Your choice: A beginner‘s guide to Interactive Fiction

We all love to read stories. Words tend to stick out their pages and conjure faraway worlds and ideas. Since most of us now read pixels on screens rather than ink on paper, we have to admit that the media has evolved. What you might not know is that we have also pushed for what this new medium allows us to do. I am not talking (directly) about video games, I am more precisely talking about Interactive Fiction (IF). IF is a unique form of storytelling that invites us to step beyond the role of observer, rather WE shape the story. In that way, IF offers a level of agency not often matched in traditional storytelling. Today, I want to introduce you to IF by giving you a selection of approachable works giving a good sample of the breadth and depth of the medium. Without further ado, let‘s begin our exploration!

You are standing in an open field west of a white house, with a boarded front door

As with all good stories, you should consider starting at the beginning of IF. The earliest IF was entirely text-based. This meant that you wrote a prompt on your computer and it responded accordingly. This gameplay might seem antiquated in some ways (and trust me: some early text parsers are) but is at least deserving of a try. Who knows? You might even like these compact and rigid adventures. IF as we know it is largely indebted to the 1976 Colossal Cave Adventure but, if you want to try the most influential works of the time, you must try Infocom. Infocom was synonymous with Interactive Fiction. Their most well-known work is their first: Zork. Being one of the first interactive fiction games, Zork‘s mix of dungeon exploration, puzzles and treasures has been much copied. The gameplay is entirely text-driven, with players typing short commands to interact with the environment (“go north,” “take lantern,” “look at book”), and the game responds with descriptive text. What‘s more, you might be pleasantly surprised by its humourous but deadly side. Don‘t expect to live long at first. But learning to go a bit further than last time is part of the fun. Hint: respect the grue. Its influence on point-and-click adventure games is evident.

But Infocom has other works worth a look, even to experts among you. If you are searching for a challenge in a fantastical world, I recommend “Trinity“. If you prefer something more insightful and philosophic, give a try to “A Mind Forever Voyaging“. These will give you a break from typical DnD-inspired settings and gameplay.

The Indie Scene

Infocom technically ceased to exist in 1989. But his legacy would live on through his fans. In reality, the Indie text-based scene has been active since the very beginning of the Internet. Today, the Interactive Fiction Database (IFDB) is the place to go to find classic-style IF. But don‘t get fooled by their traditional interface: many stories in IFDB are groundbreaking. Given free reign, the indie scene has expended unique mechanisms, underexplored themes and challenging puzzles. Many mainstay authors are worth a look including Andrew Plotkin and Adam Cadre but none shine brighter in my mind than Emily Short. Pretty much every IF she wrote is a banger but you should try Counterfeit Monkey. In Counterfeit Monkey, you are a sort of secret agent trying to escape an island. The catch is words on this island have power. With the help of a device called a “letter-remover“ you can manipulate reality with language. For instance, you could change an “apple“ into an “ape“ and let chaos ensue. Clever puzzles, wordplay and world-building are to be expected. Short‘s writing is witty and sharp making every interaction a pleasure. If you prefer something more emotional (don‘t get me wrong: Counterfeit Monkey can be), you should try her short Galatea, also groundbreaking in its own right. The less is said on this one the better, so I‘ll stop there. Either way, many unforgettable experiences are to be expected in the indie scene.

It‘s a trap! ZAP

Some of you might have read the description of Zork and other text-based adventures and immediately think of gamebooks of old. Indeed, IF and gamebooks are siblings. No other game shows that better than “Sorcery!“. Originally a series of (great) gamebooks by Steve Jackson, Sorcery became IF in 2013 at the hands of Inkle. For those accustomed to gamebooks, I highly recommend this work to show you just how far IF can bring stories on paper. Even if you‘re not used to the original material, the fantastical journey it offers will grasp your attention. What impresses me most is just how much every choice you make matters and comes back to aid (or haunt) you later. This IF also introduces some combat, fitting to its DnD origins. I also love the spellbook it offers with its simple yet colourful spell names. The game is larger than you could expect and is separated into four parts (just like the books). Choices made at the beginning matter until the very end. The game’s art style, which includes maps and illustrations, also enhances the feeling of a breathing and living world. Highly recommended.

Inkle in new ways

But Inkle which made Sorcery! Would not stop there. In some ways, Inkle continues the trend of innovations first pioneered by Infocom. Their games are simply great. Each with rich characters, non-linear narrative-driven storytelling, resource management and impactful choices. 80 Days is a game to be experienced. This reimagining of Jules Verne‘s classic novel is inspiring, extremely well-written and most of all fun. When I finished my first game, I could not resist starting another right away. So many possibilities are on offer: side stories, challenges and exotic locations abound. Another recommendation for those with a morbid side: Overboard. In Overboard, you play Veronica who just murdered her husband on a boat. Your task is to prevent other passengers from finding it out. Much mayhem is to be expected.

Over the sea

There is so much more to cover but I‘ll restrain myself to one other mention. You should also feel free to explore the visual novel scene. A visual novel is, in a way, much similar to classic IF, but with a greater emphasis on visuals and music (hence their name). What generally distinguishes visual novels from other IFs is their Japanese roots, shaping their design. Many visual novel styles are worth a look, but if you only had to look at one visual novel, I would go with Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (even if its place as a visual novel representativ is contested). This game, the first in a popular series, primarily focuses on courtroom drama, detective work and puzzle-solving. Solving murders and pointing contradictions is made fun and engaging - all with plenty of flare. Sure, the plots and characters are over-the-top, colourful and quirky but it is part of the charm. Nevertheless, the writing is witty, memorable and emotional. You should really give this series a try. A very different recommendation from those above to booth.

Case closed

Now that you have a sense of what interactive fiction is, you’re ready to dive in and explore the depth and breadth of what this medium has to offer. If any of the above recommendations piqued your interest please give it a chance. Who knows? You might love it. Either way, the beauty of IF is its diversity. If the voice you saw doesn‘t suit you, you should simply take a different path. After all, the choice is yours and the story will follow your lead. So take the plunge, and see where your choices lead.

See you next week.