Façade

AI-based interactive story

Façade is a free AI game in which the player has to solve the marital issues of a couple, Grace and Trip. Responses are entirely up to the player as the software features a powerful reactive AI. This factor allows you to type in whatever you want to say. Then, the adventure game ends with the marriage either being fixed or spiking with tension, which leads to the ending.

Façade’s blend of advanced AI, procedural storytelling, and engaging gameplay offers players a truly immersive and unforgettable experience. Fully unravel the complexities of Grace and Trip’s relationship or explore the boundaries of interactive narrative.

Award-winning concept

Michael Mateas and Andrew Stern developed Façade back in 2005. At the time, the game was revolutionary and, to this day, remains one of the few narratives with this level of freedom of choice. It eventually won the Grand Jury Prize at the Slamdance Independent Games Festival in 2006 and was a finalist in the Independent Game Festival two years prior. Unfortunately, the choice game has not aged well graphically, especially with a lackluster design.

Even so, it remains a popular game among many players, with content creators uploading gameplay videos on YouTube. It has also been a subject of academic research and featured on news portals, including The Guardian and The New York Times. Unfortunately, the game itself is no longer supported by the development team as the original creators have moved on to other fields.

It is somewhat surprising that this title has had such importance today in the software market. Plus, no one has tried to copy the formula that garnered attention. No other system has ever allowed such freedom of choice for its protagonists. Gamers can only hope for a return to such limitless gameplay.

How do you get Façade?

There are several limitations to downloading the application. As it was released many years ago, it only worked on older models of Windows and Mac. Though, the software can now be played on Vista through Windows 10. If you want to play on older systems like XP, you need to download the original package. Other than that issue, it requires a simple download and installation. It tends to crash, so it might take a while to get it installed and running. 

What is the point of the Façade game?

The game is narrative-driven, with the purpose of fixing a marriage that has gone south. The couple, Trip and Grace, invite you over to enjoy an evening with them. Unknown to you, they are having conflict in their marriage. The game starts with you getting a call inviting you over. When you arrive at their place, you are free to type whatever you want into the game system as responses.

You can even flirt with Grace or Trip if your character is the opposite gender. The game has multiple possible endings led by the player’s actions. If you insult the couple, they will throw you out of the house eventually; this can also happen if you continue to flirt with one of them with the other one around. The AI embedded into the software shines in these randomized situations.

The goal is to read the room and understand what to say, and the same could be said in navigating different situations to gain various results. The system is remarkable for its adaptability and pushes you to develop interpersonal skills in hypothetical situations. Another way to play the game is to try to mess the responses up. As the software engine generates all the responses, it is possible to confuse the system, causing some interesting results.

The five trigger levels

Façade has five trigger levels that influence how Trip and Grace will behave toward you. To prevent kickouts and hostile behavior from the characters, it’s important to take note of the following trigger words and actions:

• Level One Trigger: The player references drinks, drugs, therapy, and infidelity. Choosing to hug or comfort either character or typing “breast,” “breasts,” and “butt” are also level one triggers.
• Level Two Trigger: The player suggests the couple to divorce or bear children, or accuses either party of infidelity. Blaming one of the characters is considered a level two trigger, as well.
• Level Three Trigger: The player flirts with either character.
• Level Four Trigger: The player kisses Trip or Grace.
• Level Five Trigger: The player types “melon,” “pig,” “snake,” and “rat.” Other examples of level five triggers are insults, racial slurs, derogatory and vulgar words, and references to death or killing.

Limitations and bugs

Unfortunately, the AI has only so much understanding of people, so it might simply not work with something you said. Players are often kicked out for saying random phrases or misspelling a single word the engine didn’t understand. Interestingly, saying the word “melon” will instantly get you thrown out of the house. Besides that, other bugs cause the game to crash or cause you to have a bad ending without expecting it.

Alternatives to Façade

It’s strange, but even though this came out in 2005, no one has ever tried to replicate its totally free-form narrative style. Although, Façade is most often compared to Galatea, which is a good option if you want to experience a similar sandbox-like experience. It’s a story based on player choice. The player may converse with a woman who responds based on the user’s preferences. While not as open-ended as Façade is, it has a well-designed response system.

A more popular choice-driven narrative would be Detroit: Become Human. It has a wide array of alternatives that lead to various conclusions. However, it is not as open-ended and does not allow people to insert whatever text they want to, but it does have far superior graphics and longer playability.

Meanwhile, breaking the fourth wall is possible with The Stanley Parable. It has a better graphical landscape than Façade. However, it has a short playtime as it only lasts a few hours. Stanley does have an exciting storyline wherein you can explore what happens when you deviate from the best possible option.

On the other hand, Detective Grimoire has an exotic feel to it. The narrative enables you to become a detective, allowing you to solve puzzles and order your thoughts to come to a conclusion and catch the bad guy. It is much more free-form than similar detective games for those who don’t like to stick to rigid rules.

Unique gameplay

There is nowhere else you can find the particular mode of play that Façade offers. It is a game for those who like to play outside the box and experiment with as many options as possible. Despite the substandard mechanics of play and graphics, it is a unique title that is worth checking out. Plus, the most recent update made it compatible with more modern operating systems.