Ratings and Reviews by E. W. B.

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(do not) forget, by lectronice

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Ninja II, by Paul Allen Panks

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Six-Chamber Champion, by C.E.J. Pacian

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Jetbike Gang, by C.E.J. Pacian

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Inhumane, by Andrew Plotkin

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All Hope Abandon, by Eric Eve

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Gris et Jaune, by Jason Devlin

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The People's Glorious Revolutionary Text Adventure Game, by Taylor Vaughan

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One Week, by Papillon

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A(s)century, by Austin Walker

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Intentionally Simplistic CYOA, March 18, 2016

by E. W. B.

The choice of random input based solely on the player's aesthetics in not a new idea. From pretentious to extremely pretentious, the virtual human did it, First Draft of the Revolution did it, Hollywood Visionary did it. In A(s)century, Austin Walker does it, and does it right. Most of the choices raise one attribute or another. At first it's not clear what these are and how the options are related to them, but this gets increasingly clear as the game progresses.

What differentiates A(s)century from there is a bonus ending. (Spoiler - click to show)The game mocks its own shallowness and lets you write your own end. Still, the presence of something to search for makes it interesting, a little like in One Week.

The game has two technical faults: the script for moving from one certain point to another freezes the page up, and the soundtrack is on Youtube, rather than included normally. There is a certain irony in making a JavaScript-based game unplayable on phones.

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Ruiness, by Porpentine Charity Heartscape

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Chlorophyll, by Steph Cherrywell

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The Warbler's Nest, by Jason McIntosh

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The Race, by Andy Why

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Arcane Intern (Unpaid), by Astrid Dalmady

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Byzantine Perspective, by Lea Albaugh

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Ka, by Dan Efran

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Skulljhabit, by Porpentine

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Fallout: Vault 17, by Snoother

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the virtual human, by Duncan Bowsman

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Escape from a Planet Filled with Monkeys!, by Randall M. Gee

A Simple CYOA, March 18, 2016

by E. W. B.

Escape! is a brief, random cyoa. It's not particularly funny or interesting, although it includes a game of Nim.

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Dual Transform, by Andrew Plotkin

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Volcano Isle, by Paul DeWitt

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Hunter, in Darkness, by Andrew Plotkin

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Suveh Nux, by David Fisher

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Midnight. Swordfight., by Chandler Groover

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Blue Lacuna, by Aaron A. Reed

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Coloratura, by Lynnea Glasser

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Nautilisia, by Ryan Veeder

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Captain Verdeterre's Plunder, by Ryan Veeder

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The Ascent of the Gothic Tower, by Ryan Veeder

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Dial C for Cupcakes, by Ryan Veeder

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Bigger Than You Think, by Andrew Plotkin

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Hallowmoor, by Mike Snyder

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Faithful Companion, by Matt Weiner

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Chemistry and Physics, by Caelyn Sandel (as Colin Sandel) and Carolyn VanEseltine

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

Escape the Lab, March 18, 2016

by E. W. B.

Chemistry and Physics wants to have both story and puzzle. What it has is an overly long introduction followed by an easy puzzle. The main character is supposed to be chased by someone, but this looks like it was added so it's less obvious it's a mediocre escape-the-room.

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Degeneracy, by Leonard Richardson

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

An Interesting Experiment, March 17, 2016

by E. W. B.

As a game, Degeneracy isn't much. The puzzle needed for a partial victory does't make much sense. It has a character with no apparent purpose. It requires some phrasing to manipulate its complex objects.

Its merit is in the quality of the gimmick's implementation. There isn't any point in playung the game, unless you're having trouble understanding the source.

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Darkiss! Wrath of the Vampire - Chapter 1: the Awakening, by Marco Vallarino

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Marine Raider, by Allen Gies

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Akabane Nights, by Dobromir Harrison

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

An Exploration of Tokyo, March 17, 2016

by E. W. B.

In Akabane Nights, you play as a vampire searching a small part of Tokyo for blood to drink. Depending on hunger and time, you will be able to attack different people as they move areund the city.

Akabane Nights has a small world to explore, and not many people to talk to or target, but these are well done. At dawn, you get a list of other things to try, and once those are done, the exploration is mostly complete.

Owerall, it's a fun game.

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Workers In Progress: Special Edition - Progress Harder, by Konstantinos Dimopoulos

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Being Andrew Plotkin, by J. Robinson Wheeler

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Coke Is It!, by Lucian P. Smith, Adam Thornton, J. Robinson Wheeler, Michael Fessler, Dan Shiovitz, David Dyte

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The Tale of the Kissing Bandit, by J. Robinson Wheeler (as 'Cary Valentino')

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Stygia, by Kitty Horrorshow

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Stygia II: The Sisters of Stygia, by Kitty Horrorshow

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Mouth of Ashes, by verityvirtue

0 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

Page Turning Simulator, March 9, 2016

by E. W. B.

While Mouth of Ashes doesn't contain major bugs (because there is little room for them) or spelling errors (because it's short), these are the only things it gets right. It is a example of everything that could go wrong in a game.

It focuses on creating a world, without making understanding it a puzzle. It inconviniences the reader by putting everything examinable behind a link, instead of letting him skim at his will. There is no interacivity, but there are choices without effect. It is static fiction, and it doesn't want to be played.

The initial version didn't include the pictures as part of the download, the lack of which was my least important complaint. The structural issues are still a fundabental flaw, which make any merit from the story moot.

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Pit of the Condemned, by Matthew Holland

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

Interpreter Test, March 7, 2016

by E. W. B.

This is the first time I've seen to run slowly in a modern interpreter. Given that it's in I7, and not I6 or TADS it's probably due to the game's programming. It would have been pointless to use I7 and remove almost the entire library, so I'm guessing he left the whole thing in.

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Mere Anarchy, by Bruno Dias

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Terminator Chaser, by Bruno Dias

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Tin Star, by Allen Gies

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Aisle, by Sam Barlow

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Fabricationist DeWit Remakes the World, by Jedediah Berry

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Wrenlaw, by Ryan Veeder

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Nine-tenths of the Law, by Jack Welch

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Accidental Character Generator, by caeth

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Blue Chairs, by Chris Klimas

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Eidolon, by A.D. Jansen

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The Shadow in the Cathedral, by Ian Finley and Jon Ingold

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Body Bargain, by Amanda Lange

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Stiffy Makane: The Undiscovered Country, by Adam Thornton

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Narcolepsy, by Adam Cadre

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Save the Date, by Chris Cornell

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Pick Up the Phone Booth and Aisle, by David Dyte, Steve Bernard, Dan Shiovitz, Iain Merrick, Liza Daly, John Cater, Ola Sverre Bauge, J. Robinson Wheeler, Jon Blask, Dan Schmidt, Stephen Granade, Rob Noyes, and Emily Short

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Krypteia, by Kateri

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Transparent, by Hanon Ondricek

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Zero Sum Game, by Cody Sandifer

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Babel, by Ian Finley

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The Edifice, by Lucian P. Smith

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> by @, by Aaron A. Reed

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Balances, by Graham Nelson

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The Worst Game in the World... Ever!!!, by David Whyld

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my father's long, long legs, by michael lutz

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Age of Fable, by James Hutchings

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9:05, by Adam Cadre

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Spyder and Jeb, by Neil deMause

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Dragon Resources Stories, by Anonymous

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

The First Great Puzzleless Game, February 24, 2016

by E. W. B.

The 1998 Comp saw the opposition of two game philosophies. Photopia used dialogue to reinforce its ideas of randomness and meaninglessness. Human Resources Stories bitterly mimicked a real conversation, with its real worries. One of them has been remembered and needs no introduction, the other forgotten.

As a game about job interviews, HRS has virtually never been imitated or improved upon. Most games do not approach real topics, and those that do, such as Necrotic Drift or A Colder Light put the fantastical before the real.

HRS has two parts: a programming interview in the game proper, and a long rant accessed by casting XYZZY. Photopia was a long train of thought, running long after being out of ideas. Both approaches have been used before the Comp and afterwards, sometimes even successfully, but it was during the Dragon Comp that someone found a way to combine them.

Dragon Resources Stories compromised and balanced, achieving the best of both worlds. It is no longer than it has to be, it contains no walls of text, and condenses both a fun story and an appeal to our worries about the world. DRS is puzzleless, and it's a joke, but it's approach make the game work depite itself.

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Kids, don’t eat your Halloween candy without having your parents inspect it first because there are SICKOS out there who will put RAZOR BLADES in it and you will CUT YOUR MOUTH and GET A POISONED INFECTION and DIE, all from eating your candy early. So don’t do that., by Dan Shiovitz

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Galatea, by Emily Short

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First Draft of the Revolution, by Emily Short, Liza Daly and inkle

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First Things First, by J. Robinson Wheeler

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The Abyss, by dacharya64

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You Find Yourself in a Room., by Eli Piilonen

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Tales of the Traveling Swordsman, by Mike Snyder

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The Elysium Enigma, by Eric Eve

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Square Circle, by Eric Eve

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Blighted Isle, by Eric Eve

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Dead Cities, by Jon Ingold

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Theatre, by Brendon Wyber

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The Domovoi, by Bravemule

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Calm, by Joey Jones and Melvin Rangasamy

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The Test is Now READY, by Jim Warrenfeltz

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Bus Station, Unbound, by Jenn Ashworth & Richard Hirst

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Castle, Forest, Island, Sea, by Hide&Seek

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Suicide, by Dan Doyle III

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Divis Mortis, by Lynnea Dally

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Snowquest, by Eric Eve

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The Djinni Chronicles, by J. D. Berry

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Got ID?, by Marc Valhara

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Hollywood Visionary, by Aaron A. Reed

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It Is Pitch Black, by Caelyn Sandel

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Lime Ergot, by Caleb Wilson (as Rust Blight)

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Bolivia By Night, by Aidan Doyle

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First of His Blood, by Teo Kuusela

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Delusions, by C. E. Forman

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Rematch, by Andrew D. Pontious

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De Baron, by Victor Gijsbers

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Shrapnel, by Adam Cadre

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Gun Mute, by C.E.J. Pacian

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Rameses, by Stephen Bond

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Slouching Towards Bedlam, by Star Foster and Daniel Ravipinto

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Lost Pig, by Admiral Jota

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Treasures of a Slaver's Kingdom, by S. John Ross

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80 DAYS, by inkle, Meg Jayanth

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13 Minutes of Light, by Jod

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The Primrose Path, by Nolan Bonvouloir

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One Eye Open, by Caelyn Sandel (as Colin Sandel) and Carolyn VanEseltine

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Ecdysis, by Peter Nepstad

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Scavenger, by Quintin Stone

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I-0, by Anonymous

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Heroes, by Sean Barrett

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Eurydice, by Anonymous

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Guilded Youth, by Jim Munroe

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The Play, by Dietrich Squinkifer (Squinky)

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Wearing the Claw, by Paul O'Brian

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The Duel That Spanned the Ages, by Oliver Ullmann

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Deadline Enchanter, by Alan DeNiro

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Nowhere Near Single, by kaleidofish

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Internal Vigilance, by Simon Christiansen

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Inheritance, by rosencrantz

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Robin & Orchid, by Ryan Veeder and Emily Boegheim

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Coming Out Simulator 2014, by Nicky Case

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Punk Points, by Jim Munroe

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Antifascista, by Greg Farough

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The Bryant Collection, by Gregory Weir

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Backup, by Gregory Weir

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Endless, Nameless, by Adam Cadre

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Choices, by David Whyld

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Cut the Red Wire! No, the Blue Wire!, by David Whyld

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Snowblind Aces, by C.E.J. Pacian

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Ninja's Fate, by Hannes Schueller

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Chicken and Egg, by Adam Thornton

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For a Change, by Dan Schmidt

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Candlesmoke, by Caelyn Sandel and Carolyn VanEseltine

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Cold Iron, by Andrew Plotkin (as Lyman Clive Charles)

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Shade, by Andrew Plotkin

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Attack of the Yeti Robot Zombies, by Øyvind Thorsby

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spondre, by Jay Nabonne

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Horse Master, by Tom McHenry

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howling dogs, by Porpentine

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Scarlet Sails, by Felicity Banks

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Map, by Ade McT

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Vespers, by Jason Devlin

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Anchorhead, by Michael Gentry

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the uncle who works for nintendo, by michael lutz

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Depression Quest, by Zoe Quinn, Patrick Lindsey, Isaac Schankler

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Light My Way Home, by Caelyn Sandel (as Venus Hart)

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Birdland, by Brendan Patrick Hennessy

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Brain Guzzlers from Beyond!, by Steph Cherrywell

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Rogue of the Multiverse, by C.E.J. Pacian

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Castle of the Red Prince, by C.E.J. Pacian

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Cryptozookeeper, by Robb Sherwin

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Worlds Apart, by Suzanne Britton

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Unscientific Fiction, by Tom Tervoort

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Taco Fiction, by Ryan Veeder

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Lists and Lists, by Andrew Plotkin

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Photopia, by Adam Cadre

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Yon Astounding Castle! of some sort, by Tiberius Thingamus

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Sunset Over Savannah, by Ivan Cockrum

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The Ascot, by Duncan Bowsman

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Metamorphoses, by Emily Short

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Cape, by Bruno Dias

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Hana Feels, by Gavin Inglis

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Final Exam, by Jack Whitham

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Insight, by Jon Ingold

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The Statue Got Me High, by Ryan Veeder

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A Colder Light, by Jon Ingold

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Reset, by Autumn Nicole Bradley

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Planet of the Infinite Minds, by Alfredo Garcia

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

A medium-difficulty puzzle game, February 12, 2016

by E. W. B.

Planet of the Infinite Minds is a fun game consisting of well-done abstract puzzles and less-well-done wordplay ones. Its ridiculous story shouldn't detract from the the experience if you don't take it seriously. Overall, it's a great example of doing puzzles using non-conventional rooms and objects.

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Rites of a Mailmare, by Owlor

0 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

A good photo album, February 12, 2016

by E. W. B.

An unusual example of a Twine game which has good points, Rites of a Mailmare is little more than an excuse to show off some pictures. They are well drawn.

Although it should be a 2/5 by normal standards, it a 5/5 by Twine standards, hence the rating.

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Paradise, by Devine Lu Linvega

0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

Iffy, has the right idea, February 12, 2016

by E. W. B.

It is an interesting experiment in using objects to represent and communicate with other players asynchronously. If you're interested in exploring and editing a mostly static world, it's good.

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