If we were talking about train simulation games, Train Simulator (Dovetail Games, 2009), Railroad Tycoon (MPS Labs, 1990) or Transport Tycoon (Chris Sawyer, 1994) would come into our heads. Games that are complex and full of interesting features, however Mini Metro discards the massive 3D environments, physics simulations and complicated economic systems to keep the essence only: there are some stations and we have to connect them the best way we can. And it’s addictive and gratifying. In today’s episode I’ll try to explain all the goodness we get from the game, we’ll learn its story and we’ll chat with one of its developers. Ready? Welcome to indie-o-rama! [Enthusiastic music is played and fades to black]

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Hello Games’ No Man’s Sky is giving people a lot to talk about since its first public appearance in 2013. During a few years of development, the games’ scope has been discussed a lot: What can or can’t we do in No Man’s Sky is the big question. Some players fear that the game won’t be up to their expectations, and consequently those behind it are worried that this will affect the sales, so the latest trailers and promotional videos do their best to let people know absolutely everything the game brings. And although probably both PR managers and enthusiastic players are satisfied, to me this just stings.

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Inkle has just released Sorcery! 3 for PC and Mac, and just less than two months ago they released Sorcery! 1 and 2 as a single release at Steam too. This last is a really good opportunity for a great introduction to the series next to the amazing Karhé: City of Traps. And the third part The Seven Serpents is my favourite Sorcery! to date. With the ongoing development of Sorcery! 4, a completely new and own franchise in the works at the same time, and this releases of their games for PC, I could not let pass catching up with Jon and ask how it’s going.

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The thing is that you won’t see many reviews from my pen and hand in this website. Even though we are going to classify it like that, I’m not going to review anything. I’m not going to break down any game, list mistakes, or account for a supposedly objective opinion of what’s right or wrong. It might be because I would feel a bit uncomfortable if I published something in that direction, being a developer myself. Anyway, Xeodrifter – and its story I’ll try to summarize here – brings very pleasant feelings. It is short and sweet, and it sees itself completed by a small bitter touch. Like a piece of dark chocolate.

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With the launch of Sunless Sea, Failbetter Games experienced a qualitative and quantitative jump for a company traditionally dedicated to publishing Interactive Fiction. It was a concious risk, but an important leap to make. The company needed wings, or better said, sails, to reach further shores, further markets. And hopefully a financial stability too. To commemorate the launch of such an important game we talk with Alexis Kennedy CEO and co-founder of the company (the guy pictured on the right in the photo, next to the other founder, Paul Arendt), and Hannah Flynn, marketing and PR girl in general. Both have been really kind answering this questions in the maelstrom of the first month after release.

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Choice of Games is an independent company dedicated to create Interactive Fiction (IF) works, text games, in the XXI century. Its works are is characterized by a semi-linear structure which affect past actions in the future. They call it «delayed branch». Apart of structure, they interested in produce stories inclusive and egalitarian in terms of gender and sexual orientation, a philosophy that actively promote their games. We talk at length about this and more, like their success to incorporate professional writers in their line, and at the same time, get a productive community around your system IF creation based on choices: ChoiceScript. To get to know the company we spoke with Rebecca Slitt, historian and editorial director at Choice of Games.

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Under the friendly face of Steve Jackson, an unmistakably English gentleman usually seen in photos with a smile from ear to ear, there is a man that has given countless children (and not so children anymore) of the eighties a new dimension in reading: the wonderful gamebooks edited through the stamp Fighting Fantasy (among which one of the most famous is the Sorcery! saga). The same Sorcery! that Inkle has turned into an excellent series of games for tablets and mobile, thus showing the effectiveness of interactive fiction and a confluence between analog and digital that Jackson has known throughout his career. Fighting Fantasy is not the only achievement to his credit: this creator and editor must also be thanked for creating Games Workshop itself, the company that gave the world such a vast and entertaining universe as Warhammer. We could go on listing his achievements, but it is better to describe him through his own words.

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For an old adventurer like me it is a surprise and a pleasure to see how independent companies are growing and maturing selling Interactive Fiction (IF) as electronic gamebooks, with greater depth than ever before. One of these companies is Inkle. Founded by John Ingold and Joseph Humfrey, they legitimated the iPad as a platform for interactive reading with their free adaptation the classic Frankenstein (Mary Shelley, 1818). It was published as an extremely elegant app in 2012, written by Dave Morris. Jon is a veteran of the IF scene, a prominent author who made his own company, gaining success and recognition in the process. I am glad to have Jon here with us, talking about the past, the present through his projects Sorcery! and 80 Days, and, of course, about IF.

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