Tiny-Sized Reviews (all 145+ entries)! Another Neo-Twiny Jam Edition

Playing IF Reviews and Essays
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41

Keep Center, by illuminesce

Keep Center is a lovely illustrated Twine game about glassblowing, and the trials and errors when creating pieces. It’s a pretty neat game where you can create one out of four different design (that is if you don’t mess up and break it before the end, because glasswork is very fragile), with each step illustrated with a hand-drawn two-frame animation. You get to learn about the different steps to make glasswork, and be reminded that when you fail, you can always try again. It’s all about keeping center.
I really liked the little puzzle and trying to make the different pieces, but the message of the game is what resonated with me the most.

2 Likes
42

Seeing Stars, by 404ErrorGameStudios

Seeing Stars is a short slice-of-life piece where you play as a teenager/young-adult named Alex, who has had a long-time crush on their friend Cyrus, yet never been able to ask them out. An opportunity present itself when a meteor shower is announced. Will Alex finally make their move?
There are two possible endings, reachable through the final choice. It was cute.

3 Likes
43

saltwater, by kit H.J.

saltwater is a short atmospheric piece, where you are on a nighttime walk on the beach, with an enigmatic woman. Temptress and tantalising, she pulls you into the water, barely concealing her dangerous nature to you as you fall for her charms. You can succumb fully to her, accept your desires and yourself, or fight it, and come out somewhat (but not really) unscathed.

The prose is enigmatic and fantastical, creating a haunting and mystical experience.

3 Likes
44

final one of the batch

let the lights bleed, by Naarel

let the lights bleed is a haunting kinetic piece about uncomfortable sexual experiences with a disrespectful partner (to say the least) and being essentially seen as an object rather than who they are (or even accepted by their partner). Forced to focus on the red light bleeding over their (already uncomfortable) body, the narrator disassociates, reflecting on their conflicting emotions and the hurtful act they endure. Between the harsh background and the unnerving sounds coupled with the text on screen, it makes for a devastating memorable piece.

4 Likes
45

whoops I skipped one by mistake

Six of Swords, by Requiem

Six of Swords is a short piece made in Ink, where after (what I assumed was) you death, the ferryman asks you to choose one of eight randomly appearing item to continue on your journey, something that you might have cherished, wished for, or regretted in life… It is fitting to its Tarot Card, carrying your past baggage into the future. With the interface and background sound, it gives off a melancholic vibe.

2 Likes
46

NYX, by 30x30

NYX is a short sci-fi horror Twine piece, where Astronaut Christina Kennedy sends her final transmission aboard NYX-V, following first alien contact gone… not so much according to plan. Through the distressing transmission, you learn of the terminal fate of the rest of the crew, the fate of humanity in the shaky hands of this last survivor. It is crushing, seeing lively crews with hopes and dreams, the little left of their past humanity turned into a single bloody mention, seeing the last survivor struggle with the course of action when all seems lost and hopeless. Now the entity is banging at her door.

There is a choice, of course, for Kennedy to do with her last moment, and how to handle the entity. Between leaving a thread of hope or sending humanity into a destructive course, each option is just… ugh, impeccable.

I really really liked the opening of the entry. It reminded me of those sci-fi novels where large ship would travel the heavens to settle colonies on other planets, always mentioning the engineers and the pilots and so on, with the more “culturally” focused characters being look down upon. The fixation that art and humanity have little to do with exploration and advancement… until something goes horribly wrong.

Anyways, it’s great. Short horror sci-fi story hitting all the marks.

5 Likes
47

THE CRIMSON LINE, by SkyShard

THE CRIMSON LINE is a shot kinetic entry made in Calico, where following an unexplained erupting conflict, you flee your town aboard a train with a woman. Years later, you return to town, somewhat looking for answer, somewhat avoiding them altogether. Throughout it all, your sanity, memories and senses are put into question (are you truly seeing what is in front of you? did you remember things as they were?).

Thought I struggled at first to find where to click to get the next part of the text (it’s three little white dots on the left, just below the last paragraph), the piece was really atmospheric, with the vivid and almost surreal descriptions, the background illustrations and sound (made by the author!). The start is almost apocalyptic and clashes with the more tame quaint and quiet end.

3 Likes
48

Ontological Mystery; or, lack thereof, by vermis

Ontological Mystery; or, lack thereof is a slick point-n-click mystery piece made in Decker, where you find yourself locked in a room with a dead almost-carbon-copy of yourself and a blade in your hand. What will you do next?

You can explore the locked room for a while, your own self and the body lying on the floor, before a timer finally opens the door and you are left with a final choice, each revealing a little piece of the mystery. Because of the timer, you need a few replays to see all there is in the game and to piece out all there is (though much is still left unresolved). And the illustrations were neat, being all black-and-white-except-for-that-little-detail. A really cool piece.

2 Likes
49

TENT GAME, by ellis dex

TENT GAME is a short puzzle game in Ink about… pitching a tent. Simple right? Except you don’t remember which part goes where and when, some pieces also seems mismatched, and you don’t have instructions. So starts your struggle to complete your task. Which can be a bit frustrating (unless you pitch tents often enough that you know the correct order from the get go…). Still, between putting poles together, putting down the tarp, and planting the pegs, you are can also take a little tea break do defuse your frustration.

Funnily enough, the game is tagged as Psychological horror on itch.

2 Likes
50

A recipe for a different kind of love, by Hazelnut

A recipe for a different kind of love is a short explorative story in Twine about a woman trying to find peace after a recent breakup. Accepting what happened and moving on can be hard, but retrospection can offer a way through the pain, helping us loving ourselves again.

2 Likes
51

It’s a week later and a bunch more entries dropped (30!!! I am so late at this). Let’s get to playing!

Lazy Day, by Kessie-Louise

(using the AdventureTome format for Twine!)

Lazy Day is a short CYOA entry where you must decide what to do for a Saturday morning. Having no plans and many hours ahead, there are a handful of options, from chilling all day, to downright sleeping, have some food or maybe even be productive (on a Saturday?! shocking!). It’s a very chill and cute adventure. A nice way to start your Saturday :wink:

Let’s pretend it’s Saturday today, k?

2 Likes
52

Suspended in the air so that all of your weight is concentrated on a single point halfway down your spine, by Charm Cochran

(another really long title!!)

Suspended […] is the second instalment of the RGB cycle, where we play as a very flawed man, finding himself wounded and locked in some sort of basement. Above (and around), we can hear the voices of our wife and her mother (a returning character) looking for you (or better yet, “looking” for the latter). With your limited mobility and incredible pain, you still attempt to escape this dark situation. Surely… not in vain?

As the first instalment, the title is unsurprisingly quite telling about the setting, but nonetheless chilling. Though, unlike the former, the game plays with futility in actions. You can do much, but your influence over the story is well… what much can you do suspended. Still, you don’t seem to despair, trying anything you can, fighting for yourself.

It is an interesting look at man’s drive to push forward even when nothing good will surely come out of it. The unwillingness to give up. And with your MIL’s parting words, it made me wonder what it does day about the PC…

I can’t wait to see who/what we’re getting next!

3 Likes
53

A Description of the Newest Sculpture in the Gallery, by catsket

A Description of the Newest Sculpture in the Gallery is a kinetic entry made in Decker looking at a new sculpture in a very cold and clinical way, focusing on details and their gruesome implications. The artist is only mentioned in passing, but seems to be holding your head, forcing you to look at his creation(s) and understand the control over their Muses’ body. You only need to look at the dates.

It is gruesome and bleak, but beautiful in its disturbing nature. All the retro/dithering effects from Decker adds a lot to this uncomfortable experience.

I think the man in his 30s piece is like Jesus on a cross?

3 Likes
54

Jellyfish, by Aaron R

Jellyfish is a short poetic kinetic entry, where you take a glimpse into another reality, after (what I assumed was) taking some drugs. In this psychedelic short piece, real and imagined merge and separate, memories and dreams dance, all as your brain process the next hit. It is very surreal and confusing (as trips often do), and melancholic.

2 Likes
55

STRUDEL, by V.

STRUDEL is a short mystery action piece in Twine, where you play as Riley, a cop (on dismissed leave?) who seems to see conspiracies everywhere, especially Pie-related conspiracies. Taking advantage of a few free days, you aim to try as many sweet delicacies sold in town. It is without wonder that you, a hot-head of a cop with a sus background, somehow ends up entangled into some shenanigans.
Though the premise is silly and had an interesting hook, the end felt a bit rushed (likely ran out of words).

2 Likes
56

a night at the inn, by KA Tan

a night at the inn is a short binksi piece set at the Cherry Marmalade Inn located in an unnamed fantasy land. After much travels tiring you, you decide to stop at the inn for a filling meal and a good night of sleep. Except… this inn is quite special. It will make whatever you desire right now, even if you don’t know what you want.

This is probably one of the cosiest little IF I’ve played in a while, filling me with joy and warmth (and making my empty stomach really hungry). I think it did those authors (the one who make found sound so delicious in their writing) real credits here. And it also reminded me of Isekai Izakaya in the setting. Really cute.

I FORGOT THE MOST IMPORTANT BIT: you can pet the cat!

3 Likes
57

leave the lights on, by Naarel

leave the lights on is the sequel of let the lights bleed, a sort of continuation from the previous entry, where your abusive partner left you, and you find yourself completely alone, questioning yourself and your actions. Feeling cold (because you are alone), you leave the lights on to keep yourself company, or trick yourself into thinking he will come back. Though your situation has improved (in some fashion), you still struggle with the conflicting feelings and consequences of the abuse (like gaslighting was like… strong there). It portrays sensibly and raw some of the complex aspects of being a survivor of abuse.

4 Likes
58

Hearth, by Moon Spice

A first IF from this author!

Hearth is a short conversation in Twine between you and a luxuriously dressed woman named Eloise, waiting for you before a fireplace, needing informations from you, which she will get one way or another. The game branches twice, leading to four different endings, each of them more disturbing that the last.
Yet, with the little word count, it is so gripping I felt the need to find at least one ending that would not end so badly for me. Needless to say, violence is invited in all paths, unchanging and still distinct from the other paths.

In this small format, there is only so much you can learn from or about Eloise, and the more you dive into the story, the more mysterious she becomes. Almost inhuman. God-like. Demonic maybe. Her cold behaviour contrasting with that is supposed to be a warm environment.

Very intriguing, I would love to read more of this!

2 Likes
59

Big Brother,, by snowthornes

Big Brother, is an epistolary kinetic entry, where the narrator pens one last letter to an imaginary big brother, the one you never had, before saying goodbye. Whether created out of a need for support or loneliness, they now feel old enough, maybe strong enough, to let go of that childish creation. The one that gave them courage when they had none, comforted them when they felt low, celebrated them. The big brother they never truly had, but felt in their heart.

It is pretty emotionally charged, feeling like you’ve grown up enough to let things go, but still being anxious to do so, questioning whether you need to do so, removing that crutch you held on for so long. The yearning for good when all around is pain. And behind the metaphors and the “fancy” writing, vulnerability and maybe a bit of fear.

Soft prose under rugged feelings.

3 Likes
60

Losing Track, by obrouwer

Losing Track is a short interactive game in Dendry where you realise you stepped out the train at the wrong station and must find your way home, by choosing the lighter or darker path before you. Fate watching over your shoulder, your choices will bring you closer or father from your goal, leading you to your home… or somewhere else.

The game does an interesting thing with the game play, as you need to counteract Fate, who is trying to predict your next move. Essentially you need to move between light and dark without making a pattern. Like trying to figure out the result of the coin toss. It’s silly fun, that works best in a small game (or a section of a larger one).

It reminded me of Dune where you need to walk without a pattern so you don’t attract the worm

3 Likes