A reading room for browser adventurers
Inkwellquesthall began with a stack of browser tabs and a stubborn belief that the humble browser RPG deserves proper writing. These games are often dismissed as time-fillers, yet some of them are among the most inventive, funny and generous adventures ever made. We wanted somewhere to celebrate that, and to help people find the right one.
Our desk is small and our process is slow. We play every game on our shelf for weeks with a fresh character, keep notes on its rhythm and its shop, and argue about scores over far too many cups of tea. Most of us are in Britain, so expect the occasional reference to rainy evenings and late trains.
We write in the spirit of a good magazine: opinionated, specific and warm. We would rather tell you exactly why a game delights or frustrates us than hide behind vague praise. When we love something, we say so plainly. When something bothers us, we say that too, and explain why it matters.
Our shelf is deliberately short. Six games, played properly, written up carefully and revisited when they change. We would rather know six adventures deeply than skim sixty. If you think something belongs on the questboard, write in. Some of our favourite games arrived as a reader's suggestion.
Play long before judging
First impressions in browser RPGs are unreliable. We play every game for weeks, through tutorial, early rush and the slower middle, before writing a word.
Free players come first
We judge every game as a player who never spends would experience it, and we name shops that press too hard.
Joy is worth describing
We write about what makes each adventure special, in concrete detail, so you can recognise whether it will delight you too.