Ratings and Reviews by cklepac
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A satisfying whodunnit, February 29, 2008AN ACT OF MURDER
An Act of Murder is like a minature, music-box version of a classic Infocom mysteries like Deadline or Witness. If (like me) you found the originals ponderous and unforgiving, this game might be just the thing. It offers enough detective work to get you scratching your head, but confines itself to a small set of locations and a few key NPCs. The game world is excellently fleshed out. Objects are given just enough examinable detail to make them seem real, but at the same time its easy to tell which objects are likely to be important and which are window dressing. The characters have some interesting dialog, but they are a bit static and lifeless for a game (and a genre) that is heavily driven by NPC interactions.
The author has also gone to some effort to make the game easy to play, for which I'm always grateful. Simple touches (like listing where the exits of each room go) free up brainpower for use on solving the mystery rather than fighting with the game. A nice many-layered hint system ensures that you won't be stuck for long.
AAOM is not an epic or elaborate game by any means, but as a quick, engrossing whodunnit with no obvious bugs or holes, it does a fine job.
H. P. Glulxcraft, February 29, 2008DEAD CITIES
Dead Cities is an interesting bit of IF that runs on a Glulx interpreter - it comes with some black and white drawings by Lucy Gatfield and a separate window for your inventory - kind of an "IF plus" setup. It was written by Jon Ingold (of Mulldoon fame) for a contest about H.P. Lovecraft, each entry being based on a snippet from the horror author's Commonplace Book (a sort of writer's diary).
Dead Cities is an exercise in mood, and it pulls off a creepy feeling straightaway that it manages to sustain, for a while anyhow. You play as a solicitor who has arrived at an old man's house to audit his collection of rare and spooky books, a setup that should have Lovecraft fans rubbing their hands together in anticipation. Things happen fast, and during the first section of the tale you are mostly reacting to the events going on around you. After a few major developments there's a lull where you can exlpore for a bit, although there's not much to see.
This game really has to be enjoyed as a story, and not as a traditional IF. For one thing there are no compass directions (which was kind of refreshing), only places you can enter and exit. For another, the game world is small and not really interested in indulging you as you try out different things. The parser here is rudimentary compared to Ingold's other creations, and doesn't anticipate you unless it's over-anticipating: Early in the game, the old man asked me to fetch a book from an upper shelf. I was seated in a chair so I typed STAND, which sent me rushing out of the room and into the hall against the old man's protests. There are a number of important details (like how the bookshelves are supposed to be refered to) that will only become clear if moves are made in just the right order. I found this out after getting stuck and playing through a second time. If something is happening, it's best to let it happen and try to anticipate what the author expects you to do each move.
The interface, which might be designed to draw in players less familiar with IF conventions, has some good and bad points. Being able to always see your inventory is quite appealing, and its a tactic that more games should use. However it's a bit buggy. On more than one occasion, NPC dialog appeared in my inventory rather than the main window where it should have been. The hint system is also questionable. It consists of a blue bar at the bottom of the screen that suggests possible next moves. This seems like a perfect tool for brand new players, but I wasn't helped by being told I should "look around" or go through various nearby doors, or even (while outside) "pull coat tighter". Add to this the lack of any solutions or walkthroughs, and you quickly see that you're pretty much on your own.
Again, these quirks which might wreck a more traditionally styled IF can be looked past here as you concentrate on the story, which is nicely poetic and eerie. However it is either very short, or I missed something important, because after the game does its thing and puts the reins back in the player's hands, there doesn't appear to be more to do. I managed to get the game to end, but there was no indication as to whether this ending was successful, or whether there were better ones to be had.
All in all, Dead Cities is puzzling in a lot of ways, and even experienced players will be in for a few stumbles, but it's worth a playthrough for eldritch horror fans.
text-based, dungeon-based action, February 19, 2008This flash non-game is a spoof of classic IF from the good folks at Homestar Runner. Some will chortle with nostalgia, others will be annoyed and confused. Two sequels exist, the third with "Thy Graphics!"
Pitch-perfect Lovecraftian horror, February 19, 2008If you're a fan of Lovecraft's stories, you'll be delighted at all the familiar tropes this game has on display, many of which directly or subtly reference his classics (the shopkeeper's violin is one small example). The text is moody and the locations evocative, and several parts are very chilling. Obviously a labor of love from a big fan of HPL and horror fiction in general.
The puzzles put you in the mindset of a Lovecraftian investigator, so if you enjoy researching dark histories and putting the pieces together, you'll be right at home. Taking notes on important names and dates is recommended.
The game gives you a lot of freedom early on, but it has clearly divided time segments, and you may find yourself having to restore in the late game because you didn't do some small thing you needed to when you needed to do it. In a few places I could see where someone new to IF could get frustrated, and I wasn't able to beat it without peeking at a solution once or twice, but overall the puzzles in Anchorhead are fair and don't unduly disrupt the creepy atmosphere of this well-told tale.
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