The Lesson of the Tortoise

The Lesson of the Tortoise is a short, okay game with an interesting setting. You're a Chinese farmer who finds out his wife has a lover, and those two dump him in the basement of his own home, probably to kill him later. Interesting setup, innit?

Unfortunately the game is very short, linear, and not overly well implemented. The plot takes a few (well, three, it's short after all) sharp bends that are interesting but leave you wondering if that was really necessary. It resembles a fable that's been brought into IF form with a sledgehammer. Also, it's somewhat underimplemented, could need a transcript or two to smooth the crucial scenes.

All in all, I'd bet you start the game because of the promise of an interesting scenario, and then when you're done you're like, "Okay, but that was it?!" Waste of potential, probably.

This game can be played in less than a half hour. You play as a chinese farmer who discovers that his wife has been unfaithful to him. Through the aid of magic, he can escape her dangerous plans.

The game is tightly narrated, with new actions occurring frequently. The puzzles are very simple in general, with a couple of sticky points where it's hard to know what your abilities should be.

Recommended for fans of story-driven IF.

This is a tiny game that is worth playing as a diversion, but nothing really stands out to me as far as writing or atmosphere. Things are described sparsely and in broad strokes. There isn't too much to go on in terms of scenery or characterization. The prose is functional, however, and puzzles are mostly clued well. I did have some trouble with one of them (Spoiler - click to show)the puzzle box, but aside from that bump in the road, the game moved along pretty smoothly. I would definitely recommend that people play this game. Just don't expect too much depth.

The Lesson of the Tortoise has a simple eastern flavor, with none of the bows and whistles of many modern-day IF games. You're a man who happens upon a tortoise on his way home. Upon your return to your house, you witness a terrible betrayal by your wife. The puzzles are quite linear, making it very clear that you should get from point A to point B. The puzzles are relatively easy, but allow for a lot of ways to die if you've forgotten to do something or pick up an essential item earlier in the story. Fortunately, the UNDO command will allow you to go as far back as you want.

The writing is clear and concise. The game is short, but polished, with a classical,interesting narrative. Playing through the felt like reading a storybook of old Oriental fables. I think that quite often, all the new ideas, unique implementation, and break-through mechanics allow us to forget what an old, unadorned IF plays like. It's a great relaxation game, where you can focus on the story and the atmosphere, while giving minimal effort to the puzzles and simplified conversation system.