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A high-concept game undone by poor execution, April 10, 2021by Chin Kee Yong (Singapore) The Edifice is a puzzly, rather sparsely implemented parser game in the tradition of Zork. It's very well-regarded, winning a XYZZY award and appearing on several "best of" lists, but I think it's aged very poorly and it doesn't meet my standards for interactive fiction in 2021. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Remove vote | Add a comment
Comments on this reviewPrevious | << 1 >> | Next Rovarsson, April 11, 2021 - Reply I'm not going to start rambling about having to "see this game in its own period", and "that's all part of the old game charm", because I dislike many of the issues with old games too. However, I disagree that having to (Spoiler - click to show)HIDE or SHARPEN are somehow guess-the-verb problems. As you write yourself, those puzzles pretty much follow real-world logic. Having the game point out that (Spoiler - click to show)sharpening a stick usually means you get a pointy stick would feel condescending to me. I too dislike angling for rare commands that are used only once, but in these instances, it's just what you do in a situation like that. Chin Kee Yong, April 11, 2021 - Reply As I said in my review, game logic is different from real-world logic, and the logic in this game is not the same as real-world logic. The problem is that the author expects the solutions to be self-evident, when a player can't be expected to jump to the same conclusions that the author did. (Spoiler - click to show)Why should HIDE work rather than SNEAK or FIGHT? Why does it make sense to HIDE if there are no hiding places mentioned in the room description? Maybe I want to run from the enemies and return later -- but leaving the room ends the game instantly. Why don't the Others react to the Enemies or clue me into how I can avoid them? (Spoiler - click to show)SHARPEN is the intuitive verb for making a pointy stick, yes, but why is the solution to this puzzle a sharpened stick in particular? Spears in real life are made with sharpened stone or metal heads. Why can't I lash my Useful Rock to the stick with a handful of grass? Why can't I jump on the Beast and bash its skull in with a rock? Or sneak up to the Beast and kill it? Again and again, the only "obvious" solutions that work are the ones that the author thinks of implementing. (Spoiler - click to show)In another world, the language puzzle could equally be solved with PANTOMIME, or GESTURE, or THREATEN STRANGER -- all solutions that make as much sense as drawing pictures on bark and pointing at them. For the domestication puzzle, I tried to COVER HORSE'S EYES, COVER HORSE'S EYES WITH HAND, etc. only to be told (of course) that these commands were not implemented, even though it makes much more sense than taking off your sacred Headdress and putting it farcically on the horse. Rovarsson, April 12, 2021 - Reply Ah, you are right that plausible (or even more realistic) solutions should have been implemented. I was focusing on you criticism that SHARPEN is a command rarely used in I.F. and that using it somehow amounts to guessing-the-verb. While to me this is trying-one-of-the-obvious-verbs. Actually, simple but effective spears have been made and still are made by just sharpening a stick. In a real world context, this would also involve choosing the right kind of wood and hardening the tip in open fire or coals, but a basic sharp stick is an effective spear. But you are right that your examples are as plausible and more obvious to some, so they should have been implemented. I had completely forgotten about the horse. Thanks for reminding me. I played The Edifice way at the beginning of my IF-career, about 15 years ago niw. Seems like I should replay this game to see if it holds up against all the other great IF I have played since. |