To Spring Open

This is a technically strong, very attractive game in which you deliver messages and courier goods, all to maintain the delicate balance of power between Sonnenblume, Einzapfen and Angel Temple.

The puzzles in To Spring Open, if you call it that, are so steeped in the mythos of this world that they didn't feel forced or contrived. They're minimal, and the game establishes a routine for the player early on.

The effects used in this Twine 1 game are also not to be sniffed at, and in fact added to the story. I particularly enjoyed the effects in the train, but the choice of colour schemes to denote different locations was well done as well.

The language in this game is distinctive - "Unsettled bones recall the shock of your notification." is one of the first sentences you will encounter - and the game's breadth gives it enough space to shine. The mythos recalls Egyptian mythology (you have natron and jackal symbology) and lots more things besides - instead of messenger pigeons, you have paper planes. There's depth to the setting, and indeed choosing different costumes gains you access to different places. As another reviewer has said, the world in To Spring Open could well populate a much larger game, and is one of the most enjoyable parts of this game. Recommended.

This Shufflecomp Twine game feels like it's the first act of an enormous, sprawling game, but it takes less than half an hour with minimal puzzles.

The writing of the game is above average, with a feel similar to Spirited Away or Howl's moving castle (with more sci-fi than magic). It paints a picture of a fascinating, decaying world with bizarre customs.

The implementation is wonderful. The author uses Twine to simulate subway rides, blindness, etc.

The story has many loose ends, and stops abruptly. It would be interesting to see what a longer game with this theme would be.

I also appreciated the save game feature.

To say this is one of those titles that begs the player to play it more than once is a complete understatement. And to say I wasn’t confused to my surroundings and what the fudge was going on, well… that’d be an outright lie.

In, To Spring Open, you’re thrown into a fantastic world of costumes and masks you’re forced to wear depending on where you are within the city. Right off the bat, the player is given the feeling that not everything is what is seems with the possibility of darker undertones; and living within the rules of a control society is evident.

I won’t put out any spoilers, but will say that the world itself and all the subtle points and events that take place around you, despite this work’s length, does a great job in creating a world you soon find yourself immersed in.

Technically, it was really neat to see an interactive fiction like this being created with an engine like Twine. Allowing simple things like a subway ride to actually feel like a subway ride to the reader.

Unfortunately, this piece is incredibly short and the ending felt abrupt. In game puzzles were minimal, and even a person with no experience in interactive fictions or text adventures would probably breeze over any obstacle. Play time for myself lasted around 15 to 20 minutes, and I was a bit disappointed that the adventure had ended so quickly.

The writing is decent, simple, and to the point. There isn’t anything spectacular being done, but the world that Two-Bit Chip had created pleads for more. Hopefully we see more from this creator in the future, as I overall enjoyed the work.

In the end; it’s short, it’s sweet, and a good utilization of Twine. It’d be easy for a beginner in the InFiction genre to pick up, and definitely has some great ideas going for it.

I rank this:
7/10. For being a speed fic; it’s definitely a nice take with the software, and worthy of a look.