A slow play of a game is not about writing a review. We want to get our fingers into the joins of the thing and try to pull it apart to see how it works. Questions like "Did I enjoy this?" are irrelevant. Instead of "Did I like the writing?", we want to ask: "Was the writing effective? Where was it effective? Where did it fall down?"

The following are aspects of a game we can tease apart in our slow play.

What does the blurb tell me I'm here for? Does the very first screen reinforce this? Is the game open in its intentions, or shy?

Does the game set up any expectations on where it might go? If you were to predict the ending from the beginning, would you be dead-accurate, or wildly wrong?

How are we expected to interact with this story? Is it a traditional interface or something new?

Does it offer us any consistent actions? What are the important actions? Which actions are just there for fun?

Are the interactions constrained or free? How does the game signal this?

How does the game inform you of your progress in the game?

Are there multiple measures of progress? If so, are they independent?

Does the measures of progress tell you how far you are in the game, or just that you are moving towards the end? Can you go backwards?

Am I expected to optimize progress? Can you?

How is interactivity modelled? Is there a world state? How fine-grained is it? Is it visible?

Is the player fully in control of the state, or is there randomness or external forces?

Can you get into an unwinnable state? Is it noticeable if you do? Where is this game on the Zarfian Cruelty Scale?

Can you map out the game's environment? Its choices?

Where did you encounter friction in the game? Was it productive?

Is the friction accidental or intentional? Did the author anticipate the friction? Did it guide you or provide a barrier?

Where might you have expected friction but found it smooth?

How much happens in the first five minutes? What is the pace over the first thirty minutes?

If this is an IF Comp game, how well does it match the suggested two-hour judges' timing window?

Does the game adopt a different pace at different points in the game? How does it convey that pace?

Does the game take notice of the passing of time? Does it change if you are going too slow or too fast?

Does the game use images, sounds, or music? Are they optional or mandatory? Are they integral or just window dressing?

Does the author use a wide variety of effects, or keeps it restrained?

What images would you cut from this game? What images would be beneficial to add to the game?

Does the author account for players using screen readers? English-as-a-second-language players? People playing on mobile?

What sort of tone does the game start with? Does it end with the same tone? Is the player responsible for tone? Does it match the blurb? The title?

Does the author signpost significantly heavy topics? Can the player negotiate a path around heavy topics rather than straight through?

Does the writing style match the intended tone of the game? Is the authorial voice interesting? Why?

If you were the author of this piece, where would you have done something differently? Could you mimic or replicate the style?

Choose a piece of interactive fiction you are familiar with. Do a slow play, taking notes however works best for you. An hour of slow play should provide plenty of notes and give you enough practice.

If you need a piece to look at, head to the Interactive Fiction DataBase.