09 July, 2025
Text-based video games are something that I really tend to enjoy. You could argue that visual novels are a kind of text-based game with pictures, and I do like those as well! However, sometimes I just want to sit down in front of the computer and...read. I don't need any pictures or graphics to explain to me what's going on, as my brain is one hell of a GPU. A lot of people may find this kind of game boring or "retro", but actually there are still quite a few text-based games still coming out, and everything on this list was released within the last few years. While Interactive Fiction (IF) games certainly count as text-based, for this batch I'm mostly talking about parser games, which means games where you type in words in order to progress the story and sometimes solve puzzles. Think of them like a MUD without the other players!
Penny Black: This game is pretty cute, actually. You've just talked the local cute goth girl into finally going out on a date and now it's up to you not to screw things up. Honestly, Penny is very nice, but you're going to have to pull off some interesting stunts in order to impress her enough for her to not say "let's just be friends" by the end of the game. It's a very British game in dialogue and personality, and if that's your cup of tea then you're all set. It's not super long either as you can get through a playthrough in 40 minutes or so, although if you're taking your time and trying for the highest score possible it'll take you longer. Also, it's free!
The Pilgrimage: I really like the humor and setting for this game. Taking place in a far-off future(?) setting out on the edge of an unknown solar system, The Pilgrimage really puts us in a place where there's a lot of leeway for what's possible. It's a bit of a jokey game (the first puzzle involves you fighting a vat full of semi-sentient meat with a spatula), but it seems really well put together from what I've played of it so far. Even though it's set in the future, the initial town definitely has a very medieval/renaissance type of vibe to it. The parser is really complete, letting you look at, use, and talk to just about everything you can lay your hands on, and the writing is entertaining without being too full of itself. This is a longer game, I didn't finish it on my first playthrough, and I feel like there's a fair amount still to go. This is free, too!
Mainland: Love that parser! This game has a traditional setting of an exploration/mystery game taking place during the 1800's (as far as I know from what I've played of it so far), but the really cool part about it is the text entry system itself! It's got a great autocomplete/suggestion feature, where if you start typing "look" for example it will automatically list out all of the things that you can look at in the area you're in. Some people I've seen in the reviews think that this is annoying as it removes some of the mystery of poking at things and seeing what works and what doesn't, but I personally find it very useful. This is one of the rare parser games that's in multiple languages too, so if you speak Russian this might be a fun one to try. Also free! I'm seeing a theme here...
Text Adventure: While I'm focusing on text-based games right now, this game isn't entirely text-based as it features some neat art to illustrate each room, but it's definitely a parser game as all of the navigation and dialogue is revealed through typing into a text box and then reading the results. It's sort of an experimental art and music experience too, but if you've played some of the other games on this list then the overall style is going to be familiar to you. It's definitely unique and worth checking out, and at a price of $1.99 or $0.59 on sale, I mean, it's not free but it's pretty close.
Thaumistry - In Charm's Way: What a cool game! And what a crazy trailer for this game too. They've got Al Lowe, Tim Schafer, and Steve Meretzky...in the trailer, not all involved with the game, haha. But if you read those names and you imagine a certain type of humor, then you're pretty close to what to expect with Thaumistry. It's a modern-day fantasy style game, and casting spells is an essential part of solving a lot of the puzzles. Think LOOM but in a modern setting and you're an inventor rather than a weird little cloak guy and there's no graphics and also you don't have to play music to cast spells... Ok, maybe I just wanted you to think about LOOM. This one is definitely worth playing for the humor and the footnotes (yes, footnotes, with external links and everything)! It's the most expensive game on this list at a staggering $3.99 at full price. I hope your wallet can survive the shock somehow.
Well, those are a few of the text-based games that I've been playing lately. The Steam Summer Sale got me out there looking at games and then I played three free-to-play games, one game that was on sale, and one that wasn't. The point is...text-based games are fun! Especially if you're a person who likes to read, then type, then read some more.