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Game Details
Language: English (en)
Current Version: 17 License: Freeware Development System: Inform 6 Baf's Guide ID: 2837 IFID: ZCODE-17-030706-1D56 TUID: hsf421jla3gpq4nh |
Awards
Nominee, Best Setting; Nominee, Best Puzzles - 2005 XYZZY Awards
Editorial Reviews
SPAG
Generally, though, this game is more about atmosphere than story. Dark, dusty, uninhabited (mostly), a little off-kilter, with remnants of technology lying around, seemingly abandoned mid-use... If I may get all English-majory for a moment, this just reinforces the artificiality and transience of the office life that came before. At least that's how it made *me* feel, especially given the contrast between your memories and the present disrepair. Another plus: the author paid a lot of attention to implementing as many of the five senses as possible. I particularly noticed sounds in various locations (the cicadas, the generator, ghostly voices), but there are smells and textures mentioned too. This worked for me.
-- Daphne Brinkerhoff
See the full review
From the Author
There are no bugs that I'm aware of; the game is playable and winnable. The puzzles are fair and not difficult except for one, which is challenging. I designed it that way so as to not disrupt the atmosphere.
It is influenced by Babel, so fair warning would be if you don't care for that style of gameplay, you won't enjoy Building much either.
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Member Reviews
| Average Rating: Number of Reviews: 1 Write a review |
An under-appreciated classic, June 30, 2015Building is a real gem. I enjoyed playing this game on and off over the course of a few months. It is a medium-large size adventure game like Zork or Curses!, but set in a sort of post-apocalyptic office building.
The game has enormous attention to detail; the game's vocabulary is about 2000 words, and the number of in game messages is about 2000 as well.
This attention to detail becomes a bit too much at times, with descriptions that are over packed with words. Many of the puzzles depend on clues hidden in the middle of large paragraphs.
The game contains more red herrings than any other game I have seen.
In the end, after seeing some of the author's reviews here and his blog (the author is AmberShards), I wonder if the game is partially autobiographical. The author and the PC hate conformity, and fight against perceived oppression.
If you enjoyed Building...
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Recommended Lists
Building appears in the following Recommended Lists:Games that I couldn't put down by MathBrush
These are games that for some reason or over I just couldn't stop playing and thinking about. There are no specific reasons given. These aren't necessarily my favorite games; one reason they are pageturner is that the pacing is good and...
Forgotten Treasures of IFDB by MathBrush
These are games that are great, either in my opinion or in many others, but which have been forgotten. By forgotten, I mean it satisfies the following: 1. Not an IfComp or XYZZY Best Game winner, 2. Not in Best 50 Interactive Fiction...
Explore-the-Structure Genre by Jim Kaplan
Lengthy games where the PC's express purpose is the exploration of a single complex structure, such as a museum or mansion. Progress in the game is usually measured by the segments of the structure the player has rendered accessible....
Polls
The following polls include votes for Building:A Poll About ... A Poll About ... Hm. That's Funny. I Can't Recall. by Ghalev
As of the founding of this poll, the IFDB has only seven games with the "amnesia" tag. I don't buy that for an instant. Please vote for games where the player-protagonist-person is dealing with a bout of forgetfulness (usually about who...
Top-notch horror or terror games by madducks
I'm looking for games that are the best representations of horror or terror in IF.
Bound by human frailties??? by Stickz
I'm looking for games where the PC is faced with needs like eating, sleeping, and thirst. Unusual inventory limitations. Things that make them appear a little more human.
This is version 6 of this page, edited by Edward Lacey on 13 April 2013 at 6:56am. - View Update History - Edit This Page - Add a News Item