The Den

Adapted from an IFCOMP24 Review

'Awake in sci-fi base, then escape while learning lore' is a tried and true staple of IF, carrying momentum even into the console gaming era. Here it is spun as a two-piece conceit, where two protagonists must work in concert to solve puzzles and help each other, first to suss out the truth of where they live, then to decide what to do with that knowledge.

This is as assured an implementation of this old saw as I’ve seen in a while, and it has everything to do with the design of its alternating, interlocking protagonist puzzles. Some areas being only available to one, some only to the other, controls in those areas having effects in the opposite area - it is a natural progression that feels a bit like a peloton as you alternate leads to make tandem progress. There are subtle gameplay flourishes (like graphically highlighting areas that are finished and lock icons on ones that are still gated) that help wrangle and keep things on track. The central mechanism of hacking computers is an amusing puzzle, and savvy enough to exit gracefully before it becomes a chore. The 'search/secure' and 'use item/explore more area' is all paced and varied very well, never getting into tiresome routine and continually presenting just one more twist on the formula. As a raw puzzle fest, this was well designed and completely Engaging.

The story this is in service of flirted with – no, it flirted, traded digits, then blossomed into a regular hookup with – too-familiar beats. The lore, the antagonist, the overarching challenge, you’ve seen all these things before, and the main narrative here is not going to astonish you. The work still has some tricks up its sleeve though. Every time you start to feel jaded by the plot, there are flourishes that tweak just enough to elicit a smile or nod of appreciation. A mid-point scene where one character encounters the antagonist had a true frisson of ‘oh crap, did I just lose this game?’ followed by, ‘ooh, clever moment, narrative.’ The allusionary linkages are so in-your-face as to circle around from ‘oh c’mon, this?’ all the way around to ‘lol, ok, you’ve won me over with your confidence.’ It’s been a while since I’ve seen a work sell its unsubtlety this thoroughly on little more than the strength of its commitment to the bit. I mean, the (Spoiler - click to show)protagonists’ names, the final (Spoiler - click to show)vessel for the cure… and then the PLAYFULNESS WITH THE TITLE GRAPHICS??? Fair enough work, you earned it. I would say the narrative didn’t wow me, but it did ultimately sell itself. (Caveat. There was one narrative choice that felt a shade off. Given the work’s final, heavy-handed-but-loveable-for-it conceit, it is odd that for most of the work, the protagonists were characterized as (Spoiler - click to show)siblings. I get the misdirect value it serves to the narrative, but that’s gonna make the epilogue WEIRD.)

Here is the deeply unfair portion of the program. This author’s previous works really raised the bar on graphical integration. Their skill in this arena is top tier, and among the things I most look forward to in their work. The Den flouted this established strength by incorporating almost no graphics into the proceedings. Look, this author doesn’t OWE that to any of us, but I couldn’t help but imagine a version of the game graced with epic graphics WHILE I WAS PLAYING. My brain is a dick, but there it is. Really, really Engaging puzzle play, a narrative that should have been Mechanical but Sparked nevertheless, and the whole time, thinking of graphics that could have been.

Played: 10/7/24
Playtime: 1.75hr, 93/97 survival chance, also fail end
Artistic/Technical ratings: Engaging/Seamless, penalty point for shortchanging that patented BJaxn Graphix!
Would Play After Comp?: No, experience feels complete

Artistic scale: Bouncy, Mechanical, Sparks of Joy, Engaging, Transcendent
Technical scale: Unplayable, Intrusive, Notable (Bugginess), Mostly Seamless, Seamless