Potentially offensive but engaging interactive fiction
This game has gained a certain level of notoriety in the interactive fiction world, thanks to its adult content and depiction of some controversial situations but which have been handled in a way which can be described as immature at best and irresponsible at worst. It's a far cry from the likes of Zork or The Mist, without a hint of sci-fi or fantasy to be found. Instead, the game finds players in the shoes of an 18 year old girl stuck in the middle of the American desert after her car breaks down. Your task is to find your way home but this can be achieved in a number of ways, most of which entail making use of various NPCs in graphic scenes describing intimate encounters of a kind rarely seen in videogaming. The game is also notable for its non-linearity and high levels of detail which add to its appeal, with several puzzles that require a lot of attention to solve, and with several possible routes home available and which increase the game's replay value. There are problems with the game, not least the graphic depictions, but puzzles flip between being extremely obvious and just plain random which does get frustrating while it is also fairly easy to die at several points. On the plus side, the game does score points for being unusual, with a likeable protagonist and some largely well-written scenes and descriptions. It's perhaps not the game its reputation might like you to believe it is, having won several awards) but it remains a compelling, if potentially offensive, game which is still worthy of investigation.
