Praser 5

by Andrew Plotkin profile

1989
Surreal
Inform 6

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All Member Ratings

5 star:
(2)
4 star:
(3)
3 star:
(2)
2 star:
(0)
1 star:
(1)
Average Rating: based on 8 ratings
Number of Reviews Written by IFDB Members: 2
1–8 of 8


- Zape, August 15, 2019 (last edited on August 16, 2019)

- shornet (Bucharest), September 8, 2015

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Insanely, unfairly difficult; but fun, April 5, 2015
Related reviews: 2-10 hours

By far the hardest interactive fiction I have ever played. It is just a series of puzzles, represented by characters. Puzzles include Euclidean geometry, wordplay (similar to cryptic crosswords), and a maze.

Some of the puzzles are bewilderingly difficult (such as the name of the Mark of Water). I don't think that it was ever intended to be solved without cheating. Using a decompiler gave a few answers that I could not otherwise get.

This is a pure mental-exercise game with no plot. I've brought up some of the puzzles on Stackexchange and Reddit, and it provoked some good discussion, so this is a good game to mine for interesting puzzles.

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- Deychrome, February 22, 2014 (last edited on March 20, 2014)

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
High Praise for Praser 5, November 6, 2010
by godric (Seattle.)

This game could be likened to exploring the Moebius strip while breathing in Haiku. Plotkin has an incredible mind and the only way to beat this game, is to unravel it. I am addicted to solving the Griffon and Sphinx's riddles. I have not succeeded yet... but, the game is so simple and so elusive that I can't put it out of my mind. It may be strange to see I've rated the game before having finished, but - I don't need to finish my dinner to know that it is and will be satisfying to the end. What I appreciate about Praser 5 is that it has reactivated my own mind. It got me thinking and problem solving. Praser 5 will turn your mind in on itself, will shift planes and turn back again. It's a great mental calisthenic.
Note to Plotkin: have pity for the simple mind - even the hints need hints.

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- Azazel, April 2, 2010

- Ghalev (Northern Appalachia, United States), August 3, 2009

- Sami Preuninger (New York City), October 23, 2007


1–8 of 8 | Return to game's main page