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Text Adventure Playthrough #8: Counterfeit Monkey
Thanks everyone for participating in this, and to Karlok for leading! Hopefully it’s not the last text adventure playthrough.
As for the game - an incredibly clever, unique and fun central mechanic, and one that could easily spawn a number of interesting sequels and spinoffs. Was it the best text adventure I’ve played? No. I thought the implications - political and existential - of living in this kind of society, could have been fleshed out to even deeper levels. But of course, it’s a credit to the game that it even goes into such issues, when it could have been a simple ‘escape the island’ plot. But the biggest compliment I could give this game is that it couldn’t have been done as a graphic adventure, which just goes to show that text adventures are still relevant in the 21st century. Who would have thought?
I agree that all endings are a bit anticlimactic. Still, I find this to be one of the very best text adventures I ever played. Very impressive, Emily!
Oh yes, don’t get me wrong, it’s because the game itself was this amazing and imaginative that I feel all the more disappointed by the ending. It’s a great game for sure, just wish there was more.
And I’m still extremely impressed by how much thought was given to all the different letter combinations.
And Giom mentioned a gnu at some point.
The rest is abracadabra to me.
Interesting so there’s some way to shoot the anagram gun I’m guessing. Not sure how we’d do that.
Well, for such an incredibly innovative game, that ending does feel a little underwhelming.
So we’re fused, with - depending on if we saved Brock or not and if we rebuilt Atlantida or not - either Alex or Andra or neither of them the dominant personality, but then this idea doesn’t really get explored?
It makes the ending bittersweet but also a bit anticlimactic. A low note to end an otherwise fantastic game, if you ask me…
Thank you, Karlok, for the immense effort of leading this playthrough! 
And thanks to everyone else for participating!
Interesting so there’s some way to shoot the anagram gun I’m guessing. Not sure how we’d do that.
Is it the gun that does the anagramming, or do the bullets do that? Maybe those bullets work Aperture style - “we fire the whole bullet - that’s 65% more bullet per bullet”. 
> throw bullet at gun ??? 
The truth can’t hurt you, it’s just like the dark: it scares you witless but in time you see things clear and stark. - Elvis Costello
Maybe this time I can be strong, but since I know who I am, I’m probably wrong. Maybe this time I can go far, but thinking about where I’ve been ain’t helping me start. - Michael Kiwanuka
Or if we fired the gun into a mirror or a reflection, but I don’t remember any in the game.
Years ago I started Galatea after reading raving reviews but pretty soon the game bored me to tears and I didn’t finish it. Counterfeit Monkey was my second Emily Short text adventure and I loved it so much that I’m experimenting with hard mode for a bit and I will certainly play another one of her games.
Criticism, mostly minor stuff:
The already mentioned fusion/prison.
Both protagonists are not very likable, but Andra is far worse than Alex. And I’m disappointed we don’t learn how they meet and decide to get synthesized.
It is hardly credible that a new Atlantida can put an end to the restrictions and initiate a government by referendum. The game shows her as a symbol, a statue, a figurehead tucked away in a cosy apartment, probably even unaware of everything that’s going on. The real power must be elsewhere.
Thanks for participating, everyone! I hope we will do another text adventure CP in the future. Although I loved this CP, with hindsight the game was not very suitable: so much text, puzzles too easy for the most part.
Butter my buns and call me a biscuit! - Agent A
Or if we fired the gun into a mirror or a reflection, but I don’t remember any in the game.
Oh, that’s a great idea! I’m going to try it and report back.
EDIT: Yes, it worked! 
Equipment Archive
The ceiling is mirrored, perhaps to make it harder for anyone to sneak around without being noticed among the shelves.
The equipment shelves here display an assortment of obsolete, broken, foreign, or otherwise unusual letter tools.
I can also see an accent flipper here.
The functional area continues to the south, and the hallway is west.
>fire gun at mirror
I fire the anagramming gun into the ceiling mirror. The reflection at once converts the anagramming gun into an anagramming gnu.
The gnu stares around in confusion, its watery gaze temporarily dissolving everything it looks at, until at last it happens to catch its own reflection.
A moment later, the anagramming gun is merely a gun again.
Achievement accomplished: Finn Rosehip award for gnu-hunting!
The silence is eerie.
Butter my buns and call me a biscuit! - Agent A
Haha! Yes!!!
Thanks for participating, everyone! I hope we will do another text adventure CP in the future. Although I loved this CP, with hindsight the game was not very suitable: so much text, puzzles too easy for the most part.
Yes I wonder if hard mode would have been better? Harder puzzles for us to all collectively think what we need to do.
I really had a blast playing this CP and thanks again Karlok for leading it. Would love to do another text adventure CP in the future for sure.
And I’m disappointed we don’t learn how they meet and decide to get synthesized.
I found it odd that we didn’t even get a hint about this. Perhaps we missed some clues about it. I would’ve explored some locations in more detail if I’d been playing the game by myself. I think I’ll try playing the game in hard mode too.
I’m up for another TAP. Anyone want to suggest a game? I’ll think about leading.
Reasons TAPs are better than a normal (graphic adventure) playthrough:
1. No waiting! As long as the leader is prompt (which Karlok did a brilliant job at), if you want to move it a long, it’s up to you. No “we’ll start chapter 2 next week”.
2. No spoiler tags. Head over to the Keepsake thread and you’ll see what I mean. Spoiler hell. I see no need for them but others do, obviously.
3. No installs, no system requirements. The ultimate plug and play.
I’m up for another TAP.
Me too! As a participant. If it’s not too soon for others…?
Anyone want to suggest a game?
I’ve read good things about Buster Hudson’s games. Foo foo or Oppositely Opal. But why not suggest some games you have already played and that you know are suitable?
I’ll think about leading.
You do that. 
Reasons TAPs are better than a normal (graphic adventure) playthrough:
They are! Solving puzzles together is such fun.
1. No waiting! As long as the leader is prompt (which Karlok did a brilliant job at)
Karlok had the advantage of lockdown and curfew.
if you want to move it a long, it’s up to you. No “we’ll start chapter 2 next week”.
2. No spoiler tags. Head over to the Keepsake thread and you’ll see what I mean. Spoiler hell. I see no need for them but others do, obviously.
3. No installs, no system requirements. The ultimate plug and play.
I agree. Most CPs I’ve participated in move too slowly for me. I hate spoiler tags in a CP, if people can’t keep up they should stop reading new posts. Not to mention the 2 or 3 weeks of waiting for the voting to end.
Butter my buns and call me a biscuit! - Agent A
I’ve read good things about Buster Hudson’s games. Foo foo or Oppositely Opal. But why not suggest some games you have already played and that you know are suitable?
Well.. I’m actually leaning towards one of the older Infocom games now, like Wishbringer, Planetfall, Enchanter. I had ruled them out for our first playthrough because we wanted something easier, but I think the group puzzle-solving advantage might be suitable now we’ve got a good idea of this works. I’ve played a few newer games but they seem more narrative based, like Counterfeit Monkey was.
I’ll have to look up Buster Hudson, never heard of him.
I’d prefer a game I haven’t played. If it’s Infocom you want, how about Suspended?
Butter my buns and call me a biscuit! - Agent A
Oh, you’ve played all those? I didn’t know.
I’ve just read up on Suspended. You’re aware of the time limit, I gather? If it’s not going to frustrate anyone when we make a wrong move and have to restart… then it’s an option. Sounds like one of those games where you have to play a number of times from the start before making any progress.
I didn’t know about the time limit. Might be too frustrating.
Butter my buns and call me a biscuit! - Agent A
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