Babel
| Babel | |
|---|---|
| Game | |
| Main links | |
| Published | October 1997 |
| Credits | |
| Author | Ian Finley |
| Reception | |
| Events | |
| IFDB rating | 4 out of 5 (154 ratings) |
| Gameplay | |
| Interaction style |  Parser |
| Language | English |
| Cruelty scale | Merciful |
| IFDB play time | 3 hours 45 minutes |
| Accessibility | Colour: none. Graphics: none. Sound: none. |
| Technical details | |
| Authoring system | TADS 2 |
| Format | TADS 2 |
| License | Freeware |
| Browse the games database • Edit this page | |
This page is about the TADS game by Ian Finley. For other meanings of Babel, see Babel (disambiguation).
How it begins
Your mind is cold and torpid. Slowly your senses come to you: you're lying on a hard surface; the air is tinged with disinfectant; it's dark around. You're clothed in a thin gown. You don't know who or where you are.
You get up and find yourself at the north end of a dimly lit hall. As you approach a feeble light at the other end of the hall, an eery blue glow arrests your attention, which you touch, as if by impulse. You feel a jolt of static electrity and then suddenly the sound of a terrified scream reaches you.
Notable features
- The player character suffers from retrograde amnesia and will recover their memory during the course of the game.
- The protagonist is able to experience brief, emotionally-laden visions from the past just by touching objects.
- The protagonist maintains a calendar with a chronological list of past events as they are revealed.
Trivia and Comments
- The game takes place in an underground research facility in the Arctic region, presumably along latitude 74° N.
Versions
Competition version
Date: October 1997
- Babel (Ian Finley; Oct-1997; TADS 2).
- IF Comp 1997: 2nd place of 34 entries.
- XYZZY Awards 1997: Winner of Best Story. Finalist for Best Game, Best Individual PC (David), Best Puzzles, Best Writing.
- Files in the tads/babel/ directory:
Version 3.1
Date: 11 February 2000
- Babel (Ian Finley; 11-Feb-2000; TADS 2).
Links
N.B. Many IF Archive games are temporarily unavailable in the UK.
General Info
- Babel feelies (archive)
- Babel (archived) - at Baf's Guide
- Babel - at IFDB.
- Babel - at ifwizz interactive fiction (in German).
- Babel - at Home of the Underdogs
Reviews
- Babel - at IF Ratings.
- Babel - at IFReviews.org
- Babel - at SPAG - reviewed by Laurel Halbany, Duncan Stevens and Paul O'Brian.
- Review - by Paul O'Brian.
- IFReview by Andrew Plotkin.
- Review (archive) - by Duncan Stevens.
Spoilers
- Hints by Ian Finley.
- Walkthrough by Ian Finley.
- Map by Eric O’Dell.
- Walkthrough and map by David Welbourn.
- ClubFloyd transcript.
Date: October 1997
Date: 11 February 2000