First Times

Okay. So there are other horror interactive fiction games out there that are objectively cleaner and smoother than "First Times."

"Anchorhead" is wildly immersive, detailed and, in terms of build, it's a work of art. "One Eye Open" is messy, fun and provides the player with an eerie sense of adventure. "Bogeyman" is a kind of tearjerker that will give you nightmares.

And then there's this oddity. Maybe it has bugs, is a bit too disorienting to solve and isn't necessarily one for the plotline. Yet in terms of scare factor, this is the best horror game I've ever played. Cults, zombie creatures and cannibalism will always be creepy. But pulling an egg out of a doll's stomach? It should never have had to be creepy because I shouldn't have ever had to picture it in my life - if it weren't for this game.

"First Times" hosts a few cliches - creepy hospital, demonic entities - but where it stands strong is where it is really rather original, where an empty stage or a mural of a castle or a room full of stuffed animals manage to send more chills down your spine than your average zombie attack. These elements never quite come together too cleanly, but these elements within themselves are insanely cool and insanely scary.

Play it if you enjoy feeling regret. (I mean this in a good way!)