Serena

Twists of plot, twists of fate

A nice, atmospheric little game telling the story of a failed writer who finds himself locked in a wooden house in the forest, unable to remember his recent past. An exploration of his surroundings gives him some clues which make him doubt his own actions and motives. Serena seems to be his wife, who has disappeared under suspicious circumstances. But what exactly happened to her, and why?

The name in the game's title pays tribute to Serena Nelson, an activist and supporter of indie adventure games. The plot, clever and gripping, borrows ostensibly - and, to all appearances, intentionally - from Poe and Oscar Wilde, featuring as many twists and surprises as could possibly be contained in a half-hour game taking place in a couple of rooms. Cunning and imaginative, the literary references are handled with humor and diligence, especially in the way the narrator's thoughts and feelings influence the inanimate objects around him.

My one and only gripe is the camera's random tendency to spin unstoppably if the cursor is not pointed at the precisely appropriate place - but this is just a minor glitch that did not affect my general enjoyment of the game.