BioForge

BioForge centers mainly on exploration and puzzle solving using items, and also on fighting and interaction with non-player characters (NPCs). The objective is not obvious at the beginning, since the player is unaware of his identity, which depends on his actions during the game. The player has full control over the main character's actions. This was a deliberate idea of Ken Demarest and Jack Herman.

Richard Garriott helped kick off the interactive movie theme. In a 1994 magazine article, he said "Interactive Movies have become a buzzword, so it's being applied to games which really aren't. Just because a game has FMV that doesn't automatically make it an interactive movie, because you have very little control over the actor. Neither is a game in which you click on an icon, then sit back and watch a scene take place."

Writer Jack Herman created a fictional universe as the setting for BioForge. The backstory is revealed in-game by reading the diaries of various non-player characters.

In the distant future, a group of scientists called the Mondites are attempting to overthrow the intergalactic government known as the Reticulum. The Mondites are conducting experiments in genetics and cybernetics in the hopes of blending man and machine into assassins for their plans.

Director Ken Demarest had the core idea for BioForge whilst working as a programmer on Ultima VII: The Black Gate. Demarest felt Ultima VII had too much freedom, and that making an interactive movie with synthetic actors would create a more immersive game. BioForge was developed at Origin by a core team of ten people under Demarest, during a period of two years from February 1993 to March 1995. The game was developed using C++ and 80x86 assembly and used the Phar Lap DOS extender.

Internally, the game used a custom script language for world management and animation. It also employed an HTML-styled language to code the in-game interface. The working title for the game was Interactive Movie 1.

Reviews for BioForge at its release were mixed. More positive reviews summarized it as "a game that combines outstanding atmospherics with decent gameplay", and "incredibly well-rounded". Other reviewers noted problems, but considered the game worthwhile, saying "While it isn't perfect [...] it would be a mistake to ignore BioForge" and "flaws aren't enough to keep BioForge from being one of the most unusual and intriguing adventures of the year".

Edge described it as "an enjoyable, but ultimately uninvolving experience". Elements such as the graphics, attention to detail, and interactivity received praise while the system requirements, combat, and controls drew criticism.