IFReviewed by
Andrew Plotkin on 2006-06-25 08:09
A short SF story. The puzzles are a fairly standard mechanical brand; make the machine work by putting part A in slot B. The game puts in its effort on the plot -- you, a xenohistorian, stranded while exploring an archaeological site -- and the character you meet.
The plot is presented extremely well; you discover things along with the protagonist. I'm not sure the story quite measures up. It's not bad, mind you; the writing is fine, the pacing is good, the scenes are vivid and they have a point. I'm just not completely moved by the story itself. The ending didn't quite seem to go anywhere interesting.
Maybe I'm expecting too much. It's more a mood piece than a story, and so it doesn't need to go anywhere. Well, that's not right either, because it does (although the story ends open-endedly, it does end.)
Heck, I don't know.