I Think the Waves are Watching Me

About

I Think the Waves are Watching Me is a short interactive fiction piece by Bob McCabe that appeared in the 21st Annual Interactive Fiction Competition. You control a protagonist wandering near the shore while strange thoughts creep into your mind about the ocean itself. The text unfolds slowly as you make choices to move forward or stay put. Your decisions shift the narrative path and reveal different layers of the story without any complex puzzles or inventory management. It relies entirely on writing quality and atmosphere to keep you engaged. The game stood out enough to earn a spot in that year's competition lineup, which speaks to its strong execution despite being brief. Players often comment on how the writing makes the setting feel alive rather than just a backdrop. The focus remains on psychological tension instead of action or combat. You will finish it in under an hour but might think about it for longer. It proves that simple text adventures can still deliver a heavy emotional punch when the author knows how to use words effectively.