1: Summary
2: What is interactive fiction
3: How do I play
4: How do I download and
    run games
5: Choose platform
6: Download games
7: Download interpreters
Appendix A: Glossary
Appendix B: Links
Appendix C: Credits
Appendix D: Copyright
Appendix E: About
Appendix F: Guestbook

A Beginner's Guide to Playing Interactive Fiction

Step 6: Download games

Computer platform:EPOC / Psion

Important notes:

  • Don't just look at which rewards the games have won - All of the games below are good. Find a game whose description makes you want to play it instead.
  • All if games are eligible for Xyzzy Awards. not all games enter the rec.arts.int-fiction competition. Some of the games are so new that they haven't had a chance to receive any awards yet.
  • The games are listed in alphabetical order.
  • Many games have built-in hints.
  • Don't use hints or solutions unless you're so stuck that you'll either get help or stop playing the game entirely.
  • You can usually get hints or answers to specific questions on rec.games.int-fiction. See Links.


Choose a game:


Aayela
 You go on a quest to find a legendary stone. The stone lies in a dark cave, where your eyes won't be of any use to you. This makes for original gameplay. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (108KB)   Required
TADS2 interpreter  Required
Solution
 
 

Arrival, or Attack of the B-Movie Clichés
 4th place, rec.arts.int-fiction competition 1998

Aliens land in your backyard. Being 8 years old, you can't even convince your parents that the aliens are actually there. Uses graphics and sounds. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (852KB)   Required
TADS2 interpreter  Required
Solution
 
 

Babel
 2nd place, rec.arts.int-fiction competition 1997
Winner, Best Story, Xyzzy Awards 1997

You wake up with amnesia in an abandoned research station in the Arctic. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (454KB)   Required
TADS2 interpreter  Required
Hints
Solution
 
 

Common Ground
 You play the same scene three times, from three different characters' point of view. Few puzzles, but rich in character interaction. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (256KB)   Required
TADS2 interpreter  Required
 
 

Exhibition
 5th place, rec.arts.int-fiction competition 1999

You play four different characters walking around at an art exhibition. Rather unlike a game, but contains masterful writing. You can't really win or lose; you can just experience, and in a way shape, the story. Warning: A 4MB download, because game contains much sound data. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (4270KB)   Required
TADS2 interpreter  Required
 
 

Fallacy of Dawn
 Winner, Best Individual NPC, Xyzzy Awards 2001
Winner, Best Writing, Xyzzy Awards 2001

You play a strange, brain damaged character, making a living in a video arcade in a near-future dystopian city. Has graphics. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (5765KB)   Required
Hugo interpreter  Required
 
 

Firebird
 Based on Russian folk tales, sprinkled with lots of humour and good, yet not to difficult puzzles. Known to be both appealing and suitable for children, and no less so for adults. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (341KB)   Required
TADS2 interpreter  Required
Solution
 
 

Glowgrass
 3rd place, rec.arts.int-fiction competition 1997

A short science fiction story. You are on an expedition to recover artifacts of "the Ancients". Known to be both appealing and suitable for children, and no less so for adults. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (144KB)   Required
TADS2 interpreter  Required
 
 

Kaged
 1st place, rec.arts.int-fiction competition 2000

A dystopian sci-fi story with a rich atmosphere. Has good graphics. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (1003KB)   Required
TADS2 interpreter  Required
Hints
Solution
 
 

The Light: Shelby's Addendum
 A scary mystery set around an old lighthouse. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (193KB)   Required
TADS2 interpreter  Required
Solution
 
 

Once and Future
 Winner, Best NPCs, Xyzzy Awards 1998

You start out as a soldier in Vietnam, but you'll be out of there sooner than you had imagined. One of the biggest IF games ever written. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (465KB)   Required
TADS2 interpreter  Required
Solution
 
 

The One That Got Away
 3rd place, TADS, rec.arts.int-fiction competition 1995

A story about fishing. Your goal is to catch the Big One. Few and simple puzzles, and some good writing. Known to be both appealing and suitable for children, and no less so for adults. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (59KB)   Required
TADS2 interpreter  Required
Solution
 
 

Spur
 Great writing in a Western setting. You start off in a gunfight, not knowing why you are there. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (180KB)   Required
Hugo interpreter  Required
 
 

Uncle Zebulon's Will
 1st place, TADS, rec.arts.int-fiction competition 1995

A nice game with a bit of magic in it. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (85KB)   Required
TADS2 interpreter  Required
Solution
 
 

Unnkulian Underworld: The Unknown Unventure
 A spoof of the classical dungeon crawl adventures, like Zork. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (168KB)   Required
TADS2 interpreter  Required
Solution
 
 

Worlds Apart
 Winner, Best Story, Xyzzy Awards 1999

A very rich and detailed story, where you start by waking up on a strange beach with amnesia. Excellent writing and puzzles. 
 
Downloads:
 Game file (605KB)   Required
TADS2 interpreter  Required