Witch's Minion is a transformation text adventure created in the Inform 7 engine by Scipio Africanus.
WARNING: This game is NOT complete! The current version that has been uploaded, by request, is not intended as a complete release. The game cannot be completed, and many features may be (read: definitely are) broken, incomplete, or both. Seriously, this is an upload by request and for curiosity only; the game is not in ANY WAY suitible for casual play in the present state.
All that said, if you do, against all reason, decide to download and play this mess, suggestions, comments and ramblings are welcome in the game's discussion thread.
You stand at the base of the property, the mighty Victorian mansion before you. Like most of the older houses in West Lowery, this one is in a state of extended disrepair, though it somehow manages to cling to an air of old-world dignity even as shingles peel from the roof and broken shutters flap lazily in the wind. West Lowery had once been flush with houses like this; now those close enough to campus to be worth the cost had been renovated and turned into frat houses and student apartments while the rest, like this one, were left to rot.
To the north is the front door, around which you can see a cluster of human figures-presumably Mark and the others. You should probably join them.
vAlpha 5:
The game designer isn't kidding about this being a very Alpha state game release. Interactivity for what's here is very good with the introduction completed and a multiple choice start based on what you discovered during this starting point before getting into the main game, but in the current game state there will be commands that don't function because it was never completed. Writing for the game is solid during the introduction, then you're left with the bare minimum in the actual game portion (again, to be expected). Transformations in the game are multiple and varied at the start, with all of them being connected to your choices and initial exploration; past this point however you run into the limits of the current game release. Images used in the game are excellent and all fit the transformations, with game world building also solid.
Honestly if I could I'd try and complete this game. It's an interesting start and uses the Inform engine well, with not too much backtracking or frustration for a how the text command engine is set up: there is a solid game engine here and the story is set up too.
Worth a look for what it is.
The game itself is in great shape for what it contains, which is quite a bit. I am eager to see the next content update, as well as how this content runs when more of the bugs become ironed out. The pictures are well done, and the ability to examine attributes was also a nice touch that i'm eager to see expanded on. Great Work
This is one of the first games in this line that I am aware of and I have been looking for it -on and of- for some years now before it was reposted and updated by Scipio Africanus.
The game in it's current is form technically flawless, has great optics and is quite suggestive. Indeed a masterpiece -in the making: it is not finished yet (though one can get further than I have). It combines two of the classic topoi found on this site: a dark mansion (with a witch, not surprisingly) where what one does leads to what one becomes AND a new life with some jobs to run for one's new mistress (Guess!).
I got myself a buxom blonde in the first play through and will keep playing the game to see what else could have happened and what else I could have done. Even without any further updates this would still be great if incomplete.
The only setback I suffer from -not being a native speaker- is that all games on Inform and similar engines require lots of typing in the right command word. But in this case the game builder is a native speaker with good language skill and humour so one isn't hindered by any lack on that side (I remember lots of games where one had to insert word misspelled by the author in the way the author misspelled them). Not my first choice, but the game is well worth that additional effort.
Do download and play it: it is a top game.
I like it. Shows promise
