OtisTDog

Top 25 Reviewer
Member since February 27, 2008
Last visited December 7, 2025
Profile ID (TUID): 8tqtppvpzluoq2jf

I've got some strong opinions for someone who's never shown the courage or skill to publish any IF of my own. Nonetheless, I am a big fan of the medium -- which I think is going to be rediscovered by the mainstream at some point -- and I hope you enjoy my reviews.

Here's a brief guide to my rating system. It is unusually harsh, because I intentionally rate using a power law distribution in which high scores are relatively rare:

5 stars -- a piece so incredible it effectively defines the genre or technique that it introduces or perfects. Very, very few works will get 5 stars from me.

4 stars -- a work that is significantly above average and achieves something notable. In general, a game that excels but does not quite reach the apex of its class. A relatively small number of works will get 4 stars from me.

3 stars -- a game that is competently put together and enjoyable to play, but lacks the special something that would make it stand out. Best summed up as "good, not great". Many games will get this rating from me.

2 stars -- a passable attempt that is deficient in one or more qualities that would make it truly enjoyable. Basically, something that could have been a 3-star game but fell short in some way, or otherwise falls into the "blah" category. Many games will get this rating from me.

1 star -- a work that, in my mind, has no redeeming qualities or is so horribly non-functional that any such qualities are not relevant to the playing experience. Very few games will get this rating from me, as I try to find something good about most games and generally avoid titles that look likely to score this low.

I am most harsh in my reviews when a work shows little evidence of effort on the part of the author. Conversely, I am inclined to generosity when I feel like the author tried hard to realize an interesting goal, even if he or she was not successful in doing so.

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Reviews by OtisTDog

Catch That Kitty, by Rohan   December 2, 2025

"I don't like "chatting around bushes," so I'll be blunt: This game is a nonsensical mess. However, it very clearly does not take itself..." - See the full review

Ancient Treasure, Secret Spider, by C.E.J. Pacian   November 29, 2025

"I suppose that the title of this review could be considered as a spoiler, but since this fact of the game world was intentionally..." - See the full review

Endymion, by Daniel M. Stelzer   November 22, 2025

"Endymion is a work in the best tradition of science fiction, with a narrative concerning a not-quite-first-contact scenario and puzzles..." - See the full review

Dangerous Curves, by Irene Callaci   October 17, 2025 (edited: October 18, 2025)

"Dangerous Curves lingered on my to-play list for a very long time. I had picked it up and tried it a few times, and never made it very..." - See the full review

A Smörgåsbord of Pain, by FLACRabbit   September 20, 2025

"[Full disclosure: I know the author of this work personally, and I helped with beta testing for this game.] I have to admit that I find..." - See the full review

See all 165 reviews by OtisTDog
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