Buried in Shoes

Kazuki Mishima (2008)


Buried In Shoes is a short game that seems written for those just trying out interactive fiction. It feels a bit disjointed, jumping between flashbacks, but has a bone-chilling ending.

With a file size of only 72k the game should take you less than a half hour to finish. It accomplishes this small size with a succinct writing style that is terse and to the point. Personally I like this, it gets right to the game play and doesn't beat around the bush. Also, the story is paced out well, dropping certain hints now and then, and does everything it needs in order to set-up the ending, which becomes the focal point of the story.

There are no puzzles to speak of, another reason I think it will make a good candidate for first time players, with game play that is very intuitive. The player always knows what to do next, and there is never a need to fight the machine to figure out what needs to be done.

Overall I feel this game is flawlessly executed, though the subject matter is questionable at best, and I see it possibly becoming a game that is highly recommended to those unfamiliar with interactive fiction. Well done Kazuki.