In Which I Muse On IFComp 2010

It's voting time in this year's contest, and
There still are games I haven't played, but that
Won't stop me rating what I did. Some bland,
Some very near unplayable (Oh, drat!),
And some that started strong but finished poor -
These I shall not call out here, but of those
I've played and liked, I'd say there's three or four
Which stand out. Some have had scenarios
Beyond inventive; others made me laugh;
Still others challenged, in the best of ways,
My faculties. While there's a bit more chaff
Than I'd expected (I'm new to this craze),
That makes the good ones shine.
Now one more game with Paul, then vote by nine!

Gris et Jaune: In Which Grey And Yellow, Kill A Fellow -- Or Do They?

A walkthrough --or a shamble-through -- should not

Be vital to enjoyment of a game.

That is the case, alas, though, if you're caught

By all the flavor in this one, by name

Of Gris et Jaune. A zombie's point of view

Is decently explored until one leaves

The house in which the game starts. Once that's through,

The player's free and aimless. This achieves,

Perhaps, more mystery and atmosphere,

But secret goals are just annoying. While

It can be cool when who to trust ain't clear,

It isn't this time. I do like the style

And setting, but I yawned, having to guess

If what I'm doing might lead to success.

In Which I Close My Eyes Over The Blind House

I haven't finished yet, but I do find

That I'm already certain how I feel

About this game the writer calls The Blind

House: I'm annoyed and bored, for real.

The back-story's mysterious and all

And drama 'twixt the characters may be

Intriguing, but the game play's what I'd call

Pedestrian - the dialogue's a tree;

A sleeping puzzle strikes; and then there's this:

Not only must examining be done

But thinking's not included in it. Wish

They went together. One thing, though, that's fun

Is how the paintings change. Later I'll try

To finish but now others catch my eye.

In Which I Attempt Something Rather Silly

The story genre is "a sonnet." The

Release number is 1. The headline is

"An Inform 7 sonnet". "So, you see

I seek to write a poem that, on his

(Or her) compiler truly can be played".

Include Custom Library Messages

By David Fisher. "Oh, but now is laid

A cunning trap, baited with sandwiches".

The Iambtrap is a room. "There inside

You see a rhyming dictionary and

A list of words that aren't iambic. Slide

It open, read, and do the best you can."

The dictionary is an object here.

"Dare you to take it, or do you feel fear?"