“You’ve been drafted into a war against a machine called the Improbability Drive. It lives somewhere in the jungle, over there. Improbability is leaking out of this bloody thing like radiation, so we’ve got to blow it up. The whole war is being televised, you’ve noticed the cameras already, so try not to do anything stupid while the world watches.”

“Your head hurts because the guys who burst into your living room with sticks and a great big sack probably hit you a bit too hard, and you might have landed badly when they tossed you out of the plane. You survived the fall without a parachute because of the Improbability Bubble surrounding the island, which makes the air notably denser about forty feet above sea level.”

“You’re naked and unarmed because everything that penetrates the Improbability Bubble gets changed in rather amusing ways, and we didn’t want to take that risk. There’s blood on my boots because I came across some monsters on the way over here – yes, monsters, stop gawping, you’ll get used to them – and you’ll either pick up the rest as you go along, or you’ll die in a very entertaining fashion.” She smiles. “Either way, it’ll make for great television.”

Improbable Island is a text-based, browser-based online game. No flash, minimal graphics. Just you, a little javascript, some clever words, and a whole bag of silly wrapped around an interesting story and backstory.

You’re dropped onto a madhouse of an island, to ultimately try to take down the Improbability Drive – a machine created by Doktor Improbable (he spells it with a ‘K’ because he isn’t a real doctor) that is twisting reality and people. And the ratings for this season are just awesome, baby.

There are other players – actually you can ignore them and just play for the most part. They’re there if you want to chat or interact, or you can just get on with things.

Your first half-hour is going to be confusing. This game is actually a whole lot simpler than it seems at first, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun either way.

(click for a larger version)

Information about your character is on the right, some witty and functional text occupies the middle portion, and the left hand side has some options about what you can do and where you can go at the present time. Click on an option with your mouse, or if you have javascript enabled, just press the highlighted keystroke associated with one.

It’s as simple as that. The game starts on the front page, and the free (and spam-free) signup is integrated into the opening of the story. By the time you’re done, you’ll be confused, expectant and have enough requisition tokens for either a spork to defend yourself with or a pair of panties – and precious little else. (I opted for the spork)

By the time you’ve checked out some stuff at the outpost, had a few encounters in the jungle, and seen it all in action, it will all suddenly start to make sense.

Death is a relatively minor setback. If you should die, evil Midgets will take most of what you’re carrying and you’re shunted off to the failboat from which The Watcher (who manages the show for the television network) well… manages things for the television network. There you must either earn The Watcher’s favor, or simply wait a game-day to be released back onto the island.

There are six game-days every regular day. At the start of a game-day, your stamina (the essential currency which is expended to perform actions) is renewed, and human players can get free some free stuff at the NewHome Council hut.

Improbable Island is replete with jokes, witty writing, riddles, mini-games, and bizarre opponents. If you like clever writing, good British silliness, a bit of casual browser-based fun, then give Improbable Island a go.