Gun Mute is the first game released by C.E.J. Pacian. I remember when it came out. There was a lot of hype around it. It’s a great game. But, I think, it’s also one of the first to use a limited verb set. Something that hadn’t been seen up to that time. It’s full of action, and there’s something to do in every room.

In this one, you start off in the desert next to an old woman waiting for a brew that will zero in on your enemy. Hence, the reason you only need to use FORWARD or BACK when moving around. And every room was put together differently. You also have to look at the environment carefully and time things out. You do a lot more than just shoot stuff. This creates a lot of interesting puzzles that have you interacting with the environment to make it out of the room.

The game is short, with only 14 rooms to get through. Each room is a puzzle. They do start off easy and get progressively harder. But with a hint or two, you’ll be able to get through it. And there is a hint system built in. I did get stuck a few times, but once you figure out how the game is put together, it becomes really fun trying to figure out each room.

Most people have probably already played this game. It’s a fun one. Quick, with only a handful of rooms, and not too hard. It’s a great example of what can be done with a limited parser. So anyone trying to make their own should take a look at Gun Mute. It proves you only need a handful of verbs to deliver a great experience.