Some I.F. writers write more than others. Here are my favorite four games from authors who've released at least half-a-dozen games to date. This list covers 1st-generation text-adventure implementors, who published the bulk of their work from the Eighties on.
1. Zork, by Tim Anderson, Marc Blank, Bruce Daniels, and Dave Lebling (1979) Average member rating: (31 ratings) Walter Sandsquish says:
(aka Zork I, II, and III) Marc Blank, with Dave Lebling, topped the genre-defining "Adventure" by crafting a full-sentence parser and then creating the whimsically-anachronistic Great Underground Empire to go with it.
2. Deadline by Marc Blank (1982) Average member rating: (56 ratings)
Walter Sandsquish says:
Blank opened-up adventure games by adding the murder-mystery genre to their repertoire. He also created faux documents to support the story, inventing the "feelies" which would become a hallmark of Infocom's games.
3. Border Zone by Marc Blank (1987) Average member rating: (26 ratings)
Walter Sandsquish says:
Blank explored espionage, experimented with real-time gameplay, and pushed the player from one player-character to another in this suspense-filled game.
4. Zork: The Undiscovered Underground, by Marc Blank, Michael Berlyn, and G. Kevin Wilson (1997) Average member rating: (31 ratings) Walter Sandsquish says:
Blank, with Michael Berlyn, finally returned to the G.U.E. for more anachronistic fun and games.
5. Enchanter by Marc Blank, Dave Lebling (1983) Average member rating: (108 ratings)
Walter Sandsquish says:
(and Sorcerer and Spellbreaker) Dave Lebling, with Marc Blank and Steve Meretzky, added a magic system, and magical intrigue, to these cherished Zork sequels.
6. Suspect by Dave Lebling (1984) Average member rating: (22 ratings)
Walter Sandsquish says:
Lebling accused the player-character of murder at a costume party in this perplexing murder mystery.
7. The Lurking Horror by Dave Lebling (1987) Average member rating: (92 ratings)
Walter Sandsquish says:
Lebling brought occult horror, and creepy sound effects, to the campus in this Lovecraft-inspired game.
8. Shogun by James Clavell, Dave Lebling (1989) Average member rating: (16 ratings)
Walter Sandsquish says:
Lebling integrated Japanese-style illustrations and evocative descriptions in this episodic adaptation of the popular historical novel.
9. Infidel by Michael Berlyn (1983) Average member rating: (59 ratings)
Walter Sandsquish says:
Michael Berlyn's unflattering characterization of the player-character challenged adventure-game players in a new way.
10. Suspended by Michael Berlyn (1983) Average member rating: (43 ratings)
Walter Sandsquish says:
Berlyn then required the player to see things through the senses of several different robots in this challenging optimization game.
11. Tass Times in Tonetown by Michael Berlyn and Muffy Berlyn (1986) Average member rating: (12 ratings)
Walter Sandsquish says:
Berlyn, along with Muffy Berlyn, pulled the player into a dimension where New Wave sensibility remained fashionable in this hybrid of text-adventures and point-and-click adventures.
(and Spellcasting 201 and Spellcasting 301) Meretzky brought magical music, sexy co-eds, and relentless silliness to Legend Entertainment with this amusing illustrated series.
17. Wishbringer by Brian Moriarty (1985) Average member rating: (109 ratings)
Walter Sandsquish says:
Brian Moriarty took players to a magically quaint town with a chilling dual personality in this enchanting fantasy.
18. Trinity by Brian Moriarty (1986) Average member rating: (102 ratings)
Walter Sandsquish says:
Moriarty's engrossing time-travel game explored the beginnings of the nuclear age in a surreal and unnerving manner.
19. Bureaucracy by Douglas Adams, The Staff of Infocom (1987) Average member rating: (47 ratings)
Walter Sandsquish says:
Moriarty, with Douglas Adams and various Infocommies, asked the player to go to great lengths to sort through a confusion of rules, endure hilariously annoying NPCs, and solve elaborate puzzles in this comic game.
20. Beyond Zork by Brian Moriarty (1987) Average member rating: (51 ratings)
Walter Sandsquish says:
Moriarty mixed elements from role-playing games with adventure games in this witty sequel to both Zork and the Enchanter series.
Bates' illustrated depiction of England's legendary king had Arthur proving his worth to Merlin by living among and as the wildlife of Briton.
23. Eric the Unready by Bob Bates (1993) Average member rating: (42 ratings)
Walter Sandsquish says:
Bates' slapstick account of an accident-prone knight sent on quests to prevent him from saving a princess was garnished by illustrations, sound effects, and music.
