Mask of the Plague Doctor

About

Mask of the Plague Doctor drops you into a medieval town gripped by a mysterious sleepless plague. Play as a quarantined physician forced to confront the Waking Death, a sickness turning victims into raving husks. Every decision shapes your path, tend to the afflicted, navigate political tensions, or chase dark secrets hidden in Thornback Hollow’s shadows. The story unfolds entirely through text, letting your choices branch across 400k+ words of narrative. Surgery, alchemy, and swordplay all play a role as you balance mercy and ambition in a world where survival means picking your battles carefully. Choice of Games’ signature interactive fiction shines here, with a dense plot that rewards careful thinking. Fans of branching narratives and moral dilemmas will find plenty to chew on. The lack of visuals means the story hinges entirely on strong writing and player imagination. Available on PC, Mac, Linux, and mobile, it’s a portable tale of plague, power, and peril. The game’s length and multiple endings have earned it a dedicated following, with players logging dozens of hours chasing different outcomes. If you like stories that twist based on your priorities, this one’s got enough layers to keep you guessing.

Storyline

Cure foul disease in a medieval fantasy tale of swords and surgery! Wield poultice and potion against a sleeping sickness that threatens the realm. Mask of the Plague Doctor is a 409,000-word interactive novel by Peter Parrish, where your choices control the story. It’s entirely text-based, without graphics or sound effects, and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination. The town of Thornback Hollow is under quarantine. Its people are unable to sleep, tormented by a disease known as the Waking Death, and the infection is spreading. At the orders of the Crown, Baron Osbert Morlond’s levied soldiers besiege the gates. The summons have been issued. Plague doctors in the vicinity must respond by law, or face the Crown’s justice. You are one of these masked physicians. Can the town’s sickness be cured? Or will you be forced to find an escape route, as the creeping infection proves impossible to contain? Are you focused on medicine, intent on curing this plague above all else? Or is this cauldron of political unrest impossible not to stir? The townsfolk share whispers of a malevolent power. Can it be harnessed to your ambitions?