Whisperstring

Whisperstring is an 80s-inspired text adventure set in a chat room. You connect with Adam, a “jock” with a severe fear of strings who appears to have been kidnapped by supernatural forces, and try to help him escape.

The chat program

Whisperstring was a chat program developed by &&&$$$SSS66, pronounced “And-Es-Six,” and released in the late 1980s. Rather than focusing on chat rooms, it connected two random strangers for one-on-one conversations. The game presents a preserved version of the software, made compatible with modern computers.

Commands and puzzles

You interact with the game by typing text commands. To progress, you explore Adam’s “prison,” use items and decipher clues. Different text prompts let you give the main character your own personality.