Playing Blackbar is Like High School English Class, And I Love It

Because there’s nothing you love more than when strangers recommend random iOS games to you, here’s one that its creator calls “serious,” “artsy,” and “texty.” Sound up your alley?

The game is Neven Mrgan and James Moore’s BlackBar. It’s a purely text-based experience, with old-fashioned typewriter font letters outlined starkly against page after white, white page. You read missives from a friend, filling in the words that have been censored by the Orwellian, Ministry of Truth-esque “Department of Communication.” You’ll also get occasional messages from Department officials and others. It’s like you’re reading someone else’s inbox while on vacation in Brave New World

Between the literary dystopian tone and the use-context-clues puzzle mechanics, it gives me serious flashbacks to English class. But in a good way! English was the only class I liked in high school.

Fun fact about Mrgan: he made headlines back in 2007 (over six years ago! Can you believe that?) for creating the first ever third-party iPhone app. Also, Ron Gilbert tweeted about Blackbar just this morning, so there’s that.