Winner of the 7th Annual Interactive Fiction Competition by a considerably large margin, All Roads is a very well-written and captivating tale of intrigue set in historic Venice. Similar to Adam Cadre's Vericella but with a much more stylish prose and elaborate storyline, All Roads offers an immersive experience that is as good as IF gets. Jon Ingold deftly weaves history, intrigue, and even a touch of the supernatural into a wonderful game that you are not likely to forget. To describe the plot of All Roads in any detail would be to spoil the surprise, so let me just say that you start the game as an assassin who is about to be hung for your crimes. You soon will narrowly escape your death via a miraculous "darkness" that becomes integral to the plot. The game is a bit hard to follow due to many shifts of time and place, but the ending pulls it all together admirably and ties up the loose ends. Although there is only one ending, All Roads features alternative routes through the story and optional puzzles that makes it worthwhile for a few replay sessions. With top-notch writing, intriguing atmosphere, and some fun puzzles although the emphasis is clearly on plot development, All Roads is a well-deserved winner of the competition that every IF fan should take a look. A must-play without a doubt. Reviewed by: Underdogs |