These aren’t in any particular order. Some of them won’t make the cut (especially Deadline), but I love them, nevertheless. As the gold machine guy, I should start with my Infocom favorites. Nothing here is ranked, and the divisions between Infocom and Other are for organizational purposes only. There shouldn’t be any spoilers here.
Infocom:
- Zork I (Marc Blank and Dave Lebling, 1980): I actually don’t consider this the best of the Zork trilogy; that would be Zork III. Still, it has special significance in terms of financial and cultural reach.
- Spellbreaker (Dave Lebling, 1985): I believe that Enchanter is more consistent, and it lacks a howler like the box “puzzle.” Nevertheless, it has the highest highs of any game in the Zork Saga. The writing is a fine counterpoint to Blank’s atmospheric prose in Zork III, and it brings the six-game series to a rhetorically satisfying close.
- Suspended (Michael Berlyn, 1983): Just yesterday, I mentioned that Gold Machine’s third and final post on Suspended is its least read article (relative to its publication date). I said that it was a brilliant wind-up toy about individual effacement at the hands of a surveillance state. I regret nothing.
- A Mind Forever Voyaging (Steve Meretzky, 1985): The first big (almost) puzzle-less IF. Thoughtful, smart, and technically innovative.
- Trinity (Brian Moriarty, 1986): I think Trinity was Infocom’s perfection of what Graham Nelson called the “cave game.” Infocom would continue to release games in that mold, but they felt diminished when compared with Trinity and Spellbreaker (which subverted traditional cave design).
- Deadline (Marc Blank, 1982): I know, I know. The clockwork world can overwhelm. You have to read the manual, which people don’t really do these days. Still, it was the first game I ever played that had interesting NPC conversations. The folio release came with that awesome folder with police documents and evidence. I suspect that it is more influential than one might initially guess. Took me years to beat, playing off and on.
- Plundered Hearts (Amy Briggs, 1987): It’s a shame that we only got one game out of Amy Briggs, but what a one it is.
Other stuff:
- Birdland (Brendan Patrick Hennessy, 2015): Since Birdland has a ton of ratings at IFDB, I probably don’t need to say much. It is a joy to read.
- Anchorhead (Michael Gentry, 1998): When I checked in on IF in 2000, I played Anchorhead. My conclusion was that parser IF was still alive and actually doing quite well. In 2023, the Ballyhoo model of time leads to some rough patches, but the atmosphere and tension reduce problems to quibbles.
- With Those We Love Alive (Porpentine and Brenda Neotenomie, 2014): Just go in cold.
- Bee (Emily Short, 2012): Now that Bee is working again, I consider it a major contender. A tender and empathetic piece with a compelling storylet design.
- The Archivist and the Revolution (Autumn Chen, 2022): Speaking of storylets!
- Hadean Lands (Andrew Plotkin, 2014): Believe it or not, I don’t enjoy puzzle games as much as I used to. What most impresses me about HL is how courteous it is. The player’s ability to quickly return to a spot or mix a formula is really a game changer. I think HL is a model for considering player experience and removing unwanted friction.
- Open Sorcery (Abigail Corfman, 2016): Gee whiz, this game is so good. Novel diction, novel protagonist, novel problems. This is a fun, original game with good prose. Cheap on Steam and totally worth it.
- Photopia (Adam Cadre, 1998): I thought about Photopia a lot when trying to place my own game (Repeat the Ending) in IF history.
- Computerfriend (Kit Riemer, 2022): I liked this sly, dangerous game.
- Make It Good (Jon Ingold, 2009): A mix of Jim Thompson and Deadline. What’s not to like?
- SPY INTRIGUE (furkle, 2015): Just go in cold.
- Aisle (Sam Barlow, 1999): I’ve had Aisle on my mind because of the single choice jam.
- Rameses (Stephen Bond, 2000): An interrogation of agency in life/games with strong writing. Which kind? Player? Character?
I think that’s twenty! That wasn’t as hard as I expected. Though I will name an honorable mention, Deadline Enchanter ( Anya Johanna DeNiro, 2007).