The Secret of QWERTY is a very small indie game. I've given it only 15 minutes of play, but I actually think that is enough to give you my impressions. The game is free to download, and you have the option of donating. I think I might donate, because this is a fun little game, and I think it has a lot of potential.
Like many of the indiest of the indie games, QWERTY looks like the rough draft version of what could be a really cool, higher production game. The graphics are very low-fi, and the level design is haphazard. But it is still a lot of fun.
The gameplay is basic RPG gameplay: explore maps, fight monsters, collect gold, buy equipment, level up. Most of these qualities are superficial, but also familiar and comforting to anyone who has logged weeks worth of hours on NES RPG games. The real hook in QWERTY is the combat system. Attacks are made by typing a given word or phrase that appears beneath your enemies. There is a fast timer ticking away at all times, and the enemies will attack and hit you if you don't type fast enough.
I found it very amusing, and not just in a whimsical way. The physical sensation of typing against time is a lot more action-packed than most old school RPGs that QWERTY draws its visual aesthetic from. On a more whimsical note, the typing theme opens the game up for lots of silly puns, place names and other jokes based on typing and keyboard layout (see: the title). I see the potential for a "Phantom Tollbooth" style of humor and creativity.
It only takes a couple minutes to download and install. I definitely recommend giving The Secret of QWERTY a whirl.
-D
Thanks to Boing Boing for originally pointing me to this game.
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