Cold Iron

About

Cold Iron is a text-based puzzle game where you navigate a world of folklore and clever riddles. As the player you follow a first-person narrative filled with dry humor and cryptic clues. The story unfolds through dialogue and environmental storytelling as you search for a stolen axe and figure out a tangled plot involving mythical creatures. Gameplay hinges on parsing descriptive text and inputting precise commands to manipulate objects and progress. The tone balances absurdity with a gritty survivalist edge. This 2011 title from Andrew Plotkin stands out for its layered structure and inventive use of IF conventions. It functions as both a standalone tale and a meta-puzzle linked to other works in the same competition. Fans of narrative-driven IF games appreciate its tight writing and clever wordplay. The game remains a respected entry in the interactive fiction scene despite its brief runtime. Its mix of folklore and character-focused mystery appeals to players who enjoy thinking through challenges.

Storyline

"Your good axe has gone missing. Reverd Pearson would say you're a careless lunkhead who'd lose his ear if it wasn't nailed on. You figure he's right, a man of the cloth, but that doesn't mean piskeys didn't steal the thing..."