About

Where it all began

My first experience with a computer was a Commodore Vic-20. I don’t remember much about the day I got it, but I’ll never forget the first time I loaded a text adventure. No graphics. No music. Just words on a screen and a blinking cursor waiting for me to do something. I typed a command, and the game responded. It felt like a conversation — like the computer actually understood me.

Those early text adventures, pioneered by developers like Scott Adams on platforms like the TRS-80 and the Vic-20, lit something in me that never went out. Games like Adventureland and Pirate’s Cove didn’t hand you a world to look at — they gave you a world to imagine. And in my mind, those worlds were more vivid than anything a screen could ever render.

I believe that no artwork can compete with the power of imagination. When a story lives in words, every player sees something slightly different, shaped by their own experiences and creativity. The result is a deeply personal journey — one where the most vivid visuals exist in your mind.

That belief is at the heart of everything I’ve built.

From player to creator

Years passed. Technology evolved. Games became bigger, flashier, and louder. But the text adventure — the genre that had sparked my love of gaming — quietly faded away. I missed it. And eventually, I decided to do something about it.

After becoming a Christian in September of 1994, I found myself wanting to do two things: revive the text adventure genre I loved so much, and share the hope and faith that had changed my life. The Forgotten Nightmare became the place where those two desires met.

I started writing the game for mobile devices, and in 2011 the first version launched on Windows Phone. It wasn’t flashy, but it worked — a parser-based text adventure built from scratch with a modern interface, designed for a new generation of devices. From there, I brought it to Android, iOS, and PC. Three chapters now tell a continuous story, each building directly on the last to form a single unfolding narrative.

The Story

The Forgotten Nightmare is set in a not-so-distant, post-apocalyptic future. The story begins with an accident — one that leaves you unable to recall not only where you are, but who you are. Awakening in an overturned van, suspended by your seatbelt, you must first figure a way to escape. Once free to explore, you find yourself in a world that seems strangely empty and openly hostile.

As the story unfolds and your memory begins to return, the questions multiply faster than the answers. You’ll encounter companions, face impossible choices, and navigate a world where natural disasters, war, and chaos are accelerating beyond control.

Created from a Christian perspective, the game explores themes of hope, responsibility, truth, and perseverance in the midst of collapse — without requiring prior knowledge or belief to enjoy the story. Whether you’re new to interactive fiction or a longtime fan of text adventures, the game is designed to be approachable, immersive, and thought-provoking for a wide range of audiences.

What makes this game different

The Forgotten Nightmare isn’t a branching-choice game where you pick from a menu. It’s a true parser-based text adventure — you type natural commands like “take key” or “open door,” and the game responds with hundreds of unique replies. Some move the story forward. Some give you clues. And some are just there to make you laugh when you try something ridiculous. Enter a silly command? Expect a silly answer.

With the exception of a hand-drawn map that tracks your progress, the experience is entirely text-based — inviting you to imagine the world, its dangers, and its mysteries for yourself.

I built the game with a philosophy that the genre needed to evolve without losing its soul. So alongside the classic parser, you’ll find features designed to make the experience accessible to modern players: an auto-drawing map that builds itself as you explore, an integrated hint system that nudges without spoiling, and full support for keyboard, mouse, and game controllers.

What’s next

In 2026, The Forgotten Nightmare Series brings all three chapters together in a single unified release for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Steam. It’s a completely remastered experience — rebuilt interface and hundreds of improvements — designed to introduce the retro game theme to a whole new audience on desktop.

The story currently spans three chapters, with plans to release additional chapters in the future to continue the main storyline and expand the world.

Though I once thought I’d hung up the programming hat, this game keeps calling me back. There are more stories to tell, more mysteries to uncover, and more rooms to explore. I hope you’ll come along for the journey.

— Chris Radford