Mushroom Hunt

Written in a surprisingly short amount of time as an entry for a game jam, this charming text adventure impresses for several reasons, not least in the visual department. Almost chiselled like a woodcut, out of digital blocks, these illustrations are the first thing that wow you upon loading the game.

But the beauty of the adventure is more than skin deep. The mundane-sounding collection task unearths not just mushrooms, but also details of the main character's life and her relationship with her family. Each playthrough ends with some hints of what secrets you may have missed. There are many mysteries to discover, and a lovely little Easter egg that's hidden well away (one that will delight fans of old school games and calls back to another, very different sort of hunt).

There are a few niggles and issues with the game. The order in which you examine and complete tasks is very important and, if you're not careful, can lead you to missing triggers that allow you to discover further secrets. Some of the final mushrooms are particularly difficult to spot.

Any shortcomings in the parser department can be chalked up to the fact that this was the author's first experience with the Adventuron system. The fact that they produced such a polished, impressive game, of such high standard in a few weeks speaks not only to the ease of use of the game creation tool but also to the skill and talent of the author.

I look forward to seeing what they produce next.