Have you ever played one of those books where you could choose the next reaction, flipping to another page to continue the story from your decision? Ord. brings back some of that feeling, while being a fresh game with many different paths to come across.
The difference between a video game version and a book is that sometimes the options change, giving you a completely fresh path to follow - which really does continue to make the game feel fresh. Ord. is a very simple game - you are given a word and then, often, two words to reply with. Sometimes it’s just one word and other times it’s more, but often you just have two words to reply to the current word with. Once you have made your decision, you are given your next word and then moved to a new page.
These little microstories don’t have a bunch of fluff - they are just words, as plain as day, that link in with each other creating a story. The little stories work so well on mobile, creating a casual narrative adventure that you can play in the few minutes you’re on a bus or when you are waiting in line, a bit bored, wanting a coffee. You don’t need to remember other paths you went through, as you are often given different options even if you are trying to go down the same route. There are no real characters to keep track of or a deeper story to remember.
Ord. also does have a few different stories that can be unlocked on the homepage. Each of these stories have their own pitch on what they are about, but ultimately you will be the one to drive the story, so it’s really up to you with what path you take. They are the direction you might be working towards, but the path is really up to you.
Another very fun aspect of Ord. is how often you die. Normally, death is a really annoying trait in a game, especially if it is happening often, but as Ord. is better at smaller playthroughs, dying lets you just restart, following a new path or choosing new options. Going back into a new game is quite fun and adds some joy and simplicity to the game.
Speaking of simplicity, the graphics in Ord. are just three words - there aren’t big pictures or detailed animations - just words. Sometimes they light up or are full of fog or change in some way - these little details and changes do really help polish such a simple game. It’s simplicity done as well as it can be done - something that you don’t see very often.
Overall, Ord. is a very fun little narrative story-based game to play. It’s got a lot of variety and bits of polish and it’s fun to play in quick bursts. The words being simplistic are easy to read, even for younger players, and a lot is left up to your imagination.
