August 13, 2009
Something Improbable!
Fact: I play too many broswer RPGs.
Fact: This is because there are more and more completely entertaining broswer RPGs coming out every day.
Fact: Improbable Island is a broswer RPG, and I am really enjoying it.
I stumbled upon this game from a banner ad on MS Paint Adventures. It was an ad that was basically a big blob of text, but it was very well-written text, and I had no idea what it was talking about. Kittybikes? Huh? So I clicked on it.
Then I was suddenly in the middle of the game. Or so it seemed.
I always think that kind of thing is risky. You know, when the main page is playing the game, and you actually sign up a little later? But man, it worked so well this time. I read the humorous text, clicked through, and answered the questions. When it asked my name, I didn’t even put in poetfox, because I was roleplaying and I figured it would ask me explicitly if it wanted a screen name, so I just put in Alexis. Shockingly, I now have the account name Alexis. But man, it really drew me into the game.
Once you get into the game, though, what you find is a very humorously written lewtfest. Basically, this game is what Legends of Zork should be. It has a similar quick-paced, mostly hands-off combat system, though you can affect it by throwing grenades or using powers based on your improbable implants. But every combat is filled with all kinds of humorous pre-battle text, and you have plenty of non-combats that are well-written as well. All the while, you’re balancing risk/reward. It costs to heal yourself, but the more you heal, the less it costs. So it costs significantly more to heal 10 HP twice than to heal 20 HP once. So you’re constantly deciding if you should push yourself for one more combat, or cash out and heal up. It’s the main thing that drew me into Zork, that interface, and it’s so much better done here.
Apparently the game is based on an open source engine for a game called “Legend of the Green Dragon.” Apparently this is a really old game that’s been around a long while, and if you’re familiar with it, from what I’ve heard, you’re going to know exactly how to run the strategy in this game. It’s mostly just a cosmetic re-working, but it’s a very entertaining one. Plus, since I’ve never even heard of the first game, every bit of it is new to me, and I’m having a blast.
I’m happy to report that the game even has a fairly robust “ascension” mechanic in place. Every time you get a “drive kill” you start over, improbably losing some of your gear and stuff. But based on how many kills you have, you have a wide variety of new races to choose from. Tired of being a Human? Then try the game as a Kittymorph, Zombie, or Robot. Or hell, I think there’s a few more, too. They all play different, to make the experience different as you come back for more.
So yeah, give this game a try, if you give a shit about these browser games. I promise you’ll laugh at the text. I’m really close to my first Drive Kill, myself, and I’ve enjoyed every bit of the game. It’s worth your time.