Civil Service by Helen L Liston
@Helen-L
Mystery, experimental, contemporary, dynamic fic • Half an hour • Choice-based • Twine
“Civil Service” refers to hired civilian government personnel. The title seems very straightforward, referring to the player’s occupation.
The tags are a lot more interesting. Despite the fairly mundane title, the game is advertised as a “mystery”, meaning something happens in this admittedly monotonous job that requires your personal attention. The next three tags (although technically they are part of the same tag) suggest that the game has unique features, although what those features are remains to be seen. Most games in the IFComp are fictitious, and calling a game “fiction” seems somewhat redundant. The “fic” part of the tag thus seems more reminiscent of fanfiction, though I don’t know what this implies. “Contemporary” suggests a more modern-day environment, so this won’t be a 1960s period piece or something. “Dynamic” is confusing. Is it dynamic because it’s a choice-based game where your decisions change the plot? Is it dynamic because it is action-packed? Is it dynamic because the tone shifts throughout?
TLDR: simple government job has a dynamic and mysterious twist