Enceladus

Enceladus is everything I want in an interactive fiction game. I don't want to draw extensive maps, play "guess the verb" all night, or wander around aimlessly wondering what I'm supposed to do next. No, what I want is to be entertained, to be pointed toward my next goal, and to laugh while doing it. Is there a place for sprawling adventures that take weeks to work through? Of course. But as a husband and a father with a full-time job, I can appreciate a game I can finish in a couple of hours more than ever these days.

In the game players find themselves on a spaceship with a werewolf on the loose. It doesn't take long before the ship crash lands on the moon of Enceladus, where players must tend to their wounded comrades while avoiding and eventually dealing with said werewolf. The broth holding this kooky stew together is Robb Sherwin's infamous humor. Sherwin is a master of words and will have you reeling in horror one moment and reeling with laughter the next.

As I continue to work my way through Sherwin's catalog, I find that I enjoy his games' straightforward style. Puzzles are one thing, but I don't like being stuck for days. Sherwin does a good job of predicting what players will attempt, whether it's adding funny descriptions to traditionally nondescript items, or simply setting up ridiculous scenarios that one can't help but laugh at.

With limited time available for gaming these days, this is the type of game I enjoy most. The puzzles aren't super difficult and yet I felt a sense of accomplishment each time I bested one and moved to the next area. Recommended for beginner to intermediate players with a strong stomach and a sense of humor!