Quirky Test

In many ways, Quirky Test reminds me of the other spoonerism-based wordplay games I’ve played by this author, but this one is different. This one feels more like a love letter to parser games. The author is present, giving commentary: about the point of games, the history of parser IF, the differences between Inform and Adventuron, the process of making the game and the reasons for certain design choices. Even without the tutorial on, I still felt the author acting as a tour guide as I walked around the world they created. This is a really unique and interesting approach.

It almost goes without saying that a wordplay game must also be a lighthearted comedy. But this one felt more like a drama to me, with abstract riddles leading to poignant reflections on self-growth. There were certainly light moments, but also strife. Sometimes solving a problem was narratively satisfying, but other times the recipient of our help wasn’t all that grateful. Unlike the goofy wordplay romps I remember from the olden days of parser games, this one takes the situation seriously. Like when you gain confidence as a status change, to solve a later puzzle. Even in abstractness, the proceedings feel connected to the real world, much unlike a more escapist adventure.

I JUST GOT THE TITLE, I wrote in my notes halfway through the game.

I also appreciated the visual design choices. The art is quirky and fun, and despite all the text I alluded to above, it doesn’t feel like a ton of reading because of the thoughtful use of color to emphasize different elements of the text. I tend to get impatient with large chunks of text, but I didn’t even notice how much I was reading here. The checkmarks on paths that are already completed also make the game easier to navigate.

So this game has a lot of affordances for people new to parser games, but it also presumes you’re not a wholly inexperienced gamer: there are references to the larger gaming world, and something like RNG might not be spelled out. The sheer amount of information might also be overwhelming for some beginners. But a lot of it (including Graham Nelson’s entire bill of players’ rights, plus commentary) is optional, so people can explore at their whim.

In fact the game feels designed to be explored in leisurely fashion, with added replay value from all the bonus points and achievements as well as a New Game+ with extra footnotes and the ability to skip rooms that aren’t required. As for me, I’m happy with the time I spent in this world, and I got something else from my playthrough too:

Most of the time, I’m not thinking about the level of remove between the game I’m playing and the author who created it. We expect that the author will create a separate little world, then let go of it. This game made me think about that unspoken rule and reminded me that rules are sometimes meant to be broken.

This game was fun to play in the Text Adventure Literacy Jam.

It's a wordplay game based on shifting rhymes, and written with Adventuron. I really appreciated the extensive explanations and help early on, the colored text and the little hints really helped me navigate the game.

The images went perfectly with the game as well, having the same whimsical vibe as the rest.

Gameplay was simple in a pleasing way, good for the context the Literacy Jam, but there are a ton of accomplishments that I didn't achieve which diligent players could search for.

I liked the game overall, but I don't see myself revisiting it; it felt like a one-time satisfying play.

Andrew Schultz’s wordplay games have always been distinguished by a copious amount of documentation and player support, even as their gimmicks can often be brain-meltingly challenging, so the idea of him writing a game aimed at players brand-new to parser IF for the Text Adventure Literacy Jam is at once entirely natural and counter-intuitive. Also, while I’ve played quite a lot of his games, they’ve almost all been written in Inform – this is an Adventuron game, so would there be any strange parser, er, quirks, or slightly-different approaches to implementation that would trip me up?

Turns out I needn’t have worried in the slightest; Quirky Test is a smooth, well-judged ride that’s a great introduction to Schultz’s unique approach to IF, as well as providing some pointers towards what other, more traditional games are like. The setup here is much as it always is: the player moves through a large map, solving puzzles not based on object- or NPC-manipulation but by typing out the answers to a series of riddles that work according to a specific wordplay scheme. This time out it’s reverse-engineering Spoonerisms – like taking “fighting liar” and flipping the leading syllables to get “lighting fire”. This is a relatively simple bit of linguistic legerdemain, as such things go, especially since by default the game highlights the key phrases you need to invert to progress (though attentive players who note other Spooneristic bits of text sprinkled throughout the game can rack up some bonus points). There’s also a hint system – integrated into the parser, rather than being embodied in a complex, standalone object as in some of Schultz’s other games – that tells you if you’ve got half a riddle solved, as well as copious tutorial messages to help walk you through both the main puzzle mechanic, and other potentially-tricky bits of IF design, like diagonal directions.

The tone throughout is appealing, conversational and positive. Descriptions of IF conventions are clear and direct, and while as is often the case for Schultz, the overall plot that connects the various puzzles is very thin – you’re trying to get the better of some bullies and explore for its own sake, I think – the focus is very much on the journey, rather than the destination. The charming, low-fi illustrations that accompany each location also reinforce the sunny vibe.

So Quirky Test nails the basics, but there’s plenty more here to enjoy. Beyond the bonus points mentioned above – almost as many as there are mandatory puzzles – there are a whole host of additional features, from a large number of achievements to unlock, developer commentary accessible via a new game plus mode, and even an extended exegesis on Graham Nelson’s Player’s Bill of Rights, accompanied by notes from Schultz on how he tried to incorporate its tenets into the game. I wound up with half the bonus points, a few achievements, and just dipped my toe into the commentary mode, and felt more than satisfied – there is a Review-a-Thon on, after all – but this is definitely a game you can enjoy by ripping through the critical path in fifteen minutes, or spending an hour or two plumbing the depths, which also means it’s a good fit for IF (and Schultz) newbies while still having something to offer the veterans too. I’m glad that there are harder iterations of this design out there, too – I’m sure there’ll be an example or two or three to look forward to in the Comp or EctoComp or next year’s Spring Thing – but as an easygoing change of pace, it’s hard to beat Quirky Test.

(Oh hey, I just got that joke! Yup, now I’ve got ten bonus points).