INVASION OF THE SECOND HAND SHIRTS
by DuoDave

Review: C. Henshaw

Review: David Whyld (1)

To say it's supposed to be bad...

It's actually quite good. I even found myself grinning a few times at the downright tacky humour (shame, alas, it came without graphics, particularly in the location where you encounter Aphrodite). Be interesting to see what you're capable of when you write a "proper" game.

All in all, I know you're wanting a 1 for this but just to spite you:

6 out of 10 - and I'm even going to recommend it besides!

Review: David Whyld (2)

By far the silliest game on the downloads page, Invasion of the Second-Hand Shirts is DuoDave's attempt at a "deliberately bad" game but, credit to the writer (or maybe not as the case may be), it actually turned out to be quite a bit better than most of the games released around the same time. What the title refers to I've no idea. It certainly has nothing to do with the game itself.

As far as nonsense games go, this game just about has every other one in the field licked: it starts with a detailed introduction which, the final paragraph explains, has nothing to do with the rest of the game whatsoever. Indeed, you start the game actually 'inside' a tree with no inkling as to why you're even there. Think the game sounds a little nuts so far? Boy, it hasn't even started yet.

Escape from the tree and you find yourself at a brook in which swims the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite. At the side of the brook is a leech playing a guitar (how well is never stated). You can question Aphrodite (about the leech) if you want but this isn't the sort of game where a lot of effort has been expended on depth and character interaction so don't expect wonders.

The lunacy continues right to the end of the game - although perhaps 'end' is the wrong word as the game 'finishes' without ever reaching any kind of proper conclusion - you're floating away by balloon(?) to an unknown destination. Then again, it's supposed to be deliberately bad and what better way to end a deliberately bad game than to not end it at all?

I imagine you'll either love or hate Invasion of the Second-Hand Shirts depending on your sense of humour. I'm kind of in the middle when deciding whether I like it or not. On the one hand, it's got the most lame ass descriptions you could imagine, no storyline and puzzles which are notoriously poorly thought out; on the other it's got such tacky humour that you find yourself laughing all the same.

For a game that sets out to be deliberately bad, Invasion of the Second-Hand Shirts fails quite miserably. It's actually quite amusing in a pathetic sort of way although i you're after an intellectual challenge then this clearly isn't the game for you. Play it and judge for yourself. It's certainly not the sort of game you'll forget in a hurry.

Logic: 1 out of 10
The most illogical game you'll ever play by a long, long way.

Problems: 8 out of 10 (10 = no problems)
Where to start? Bugs as such, no. But exits seem to appear pretty much at random, tasks have little or no relevance and the whole nonsense side of the game means that bugs, if the game was riddled with them, would have fit right in.

Story: 1 out of 10
What story?

Characters: 3 out of 10
A leech and the Goddess of Love, neither are very well described (probably just as well in the case of the leech though the game was clearly crying out for a little more description when you meet Aphrodite).

Writing: 5 out of 10
Downright tacky but amusing in its own way.

Game: 6 out of 10
Deliberately bad? No, not really.

Overall : 24 out of 60