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7th Place - 10th Annual Interactive Fiction Competition (2004)
Nominee, Best Setting - 2004 XYZZY Awards
| Average Rating: based on 6 ratings Number of Reviews Written by IFDB Members: 1 |
This game was nominated for an XYZZY for Best Setting. In it, you play an individual who is seeking enlightenment, and for a path between strength and wisdom.
The game map is relatively small, with descriptions reminiscent of The Moonlit Tower. The puzzles are fairly standard fair; a lot of searching will generally be rewarded, and a combat lesson tells you how to win battles.
Most of the game is about quiet contemplation, and the game is related to some legends about the development of TaiChi.
SPAG
The coding was competent and I found no bugs. The design was likewise strong with no wasted locations and clear connections between them. Items were only used once, but locations sometimes had more than one purpose. Special kudos for the design of the knowledge puzzle. I've seen several IF games attempt to test learning rather than merely item gathering but this is the best example that I've seen to date.
-- Cirk Bejnar
As a player, I appreciate the concepts that shone through in the piece, even if they weren't fully realized: beauty, nature, complement, strength through peace; though this was not a good medium for what he was trying to achieve. I'm at a loss as to what method might be better suited for the task, though... short of experiencing the story in the real world.
-- Jacqueline Lott
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>INVENTORY - Paul O'Brian writes about interactive fiction
Small criticisms aside, I thought Mingsheng was well worth my time, especially for what time it took -- the game is pretty short, and when I finished, I felt like I hadn't actually done that much.
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