External Links


firwitch.zip
Contains FIRWITCH.GAM
Requires a TADS interpreter. Visit IFWiki for download links. (Compressed with ZIP. Free Unzip tools are available for most systems at www.info-zip.org.)
firwitch.step
solution
firwitch.sol
solution
Walkthrough and map
by David Welbourn

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John's Fire Witch

by John Baker

Fantasy
1995

About the Story

A small, witty text adventure. Its clever puzzles received quite a bit of acclaim on rec.arts.int-fiction upon its release. You've come to visit your old friend John Baker, but he's missing, and a blizzard has rolled in outside while you were asleep waiting for him. [blurb from The (Other) TADS Games List version 1.2]


Game Details

Off-Site Reviews

SPAG
I'm not quite sure I can put my finger on what makes it so good - it's always easier to pinpoint what you don't like about something than what you like - but "John's Firewitch" is simply very good workmanship; those little irritating glitches and mannerisms that seem to be unavoidable in non-commercial works are absent; the game is eminently playable (much thanks to the excellent parser); the puzzles logical with satisfying solutions; the ending forms a satisfying climax; the writing excellent and free from mannerisms and bad jokes; everything just feels right. (Magnus Olsson)

There isn't a lot to John's Fire Witch; it's relatively short (250 moves or thereabouts required, and much of that is traveling hither and yon) and the puzzles and characters are simple. What's there, though, is refreshingly well put together, with very few obvious bugs or gameplay problems; as first efforts go, this is one of the better ones you'll find. (Duncan Stevens)
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SynTax
This is, as I said, a fairly small adventure, but it seems larger than this because you are required to travel over previously seen ground. This does not make it boring, rather it gives the player a good sense of familiarity with his/her surroundings. (Neil Shipman)
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SynTax
This is a small game with only 37 locations, but there is still quite a lot to do. The game leads you gently from one puzzle to the next, and none are too difficult. (Karen Tyers)
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Xyzzy News
While the scenario may sound a bit simplistic, "John's Fire Witch" turns out to be a pleasantly engaging, unpretentious game that should appeal to a broad range of IF gameplayers. With fewer than 40 locations and a scoring total of 10, "John's Fire Witch" is well-suited to the "snack-sized adventure" label applied by its author. The game's small size and small number of puzzles make it a good introductory game for beginning to intermediate IF players; however, the puzzles are interesting enough to intrigue more experienced players for at least several hours.
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Page Update History

v.11: 15-Apr-2020 14:27 - JTN (Current Version) - Edit Page - Normal View
Changed external review links
v.10: 14-Jan-2024 03:00 - JTN
Changed external review links
  v.9: 15-Apr-2020 14:27 - Lance Campbell
Changed external review links
v.8: 30-May-2019 10:54 - David Welbourn
Changed download links
v.7: 20-Mar-2013 04:41 - Edward Lacey
Changed external review links
v.6: 13-Mar-2013 07:00 - Edward Lacey
Changed external review links
v.5: 03-Mar-2013 10:39 - Edward Lacey
Changed external review links
v.4: 03-Mar-2013 10:38 - Edward Lacey
Changed external review links
v.3: 29-Apr-2009 17:32 - Dave Chapeskie
Changed download links
v.2: 07-Dec-2008 08:08 - David Welbourn
Changed description
v.1: 29-Sep-2007 20:50 - IFDB
Created page