#Lapin Lunaire Games/Jinx

[manonamora-if-reviews]

Neo Twiny Jam - bite-sized review

The Neo Twiny Jam (@neo-twiny-jam) is an interactive fiction game unranked jam where participants could not write more than 500 words per entry.

You can find every submitted piece on the jam's Itch Page.

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Kyrie Eleison by Lapin Lunaire Games/Jinx

Entry - More by Jinx - @lapinlunaire-games CW: blood/violence mention, religious themes

Not so merciful... ... is the "kindness of the vampire". Spared from the release of death, a vampire transforms you into her kind, no matter your protest. Forced to live as an undead, forgetting what it meant to be alive, human, despair takes a hold of you. Until you repay your Maker her kindness... The imagery from the prose is delectable. A succulent and dark short piece.

[neointeractives]

Neo Interactives!

The Neo-Interactives is a hub for Interactive Fiction and IF-adjacent jams, moderated by Autumn Chen, Lapin Lunaire Games (Jinx), and Manonamora.

We organise small and unranked game jams throughout the year, each with different constraints, rules, and length!

We welcome any form of IF: from parser, to choice-based, to visual novels, and even kinetic pieces! We do not restrict creators to any program or format, or language. If your entry is interactive and focuses on the text, come submit it! We only ask that you include trigger warnings when relevant.

If you have any questions, shoot us an ask!

Join our Discord! - Join the current Jam!

At the end of each jam*, we will create an IFDB page for every entry. The IFDB, or Interactive Fiction Database, is an IF game information catalogue, creating a historical record of the IF landscape. *Contact the mods for question or if you don't want to be included. BOYG is also excluded.

If you share your submission on Tumblr, tag @neointeractives or tag the relevant jam so we can find you!

List of Jams:

Bare-Bones Jam, where creators must keep the basic UI of their chosen program.

Bring Out Your Ghost, for abandoned or forgotten projects.

Neo Twiny Jam, where creators can only write 500 words.

Single Choice Jam, where creators can only give the player one choice.

And more!

Past Events:

Feb-2024: Smoochie Jam - ongoing

Jan-2024: Recipe Jam - 11 entries (IFDB)

Dec-2023: ShuffleComp - 15 entries (IFDB)

Oct-2023: Bare-Bones Jam - 28 entries (IFDB)

Aug-2023: Bring Out Your Ghost - 35 entries (itch)

Jul-2023: Single Choice Jam - 46 entries (IFDB)

Jun-2023: Neo Twiny Jam - 124 entries (IFDB)

[manonamora-if-reviews]

Elsinore: After Hamlet by Jinx/Lapin Lunaire

============= Links

Play the game See other reviews of the game See other games by Jinx or follow @lapinlunaire-games

============= Synopsis

The year is 2021—or maybe 1602? Hamlet the Younger has just tragically died and Fortinbras the Younger, King of Norway and newly-conquered Denmark, has a lot of cleaning up to do. Elsinore: After Hamlet is an interactive fiction exploration of William Shakespeare's Hamlet as a plague text and a reckoning of Asian American identity during these trying times.

============= Other Info

Elsinore: After Hamlet is a Twine (Harlowe) game. It was the first game from this author.

Status: Completed Genre: Isekai, Adaptation, Slice of Life

CW: blood, death, violence, illness, bad puns, explicit language, panic attack, mention of racism, animated text (not toggable).

============= Playthrough

First Played: ??? Last Played: 08-Aug-2023 Playtime: around 2h (most endings) Rating: 4 /5 Thoughts: Is Life adapting Art? or Art adapting Life?

============= Review

Staged during the pandemic, this story will take you on a strange adventure, where reality and hallucinations become one. As you try to finish an essay on Hamlet, your crippling thoughts keep going back to your worries about "these trying times"... until you are transported into a cold and mourning castle. Will you be consumed by your hallucinations? or claw back to reality to finish your assignment?

Spoilers ahead. It is recommended to play the game first. The review is based on my understanding/reading of the story.

I should probably preface this review by saying I've never read Hamlet (or Shakespeare's work) outside of lone lines or loose adaptations (I think the Lion King/Dune applies?). And while I know there are murders, betrayals, unrequited feelings, madness and monologues galore, the game does not punish you for not knowing the intricacies of the text. Because the story is set after Hamlet's death... and it is not really about Hamlet either.

E:aH uses Hamlet as a framing device to explore the themes of grief, the fear of and hopelessness about death, and identity (esp. Asian American), when living through a global pandemic. During this period, many of us have experienced grief and hardship, from not being able to meet people, to losing family members, seeing one's health worsen, or being subject to violence from others... And within its 15k+ words, this game creates a snapshot filled with anxiety and uncertainty. Yet, amidst the depressing setting, the prose is parsed with humour, little gems bringing levity to the story.

The story happens in two folds: you working on your assignment, trying to suppress worries about your loved ones and the state of the world, and your hallucinations(?) set in Elsinore, imagining events following the end of the play. Both somewhat mirroring or criticising the other. You struggle to find something meaningful to say about the the text, while Horatio scolds you for downplaying their agency as people. A "plague" starts in Elsinore, which you notice from a servant coughing. you share comforting words to Horatio and compassion for his situation, recalling times of struggles during the "war" against COVID and the violence some were forced to endure because of their ethnicity.

The game feels like a critique of the text, through the added character of Petra challenging the crown while passive Ophelia goes mad, or a critique of some reading of the text, like with the comments about the relationships between Horatio and Hamlet. The critiques are sometimes a bit more blunt, with the player character roasting Hamlet for derailing his father's quest (meeting his demise) or his poor treatment towards other characters (esp. Ophelia).

While the UI strayed very little from the basic Harlowe base, it does utilise the enchantment macros in an interesting manner, often enhancing the player character's feelings, a few even added to the hallucination assumptions (especially when ignoring the first sign). Some of the strangely formatted text will hide the way to advance through the story. I wasn't particularly fan some typed text (a bit too slow) or timed ones (wait a bit too long), and one hidden link was biiit too obtuse to find - but it didn't detract my overall enjoyment of the story.

But as every story, this too must end. So let's finish with the endings. The game has 7 possible endings. Some easier to get than others; some longer than others; some good, some bad, some neither. I reached the shorter ones more easily than the longer ones. Depending on your choices, the story will confirm these hallucinations were just a dream or will let you believe you are still trapped in Elsinore; you may reach a bittersweet end where your heart lightened, or one sharing the same fate as Ophelia. Out of those, I think I preferred the ones where the isekai theme was the more obvious, regardless of how forceful the return to reality is, as it mirrored best the start of the game and felt more like a closing the circle moment.

[manonamora-if-reviews]

Three Things by Jinx/Lapin Lunaire

An Anti-Romance Jam entry.

Entry - IFDB - More by Jinx - @lapinlunaire-games

Translating a broken heart Sending you back to class, this entry tasks you with translating a Russian poem by Anna Akhmatova as your final assignment for a course you are taking. A poem (or the task of embodied translation), the teacher hopes will serve you in the future. I should add there that I don't understand Russian, nor had I come across this poem before. Went in there blind. While most of the text will be translated by simply hovering your mouse over the text, the game will, in parts, give you choices (always in 3) to translate specific groups of words. With repetition in words, some choices are simpler than others. Even if not chosen, all choices should be clicked (~delicious flavour text~). Finally, you must choose a title! I boringly compared the words of the title to the first line of the poem and wrote just that... I also played the game by not touching the translation bit, just continuing to the next passage, and the translated poem was so very funny in a stressed student doing in an exam way. Then comes the painful process of waiting to hear back from your professor... or your boyfriend... The poem itself is quite sad, and, as hinted by the game, might be mirroring your relationship...

The translation gameplay reminded me partly of Kit's Piele

[manonamora-if-reviews]

Neo Twiny Jam - bite-sized review

The Neo Twiny Jam (@neo-twiny-jam) is an interactive fiction game unranked jam where participants could not write more than 500 words per entry.

You can find every submitted piece on the jam's Itch Page.

=============

in igni by Lapin Lunaire Games/Jinx

Entry - More by Jinx - @lapinlunairegames

Burning with desire, clawing her way to court. Esme is an up-and-comer entertainer, trying to claw her way to a position in court, using her wits but mainly her beauty to be remembered. At this point in time, she relies on her patron to secure her standing with the court, even if it pains her soul and pride. The writing does a wonderful job at burning the rage Esme feels, and how dedicated she is to achieve her goals, on the page. Almost in an animalistic way...

This is again an entry relevant to a TTRPG session I am part of. Me getting blindsided left and right....

[manonamora-if-reviews]

Goncharov: Coda by Jinx/Lapin Lunaire Games

============= Links

Play the game See other reviews of the game See other games by Jinx or follod @lapinlunaire-games

============= Synopsis

Goncharov (1973) stole your heart the very first time you saw it — and now you're living the dream, playing one of your favorite characters in the 2022 remake of the film. With such a weighty legacy hanging over you, every improvised moment punches like Icepick Joe in the beer bottle scene of the original. “Make meaningful choices,” the director told you. And by God, you will. The future of cinema depends on it.

============= Other Info

Goncharov: Coda is a Twine (SugarCube) game, submitted to the Goncharov Game Jam.

Status: Completed Genre: Unreality, Meta

CW: explicit violence and language

============= Playthrough

First Played:10-Dec-2022 Last Played: 1-Sept-2023 Playtime: around 1h30 (2 playthroughs) Rating: 4 /5 Thoughts: Make. Meaningful(?). Choices!

============= Review

Like other entries in the jam, Goncharov: Coda takes the movie-making approach to the Goncharov mythos, where you play as an actor in a "contemporary remake of the film". Playing as either Andrej or Sofia, the story will take you through the re-enactment of relevant scenes, where you can showcase your wits and line delivery. After all, you are here to honour an unprecedented legacy...

Spoilers ahead. It is recommended to play the game first. The review is based on my understanding/reading of the story.

The game starts with the first table read of the screenplay, introducing the team working on the remake - many of the characters having funny pun-y names (especially the director's name). It is at this point you get to choose which path to act (Sofia or Andrei, supporting roles), and where the first scene sets off.

Though you have two distinct paths, the game is built around bottlenecks. Both paths will share scenes (first and last, disregarding some variation), and out-of-character beats (in-between shooting scenes). The central part, however, is highly dependent on the path chosen, as each is set in a different location, follows a different group of characters, and focuses on different themes (or take on the theme).

The played scenes follow the "canonical" sequence of the "movie". Starting with the Goncharov's imminent arrival in Naples, the play indicates the start of new relationships (namely between Sofia and Katya), hints at a change in relationships (Goncharov and Katya), and questions other relationships (Goncharov and Andrei). The middle scenes will continue with this theme of relationships, focusing on how these relationship can also change a person (important especially for Goncharov and Katya), as well as hinting at the culminating fight up ahead. It all ends with the infamous bridge scene, the showdown to end all showdown - I did find that scene confusing, I think there are some flashforwards(?), it's pretty chaotic.

Another important theme hammered on from the start is the one of choices, or lack thereof. The director of the movie makes a point to remind the player to "Make. Meaningful. Choices" at the start, when improvising certain lines. The middle scenes interactions between Katya and Sofia or between Andrei and Goncharov also emphasise on the choices we make, where they lead us, and the consequences of those choices. Sofia reminds us that choices can set us free, while Andrei will show that other factors, like loyalty, will force our choices to entrap us. It is interesting to see that our choices can be both meaningful and inconsequential to the story.

While it seems like the game is a very serious and maybe dark affair, the game is nothing but. I already mentioned the pun-y names at the start, but the humour doesn't stop there. It also appears in lines to choose from, with funny one-liners; sarcastic descriptions of locations, reminding you that you are totes still filming the thing; or the almost deranged behaviour of some characters, the director especially had Dean Pelton (Community) vibe. Even the final passage, which is a bit sad when you think about it, was quite funny. I was chuckling throughout the game.

A final point should be spent on the care spent on the UI of the game. Looking like a movie script sitting on a table, with the Do Not Distribute warning at the top, the UI will use screenplay formatting to distinguish between reality and the played scenes. It even goes further as highlighting the actions and lines of the character you are playing (like with a real screenplay) - it must have been a pain to handle all those indents.... The UI is pretty smooth to use, especially in fullscreen.

[manonamora-if-reviews]

Rougi by Jinx/Lapin Lunaire

============= Links

Play the game See other reviews of the game See other games by Jinx or follow @lapinlunaire-games

============= Synopsis

The Palais Garnier, home to the renowned Paris Opéra Ballet, is set to premiere Les Souliers Rouges, a ballet whose very name is rumored to carry a formidable curse. As the premiere draws ever nearer, a series of inexplicable incidents in the opera house stir up a maelstrom of terror and intrigue. With whispers of illicit affairs, sinister motives, and hauntings around every corner, tensions—and the stakes—have never been higher. Here, everyone has a part to play…and everyone is playing a part. Delve through rumour and reason into the glittering Belle Époque world of the Paris Opéra Ballet and unravel what’s really going on in the wings. After all, the show must go on…

============= Other Info

Rougi is a Twine (SugarCube) demo, submitted to the @interact-if 2022 Unranked Game Jam, with Red Herring as a theme. This project is in development.

Status: WIP Genre: Historical, Mystery

CW: / - mention of death, injuries, and implied violence

============= Playthrough

First Played: 24 Feb 2022 Last Played: 9 Aug 2023 Playtime: around 3h (current demo) Rating: --- WIP Thoughts: Dizzying Twirls, Smoke and Mirrors.

============= Review

Invited for a visit at or found your way into the Palais Garnier, you are thrust into a world full of dance, intrigue, and superstitions. Your tasks is to separate fact from fiction, and make sense of the mystery afoot. No matter the supposed curse, the future of the ballet, and its corps, depends on you!

Spoilers ahead. It is recommended to play the game first. The review is based on my understanding/reading of the story.

Set during the Belle Époque in Paris, Rougi paints a vivid and dizzying picture of the ballet scene and its intrigue. Starting from the prologue, you are introduced to a small cast of characters with links to the Palais Garnier or its ballet crew, their relationships with one another, and the hints of conflicts between them. Even before the crux of the mystery is revealed, the game sets the stage for some delicious intrigue.

Thought the project is only in a development stage, the available demo already lays out an intriguing premise, a compelling and layered mystery and interesting use of interactivity (in picking up clues). The story pulls the player in different direction, through crimson strings towards potential answers or red herrings (and there seems to be many red herrings). Is the Director behind it all, due to disagreement with the Maestro? or an admirer of the Danseuse Étoile take revenge for the casting choice? or maybe the Danseuse Étoile walks the path of destruction? Could it actually be supernatural or a former foe behind it all? The game seem to take pleasure in throwing the player off the scent...

Further than the mystery afoot, there are interesting conflicts and backstories I hope the rest of the game will explore. Between the seasoned Danceuse Étoile and the naïve newcomer, will they claw each other out for the top spot or is there something more caring behind the façade? Will Élodie's part in the performance create a stir? Were Camille's failures a coincidence or were they external forces at play? What does it all mean for the ballet?

The writing is somewhat reminiscent of French contemporary(-ish) writers, like Flaubert or Balzac, in its flowery descriptions and detailed flow-y and rather sizeable text. The abundant use of imagery and metaphor adds to the strength of the project, enhancing the theatrics of the story. As dance is to ballet, so it is reflected in words here. The author has also a good attention for details, showing its effort in including the correct terminology in ballet concepts or in the descriptions of the Palais Garnier. It shows that research has been done. I also liked that the author put the MC in a very secondary/observer position. We are thrust into the setting, an outsider looking in and trying to make sense of established facts and relationships. Navigating this whole affair is both exciting and dizzying. (Is it a commentary that as players we are outsider to any story's game too?)

As a sidenote, while Les Souliers Rouges was not a contemporary ballet to the current setting (late 1800s), nor a cursed one at that, but a more recent invention, the author's plan for said ballet share very few similarities. It will be interesting to see where the story takes us and how the premise of the ballet is reflected in the path the characters will take...

As is expected with a working demo, there were some icks that stood out. Some interactive aspects were a bit out of place (like going through Camille's desk when the following line they are here in the room) or lacked the satisfying formatting of the choice list (even for single choice). Passages were at time getting a tad too long, which is a bit of a issue when saving (as Twine can save when moving to a new passage only) or reloading a page. Along with page breaks, I think a better separation between chapters/beats would help with the flow between scenes and make it a bit clearer in the time passed or in the location (maybe a header at the start?). And while I liked the UI, especially its dark colour scheme, I think the Belle Époque aesthetic could be pushed even further to complement the setting of the story (or its mystery).

This project had been on my radar since it was first submitted to the Interact-IF jam, and I've been waiting for its return ever since, hoping to bring back my ball of red twine and connects unlikely dots...