Freddy the ferret, a confirmed junkie living in a mushroom perched atop a cliff, is on a quest of great significance. His perception greatly altered by the effects of the spiked intravenous substance he has just taken, Freddy wanders in a dreamlike state through his own distorted and mis-shapen version of reality, on his quest for the perfect drug that will lead him to an unprecedented nirvana.
Told by his friend Skankk to visit a friend of his, Jimmy the Rat, Freddy begins his search which will lead him to the town of Angel, beyond the Burr-lynn wall; after solving puzzles in such trippy places as the Karma Caves, The Temple of L0ve, and the wishing well, which holds the greatest treasure "this side of fucking Nashville."
Made in only a week by, at the time, a vehemently pro-drug drac0, Edible Vomit is a remarkable, frightening and hilarious ZZT game which not only has so much of that drac0nic charm that we all know and love, but sends an important and rather potent message into the bargain.
Freddy wanders in a superbly-drawn fantasy ZZT world of impossible colours in his quest for the ultimate high ... things such as the iridescent rainbow colours of the Temple of L0ve, and the strange rocks deep within the Karma Caves. The graphics are almost exclusively for playable boards; art boards are only used at the beginning and conclusion of the game, which gives it a very free-flowing feel.
Simple pick-up-an-object-and-find-a-use-for-it gameplay is used; many of the objects' uses are rather ... illogical, but hey, this is a drug trip we're talking about here. Can anyone think of a use for a spork? How about stabbing a giant floating eyeball into submission? Ahem.
drac0 injects a great deal of personality into the game. This has the effect of making the writing not only very interesting, but also hilarious. It's nothing that JohnWWells might consider spectacular in terms of narrative technique ... but how can one not feel amused when faced with the message, "you approach a decapitated man, his limbs strewn all over th'place, a vine tied securely around his neck. he has BLO0D", or meeting Master Bates, who has suffered the grievous misfortune of "pulling a boner"?
But beyond all the silly jokes, and references to Harvey Danger and how much he "rocks ass", as the game draws to a close another side of the author himself is revealed; one of sadness and emptiness. In fact, the numerous spelling errors and very slack writing mechanics only enhance the realism and personality of the game.
It is never clear at what point reality ends, and the way Freddy perceives it begins. I have my own ideas, but I'll leave that to you to decide. Until then, 100%, and it's the only game I'd ever give that score. You'll have to play it to really see why.
