Ishmael

Ishmael is a social commentary derived from the pseudo-political struggles and turbulent religious climate of the Middle East through the medium of hypertext and a fictional setting known as Pine Nut Valley. I do not usually cover works of political standing, but this title deviates as an exception in that it fixates primarily on a struggling people rather than certain parties involved. In order to truly understand the context of this presentation, I recommend you experience this short satire for yourself. Considering the length of this title and its primary focus as a linear story, I will do what I can to prevent spoilers in this writing and attend primarily to the subtext and illusion of choice presented. I feel I also must stress that the developer requested I review this title through Curator Connect.

Here are just a few reasons to give this free title a try:

Story - The perspective follows a young boy named Ishmael over the course of three days as he awaits an upcoming puppet show. Minor choice elements are implemented with progression being linked to hyperlinked text; the story is conferred without much perceived circumstance considering Ishamel is an adolescent at this time, and is most appropriately concerned with his family and neighborhood acquaintances. Minor yet acceptable grammatical errors exist through, but rarely diminish the effect of the narrative. Overall, the pacing remains consistent and adequate, and the fixation on Ishmael of a character imports an innocence to the tale.

Presentation - As stated previously, Ishmael is a hypertext-driven experience with an interesting minigame segment a portion of the way through that breaks up the monotony. Where the story shines as a satire, however, is through the illusion of choice integrated with the titles overall theme. Expecting the conclusion, I was engrossed by its delivery as it emotes a feeling of despair ever so briefly yet effectively. Though hardly a game, Ishmael is an intriguing interactive narrative that raises questions on morality and choice though its simple channel.

TL:DR - Story is Ishmael’s focus and is amplified by the core presentation of simulated opportunity. Since it is of short duration and limited interaction-eighteen minutes to completion for me-I can only truly recommend this title on the basis that is a free narrative experience. I do, however, recommend Ishmael if you have the time for an intriguing and enlightening context. Thanks for reading.

Do you feel this review helped in any way? Feel free to visit my Curator Page at Spearpoint Reviews.
Originally posted on December 20, 2018.

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