Quirky Test

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).