The Z-Machine was a virtual machine created by Infocom to run their text-based interactive fiction games. Here are some of the best Z-Machine Infocom games:
- “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” – Based on the classic novel by Douglas Adams, this game follows the misadventures of Arthur Dent as he travels through space with his alien friend Ford Prefect. Features include a unique sense of humor, challenging puzzles, and multiple possible endings. Pros: faithful adaptation of the source material, excellent writing, immersive gameplay. Cons: difficulty level may be frustrating for some players.
- “Zork” – The first game released by Infocom, “Zork” is a classic text adventure that takes players on a journey through an underground kingdom filled with danger and treasure. Features include a large, open world to explore, quirky characters, and a wide variety of puzzles. Pros: well-written and engaging story, great sense of exploration, iconic status as one of the first major text adventures. Cons: some players may find the lack of graphics and sound effects to be a hindrance.
- “Planetfall” – In this sci-fi adventure, players take on the role of a lowly maintenance droid who must save the galaxy from destruction. Features include a compelling story, memorable characters, and a good balance of exploration and puzzle-solving. Pros: engaging characters and story, clever puzzles, great atmosphere. Cons: some puzzles may be too difficult for some players.
- “Deadline” – A murder mystery set in a high-society mansion, “Deadline” challenges players to solve a crime before time runs out. Features include a complex plot with multiple suspects and clues, a realistic simulation of the mansion and its inhabitants, and a wide variety of puzzles to solve. Pros: challenging and satisfying gameplay, great writing and storytelling. Cons: some players may find the time limit to be too restrictive.
Official website: Infocom no longer exists as a company, but many of their games can be found on websites such as the Interactive Fiction Database (https://ifdb.tads.org/).