I didn't like Twine at first, but slowly I've changed my opinion about it, until now, many of my favorite games are Twine/Choice games (including Varytale or choice-style parser games). These games tend to be very different genres from parser games, and the variety makes the IF world much better).
1. Bigger Than You Think by Andrew Plotkin (2012) Average member rating: (51 ratings)
MathBrush says:
If you hate choice games, what do you do when one of your favorite authors writes one? The first three games on this list are by popular parser authors. A sci/fi fantasy game based off an xkcd comic. This is not my favorite, but provides a good transition for those on the fence with choice games.
2. Bee by Emily Short (2012) Average member rating: (88 ratings)
MathBrush says:
Another choice game by a legendary parser author. Play a home-schooled girl preparing for the national spelling be. Tons of different endings, stats kept during the game, and interesting moral choices involving your parents and friends and self.
3. Creatures Such As We by Lynnea Glasser (2014) Average member rating: (95 ratings)
MathBrush says:
Lynne Glasser was the author of the 2013 Best Game XYZZY award-winning Coloratura. Creatures Such As We, which I played as a free Android app, is on my top 10 favorite games of all time. You play a tour guide on the moon who is obsessed with a zombie/ghost survival video game. One day, the creators of the game come to visit... huge game, excellent characterization, and enough in-game options to make anyone feel like they identify with the character.
Now, onto Twine games by Twine authors. This dry humor game pretends to be a translation of two Russian Choose-Your-Own-Adventure novels. They provide numerous endings and hilarious scenarios as the Russian author interprets the American west and space.
Now, we're getting further and further from parser games. In this game, the gameplay is like a branching river where all ends meet up again. In game flow, it resembles Ecdysis, although the subject matter is very different. A child's father becomes obsessed with digging in the basement.
Another game by the same author; you play a kid at a sleepover, where your friend claims to have an uncle who works at nintendo who provides them with unusual games that noone has seen. Very effective use of the format, allowing exploration of rooms and numerous endings. A horror game.
I love all of Dalmady's games. This game has an inventory of four or more items and a map where you can return to different areas on numerous occasions. A horror game.
8. Eidolon, by A.D. Jansen (2014) Average member rating: (32 ratings) MathBrush says:
Nominated for a Best Writing XYZZY award, and Best Story. Very long game with inventory and exploration of a castle. This game has a long intro, with some locations to examine and objects to find, but really takes off after the first half hour. No save feature, so give yourself time. A young child going to the restroom at night notices a hole in the sky through the window.
9. howling dogs by Porpentine (2012) Average member rating: (122 ratings)
MathBrush says:
I purposely avoided Porpentine games until now, as those who hate Twine probably dislike Porpentine, as she is the face of the movement. However, Howling Dogs is an excellent Twine game, with much of Porpentine's exreme content toned down. You play a prisoner who has nothing to do all day except use a virtual reality machine.
10. With Those We Love Alive by Porpentine and Brenda Neotenomie (2014) Average member rating: (107 ratings)
MathBrush says:
This game encourages you to write on your skin, which I ignored. A bizarre, surreal world where an Alien-like Queen commissions you to form artwork from the bodies of her enemies. Uses repetition effectively, and has a great ending.
11. Hana Feels by Gavin Inglis (2015) Average member rating: (58 ratings)
MathBrush says:
A game that would only work in Twine. A heartwarming game about a girl who is coming to grips with an unhealthy addiction. I wasn't the only one who liked it; it was sweet and charming.
12. To Spring Open, by Peter Berman and Yoon Ha Lee (as Two-Bit Chip) (2015) Average member rating: (18 ratings) MathBrush says:
A short competition game. Play in a Miyazaki-like world where masks are passports and strange temples dot the landscape.
13. The Tiniest Room by Erik108 (2015) Average member rating: (32 ratings)
MathBrush says:
Great introduction to the Twiny Jam genre, where the whole game (including code) must be 300 words or less. This is a surprisingly complex one-room escape game.
14. The Play by Dietrich Squinkifer (Squinky) (2011) Average member rating: (65 ratings)
MathBrush says:
Great realistic Twine game about a dress rehearsal of a play, and about sexism. Rapidly branching scenarios avoid the predictability problem of many Twine games.
15. Hallowmoor by Mike Snyder (2013) Average member rating: (16 ratings)
MathBrush says:
A quite large exploration game. Play as a skeleton and a witch working together to overcome obstacles.
16. Lux by Agnieszka Trzaska (2018) Average member rating: (21 ratings)
MathBrush says:
Better at room-by-room exploration, compass navigation, and inventory management/puzzles than most parser games. Marvelous.
17. 4x4 Archipelago by Agnieszka Trzaska (2021) Average member rating: (23 ratings)
MathBrush says:
A complex and rich fantasy game that lets you power up, while exploring 16 different islands, learning spells, and having a variety of goals. See also 4x4 Galaxy.
18. Chuk and the Arena by Agnieszka Trzaska (2019) Average member rating: (18 ratings)
MathBrush says:
Yet another excellent puzzle game by this author, this time set in a gladiator-type arena in space.
19. Trigaea by Adam Ipsen (RynGM) (2022) Average member rating: (9 ratings)
MathBrush says:
Almost has idle-game type aesthetics, but more of an RPG. You have awakened on a crashed spaceship; fight, gather, build better equipment, and push to new areas, all while beginning to recall the past. Several interesting endings.
20. Stay? by E. Jade Lomax (2020) Average member rating: (29 ratings)
MathBrush says:
One of the best games of recent years, a time loop fantasy game that changes every time.
21. Open Sorcery by Abigail Corfman (2016) Average member rating: (66 ratings)
MathBrush says:
A very popular magic/technology hybrid game about a fire elemental working inside a computer network.
22. Excalibur by J. J. Guest, G. C. Baccaris, and Duncan Bowsman (2021) Average member rating: (19 ratings)
MathBrush says:
The opposite of most recommendations on here; very few puzzles or parser-like gameplay. In fact, this is (mostly) a wiki! But for a sci fi show that may have disappeared...
23. Erstwhile by Aster (formally Maddie) Fialla, Marijke Perry (2018) Average member rating: (60 ratings)
MathBrush says:
Excellent murder mystery where you combine clues to solve your own murder!
24. Bogeyman by Elizabeth Smyth (2018) Average member rating: (82 ratings)
MathBrush says:
Very dark and creepy game about escaping the literal bogeyman.
25. Tavern Crawler by Josh Labelle (2020) Average member rating: (37 ratings)
