Matchstick Memories Uses Puzzles and Words to Wonder About Life

Video games often force us to make decisions instantly. But Matchstick Memories: A Meta Text Adventure understands snap decisions aren’t always possible in real life. This puzzle / text adventure hybrid from Heavy Handed Games forces you to make careful decisions by way of mini-games.

Matchstick Memories tells a serious story as you wind through its virtual fields and forests. You don’t know where you are, or even who you are, but as you progress, certain objects and scenes trigger flashes of memory.

These triggers are delivered by way of classic puzzles. In one instance, you might slide and match same-colored tiles. In another, you need to call on quick reflexes as you tap distinct game pieces. There’s even a puzzle that resembles the old Windows time-waster, Minesweeper. Your success – and failure – at these games determine the path you walk down.

Matchstick Memories: A Meta Text Adventure is free to download and try out on iOS. If you like what’s on tap, you can unlock the whole experience for 99 cents. That’s a pretty good deal for an existential journey.

Nadia Oxford

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In the early aughts, Nadia fell into writing with the grace of a brain-dead bison stumbling into a chasm. Over the years, she's written for Nerve, GamePro, 1UP.com, USGamer, Pocket Gamer, Just Labs Magazine, and many other sites and magazines of fine repute. She's currently About.com's Guide to the Nintendo 3DS at ds.about.com.