External Links


granite.gam
Requires a TADS interpreter. Visit IFWiki for download links.
readme.txt
documentation
hints.rtf
hints

Have you played this game?

You can rate this game, record that you've played it, or put it on your wish list after you log in.

Playlists and Wishlists

RSS Feeds

New member reviews
Updates to external links
All updates to this page

The Granite Book

by James Mitchelhill

Surreal
2002

(based on 10 ratings)
1 review

About the Story

IFComp 2002 entry.


Game Details


Awards

16th Place - 8th Annual Interactive Fiction Competition (2002)

Editorial Reviews

Baf's Guide


A decidedly strange game that runs mostly on atmosphere. It's often creepy, with a first-person-plural player character (or set of characters?) and an environment suggestive of (maybe) some kind of ancient religion. Exactly what all the peculiar imagery means is a bit less clear. At times the writing is quite evocative, but there are also points where it seems to go over the top. The gameplay is likewise mixed, with one action in particular that is unnecessarily finicky about exact phrasing and behavior. In the end, though, it's the strange imagery that sticks in one's memory.

-- Emily Short

SPAG
This is another work where the author seems to have a clear idea what it's about, but it's not coming across very clearly. The game exists in its own universe, bending even parser messages to conform to its distinctive voice. It is all symbolic, like a dream; also like a dream, its symbols are difficult to reckon. There is enough consistency to the story and its imagery to seem thoroughly thought out, but it remains opaque to my comprehension all the same. I can see that there is an active mind behind it, but I cannot fathom what the mind intended to communicate to me.
-- J. Robinson Wheeler
See the full review

>INVENTORY - Paul O'Brian writes about interactive fiction

At no time during this game did I have any clear conception of what was supposed to be going on. At various points, I thought that the PC might be a king, a transient, a guy on a date, a psychopath, a spirit, or a troll. Perhaps he's the itinerant ghost of an insane troll king, looking for love. I really have no idea... I can imagine solving the game without the hints, if I was lucky enough to guess at the right interpretation of its descriptions, but I can't imagine understanding it. I can't exactly say that's a defect in the game -- who knows, maybe I'm just not bright enough to get it? But I can authoritatively say that I didn't enjoy it.
See the full review

Tags

- View the most common tags (What's a tag?)

(Log in to add your own tags)
Tags you added are shown below with checkmarks. To remove one of your tags, simply un-check it.

Enter new tags here (use commas to separate tags):

Member Reviews

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


3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
A darkly atmospheric game that does interesting narrative tricks, July 16, 2017
by MathBrush
Related reviews: 15-30 minutes

This game casts you as an unusual 'we', with unusual descriptions of rooms and a bizarre atmosphere.

I am surprised this game is not discussed more; however, like most little-discussed games, this is likely due to the lack of cluing.

The game is reminiscent of some ancient dark ritual, of Beowulf or Peer Gynt.

Was this review helpful to you?   Yes   No   Remove vote  
More Options

 | Add a comment 

The Granite Book on IFDB

Polls

The following polls include votes for The Granite Book:

I'm looking for a great surreal game. by Bishopofbasic
It's pretty hot up here in Canada and I was wondering if anyone knew of any great surreal type games. Something I can spend my time in front of the AC or in my office hiding from the world. Thanks you guys.




This is version 5 of this page, edited by Paul O'Brian on 8 May 2022 at 9:09pm. - View Update History - Edit This Page - Add a News Item - Delete This Page