Underground Awards

[titlesml]Best Story[/titlesml]

The Uncertainty Machine

What’s impressive about the story of The Uncertainty Machine is how multi-faceted it is. There are many pieces to this mystery, almost like a jigsaw, and it’s up to you to put them together. For top reporter Susan Gant, what begins as a simple robbery investigation soon develops into a sinister mystery involving murder, classic works of art, physics, alternate dimensions and… uncertainty. Some of the most satisfying moments are when you discover how minor plot threads uncovered at the start comes into play later in the game.

Not only does this game tell a good yarn, but it also incorporates many puzzles seamlessly into the narrative. They don’t exist simply to pad out the game (which is quite long), but instead serve a greater purpose. TUM’s puzzles act in favor of the story, enhancing it rather than stalling it. One series of puzzles seems to be inspired by Gabriel Knight 3’s “La Serpent Rouge,” and is a joy to solve.

In terms of story, The Uncertainty Machine is a definite rare breed among underground adventure games, and probably even among adventure games as a whole. All five entries have fantastic stories, but The Uncertainty Machine has emerged as the clear winner.

Dave:

What a tough choice this was! The Uncertainty Machine emerged as the winner, but not without some heavy hemming, hawing, waxing, waning and brain aneurysms. All five entries had GREAT stories, but TUM was the evident choice with its dark atmosphere and ingenious research-based puzzles. However, I would be doing some of the other entries a disservice if I didn’t mention them. The obvious runner-up would be Out of Order, by virtue of its sheer originality and a knockout punch of a twist ending. Second would be RON: Apocalypse Meow, by the power of its intense atmosphere and clever dialog. Both are worth playing if you’re looking for a good yarn.

AGA:

The Uncertainty Machine is definitely deserving of the best story award. It has a complex, deep story that provides a lot of detail and creates a very immersive world. Another game with a great plot was 5 Days a Stranger, with its spooky history of the house, but its story didn’t quite match up to that of The Uncertainty Machine, the eventual winner.

[titlesml]Best Writing[/titlesml]

5 Days a Stranger

The elusive and eccentric Ben “Yahtzee” Croshaw has authored numerous underground adventures before, among them the outstanding Rob Blanc trilogy and 2002’s Trials of Odysseus Kent. Long recognized for being a very skilled author of humorous dialogue, Yahtzee tried something a little different with 5 Days a Stranger: a serious suspense story.

Being the great writer that he is, Yahtzee kept the constant dialogue interesting, believable, and even occasionally injected his unique brand of humor. The story is well-paced and the characters are very well-developed. Although the story itself may be a bit clichéd, the writing definitely stands out as a worthy recipient of our Best Writing award.

Dave:

Ben “Yahtzee” Croshaw is probably the most prolific writer in the underground scene, and his skills did not disappoint with his opus 5 Days a Stranger. With its developed characters, deep dialog, and careful pacing, choosing it as the winner was easy. However, there was another worthy contender. Creed Malay’s RON: Apocalypse Meow takes the Reality on the Norm project to a whole new level, and successfully manages to freak out anyone who plays it by the sheer clout of his writing. Unfortunately, it is let down by being very short and ending on a cliffhanger (although it’s a MOTHER of a cliffhanger), which makes 5 Days the winner.

AGA:

5 Days a Stranger features some very good dialogue and hot spot descriptions — it’s hard not to find yourself believing that you ARE Trilby, the gentleman thief. Perils of Poom also came close with its often hilarious dialogue and overall humourous writing, but 5 Days a Stranger just about pips it.