Shade

by Andrew Plotkin profile

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Reviews and Ratings

5 star:
(121)
4 star:
(162)
3 star:
(90)
2 star:
(23)
1 star:
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Average Rating:
Number of Ratings: 408
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Uniquely Casual, August 26, 2015
by RusticSage (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)
Related reviews: Surreal, fantasy, psychological

To qualify my review, I'd like to first say that this is the first IA/text adventure game I've played in a number of years, so my experience is not necessarily indicative of regular readers. That being said, I think it may provide its own insights into the title.

This game was very surreal, and without going into too much detail, the conclusions you draw from the game, once finished, are ultimately quite abstract in character. What I particularly enjoyed about this game, despite not necessarily being all that blood-pumping of a title, is the deeply tactile and atmospheric quality of the story. Along with it's atmospheric quality, the nature of the environment you are put in is quite small, albeit requiring lots of searching to make sense of.

For these reasons and more, I think it is an ideal title for a new beginner to interactive fiction, but also well-suited as a palette cleanser or reprieve from more complex adventures. Though I would have wished for a more concrete narrative, and ambiguity of the story, when coupled with its aesthetic, is by no means a thematic platitude.

I will definitely recommend this to friends who might enjoy IF/TA, and I look forward to reading more of Andrew Plotkin's work.

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- leanbh, July 30, 2015

- Pegbiter (Malmö, Sweden), June 15, 2015

- ibelongia, June 5, 2015

- chux, May 21, 2015

- Lanternpaw, May 16, 2015

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
You have no desire to look night in the face., May 11, 2015
by scottmbruner (alameda, california)

It's a testament to Andrew Plotkin's skill as an IF writer that this is my least favorite of his works that I've played so far, and yet I would still highly recommend people experience its tight, disturbing narrative. (and plan to do so, soon).

It's a "one-room" game with no real puzzles nor ability to affect or shape the main narrative, but that's probably the point. The "reality" of your situation and this inevitable illumination of your predicament is superbly crafted.

My gripe is that it didn't impact me as much as others, and I can't explain why. I was more frustrated with trying to understand what was going on and the psychological horror elements never entirely took hold, and the final denouement also added to cognitive confusion (at the expense of an emotional gut punch). That being said, it's such a perfect example of what IF can do when it colors outside the lines, and it's such a short game, I can't imagine there being any reason not to experience it and see how your mileage varies.

Plotkin has created, through details such as the songs that play on your apartment radio to the transfiguring plant in the corner, a very believable world which then compels you to stop believing in it.

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- Robot Marvin, May 6, 2015

- Doug Orleans (Somerville, MA, USA), April 27, 2015

- dosgamer, April 10, 2015

- Mike Root, March 23, 2015

- hoopla, March 12, 2015

- Thrax, March 11, 2015

- Matt W (San Diego, CA), February 28, 2015

- morlock, January 14, 2015

0 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Good, but getting stuck is a pain., December 31, 2014
by Chai Hai (Kansas City KS)

This was a good game, by all means. I enjoyed it, the mechanics of delirium were done well. My main complaint is the claustrophobic setting of the game, especially in earlier parts where you can easily become put off by the lack of action. I know that was intentional and is part of its "charm", but I almost gave up early on with the vacuum.

The ending was also a letdown, being ambiguous about what actually happened. Tell us one way or the other, not some weird could be whatever ending. All in all, good game.

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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Hmmm... huh?... ho hum., December 31, 2014

Very well written -- moody, evocative, and not too heavy-handed -- but I found steadily declining pleasure in it, especially once I got to the (Spoiler - click to show)fiddle-with-every-damn-object-until-something-happens section. Eventually the puzzle-solving part of my brain checked out and went on vacation somewhere, leaving me to go look for a walkthrough.

It didn't help that I saw the plot twist coming from the minute I saw (Spoiler - click to show)sand.

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- Janice M. Eisen (Portland, Oregon), November 10, 2014

- CMG (NYC), November 7, 2014

- EllaClass, November 5, 2014

- Catalina, October 31, 2014

- Tranmoor, October 20, 2014

- Matthew Darby (London, United Kingdom), September 20, 2014

- BlitzWithGuns, September 13, 2014

- Sobol (Russia), September 12, 2014


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