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Review
The parser is a serious achievement. It's smooth, with one exception having to do with contained items that's thoroughly explained in the introduction text. There are no puzzles requiring exceptionally complex inputs, but I struggle to think of much that this parser would struggle with.
If I had a nickel for every time I had to (Spoiler - click to show)interrupt the Trinity test to save all of time, I'd have two nickels. This shouldn't be taken as criticism, there's only so many (Spoiler - click to show)times and places to visit in a time-travel title. It's generally not story progression urging the player onward - there's definitely a before and after phase of the game, before and after one major reveal that ties a few threads together and gives the player some impetus. But the player will find themselves neatly cued onwards by interlocking puzzles, a bit of backtracking, and exploration. I never felt that I had to search to find the right spot to use an item or piece of information.
(Spoiler - click to show)But the player will be typing a six-digit code at least fifteen or so times, so it would have been nice to learn the SET MONITOR TO X syntax without having to check the walkthrough...I didn't particularly like the prose - there are standout moments of atmosphere that land well, but other parts plod or use very repetitive language. It's a matter of taste, it wasn't for me, nothing more.
I never needed a map but I think the parallelism of locations is very much to the game's detriment. Exploration should involve discovery, and potential has been sacrificed when a player finds themselves seeing a new location as a new coat of paint on an old map.
None of this hampers or distracts overmuch. This is a strong technical achievement and extremely well-executed, just with creative choices I disagreed with.
