I wanted to share my impressions of some of the Introcomp games. My goal is to get through all of the games! I’m not going to do IFDB reviews because I go back and forth on if they’re effective for incomplete games.
An Unexpected Visitor
What a great concept! This cybertext game (isn’t that the phrase Joey Jones uses?) uses text from Les Miserables and War of the Worlds. You, Jean Valjean, fight against the alien invaders from Mars!
This is coupled with a stats system and a navigational system, the promise of which is not fully developed. It’s impossible at this stage to know if these elements will be effective or not. The additional writing communicating the exits is utilitarian but necessary.
This was a great one to start with. I would like to see this one finished.
Draw Nine
This is a mechanics-driven, slightly randomized Twine game. It reminds me a bit of the 2015 IFComp game The Duel.
The player is given 9 or so cards of 3 types: steed, serpent, and spider, representing service, death, and chaos. Gameplay consists of branching choices (basically left/right choices) and card choices in response to a situation.
This game seems as if it is definitely something that could be completed. My favorite part of this game is the descriptions for the ‘spider’ or chaos choices–the writing choices are imaginative.
Implements of the Arcane
This parser game looks like it has the potential to be a very rich and complex classic parser game. You have a great variety of ways to cast spells, a map that promises to be sprawling, several NPCs.
It was interesting, but I had trouble knowing if parts were unimplemented or if I just couldn’t figure them out (like getting into the ruined keep).
The complex systems are interesting, something I enjoy seeing in a game. However, from personal experience, it seems that it would be difficult to completely write the game as sketched out.
Next
I’ll be continuing the games in alphabetical order.