| Average Rating: Number of Reviews Written by IFDB Members: 5 |
- Dissolved, November 8, 2024
- apangaea, September 12, 2024
- Raven999, August 23, 2024
- Hellzon (Sweden), July 8, 2024
As the title promises, this game begins with the player character about to engage in a sword duel. As soon becomes clear, the word "duel" is perhaps the wrong choice, because the PC is vastly outmatched by the opponent, known as The Countess. I came close to quitting at this point, because the work presents itself as a "one move" game. However, within a handful of cycles it is revealed that the PC has certain abilities that make it possible to evade certain death.
This game serves up thin slices of rich world-building with its vivid and evocative prose. The universe vaguely resembles ours with notable exceptions. First, everyone seems to be a hermaphrodite in the vein of Ursula K. LeGuin's 1969 novel The Left Hand of Darkness. Second, magic of some sort is real, in that the protagonist is able to perform impossible feats such as (Spoiler - click to show)flying to the moon. Third, the PC has the extraordinary capacity to move about in time as well as space, which is the core mechanic by which the story progresses.
Despite a limited range of locations and significant actions, this piece presents many contemplative and memorable moments to the player, and also many interesting experiments to the would-be author. In particular, a variety of NPC conversation styles are implemented, including a unique menu-driven interface with options phrased around question words (e.g. who, what, when, etc.) and a stripped-down enter-the-topic prompt that I found to be a remarkably smooth improvement over ASK/TELL. A very large number of endings are possible, too, giving it some replay value, which is welcome in a game this short.
Regrettably, the story is at certain points needlessly transgressive, apparently for no purpose other than shock value. It's rather a shame, because it limits my ability to recommend this otherwise exceptional work. Even though it is not suitable for young adults, it's well within bounds as fare for grown-ups, so if you're comfortable with NC-17 movies, you probably won't blink at this. For a more widely recommendable work by the same author, see Toby's Nose.
- Maria Paula Tan-Dy, March 4, 2024
- Max Fog, January 25, 2024 (last edited on February 17, 2025)
- aluminumoxynitride, August 10, 2023
- Sad and Wet Horse, May 6, 2023 (last edited on May 7, 2023)
- adventurouspotato, May 2, 2023
This is one of the most entertaining things I've come across. I'm glad that I've finally achieved my dreams of (Spoiler - click to show)kissing cocks in this game. It was surprisingly short but had a very unique setting and idea.
After playing for a while, I discovered 15 endings... However, after wandering back into this review section and reading the other reviews, I have noticed that I have missed the (Spoiler - click to show)"Keep Your Friends Close and Your Kielbasa Closer" ending. I'll have to find it another time, though, as it is getting quite late as I am writing this. I adored the dialogue and my trusty motley. Maybe I'll continue trying to find even more endings in the meantime. (Spoiler - click to show)Surely there must be something more significant to being able to speak with Matilda and dab blood on my forehead. I'm also curious if there's any way to hear about the specifics of the rumor.
As I finish this review, it is approximately 45 minutes past the beginning of April Fools Day.
Edit (5/9): I am delighted to announce that I replayed the game today and successfully uncovered the 16th ending I was missing!
- GammaEpsilonCrimson, March 6, 2023
- sw3dish, October 13, 2022
- jgkamat, June 17, 2022
- josephine17, April 25, 2022
- TheBoxThinker, September 6, 2021
- Dawn S., June 21, 2021
I played this first a few years ago, but recently I decided I wanted to try it again. The writing and energy of this story is unique and playful in a way that makes it incredibly memorable.
I wish there was a comprehensive guide to all endings, but I also understand that maintaining the mystery is part of the purpose of having so many endings in the first place. Behind the curtain, Groover says that there are "more than twenty-five different outcomes". I've found 26 unique combinations, and 15 'named' endings.
Since there is no record if it elsewhere, these are the 15 named endings that I have discovered. There could be more, but I think I might have all of them:
(Spoiler - click to show)Curtain, No Exile Could Have Better Timing, Fuck the Script, Ever Onward, Those who Oink and Run Away Make Live to Oink Another Day, Snicker-Snack Indeed, To Win is to be One, Now That Wasn't Too Hard, Was It?, All is Fair in Love and War, Love Conquers All, It's a Mustery, Ain't It?, The Best Defense is a Good Kielbasa, Keep Your Friends Close and Your Kielbasa Closer, Out of the Frying Pan, into the Tulgey Wood, Memento Mori.
Needless to say, if you enjoy really responsive storytelling, this is for you. If you're even mildly curious, give it a shot - I guarantee you'll get some modicum of enjoyment out of it.
- Edo, September 11, 2020
- Blind Assassin (Illinois, United States), July 11, 2020 (last edited on July 12, 2020)
- benzene, July 8, 2020 (last edited on July 9, 2020)
- Sammel, June 21, 2020
- R6n0pn2 , May 6, 2020
- _firexe, December 5, 2019
- ALoneFox, October 4, 2019
- jaco, August 29, 2019
- dactyltoe, July 6, 2019 (last edited on July 8, 2019)
- deathbytroggles (Minneapolis, MN), April 1, 2019 (last edited on April 2, 2019)
- Kiyo, March 7, 2019 (last edited on March 8, 2019)
- Leslie, November 28, 2018
- mirandamiranda, October 2, 2018
- Helena Vernon, August 17, 2018
- Wanderlust, August 3, 2017
- Christina Nordlander, June 17, 2017
- ifMUD_Olly (Montana, USA), April 21, 2017
- Indigo9182, April 12, 2017
- leanbh, June 22, 2016
- morlock, April 11, 2016 (last edited on April 12, 2016)
- Caleb Wilson (Illinois), April 4, 2016
- Shirm, February 11, 2016
- Harris Powell-Smith, February 4, 2016
Yet again, this author astounds me with a total reimagining of the IF navigation model. Yet again, it puts the typical model to shame.
I love how this isn't just gimmick (though that would have been enough) - the gameplay ties into the story and setting absolutely perfectly. The visuals evoked are fantastic, and the entire thing is a shining homage to some of the most iconically bizarre products of the masquerade era. If only it were illustrated accordingly!
- Anya Johanna DeNiro (Minnesota), January 7, 2016
- Doug Orleans (Somerville, MA, USA), December 20, 2015
Midnight, Swordfight was an IFComp 2015 game. This game is a one-move game like Aisle or Rematch, where you are in a duel with a countess and have only limited actions available. Innovatively, these actions are listed in a playscript in your inventory.
Another innovation is that you can enter an alternate reality, where you can travel through and around time to change the setup of the duel.
The world is mysterious and bizarre, with some of the darker parts of Lewis Carroll mixed with David Eddings mixed with all sorts of things. The game is dark, and contains explicit descriptions of sex and intense violence (although the violence is not to the level of, say, One Eye Open). The worksmanship is impeccable.
- E.K., November 18, 2015 (last edited on November 19, 2015)
- Brendan Patrick Hennessy (Toronto, Ontario), November 17, 2015
- Pegbiter (Malmö, Sweden), October 26, 2015 (last edited on February 22, 2017)
- Mr. Patient (Saint Paul, Minn.), October 24, 2015 (last edited on October 25, 2015)
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