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I lied in the earlier post, which I seem to be doing more and more often. I’m not doing a Games of 2008 list until I whittle down my queue. It doesn’t feel right.
Have you seen Gamasutra’s Top 5 Indie Games post? I think by “indie” they mean “done gratis”, since the more popular 2008 indie games got plenty of love on some of their other lists. I was surprised that I had actually heard of all five and played four of them. Check it out as everything on that list that I can vouch for was excellent and free.
I downloaded Everybody Dies but haven’t found the heart to boot it up. Every time I play a text adventure I enjoy it, but it usually goes something like this:
You see something odd on top of the bookshelf. > x bookshelf You see a dusty, old bookshelf with something on top. > x thing I don't understand 'thing'. > look top of bookshelf I don't understand 'top' > jump I don't think that will help. > climb bookshelf I don't think that will help. > yes it will I don't understand. > you suck That's inappropriate. > you are right, I am sorry You can't take it back. I am offended. > no, I really didn't mean it. i just get frustrated sometimes. you know how work has been. I'm sorry. I'm going to need some time. > wait Time passes. > take thing on top of bookshelf I don't understand 'thing'. > quit
You’re playing the wrong text adventures. Yes, there is a specialized syntax that you have to use, but the best pieces of interactive fiction will minimize the “guess the verb” and “guess the noun” issues.
That being said, I haven’t played “Everybody Dies” yet, so I can’t guarantee that it’s one of those best. Everyone else seems to like it, though.