One-Word Warlock

This game was entered in the Neo-Twiny jam, written in 500 words or less.

The author has decided to maximize the usage by putting only a single word on each page and making the game branch quite a bit. I played to 2 or 3 endings and found things very unlike the other reviews, so I suspect there's just a ton of stuff out there.

There are references to a lot of stories. Extra nuance is given to the single words by having voice acting for most of them.

Overall, it was pretty funny in general. This is a very clever idea and unique in the comp; I think I saw a few two-word games, but a one-word game like this take a lot of work, especially to make it work out as well as it has here.

Imagine an adventure text coupled with old timey sound effect. Now remove all words but 5, and make all of those except one choices. This is essentially this entry.
Going from a slice-of-life to absurd to fantasy adventure to easter eggs (the eagles xD), the entry if filled with hilarious moments (even with the limited amount of words on the page). I was giggling through and through while playing!
A very light and lovely addition to the jam!!

So I'm the sort of person predisposed to like this author's sense of humor, kicking well-worn tropes when they're down in a sophisticated playing-dumb sort of way, but I think this will have mass appeal. It has pretty much everything needed to make you happy you (sort of) wasted time. Each passage and choice is, you see, one letter long. The actual quest (as I see it) mirrors a well-known fantasy book, but you get there your own way. There are lots of ways to fail. Of course, there is the "sleep in bed and do nothing" possibility. One of them has you marrying a dragon and having a kid. This might not work with long drawn-out passages, but it does here.

There are also audio clues of the “best” choice. Sometimes it's pretty obvious. The right choice is contained in what the voice (the author's, which is a nice touch) says. Other times you have to remember some tropes. But it's non-intrusive, and I very much enjoyed the reactions, especially to one that promoted inclusivity nicely without being preachy.

I'm one of those people who always felt bad that I didn't enjoy 500-page fantasy novels as much s I should have, what with everything to track and the descriptions of scenery which quite frankly got repetitive and tedious after a bit. That's not a problem here, with just 500 words. On the one hand, it's an exercise in efficiency, but on the other hand, it was oh so wonderful for the author to have packed in as many jokes as they did. I was just happy I got things under 500 words, and I was relieved to get rid of some of the more flabby sentences. The author did me one better.

I'll likely enjoy said novels even less now, maybe because OWW (which may be an inappropriate acronym, yet it could fit into a passage or a choice!) puts things to a much higher standard. I hope more people see and enjoy this. The author's work is always good and funny and enjoyable to me but this, to me, is a spike up from his usual high standards.