Varicella

Varicella is an interactive fiction game created by Adam Cadre in 1999 using the Inform programming language. Cadre is a well-known figure in the interactive fiction community, famous for games like Photopia. Varicella won the 1999 XYZZY Award for Best Game.

In Varicella, the player controls Pier d'Varicella, a palace minister in the fictional Royal Palace of Piedmont. Following the sudden death of the king, the player's goal is to scheme and manipulate their way into becoming the regent for the young prince. The game is structured as a puzzle where players must outwit rival ministers within a strict timeframe.

Varicella was created using the Inform programming language, a popular tool for developing text-based interactive fiction games. Inform was developed by Graham Nelson and has been used to create thousands of text adventures. Adam Cadre used it to script the complex, time-sensitive mechanics found in Varicella.

Varicella is highly unique because it operates on a strict, turn-based time limit where players must carefully schedule their actions to outmaneuver rival characters. The protagonist is a ruthless anti-hero, and the game requires meticulous planning to achieve the goal of becoming regent. Its complex, clockwork-like narrative structure sets it apart from other interactive fiction titles.