Trinity

This was one of the most abstract and speculative works published by Infocom--and, in my opinion, one of the most difficult to solve as well. It managed to combine an Alice-in-Wonderland feel with a story about the invention of the Atomic Bomb, with some time, space, and interdimensional travel thrown in to boot. It also managed, as few games at the time did, to make some social commentary in the process. Overall, a unique and challenging game, and one that will make you think--not just about the puzzles, but about life and the consequences of our actions.

This is one of the very few Infocom text adventures I solved by myself and without hints way back in the Apple IIe days. That isn't to say the game isn't challenging -- it is -- but that the story is so well written that it kept me coming back and continually thinking about how to get past the next problem. The game would sit for days when I finally thought I'd reached an insurmountable obstacle yet my mind kept returning to the problem and mulling over the possibilities. I'd continually find myself back in this fascinating world and happily getting past some of the most satisfying puzzles in Interactive Fiction. The ending, more so than any other Infocom game I'd played, left me absolutely satisfied and actually proud of the protagonist and his actions.