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"If humanity is defined by the games we play, then IF defines us as obsessed with magical caves." [--blurb from Competition Aught-One]
26th Place - 7th Annual Interactive Fiction Competition (2001)
John Evans is know for large, complex games that are often unfinished or broken. This game is the most polished of his that I have played. It is complete, and free of typos.
However, the plot and puzzles are confusing. You are wandering around a cave with colored crystals and rooms corresponding to elements. There are tons of interactions that just make no sense, and some guess the verb
Recommended, with hints, only for fans of big puzzles games.
>INVENTORY - Paul O'Brian writes about interactive fiction
So good implementation is a must, but a pure puzzle game could probably get by with a few minor bugs, so long as they don't ruin the puzzles the way the bugs in Elements do. I would argue that the most important piece, the one overriding quality that a pure puzzle game must have in order to succeed, is good puzzle design. Sadly, Elements lacks this crucial factor as well. I suppose it's just barely possible that someone might struggle through this game without recourse to hints, but I doubt such a person exists.
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