#IF recommendations

[thedreadpirate-cupcake]

Oh my goddddddd i am really liking this IF, it's giving gothic romanticism/almost wuthering heights/haunting of bly manor (minus actual ghosts atm) vibes - i am so hooked

Welcome to Blackwood Manor

Most recent update: 14 November 2024

A choose-your-own-story kind of game where you can pick your own gender, sexuality, lover(s) and much more.

The Blackwoods are a wealthy noble family in Victorian England, and they seem to have fallen in a streak of dark, unexplainable events. You’re their new Housekeeper— how will you move in this complex scenario? And how will you interact with the four love interests, none other than the mysterious Blackwood Siblings?

It’s up to you!

Meet The Siblings:

Alice/Arlen 🍷 The Eldest

cold • gallant • commanding • unapproachable

A is the eldest child and heir of the Blackwood fortune. They seem to be extremely distant and aloof, although never impolite. The recent loss of their ex spouse certainly doesn’t seem to make them any more approachable. The Family’s reputation is what matters the most to them, and they will go to any lengths to maintain it intact.

Rose/Rowan 🍁 The Rebel

considerate • passionate • charming • cunning

R is what one might describe as a fox made human. Their silver tongue and quick wit make them exceptional at playing games of all kinds. Their tendency for partying and romantic affairs, however, don’t make them a subtle individual in the eyes of the English nobility.

Sabrina/Sebastian 🦋 The Artist

vain • creative • extravagant • sensitive

Renowned in England for their handcrafted and designed capes, they’re an admired yet shadowy figure when it comes to their fame, as their frail health doesn’t allow them to partake in social events. In reality, S shows to have a bit of a complicated and pompous personality, with an obsession with perfection, especially when it comes to themselves.

Helena/Hector ❄️ The Recluse

protective • unpredictable • dangerous • intense

A big mystery of the Blackwood Family. H was only ever seen by people outside the Manor when they were a child, and everybody would describe their looks as angelic. Now that they’re grown, for some reason they refuse to leave their side of the manor, preferring solitude even over the company of their own siblings. One thing is for sure, though: be careful when you do end up meeting them.

Get to know them, choose how to act towards them, and fall in love with one, two… or all of them. All the while, trying to find out what exactly happened to the previous Housekeeper.

—

If your curiosity has been piqued, you can play the first couple of chapters of my dark romance game here:

and here, where you can also save your game:

CoGDemos

[allieebobo]

Do you have any if recommendation?

Ooh! I have really, really bad memory(!!) but these are current faves that I have played/replayed recently that I can think of. A lot of the authors are also THE BEST HUMAN BEINGS EVER. So, double recommendation.

I probably missed a bunch out, so take this as a non-exhaustive list! In no particular order:

(Edit: Added some descriptions but yeah I got a little unhinged so I'm sorry nothing makes sense or if the quality of the write-up went down over time/did not actually give you any useful info)

WIPs with demos

Citadel, @bouncyballcitadel (I think of all the IFs on this list, this one makes me sweat the most. And I've said it once and I'll say it again: the dialogue is so snappy and well-written, and characters are SO DAMNED LOVEABLE.)

Infamous, @infamous-if (I've been manifesting Band/Musician IFs for the longest time, and then this popped up! I've even played Choice of a Rockstar, that's how desperate I was... Anyway, this is legions better than that. Angsty ex routes are my kryptonite, and Seven is just. Inevitable.)

Defiled Hearts: The Barbarian, @defiledheartsblog (I went into this wanting something juicy and fun/historical—and it's all of those things, but I didn't expect it to be so damned funny, too. The ROs are all impeccable.)

Raiders of the Caravan and Apartment 3-3, @leftski-if (A'ight listen, fantasy slice-of-life is my fave genre, and these are IT. Like, everything I never knew I needed in my life, and SO cozy/wholesome, with a cast of characters that I want to befriend in real life.)

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: An Affair of the Heart @doriana-gray-games (First off, the customization in this game is INSANE, and the branching too. I've replayed a couple of times and the little variations I discover each time just blows my mind. Secondly, it's so funny and written so well. Ngl I'm not a Sherlock fan but that's just testament to how amazing this IF is.)

When Life Gives You Lemons, @when-life-gives-you-lemonssss (Modern slice-of-life with an adorable kid, a bunch of hot ROs, CC. Hill's humor, what can I say?)

Golden @milaswriting (Really interesting world-building, one of the coolest fictional cities I've read in an IF, AND I'm obsessed with the ROs, in particular K de la Renta. Also Mila is such an awesome writer, I'm beyond excited for @beyondthegame.)

A Tale of Crowns @ataleofcrowns (This game is beautiful, polished, and SO exciting. Honestly, it looks like the kind of game created by a whole-ass game studio and would cost $50 to buy, it's that good. I really got swept up by this IF—probably played it all in one go.)

Rougi @rougi-if (Again, another game with scrumptious visuals/UI and also is just so well-crafted. I love the premise too, it's so original and fresh.)

Scout: An Apocalypse Story @anya-dev (Unfortunately this one might be on hiatus but I am/was really, really obsessed.)

Wayfarer @idrellegames (Love the game mechanics of this one, and the visuals. Probably controversial, but I like the D&D / random dice effect. And I also like the fact that it feels like an old-school RPG.)

Chop shop @losergames (The premise is all I needed to be sold, really—I'd always wanted to buy GTA as a kid but my parents were like NO WAY. Anyway, this IF did not disappoint, and let me live all my childhood dreams.)

Edit: AHH! How could I forget, one of my recent faves, Folksaga @folksaga-if (Lush atmospheric writing, super unique premise—norse mythology, plus I'm head over heels for Katla).

Completed IFs

Butterfly Soup 1 and 2 @brianna-lei (these are completed and I will never not promote them. Honestly the most adorable, wholesome, funny sports/coming-of-age IF I've read)

Elsinore: After Hamlet @lapinlunairegames (Insanely cool premise, insanely cool execution)

The Thick Table Tavern @manonamora-if (I love bar/tavern games, and this one actually lets you mix drinks! Instant fave.)

Other HGs/COGs I love: Slammed, Tin Star, Fallen Hero, If it pleases the court, A Player's Heart (these last two are so underrated, though I guess cause it's mainly wlw)

[forgottennamesgame]

Ehem, allow me to spam recs

Not Your Mother's Shire. I judged it harshly for being parody-esque but is way deeper and more compelling than I thought. Fantasy.

@kalorphic Novaturient (spy) and her Pacific Rim one (with no demo yet). I recommend following Kalorphic for any IF news.

@absentia-if about being kidnapped for five years and suddenly let go, trying to piece your life back together while catching the kidnapper.

Lovelies @the-kingshound (Arthurian) and @fromtheashesweriseif (sexy dragonshifters) by the same lovely person ❤️

@if-mirrormine bestie be fucking up our minds with time tampering shenanigans

@northern-passage for the Hunter genre which I'm a very big fan of

That's just a few I don't want to clog your feed lol (and because I always forget how they are written so I can't find the other @s). Like I said Kalorphic (and @theabyssal - gorgeous work about being Death) are good for keeping up with IFs.

Thanks a lot! I'll def try them🧡🧡

[nepholog]

A list of all the interactive fiction WIPs I loved/unreleased WIPs I'm hyped for so I could keep track of them:

Released Demos:

Apartment 502 (Dashington) by @/apt502-if

Our Life: Now and Forever (Steam, itch.io) by @/gb-patch

Infamous (Dashington) by @/infamous-if

Chop Shop (Twine) by @/losergames

Eyes of Shan (Dashington) by @/eyesofshan-if

Checkmate in 3 Moves (Dashington) by @/checkmatein3moves

Honor Amongst Thieves (Dashington) by @/leoneliterary

Court of the Guilded Roses (Dashington) by @/crazerk

Summer of Love (Twine) by @/summeroflove-if

Body Count (Twine) by @/bodycountgame

Seven Days in Purgatory (Dashington) by @/sevendaysinpurgatory-if

The Night Market Book 2 (Twine) by @/night-market-if

Gods and Villains (Dashington) by @/godsandvillains-if

Vendetta (Dashington) by @/vendetta-if

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - An affair of the heart (Dashington) by @/doriana-gray-games

Fields of Asphodel (Steam) by @/chrysanthemumgames

Breach: Chicago War Zone (Dashington) by @/breachverse

SLAUGHTER SQUAD (Twine) by @/harlequinoccult

The Haunting Shadows (Twine) by @/thehauntingshadows-if

Drink Your Villain Juice (Dashington) by @/drinkyourvillainjuice

Press Play (Dashington) by @/pressplay-if (@/girlfromthecrypt)

Unreleased Demos:

Stardoomed by @/stardoomed-if

Riptide by @/riptide-if

Death Looks Good On You by @/deathlooksgoodonyou-if

Zombie Kombi by @/zombiekombi-if

The Muse by @/themuse-if

Alistar: Ascendance by @/alistarascendance

Elysium Circus by @/elysiumcircusif

[vincentvan-ohno]

Looking for interactive fiction game recommendations where the MC is going THROUGH it. Think on the level of I, the Forgotten One and Fallen Hero: Rebirth & Retribution

[rotting-ink]

if you're ok w me asking, do you have any IF recommendations, or any IFs that have inspired you to begin creating this beautiful game? i am fairly new to the genre, this blog was my introduction to games like these and im not very sure where to begin but i am very interested, especially while i wait for the development on this to continue ^-^

thank you very very much if you decide to answer this! hope you're having a wonderful day

-🦊

Yes, yes! Very happily can recommend some of my favourites!

Bastard of Camelot- Free

A Tale of Crowns- Free

Andromeda Six- Base Game is free

A Throne of Ashes

Our Life- Base game is free

Creme De La Creme

Royal Affair

Fallen Hero

Wayhaven

A few of these are free, others you have to pay for. Sadly, only four of these games are on Itchio. I like the premise of so many of them, and then they're just badly or confusedly written or they never get updated past a prologue that has a lot of promise. There are a few that are on going and get updated a good amount but I just hate the logic or choices in the game.

[ruhua-langblr]

Duolingo Sucks, Now What?: A Guide

Now that the quality of Duolingo has fallen (even more) due to AI and people are more willing to make the jump here are just some alternative apps and what languages they have:

"I just want an identical experience to DL"

Busuu (Languages: Spanish, Japanese, French, English, German, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Polish, Turkish, Russian, Arabic, Korean)

"I want a good audio-based app"

Language Transfer (Languages: French, Swahili, Italian, Greek, German, Turkish, Arabic, Spanish, English for Spanish Speakers)

"I want a good audio-based app and money's no object"

Pimsleur (Literally so many languages)

Glossika (Also a lot of languages, but minority languages are free)

*anecdote: I borrowed my brother's Japanese Pimsleur CD as a kid and I still remember how to say the weather is nice over a decade later. You can find the CDs at libraries and "other" places I'm sure.

"I have a pretty neat library card"

Mango (Languages: So many and the endangered/Indigenous courses are free even if you don't have a library that has a partnership with Mango)

Transparent Language: (Languages: THE MOST! Also the one that has the widest variety of African languages! Perhaps the most diverse in ESL and learning a foreign language not in English)

"I want SRS flashcards and have an android"

AnkiDroid: (Theoretically all languages, pre-made decks can be found easily)

"I want SRS flashcards and I have an iphone"

AnkiApp: It's almost as good as AnkiDroid and free compared to the official Anki app for iphone

"I don't mind ads and just want to learn Korean"

lingory

"I want an app made for Mandarin that's BETTER than DL and has multiple languages to learn Mandarin in"

ChineseSkill (You can use their older version of the course for free)

"I don't like any of these apps you mentioned already, give me one more"

Bunpo: (Languages: Japanese, Spanish, French, German, Korean, and Mandarin)

[shesmore-shoebill]

"I had choice paralysis :(" is a KILLER line.

He's such a comedic powerhouse, I'm glad more people are getting exposed to him :'D

[animentality]

kicking a hornets nest.

[marzipanandminutiae]

As someone who works with social history for a living, I feel like I’m the aggressive opposite of an anti-vaxxer

I fucking LOVE vaccines, friends. Give me the science stab. I’m so ready. it’s a beautiful day to not die of a Bajillion and one diseases that carried off like half the population before they had even reached age 10, and a significant portion before they made it to old age, 150 years ago

I go to the old cemetery. I see the vast numbers of infant and child and young adult graves. And then I go to my doctor and get injected with Potion of Fuck That Noise. This is beautiful and miraculous and I do not remotely understand how some people can reject it – not just for themselves, but for their children

[spooksier]

passages that make you whisper "oh my god"

[beepboopappreciation]

Is this anything

[reallybadblackoutpoems]

imagination (1963) - harold ordway rugg

"chekhovs cat / schrödingers razor / occams gun"

[iscariotapologist]

today in church one of the priests referred to trans people as "those who are growing into the gender they were called to be" and i'm kind of enjoying the idea of like....divinely ordained top surgery

[ambrellaexists]

Oh sweet summer child