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Mobius.zblorb
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Mobius.zblorb
original competition entry
Requires a Z-Code interpreter. Visit IFWiki for download links.
solution.txt
Walkthrough
README.txt
A brief author's note

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Möbius

by J.D. Clemens profile

Science Fiction
2006

(based on 34 ratings)
5 reviews

About the Story

Another mission. Just when you had settled in for a nap.


Game Details

Language: English (en)
Current Version: 2
License: Freeware
Development System: Inform 7
Baf's Guide ID: 2949
IFID: F4AC2E84-CAF7-4FC0-8D48-DAA23392ACFE
TUID: xm4ltaarp0fje5yd

Awards

9th Place - 12th Annual Interactive Fiction Competition (2006)

Nominee, Best Puzzles; Nominee, Best Individual Puzzle - 2006 XYZZY Awards

Editorial Reviews

Baf's Guide


As a member of the Drop Team Beta of the Galactic Marines, you are send on a mission to some research institute. For some reason, your team mates do not arrive there. As it turns out, you need to shut down a temporal reactor. The only catch here: there is more than one reactor to be shut down...

The game's only meta-puzzle is a time-travelling paradox, which is set up in such a way that, on one hand, it's possible to die, but on the other hand the player has an unlimited number of attempts to solve it. The puzzle as such is very logical, challenging and creative. While the puzzle-oriented nature of the game doesn't leave much space for plot and setting, the little bits of characterization that are there are brilliant. All in all, it's definitely worth playing, at least if you're not an absolute puzzle-hater.

-- Valentine Kopteltsev

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Member Reviews

5 star:
(3)
4 star:
(17)
3 star:
(10)
2 star:
(5)
1 star:
(0)
Average Rating:
Number of Reviews: 5
Write a review


Most Helpful Member Reviews


7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
Solid replay puzzle, December 24, 2007

A solid and entertaining puzzle game requiring multiple play-throughs and an inventive twist on classic time travel. The framing of the game is maybe a little disappointing -- there's less of a story here than it originally appears, and so much effort goes into the solution that it would be nice if the ending offered more narrative reward.

All the same, a polished and technically accomplished piece of work, with some inventive game-play.


2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
A one-room, one-puzzle time travel game, February 3, 2016

This time travel game has been compared to many other such games, including ones before it (like Sorceror's and Spellbreaker's puzzles) and those after it (such as Fifteen Minutes). It works, and it is simpler than many, but the story is a bit weak.

You are a member of the Galactic Marines investigating a lab. The rest of the review is in spoilers, though it doesn't give away more than the first ten or twenty turns.

(Spoiler - click to show)You soon find yourself stuck in a time loop, where a critical event sends you back in time every few turns. You see the previous version of yourself, performing your last set of actions. You have to figure out how to stop the explosions, and how to interact with you doppleganger, and the interactions can occur in strange ways.

I recommend it, but not for everyone. Mostly those who enjoy puzzles.


4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Nice short puzzle, December 29, 2009
by Grey (Italy)

Don't be mistaken by the plot-driven intro. This is actually a one-room, one-puzzle game.
The actual puzzle is quite original and well implemented, (Spoiler - click to show)based on a time machine, repetition, and multiple copies of yourself.

The parser is perfect, the writing is clear, and the game is short and fun (IF you like puzzles).

Only three stars for me tough because at times I found it frustrating, and the 'time limit' is really unforgiving, even if you can't really die. When I had already an idea of how to solve it i just checked the walkthrough.


See All 5 Member Reviews

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Recommended Lists

Möbius appears in the following Recommended Lists:

Games to be Replayed by Raksab
These games should be played through more than once, for full effect.

Replay puzzles by Emily Short
Games which are entirely devoted to a single big puzzle, usually one that the player has to replay a number of times to get exactly right. Often these involve time restrictions or events that the player has to observe in order to...

Time travel games by MathBrush
These are games where the main puzzles are centered on time travel. I'm splitting this off from my science fiction list. Many games include one or two time travel puzzles, such as Spellbreaker or Curses!. But this list is for games whose...

Polls

The following polls include votes for Möbius:

Give me a second chance! by verityvirtue
I'm looking for games which work like Bigger Than You Think - where dying isn't the end, where you're given second chances, where your second chances give you gear or skills or knowledge that you need to know to win the game.

Great games that consist of a single puzzle by Spike
I'm looking for well-designed and challenging games that revolve around solving a single puzzle. The puzzle may have multiple parts, but the whole game needs to be essentially about solving that single puzzle.

Fun single-room games by Jeff Sonas
My kids (9 and 12) like to play IF games on my phone during car drives so they are looking for something quick and fun that doesn't require much mapping. What single-room adventures are out there?

See all polls with votes for this game




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