Interactive Fiction Review Conspiracy

Just wrote a game? Don't want to feel ignored? Don't want your game to vanish without a trace? Want to know someone played it? Want feedback & discussion?

Author Log-In     |   Reviewer Sign-Up   |   Reviews   |   FAQ   |   The Conspirators

The IF Review Conspiracy is a tag team of volunteers who will write timely reviews of new (post 9/30/99) IF released outside the annual competition. We hope this will help generate more attention for non-comp games. Don't be intimidated by our name1 -- secret handshakes or meetings in dark alleys2 aren't required. Here's how to join or contact3 us.

AUTHOR LOG-IN    (Innocent? Victim)

After you log in, your game will be reviewed by one of our conspirators. Reviews will be dropped off in rec.games.int-fiction (rgif). Since our members rotate, you may not select your reviewer. Warning:  This is not a beta-test site. Your game must already have been released to the unwary public (if-archive or on a web page) and an announcement made in rgif. You may be asked to provide your reviewer with a walkthru and/or hints. Yes! I want to have my game reviewed.

REVIEWER SIGN-UP    (Willing Co-Conspirator)

When you sign up, you can select how often you will review annually. If you pledge to do so more than once, your assignments will be staggered over the coming year. Your name will be added to our rotating database (drum). When a new game is registered, we'll roll the drum and notify you if your name is drawn. You will also receive our reviewer guidelines along with the game particulars. Then the timer will start ticking, giving you 2-6 weeks to write your review. Warn us immediately if you're too busy and we'll roll again. If the game doesn't include a walkthru or hints, you may e-mail the author for help. Okay. I'll volunteer to review games.

REVIEWS    (Secret Documents)

New reviews will be posted to rec.games.int-fiction. Stephen Granade has carefully stashed our past reviews in a special usenet review directory at Brass Lantern. Direct links to individual reviews are also below under "Game" (the link is active if it is underlined). Game Reviewer Game Reviewer Above and Beyond! Ben Croshaw Lost "Stark" Augmented Forth Eric Crahan Lost in New York Mark Silcox Common Ground Iain Merrick The Mulldoon Legacy Duncan Stevens Dangerous Curves Iain Merrick Not Just A Game Joe Mason FailSafe Alex Weldon Not Just an Ordinary Ballerina Duncan Stevens Fallacy of Dawn Adam Thornton Nothing More, Nothing Less Iain Merrick The Frenetic Five v.s. Mr. Redundancy Man Dave Coleman Offensive Probling Iain Merrick Heroine's Mantle Craxton Reverzi Duncan Stevens Inform School Stephen Granade A Simple Theft Dave Coleman Inheritance Quentin D. Thompson Vadventure Tim Guest LASH Carl Muckenhoupt Winchester's Nightmare Andrew Pontious Life on GUE Street Andrew Pontious World's Apart Sam Barlow

FAQ    (Blood Oaths)

Q:   I released a non-comp game in March, 1999 and it never got reviewed. Will you guys review it now? A:  Because our "start date" was September 30, 1999, we will only review non-comp games (not entered in the Annual IF Competition) released since then. We direct you instead to Lucian P. Smith's equally fearsome IF Book Club. Q:   How hard is it to be accepted as a reviewer? A:   It's easy to become a card-carrying member of our conspiracy. We do, however, reserve the right to reject those who don't perform and/or are too cranky (even for us). Q:   After volunteering to review, what if I finally release my WIP? Would it be eligible for review by my co-conspirators? A:  Only if you slip each of us $1004 first. Yes, of course, you can submit a game for a review even if you've signed up to be a reviewer.

THE CONSPIRATORS