Grue (review)

"Grue" is a parser game, written in Z-code by Charles Mangin for the 2017 Interacive Fiction competition. More after the break




With a name like "Grue", of course this is a parser game. An homage to the old Infocom series which introduced the grue. For those not so familiar with the series, a grue is a monster that lurks in dark places waiting to eat hapless adventureres. The twist in this game is that you are the grue. Not an unfamiliar twist either. In previous games I've put myself in a Troll's Eye View (by Dylan O'Donnell) to experience the perspective of the Troll from Zork 1. I've also played Grue multiple times, though perhaps always before only in costume.

Lots of people aren't going to understand this short single point game, or enjoy it even if they do. Let me pardon myself by saying I wanted so much to like this thing. I peeked at it the first night of the competition. Then opened it multiple times again, just trying to earn that last lousy point. Well, the only point, really. And eventually I did. Was it worth it? If you're the rare type of player who wants to play this at all, you should play and decide for yourself.