Coloratura

The problem with hype is that it raises your expectations, and when the hyped thing fails to meet those expectations, it inhibits your enjoyment in a way you wouldn't have experienced if you'd gone in without those unfairly high hopes. I've experienced this with a lot of popular IF works, not just this one, so it's definitely more me than the game--and it was a very good game! The completely alien perspective, positioning humanity as foreign, is narrated in rich language that uses common English words in never-before-written ways and was compelling and lovely to read. The horror elements were well done, understated in their matter-of-factness, which made them all the more horrifying. Contrasted with this, the beauty of the Song, of the alien world, of the bond that forms between alien and human--it all makes for an excellent story.

But I think I might have enjoyed it more if it were a story alone, a work of static fiction rather than a game. The whole time I felt like I was being guided through an on-rails experience, always nudged in the correct next direction, not encouraged to experiment or take my time. While I appreciate the game's helpfulness in keeping players on the right track, allaying potential frustration, what I enjoy most about parser games tends to be the exploration and experimentation that the form typically encourages. Coloratura held my hand a bit too much for my liking; I would have preferred a little more freedom.

Over the past decade I've found myself recommending this game again and again as an extraordinary example of the IF genre. Coloratura is perhaps the finest example of interactive fiction / text adventure game I've ever experienced. It is haunting, beautifully written, and deeply compelling. If you have not played this game, do yourself a favor and play it! It is a good length for a smallish one-shot adventure, but deeply satisfying for that.

(4.5/5)

Coloratura is honestly one of my favourite games to ever be made. It’s got an amazing mechanic- colouring people’s auras, with different meanings. It’s a beautiful message, and an amazing way of sensing things. You play as an alien traversing through a spaceship, trying to get back home.

It deals with topics of loneliness, participation, and emotional influences. It’s a unique way of seeing the world, and one that I can relate to in an esoteric and unexplainable way. This game is a combination of sci-fi, stealth and fantasy, as well as a tale of companionship and relations.

The only reason I rate this not a five out of five is because of the fact there’s no hint system, and trial and error can be the only thing you can do sometimes, with little to no warning at sudden ends which you didn’t realise would be happening.