The premise of this collection is how to tell interesting stories in interesting ways, especially how to present swathes of texts in a new and engaging manner.
Extra points for adaptations or retellings of extant texts in a way that only the chosen medium can where also the method of telling necessitates a new reading of that source story (see eurydice exhumed by sweetfish and Young Homer: A Storyteller's Odyssey by The Voice of Nick).
A few games that also belong in this list but that I don't own on itch:
poems in tunnels
I mean it's literally programmatic but it feels new so let's goooo
memories in objects and ephemera in a space; stories told about the past and therefore the game set in the future; speculative fiction radical reminiscing; free Palestine now and forever
Another multi-window story where you have to juggle a triptych of the body, the chat, and the game, with a few extras. Short, bittersweet, and surreal, plus purposefully difficult to parse.
The texture, you might be surprised to note, is pretty fuzzy.
A difficult read, only a few options to select for (I assume) slight variations, but still a fun and interesting time. Really dips you into its own mood and style, its own lexicon and visual world. X-gnats and subtle glitter effects. Not very erotic at all.
Really fun and inventive multi-window interactive poem. Words appear in the windows that are opened and in the title bar. Pay attention to the instructions for turning off pop-up prevention!
Set time on the clock for the length of the game with the player setting their own reading pace by clicking through dialogue...inspired.
We are talking around it; we are never looking directly at it; we are only revealing the scientist; we only need to reveal the scientist.
The premise of this collection is how to tell interesting stories in interesting ways, and this is basically just a twine game, but the content of of the story (curses, cicadas, diseases, and the inevitable passage of time vs. the unavoidable stasis of petrifacation) really elevate it. Oh and the art, the art is so good.
Branching paths conversation. With a parent.
What can I say. The pink print. Love to read a story and love to have any visual accompaniment present as an active and necessary co-storyteller. Love to make decisions to explore different details, concepts, and spaces in a story. Just enjoying a few fun premises expanding out before me and driving alongside them.
The dithery pixel art and the blocky font, the transportive details that flesh out the peculiar setting, the privacy of the premise and descriptions all told in confidence, the intimacy and comradery I-as-player felt toward the narrator as the game went on, the deep satisfaction when given the choice to join that one fellow friend at the end of the night--simple, effective, specific, contained.
Classic text adventure aesthetics taken to a richer, more interactive, and more rewarding level. Fantasy TTRPG decision-making immerses the reader/player beyond anything a choose-your-own-adventure novel could do while retaining the (enjoyable) tedium and intimacy of that branching-path experience. Each screen is split between illustration and text, and the monochrome pixel art of maps and environments pairs well with the equally atmospheric writing. Decisions clearly have consequences; I quickly found myself becoming deeply invested in doing well, choosing right, and finding the story that suits my priorities. I cannot wait for the rest of this game.
Thin lines of text paired with interactive spaces that dominate the screen. The apartment space is small and grows barer as objects inside are exchanged for the memories and meanings they represent. The player prompts each bit of text by interacting with different aspects of the apartment until it is cleaned out and erased. No branching paths; a succinct but effective tour.
Well-written prose paired with animated illustration. Occasional branching-path choices for the player to make.
