If not, let me explain. Fallen London is a free browser-based choose-your-own-adventure game that's been running since 2009. It takes place in a demonic, subterranean version of its eponymous city in the late 1800s, dragged under and shut away from the Surface and all sunlight. The world is positively bursting with intriguing, twisted, hilarious, wrenching lore. There is no central story, but rather "storylets" (individual narratives) that will define your character by the decisions you make within them. And good gracious are the narratives well-written.
Here's a snippet of actual text:
- The flukes are coming!
Can they hear you? Is this a song of welcome?
The crew is frantic. They shout and work their machines. The zubmarine shudders as a torpedo launches. Moments later, a shockwave rocks the vessel. Too close! Men fall. The walls spring leaks.
The Fluke-song changes. It is no longer curious; it is incensed. Their embassy has been profaned, and today they have learned that their domain is worth killing for. They rise. They rise in epiphany. They rise and exalt! Trespassers, they sing as they slay. Trespassers!
The vision dims. The pain in your palm is unbearable. You wrench the needle out – and not a moment too soon. Your skin is mottled and inflamed. Before you, the Last Emissary quivers his spines.
If you are the sort of person who is addicted to good writing, this is the game for you.
The interface was just recently overhauled, and here's what it looks like now in practice:
On the left you see my money (echoes) and stats (watchful, shadowy, etc.). My stats affect both what actions I can take for a challenge and how good my chances are of succeeding for each option. Cat-catching is a very simple beginner's vignette to help you elevate your stats; things get more entwined as you go, and paths will open up to you (or be closed to you) based on your associations, earned favors, luck, addictions...
You cannot die. Well, that's not true. You can most certainly die. Horrifically, I hear. Multiple times. But your character's adventure does not end with death. It's just another part of your story.
Sunless Sea is a semi-rougelike spiritual expansion on the Fallen London universe for consoles and Steam, but it's a punishing and repetitive grind I'd hesitate to suggest to newcomers unless you turned off permadeath.
But yeah. If this sounds interesting to anybody, I just started out, and I'm happy to explain what I can. My best friend has been playing practically since the beginning, and my husband is getting into it, too. He finds it a very satisfying distraction while taking short breaks at work. Definitely the kind of thing you can easily put down at a moment's notice... but you might not want to.
And, apologies if a thread exists already and I missed it.
