An exceedingly well-crafted game, and a pleasure to play. Originally released as freeware with an optional registration (to get "feelies" and hints), but now the feelies are free too. Features multiple paths and a surreal atmosphere.

Rating: ****

Reviewed by Mark Musante (02 Jan 2002)

Large, highly complex and introspective game. You're a fellow named Terry, in rehab for nicotine addiction, and the drug you're put on sets you on an internal journey of sorts. Nearly everything in the game functions on a symbolic level, and trying to unravel everything is challenging--there's been no little debate on the rec.*.int-fiction newsgroups about what everything means. Thematically rich, but also plenty of fun as a game--the puzzles are challenging but fair, on the whole. What's notable about this is that, for the most part, the puzzles serve the purposes of the story rather than getting in the way of the story--the author manages to weave the plot into the obstacles to be overcome. The central relationship in the game is a puzzle in itself--much as the protagonist doesn't fully understand the relationship, you the player spend most of the game trying to figure out the dynamics. At two points in the game, the plot branches (in a sufficiently subtle way that you may not realize there was another choice), such that two lengthy sections of the game have two entirely separate paths through them (after which the paths rejoin). Complex, but thoroughly rewarding. Originally shareware, but the author has now released it as freeware.

Rating: *****

Reviewed by Duncan Stevens (01 May 2001)

gripsrc.zip (356.57 KB)

Source code to version 5.0

grip.gam (696.44 KB)

TADS executable (version: Release 5)

gripfeelies.zip (9.71 MB)

additional PDF documents (including registration key for hints)

grip.sol (15.43 KB)

Walkthrough

Losing_Your_Grip_Solution.zip (11.65 KB)

solution