Blogs Free Games I Like: Aisle

I’ve been back on the interactive fiction games lately, mainly because it’s a great way to cleanse the gaming palette after a parade of samey shooters with identical names. The best text adventure games can easily trump a modern title and perfectly illustrates what games are capable of when they aren’t too busy chasing the latest graphics.

http://www.bit-tech.net/blog/2010/11/07/free-games-i-like-aisle/

 

ask woman about gnocchi
You pick up the gnocchi. "Excuse me.. I don't know if you could help, I had
this in a restaurant once"--in Rome--"do you know how to cook it?"

She pauses, "Well.." She takes the packet and points to the instructions on the
back "Look you just boil it for a few minutes" She pauses and your eyes catch
on each other.

A beautiful flower bursts somewhere between you, "I could cook it for you?" You
both move on to a new aisle and then home.

 

'attack brunette' or 'kiss brunette' are both worthwhile.

 

I found swearing at the Gnocchi was satisfying.

 

I miss Clare

 

>think about rome
Rome.

You pick up the Gnocchi and stare at the illustration of Piazza Venezia on its
packet. You remember; sun, heat, food, pasta, sauces, wine, love, ancient,
modern, Italians, Americans, love. And ultimately pain. A pain you had thought
you had forgotten. But like a cancer returning to wreak havoc again, the pain
resurfaces and tears through the thin barriers you had erected. Tears flow.
Memories; guilt. And finally acceptance. You live with it.

----------------------

Happy ending!

>call clare
You lean round the end of the aisle, "Clare?" Again, louder: "Clare?" She walks
into the aisle, "Yeah?" You take her hand and walk her along to the gnocchi,
"Look, gnocchi, like in Rome--I've never seen it in the shops before." She
picks up a packet and drops it in the trolley. "Get some for tea then?" she
offers, pecking you on the lips.

You have some for tea and it's like Rome, except: it's colder, you have work
tomorrow and you're even more in love than you were then.

 

>call security
"Help! Security!" A balding man in his forties, squeezed into a blue uniform
appears at the bottom of the aisle. "Can I help you sir?" You run to him. Pull
him close. Whisper in his ear: "You see that woman?" "Yes, sir" "She just raped
me." "I don't quite understand sir?" "She is stealing all your food!" "Calm
down sir, speak slowly" You raise your voice, "I will not be quiet! It's your
job--stop her!" The guard pauses. You make a dash for the woman, "If you won't
do your job, then I will--" He is too quick for you and hooks a foot around
your leg. You crash to the floor and black out, the guard's words dragged with
you into oblivion, "I think you ought to come with me, sir."

 

Smashing the jars is also amusing.

On the note of hokey adventure games, give Facade a try, and see how awkward you can make things

 

>shout
An awful image; a fragmented collage of a beautiful restaurant, outdoors, the
Pantheon and a dreadful blood soaked smile. No not a smile; a plea. You expel
the memory in one painful shout.

Shoppers walk by uneasily, eyes locked away from you as you walk out into the
night... you hope the night will be more kind.

 

>ask woman about clare
"Excuse me." The brunette turns, gives you a nod. You explain, briefly, the
story of you and Clare. Amazingly, she listens. When you finish you ask "Where
did I go wrong?"

She looks apologetic, "I'm sorry, I can't answer that. But it doesn't sound
like anyone was to blame. Sometimes people just grow apart..." "Thanks." You
walk away.

That's the answer you were looking for. If only you had told her the real
story.

-----

>ask woman about thursday
You sidle on over.

"You look tired." She glances over her shoulder, "Pardon?"

"Sorry--didn't mean to be rude. I just thought you were looking tired--had a
hard day?" She smiles, "I'd love to say no, but you're right--I've had a
stinker of a day", again she smiles, "and now I'm being chatted up by a loon in
the supermarket. When all I want to do is get home and put my feet up." You
give a mock look of upset, "I'm no loon!.. Put your feet up you say? Well, four
feet are better than two--"

She interrupts, "I'm going to have to stop you there, Mr. Supermarket smooth.
You're a nice guy--well I don't know, but you seem nice--so I don't want to
disappoint you. I'm not into men so much, you know?" You shrug, "...I could
watch?" She groans and rolls her eyes to the heavens. You turn, taking a coin
from your pocket and tossing it. For every tail there's a head. It's just a
matter of numbers, and yours will be up soon. Till then just keep on trying...

 

Facade is awesome. I like to go through the story pretending to be someone else, keep reminding them that I'm Batman and have to be out fighting crime, for example.

 

'Stalk woman' gets you a pretty long and interesting story. But beware if 'YOUR' a grammar nazi.

 

'undress' is by far the funniest, and oddly the happiest, ending.

 

Take off clothes is pretty funny.

Damn Ninjas

 

Try taking the brunette's trolley - that's pretty funny.

EDIT: Throw the gnocchi at the brunette, too.

EDIT: A list of all the actions in Aisle.

 

Everyone should try "throw pasta at brunette" classic!

 

recall accident, recall death, recall suicide, recall break up

 

Is there anything you can write that don't cause the "story" to end after the fist step?

 

This one made me laugh.

>eat gnocchi
You rip open the packet and take out a few Gnocchi, cramming them into your
mouth. The uncooked, floury balls clog in your throat and you swallow them
down, hard.

The brunette glances at you and moves on quickly.

You feel stupid, slip the opened bag back into the shelf and carry on. It's
never been as good as it was in Rome.

 

Nope. That's what I meant by it being a 'one move game'.