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POETRYANDSTORIES28AnumberostudentsinyearsevenandeightenteredtheYoungWritersATwistInTheTaleminisagacompetition.WearepleasedtosaythatwenowhaveanumberopublishedwritersinourmidstandwehaveincludedUsmanKhans8Alredwinningentryoryourentertainment.YoungWriterscommentedonthewayHandsworthGrammarstudentswrotewithimaginationperceptionexpressionandcreativeuseolanguage.WelldonetoallcompetitorsDearEstherreviewMyavouritevideogameisntactuallyagame.Mostreviewershavedescribeditasaninteractiveartexperience.InactualactitsmoreoaplayableshortstorywhereyoutaketheroleoamanwanderingaHebrideanIslandbecomingmoreandmorelostinsideohimseltryingtocometotermswiththedeathohiswieEsther.AsthegamesocialwebsiteexplainsitDearEstherisaghoststorywheretheocusisonexplorationuncoveringthemysteryotheislandowhoyouareandwhyyouarehere.Themaingameplayiitcanbedenedasthatisexploringtheislandandlisteningtoragmentsothestoryreadouttoyoumostowhichareinarandomorder.EachplaythroughoDearEsthereelscompletelyandutterlypersonaltotheplayerwitheachplaythroughlastingaboutonehour.Theoptimumplaythroughislateatnightheadphonesonwithlightsandsubtitleso.ThegamessensorydetailsareastonishingwithadesolatescorecomposedbyJessicaCurry.Theplainactowalkingaroundanabandoneddrabislandasaguiltstrickenmansearchingoranswersismorbidlybeautiul.DearEstherissplitintoourchaptersTheLighthouseTheBuoyTheCavesandTheBeacon.Eachchapterismorebeautiulthanthelastwithlayeredmetaphorsbothvisuallyandaudiblycreatingabeautiulscenetowalkthroughonethatcouldonlybecreatedthroughtheormovideogames.Perhapsthemostvisuallystrikingchapteriswhenyouventuredownintothetunnelsbeneaththeislandwithbioluminescentrockormationssotlyguidingyoualongtotheinevitableendingothepiece.ThestrangethingaboutDearEstheristhatdespitefoodingyoursenseswithstrangeglowingcircuitrypaintedeverywhereandconusedsnippetsotheBibleweavedinandoutoboththevoiceoverandthesceneryitneverasksyoutoapplythem.Therearenopuzzleshereorplacestouseyourvariousideasothestory.TheonlypuzzleinactisworkingoutwhathadactuallyhappenedtothecharactersinsidethestoryishewalkingaroundanislandinreallieorishestuckinsideacomaisheallthreeothepeoplehehasdescribedorishenoneDearEstherneveranswersthesequestionsandleavesituptotheplayertogureoutwhyanhour-longexperiencecanmoveandtouchhimbutwithouthimeverullycomprehendingtheentirestory.HoweveryoucanlookatDearEstherromotherangles.Itcouldjustbeanoverpricedpoorlywrittenwalkingsimulatorwithvaguelyprettythingstolookatasamanreadsastorytoyou.Iwouldarguethatyeswhileithasnogameplayitisstillanincredibleexperience.DearEstherinvokesthesameeelingsaswalkingalongabeachatnightsittingaloneonawindyclitopcontemplatingyourexistentialreasons.DearEsthersubtlymanipulatesyouintoeelingthisslowlybringingnighttimeuponyouhavingtheconstanttelegraphpolewatchingyouoryourentireplaythroughinvokingasortoEyeoSauroneeltoit.Thisexperienceisoneyouneedtoletyourselgothroughnotghtingitbutridingitouttotheendeelingthesameemotionsandpainasthenarratorclimbingthesamehillsandchallengesandultimatelyreachingthesameend.AsonereviewerputsitDearEstherisoilpaintingpoetryeulogyandvideogameallatonce.Anditsneverlessthanascinating.PipTurnerYoungWritersCompetitionCinderellamadeherwayintotheballroomwithherintricatewhitedress.ShewalkedtowardstheprincewhohadrejectedherimmensebeautyandhadinsteadgoneorCinderellasstepsisterDruzella.Cinderellarushedbacktoherpalaceinherlargemagicalpumpkinwithherheartmetaphysicallytornbythehandsomeprincesheartlessrejection.