation."
by Victor Gijsbers - 124 votes for 50 games, last vote on October 30, 2024; created on August 9, 2018
"Playing Curses!, I started wondering which games belong to the canon of great puzzlefests. With this term I mean puzzle based games that are long, difficult and punishing; but also fair, engaging and truly rewarding to work through. The..."
by MathBrush - 115 votes for 34 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 overall game of 2023. Voting is open to all IFDB members. Eligible..."
by Rovarsson - 112 votes for 46 games, last vote on July 17, 2024; created on November 9, 2020
"When browsing for good recent games, I'm overwhelmed by the amount of Twine and Choice games. Add to that a great number of games with five stars and only one rating, many of which are also, yes, Twine and Choice games, it gets difficult..."
by Sam Kabo Ashwell - 111 votes for 57 games, last vote on July 27, 2023; created on May 19, 2011
"I've been thinking about games that provide really brilliant moments. This is not about the overall quality of the game: there are plenty of excellent games that never deliver a clear, standout moment of unalloyed excellence. And surely..."
by dacharya64 - 102 votes for 41 games, last vote on June 23, 2024; created on January 14, 2012
"I'm looking for games that aren't exactly what they seem. Perhaps they come across as simple or romantic or anything really, the point is that things take a turn for the worse (or perhaps the better) and everything begins to change...."
by MathBrush - 100 votes for 29 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 short game of 2023, where the definition of 'short' is left up to the..."
by penguincascadia - 99 votes for 74 games, last vote on August 1, 2024; created on February 19, 2016
"This list is for games either about travel or with travel as a major part of the plot or background. Stuff like being able to choose where you go from a relatively wide range of destinations, road trips, exploring a city or region as a..."
by MathBrush - 99 votes for 30 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 Twine game of 2023. Voting is open to all IFDB members. Eligible games..."
by Mike Sousa - 91 votes for 36 games, last vote on November 17, 2022; created on October 11, 2008
"My 10 year old twins recently "discovered" IF. They fell in love with Grunk and are asking for more games to play. I've searched BAF and have some ideas, but figured I would give this poll a shot since there are hundreds and hundreds of..."
by Ghalev - 89 votes for 50 games, last vote on October 6, 2024; created on February 12, 2009
"List here any games that feature a (preferably memorable!) "sidekick" character - an NPC who follows the viewpoint character around for most or all of the game, as per Floyd in Planetfall or Trent/Tiffany in Leather Goddesses of Phobos."
by MathBrush - 88 votes for 25 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 open to all IFDB members. Eligible..."
by JasonMel - 83 votes for 42 games, last vote on July 15, 2024; created on March 27, 2012
"I would like to be able to recommend to someone many examples of interactive fiction in which the player character is far from a cipher or an everyman or everywoman, but is instead a character with a definite personality within a game..."
by DustyCypress - 81 votes for 45 games, last vote on December 13, 2023; created on March 28, 2012
"Do you still remember when you played your very first IF? How did you get drawn (and perhaps addicted) to IF and have been playing still? What was the title that started it all for you? I started with a collection called "The Adventure..."
by MathBrush - 80 votes for 34 games, last vote on February 18, 2024; created on February 1, 2024
"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 most underappreciated game of 2023. Voting is open to all IFDB members...."
by Tabitha - 79 votes for 60 games, last vote on September 18, 2024; created on December 13, 2023
"The discussion in this thread, from which I've borrowed the term "microparser" (thanks Pinkunz!), led me to want to collect small parser games. I'm thinking of ones that fit what's described in the thread--generally taking less than 30..."
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 dutchmule - 76 votes for 27 games, last vote on August 1, 2022; created on December 13, 2009
"I'm looking for games which, as in a lot of short stories, feature a sudden and unexpected revelation/twist at the very end of the game, that possibly changes your interpretation of what the game was really all about. (but please be..."
by Pinstripe - 75 votes for 39 games, last vote on May 23, 2023; created on March 2, 2009
"Sometimes, when I'm playing a game, I spend more time juggling my save files than I do reading the text. I don't want to have to restart because I picked up the green rod instead of the clay jug (with apologies to Zarf). So I'm looking..."
by Fredrik Ramsberg - 74 votes for 28 games, last vote on August 12, 2023; created on June 16, 2022
"I'd like to compile a list of some of the most enjoyable games available in Z-code format (blorbed or not). Please add games that you thoroughly liked, and vote for games already on the list. Everything from short pieces to epic works..."
by MathBrush - 73 votes for 24 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 overall game of 2023. Unlike all other polls in the IFDB Awards, this..."
by A. I. Wulf - 70 votes for 32 games, last vote on November 27, 2024; created on October 18, 2017
"Games are a new medium of art. It's still a maturing medium. But still some works May have succeeded in being truly classic in their writing. As an enthusiastic writer I need to know about the growth of IF in this field."
by MathBrush - 69 votes for 19 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 Twine game of 2022. Voting is open to all IFDB members. Eligible games..."
by MathBrush - 69 votes for 18 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 game with the best worldbuilding of 2023. Voting is open to all IFDB..."
by Ant-Fan - 68 votes for 36 games, last vote on August 12, 2022; created on July 8, 2013
"I'm looking for games from the sci-fi genre. I would prefer classic-style games, even if they're not classics (such as 'Across The Stars') because one of my all-time favorites is Planetfall, but really, anything goes."
by Divide - 68 votes for 40 games, last vote on May 14, 2022; created on December 1, 2009
"Pieces which can be fully enjoyed without drawing map, ideally without taking any notes whatsoever. Ones which you could play on a bus, on a break, laying on bed, etc. with nothing but a portable player. Games for which you don't need..."
by tggdan3 - 68 votes for 31 games, last vote on November 5, 2024; 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 Xionix - 67 votes for 48 games, last vote on December 9, 2023; created on February 28, 2013
"I started playing Counterfeit Monkey, and I notice a good map is a way for us newbies to get into the game more easy. And I hate to draw so, are any other games that got a in-game map? It can be any genre."
by MathBrush - 67 votes for 19 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 horror game of 2023. Voting is open to all IFDB members. Suggested..."
by MathBrush - 67 votes for 18 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 Science Fiction game of 2023. Voting is open to all IFDB members...."
by baf - 67 votes for 27 games, last vote on October 16, 2024; 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 Sam Kabo Ashwell - 66 votes for 31 games, last vote on October 7, 2024; created on September 12, 2012
"A considerable number of games exist largely as the commentary of the IF community (or some subset of it) upon the medium and the community itself. These works are likely to be befuddling to outsiders, but provide windows onto blah blah..."
by Puddin Tame - 65 votes for 21 games, last vote on May 13, 2024; created on October 28, 2012
"IF that doesn't explicitly clue players in on knowledge they would/should have if they actually were the player character (The character's motivation, interests, relevant parts of their past etc.), which, for good or bad, results in some..."
by Fredrik - 64 votes for 38 games, last vote on August 8, 2024; created on January 7, 2011
"I have always been fascinated with games that have several wandering and independent NPCs, especially when you have the ability to try to order them around. This sets the stage for a game where no one session is like any other, and even..."
by diddlescatter - 64 votes for 31 games, last vote on July 13, 2023; created on February 13, 2011
"(Sorry, Fredrik, but your poll was such a great idea that I couldn't resist!) So here's the question: Which titles out there do you absolutely hate? Remember, it doesn't have to be a game you've actually played. In fact, maybe it's a..."
by Merk - 63 votes for 33 games, last vote on September 30, 2023; created on July 29, 2015
"Two that come to mind, which I haven't played in years and may be remembering wrong, are Moebius and All Things Devours. Games with fail states, by their nature, fit the bill from a mechanical level, but I'm curious about games where..."
by strivenword - 62 votes for 36 games, last vote on December 4, 2023; created on November 17, 2011
"Sam Kabo Ashwell's statement in his recent review of Cana According to Micah that "the best works dealing prominently with Christian themes are written by non-Christians" made me curious. Perhaps a list of games with serious Christian..."
by Jeff Sonas - 62 votes for 21 games, last vote on September 11, 2022; created on October 29, 2008
"My kids (9 and 12) like to play IF games on my phone during car drives so they are looking for something quick and fun that doesn't require much mapping. What single-room adventures are out there?"
by grimperfect - 61 votes for 43 games, last vote on November 7, 2024; created on September 23, 2019
"Specifically, works where the main mechanic is either exploring a in-game digital interface(ala Secret Little Haven) or communicating using a type of chat/text messenger system(think Emily is Away). "
by IFDent - 61 votes for 29 games, last vote on August 12, 2022; created on May 29, 2014
"I'm looking for a good science fiction game (sci-fi game) for example, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Infocom. Can't get enough sci-fi text adventures."
by MathBrush - 61 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, where the definition of 'short' is left up to the..."
by MathBrush - 60 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 Inform 7 game of 2023. Voting is open to all IFDB members. Eligible..."
by J'onn Roger - 59 votes for 23 games, last vote on September 26, 2024; created on July 7, 2009
"If there is a moment in a game that stands out to you with vivid clarity, a moment of extraordinary beauty with writing that makes you really makes you see what is taking place, list the game here. Since surprise may play a part in the..."
by Victor Gijsbers - 58 votes for 27 games, last vote on July 18, 2022; created on October 6, 2009
"Some puzzles--like chess problems or sudokus--can be difficult even though you know all the rules. I'm looking for IF games with this kind of puzzle: you can get to know the rules by simple exploration, and then you still have to solve..."
by MathBrush - 58 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 game of 2023 by a new author. Voting is open to all IFDB members...."
by MathBrush - 58 votes for 19 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 most underappreciated game of 2022. Voting is open to all IFDB members...."
by Molly - 57 votes for 43 games, last vote on April 12, 2015; created on March 15, 2015
"There were a lot of great games released in the past year, and now that the XYZZYs are coming up, it seems like a very good idea to take a poll of all the games from last year people would like to see nominated. The management has asked..."
by Marius Müller - 57 votes for 27 games, last vote on September 8, 2023; created on October 25, 2011
"I'm looking for games that don't show up in the IF histories or recommended lists, for what reason whatsover. Old games that maybe weren't boundary-pushing or noteworthy, but still give you a fun play experience. If you ever thought..."
by MathBrush - 57 votes for 17 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 an outstanding game of 2023 that felt truly interactive. Voting is open to..."
by verityvirtue - 57 votes for 19 games, last vote on August 19, 2022; created on February 12, 2013
"I'm interested in games which hinge on the 'unreliable narrator', from amnesia to a plain distorted worldview. The more this distortion affects the storyline, the better."
by MathBrush - 56 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 game of 2022 by a new author. Voting is open to all IFDB members...."
by MathBrush - 55 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 science fiction game of 2022. Voting is open to all IFDB members...."
by MathBrush - 55 votes for 29 games, last vote on March 17, 2023; created on May 18, 2015
"I've seen many people discuss their feelings for Twine. Many of them say that they didn't think it was a 'real' platform at first, but then certain games changed them (see, for instance, the commentary in "IF is Dead. Long Live IF") For..."
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 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..."
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..."
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..."
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..."
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."
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 delano - 51 votes for 28 games, last vote on March 7, 2024; 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."
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."
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..."
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?..."
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."
by blue/green - 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..."
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..."
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..."
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...."
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..."
by penguincascadia - 48 votes for 15 games, last vote on January 1, 2023; 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..."