Since the jam has started pretty strong already (25+ entries in less than a week), I’m going to put down some notes about the entries submitted so far before it becomes too overwhelming.
As the entries could not have more than 500 words, the reviews will more likely be tiny too
So far, it’s been interesting to see how different people use those 500 words. Notable points so far:
Some pieces feel very short, while others makes you question whether there were more than 500 words.
There are different approach to interactivity, from very passive from the reader (click to next page) to a more active approach (input box / links to different outcomes / reveal through mouseover…).
Most entries are made with Twine (as of now, only 2 not made with Twine, and no parser)
Many pieces seem to be very personal, while a few are very unserious.
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If you want to know more about the Neo Twiny Jam:
Consider checking out the entries. Most don’t take more than 5 mins to play!
Idle no longer… A very graphic and erotic description of two bodies coming together. The use of a mouse over macro (to reveal hidden words) is akin to the hands discovering new skin and crease of a body. The writing, as always, is excellent.
An accident, a resurrection… but at what cost? This very creepy and dark short piece has a killer hook and as killer ending. The colour combinations for the theme and the unsettling music really adds to the macabre ambiance of the game. While it is satisfying as a short read, a longer version would be very intriguing indeed…
Anxiousness and marriage ceremony, name a more iconic duo. As a short prototype, this piece manages to tell just enough to hook the reader, and very little that it leaves you wanting more. From is ominous title to the tense descriptions, the writing manages to leave you with too many questions. It would be interesting to see where the author takes the story… Also Armstead is a great name for a knight!
A touching submission. Through a fantasy setting, a fairy describes his experience of finding and accepting their identity in the face of adversity. It is quite emotional and raw.
Two for One Deal. Two short puzzles taking on different definitions of virus (computer/biological). They felt quite reminiscing of puzzles in an escape room. A neat idea in 500 words or less.
A concerto in three movement. This epistolary three part-er recounts the shared moments between two people through the point of view of your partner, their hopes and regrets as life moves on. It is quite bittersweet and beautifully written.
Thanks for posting these reviews! It is motivating to write and maybe even review a bit myself. I haven’t played CoL but in the big picture I like how the author used “you get 3 entries” and so I’m quite intrigued.
(edited to put general stuff in the general topic)
The signs were all there… It is tragic and visceral, and still strangely beautiful in it violence. The small details, like the barista looking away or the brush of the fingers, are simple but convey more than meet the eyes. A really nice touch…
A dream… or a nightmare? Theo is a short cyclical piece about falling in and out of love. Honestly forgot it was a dream, and thought the PC was stuck in a loop (it worked too!). I really liked the way the text was formatted in the passages(though a bit more contrast in the links would have helped ext ra).
Sidenote: It really had Goncharov vibes, in the doomed love/relationship or running after an impossible goal…
You Bird. You Snack. A really great take on the 500 words restrictions by removing all words except the subject and the verb. Coupled with some fun formatting and animation of the text, and you have a very entertaining short game about a bird wanting a snack. The game has a handful of varied and fun endings to collect.
The fire consumes all, but love remains. Another sad piece about the end of love, end of life and the lack of acceptance. No matter your choices, the end does not wait for a miracle. It is doomed from the start and you know it. A very tragic end, even with the promise of hope and meeting again…
Shower Thoughts, but make it interactive A sort of wild tangent about what postal workers do aside from delivering mail, especially what they talk about and who they talk to. This short piece is formatted like an envelop with all the required stamps, and sometimes extra stickers. Really enjoyed clicking on the postal-related stickers and stamps to move through the story to cycle options. A very fun way to use the medium!
(I think this was the most fun UI I’ve seen so far too!)
An erotic prayer from transcending touch Within this less-than-500-words poem, the author describes so vividly and beautifully a drunken attraction between two individuals at a party, soon moving to religious-like pleasures. The written imagery paired with the spiritual angle is quite exquisite. Very steamy…
*Sidenote: it kind of reminded me of *Origin of Lovein the vibes.
An absurd conversation about… boobs. Imagine a stranger accosting you to talk about wanting to fondle someone’s boobs. A bit strange, kinda creepy, totally unserious and silly.
Will you break yourself free? You are a doll, held by strings, forced to dance, even if it break you apart. Let your strings take you and the dance will start again. Resits and…I liked the creepy setting, and the writing around the doll’s yearning for freedom and control over its body.
The comfort in our stars A very personal piece about finding comfort in the idea of celestial bodies when life is cruel, and when refusing to comply or escaping seems impossible. Still, like the stars, a better path shines ahead.
Conflicting identities Baron, a half-tiger half-dinosaur who struggles with his identity and not being able to fit in either groups, decides to find his father for some answers. Even with an intriguing setting and clear themes, this piece felt either like a rushed story or a prologue where all these themes would be explored… Some passages were a tad confusing on where they were going.
When it feels like nothing is going as planned Childbirth can be both a wonderful and traumatic experience, and the following period is no better. Nell gives a very personal and raw account of the anxiety, worries, feelings of not being enough, not having done enough, and struggles with one’s body not responding the way you wish it to. The use of the textboxes added onto the layers of those feelings, as they pile up on top of one another without a way to process them fully.It is also a wonderful love letter to her newborn, a love pouring through those words, unending and unwavering through it all. It takes a lot of courage to be this vulnerable.
…And no one answers… LttPR is a half-sequel toLitteraly Watch the Paint Dry(a meta Idle Clicker), during which you are looking forward to the weekend and hanging out with a friend. Through the limited options, neither answering the phone at first, you find out whether your friends are still truly your friends…* This short slice-of-life felt a bit too tell-instead-of-show for my taste… But I found the topic of friendship while being true to yourself had an interesting start.
*both friend appear in LWPD though they weren’t named at that point.
