Sarawak

[b]sarawak[/b] is a real-life location in malaysia and also where about half of this text-based adventure or piece of interactive fiction takes place. it's not your 'go north, take key, open door' kinda deal though, but mostly about dialog choices and decisions that most often don't make much of a difference. what sets it apart from most other games is some audio here and there and [b]puzzles within the lovely illustrations[/b]. there aren't many, they aren't too difficult, but if you get stuck, [b]hints are available[/b] to keep the flow going, even if not for long, as [b]it won't even take 2 hours to complete[/b]. such brevity is the only reason [b]no mid-chapter saving[/b] can just about get a pass. you're playing as mia, spending time in england with mom, who's in some sort of trouble with the police regarding a dead oxford professor. trying to help her leads mia to some surprising information about the stiff and a trail of clues to various locations and even bigger revelations. not gonna spoil anything, it's not a long or an especially interesting story, but it doesn't overstay its welcome. as for the gameplay, [b]there's very little interaction and even that's not done wel…

[I]Sarawak[/I] is an interactive e-short story that is simply enjoyable to read/play. The story is captivating and eloquently written, the puzzles are organic and varied, and the art is minimalistic and stylish. It’s a piece of e-literature/game that deserves attention from readers and adventure gamers alike. As a short story, [I]Sarawak[/I] is easy to pick up to read, and hard to put down. I found myself quickly invested in the protagonist’s quest to unravel a mystery that brings her from Oxford, England to Kuching in Sarawak, Malaysia. The accompanying artwork – with its strong lines, bold colours, and atmospheric shadows – gives this modern tale a classy, romantic feel. I could totally see [I]Sarawak[/I] as a graphic novel if it weren’t in this format. You will need to interact with some illustrations to progress with the story, forming the foundation of the game’s puzzles. As with many adventure games, [I]Sarawak[/I]’s rationale for having a collection of puzzles for you to solve is pretty contrived. Yet, it’s refreshing and commendable that the puzzles make sense within the story and are not difficult to solve. Because of that, the light gameplay never affected the brisk pac…

Great game for a cozy afternoon. You could probably finish it in under 2 hours (I spent a lot of time idling and achievement hunting). I enjoyed the story and thought the ending did it justice. My only complaint is the lack of bgm throughout the game. There's only a few instances where you get actual music, but not where it mattered.

Had lots of fun with the puzzles and the graphics were beautiful! It was fun to collect the achievements as well and the story was fairly interesting. Would recommend this game during a rainy day to fill in an hour or two with a cup of coffee in hand.

I played A Case of Distrust, and this is somehow similar. Mild catching story (a dime novel), mild interaction and elegant, minimal graphic. I can be a player also without this game, it adds nothing to my collection. Why did I buy it? If we had a neutral review, this would be my vote at a first approach. Another question: if we have developed, through decades of programming, adventures that were, several years ago, simple text adventures and nowadays, wonderful pnc games, what is the goal of such a title like Sarawak? Is this supposed to be a new genre? OK, I can agree but that is not my type. Is it an experiment? OK, good approach, thumb up. It is a pnc adventure? Thumb down. Well, after this explanation, I'll vote it as a kind of interactive literature, so thumb up. Please comment if you agree.

Less choice-based and more of a linear story with interactive illustrations, like an elevated pop-up book