Congee by Becci
Congee is the story of a young Hong Kong émigré in the UK who has come down with a fever, is feeling homesick, and craves nothing so much as a bowl of congee – apparently the ultimate Hong Kong comfort food. So it’s a story about congee; but the story itself is also, metaphorically, congee. It’s comfort food. It doesn’t challenge or surprise, but it warms you from the inside. (I would say that it’s sweet, except that I gather that congee isn’t sweet, so that would spoil the metaphor.)
What I especially like about the piece is its creative use of the medium, not so much when it comes to choices (this is mostly a click-to-continue game), but when it comes to presentation. The incidental graphics are really effective. The interface for showing text messages looks good. (I didn’t even mind the timed text much in this particular game.) And I loved the little visual effect at the end of your conversation with your mum, when you see a blurred line “I wish you were here, mum”, the blurring brilliantly suggesting tears that well up.