Comments: 15 Comments (Go to Comments)
Categories: Commentary
Tags: blog banter, fallout, interactive fiction, missing, portal, zork
What games would you suggest someone play if they wanted to get to know you better?
Since I’m tired of writing and re-writing a preamble to this list, I figured I’d just jump right into it. Be warned, spoilers abound.
Fallout
Fallout is set in post-apocalyptic America. During a third World War, humanity retreated to massive underground Vaults. There they lived in controlled environments waiting for radiation to die down and for humanity’s reemergence. Or that’s how it should have gone.
You play the role of a citizen of Vault 13 who is tasked with venturing out into the wasteland to find a replacement waterchip. Without it, your people are doomed. This launches an epic thirty-plus hour RPG, which is pretty much perfect in my book.
At the game’s end, after you’ve saved humanity and performed countless other actions, you return to your Vault. There you are met by the Vault’s elder. You’ve saved them (there are a few possible ways to do so) and are returning home — but can’t. The elder explains that your journey has changed you. You can’t go back to the controlled environment of the Vault. You would be a bad influence on the other people there. And he’s right (and wrong), you can’t return to the status quo. You wouldn’t want to.
Zork
or Wishbringer, or The Witness, or Anchorhead…
As a writer I will always have an affinity for interactive fiction. There’s something about controlling a character, interacting with an environment, exploring and solving puzzles with words that appeals to me. I don’t think I ever completed a Zork game, because I usually spent my time wandering around.
It’s interesting that today’s companies keep saying that story is the next frontier (beyond pixel-shaders and physics engines). Don’t they realize that good stories have been available all along?
Portal
I think enough has been written about this game already, but Portal gets my sense of humor.
Missing: Since January
Missing is basically a Da Vinci Code game made for librarians.
Here’s the set-up: The circumstances surrounding the abduction of Jack Lorski and Karen Gijman are still unclear. What is known is that Jack and Karen were investigating 1970s era 8mm film footage connected to the murder of Karen’s father and its apparent connection to a recent string of homicides throughout Europe. The kidnapper (or kidnappers) has sent an encoded CD-ROM and a forty second video showing Karen being pursued down a darkened corridor. Clearly, the clues needed to find Jack and Karen are on that CD-ROM, but so far it has defied the experts. That CD-ROM is being made available to the public; it is hoped that someone out there can help.
There are two basic puzzle types: ones solved solely using the CD-ROM and ones solved using the Internet with the CD-ROM. Ones using the CD-ROM can either be dexterity tests: like guiding a razor blade through a palpitating bladder, logical tests: like unscrambling words, or audiovisual tests: like putting sections of a film in the correct order.
Ones using the Internet can be quite devious. For instance, one puzzle has you “develop” pictures taken on a Greek Island. After that you have to identify the island—I searched for “Greek Island” and described the landmarks I saw. Then I had to type the name of the island into a field on the CD-ROM—the ancient Greek name. And that was an easy one.
In addition to the regular old info out there on the Internet, over 400 web sites were created for this game. A missing girl in England has a blog, a mention on her school’s site, and an inactive forum where people discussed her disappearance. There’s an innocuous yachting site that ties in with this insidious affair, a blog run by an Italian journalist, detailed info on Hermes Trismigestus, and a world more. In fact, I found sites that could either have been created for the game or could be real information—hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if I triggered Echalon or nudged Cthulhu a few times.
This game encapsulates everything I love about being a librarian.
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Silvercube:
*runs into a portal* mmm, cake! ^_^
That’s the only game I have heard of on this list.
Are these mostly PC games?
Interesting article : )
Terry:
I hadn’t thought about it, but yes these are mostly PC games. Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel came out for the Xbox and PS2, but it had nothing in common with the original game. Fallout 3 should be out later this year and it looks like a modern update of classic Fallout goodness.
bs angel:
I was enjoying reading your article, then got entirely wrapped up reading about Missing: Since January. I am not a PC gamer (my poor computer couldn’t handle it, although I wonder now if my laptop can, hhhmmm …) so I am not familiar with this game one bit. It sounds absolutely amazing though. A game like that could entirely draw me in. It sounds positively fascinating. I may have to look into it.
terry:
Here’s the starting page for Missing: SKL Network. The game is still available on Amazon (it’s cheap: $14.99) and it’s older so I think it would work on most systems.
deckard47:
You are right on about the ending of Fallout. When they send you out into the wastes, it’s sad and perfectly understandable. I love how that turns out in Fallout 2.
bs angel:
Thanks for the info. I am going to set aside some time one afternoon this week to check that out. At $15, there really is no reason not to!
Terry:
@deckard47
Yeah. FO2 has a few good payoffs. Tandi, for instance.
BSB belpers:
Zork rocks! Holy shit! We should print Zork rocks! tee’s!
Great job!
Zath:
I’ve still not played Portal yet myself, am saving it for after I’ve finished Episode 2, which I’ve barely touched so far too! – What does that tell you about me?
BSB boffman:
Fallout sounds cool. I’m gonna have to check it out.
Thanks!
Terry:
@BSB belpers — I bet there is an audience for that!
Terry:
@Zath
I hope you’ve insulated yourself from all the Portal spoilers out there.
Silvercube:
The only “real” pc game I ever purchased was SimCity 4. I have a laptop, and its not exactly the best for gaming.
Maybe its best… otherwise I would be playing these games you mentioned all the time!
Weefz:
omg, Fallout! Yes, that could totally have been my second choice for this blog banter. I played Fallout surprisingly late into my gaming – only in about 2002… I love the sense of humour and the freedom to react however you want. Can’t wait for Bethesda’s version.
I never completed a Zork game either but I still have a healthy fear of walking into pitch-black rooms…
lynni:
Zork! You know how hard it is to find a mention of that glorious game anywhere? But ohhh, yes, Zork is pretty well the greatest game ever written. Well, ADVENT was the greatest because of its significance, but Zork is funnier. More funny. Whichever.