Text-Based Game, [I] Doesn’t Exist, Gives Zork an Existential Crisis – Gamezebo

[I] Doesn’t Exist is a single-player text-based adventure, reminiscent of old-school story games – and Zork. You can dive into the atmospheric story today, where you can admire the charming pixel art that’ll leave you feeling slightly uncomfortable.

If you want to learn more about [I] Doesn’t Exist, visit the game’s official Steam page, where you can also download it!

What is [I] Doesn’t Exist?

Blending isolation, control, and existential crises, [I] Doesn’t Exist covers a wide range of topics in a neat little package. Explore the side-scrolling map as you work through engaging puzzles. It’s extremely text-heavy, but it results in a story-rich title that leaves you thinking about it even when you’ve closed the game. The nature of the game means that multiple playthroughs will be unique – leading you to a variety of pathways where you’ll discover new secrets.

To expand the text-based aspect of [I] Doesn’t Exist, the game utilises a Natural Language Processor (NLP) to bring a deeper and more meaningful narrative to the overall story – and characters. [I] Doesn’t Exist focuses on the emotions of the player, depending on the selections you make throughout, which then affects the direction of the game.

The Psychological Text-Based Genre

The first time I found out about [I] Doesn’t Exist, I was instantly reminded of my time with the psychological thriller, Milk Inside a Bag of Milk Inside a Bag of Milk – a true tongue twister! As well as its sequel, with an equally long yet quirky title, Milk Outside a Bag of Milk Outside a Bag of Milk. I won’t go too in-depth, but the overall aesthetic and imagery in [I] Doesn’t Exist takes me back. Though I will say Milk Inside/Outside a Bag leans more into the horror side of the text-based genre – and it’s a lot darker.

Anyway, if you’re looking for a game with a captivating story and unique characters, [I] Doesn’t Exist is definitely one to try – I can’t wait to try it out. For more psychological games, have a read of our news on the upcoming J-Horror game, Blue Maiden.