Text games circa 2005, however, are called interactive fiction or interactive storytelling. Some are book-length, requiring 20 to 30 hours to play and read. Others are more akin to short stories and can be completed in a half hour.

“The goal is to make you forget you’re sitting at a computer and to make you feel like you’re sitting inside the game,” said Paul O’Brien, a computer programmer at the University of Colorado and former editor of an interactive fiction newsletter. —David Hayes —Playing with words (Kansas City Star (registration required))

Also quoted: Nick Montfort, Adam Cadre, Chris Crawford. Games mentioned: Photopia, 1893, Galatea, Slouching Towards Bedlam, along with plenty of good links.

The best news story I’ve seen coming from the Malinche Entertainment press release.

The article refers to “dwarfs,” but Adventure actually spelled it “dwarves”.