So Far r6

So Far is Andrew "Zarf" Plotkin's 1996 Z-machine interactive fiction, a surreal, wordless-feeling journey that opens in a sweltering theatre where Aessa has stood you up again. A draft of cool air leads you out and through a sequence of strange shadow portals into worlds both dangerous and beautiful.

What it is

So Far is a parser-driven text adventure distributed as a Z-code story file (typically .z5 or .z8). It runs on any Z-machine interpreter, which on Classic Mac OS means MaxZip, Zip Mac, or one of the era's other Inform-compatible interpreters; modern players can use Frotz, Lectrote, or Gargoyle.

Awards and reputation

So Far swept the 1996 XYZZY Awards, taking Best Game, Best Writing, Best Puzzles, and Best Individual Puzzle, with additional finalist nods for Best Setting and Best Story. It is widely cited as a turning point for puzzle-driven literary IF in the post-Infocom era.

About this release

The r6 designation refers to a specific release number of the story file. Plotkin's IF is freeware, with story files mirrored from his Eblong site and the Interactive Fiction Archive; this Macintosh Garden entry packages the story for Classic Mac users alongside a suitable interpreter.

Playing tips

So Far is uncompromising: puzzles are intricate, the prose is sparse, and several scenes can become unwinnable without warning. Save often, in multiple slots, and expect to need a notebook. A walkthrough exists for players who get badly stuck.