9:05

This game is fun for IF veterans because it pokes fun at one of the most widely accepted conventions of interactive fiction. Had me laughing out loud the first time I played it, and had quite a replay value to see what happened if you chose the less obvious paths. As it happens, this is also a great game to throw at people who have never played IF. It's easy to get through, rewarding and makes most people crack a smile. And of course, it doesn't take a month to finish either. Great little piece.

This was the first piece of IF I've played in a good many years and I stumbled across it quite by accident.

At first, with it being so short I thought either I'd done something wrong in my playthrough, but then the whole joke dawned on me.

Even on the second (OK, and the third) playthrough there were those superb little nuggets that I'd missed previously that, had I found them, would have made the whole thing soooo obvious (but so much less enjoyable).

A short, but superb romp that made me smile throughout.

9:05 is a perfect example of why IF doesn't need to be five hours long to be good. In fact, the short length does it wonders, as it encourages replays and makes it great for newbies to enjoy without overwhelming them. It starts off with a scenario we've all likely had the displeasure of experiencing in real life: you wake up with a start to find the phone ringing. It's your co-worker, who informs you that you're five minutes late to a big meeting you've been planning for a while.

The basic goal is simple: get yourself cleaned up in a hurry, grab a bite and get to work before you lose your job. The real life connection you'll likely have in the game will primarily motivate you to finish the IF. However, it's the twists the story takes that really make 9:05 memorable and replayable for both IF vets and newbies alike. Like many reviews state, you'll understand once you play it and it will be fun to replay a few times.

However, 9:05 will only take about 5-10 minutes to complete on your first playthrough, which will offput a lot of players looking for a deep adventure to lose themselves into. However, I find it makes it accessible to newbies because of this and encourages the replay value the IF pushes for, though I do wish there were more areas and objects to interact with.

If you're still on the fence, give it a try. At worst, you'll waste about 5 minutes, which is nothing. At best, you'll find a great IF with twists and turns that will shock you and a lot of replay value.