The Magpie Takes the Train is a parser-based work by Brian Rushton (Mathbrush).
Under the IFcomp rules, judges may not rate any games that they have beta-tested. That prevents me from rating this game.
However! The act of using beta-testers is a signal that the author wants to provide the best possible experience for the audience, showing a care and attention to detail that may not be present in all of the entries.
For specific commentary on this entry, I'll refer you to other people.
From Stian:
"I was very excited to see this sequel among this year’s IFComp entries. To my further enjoyment, it turns out this sequel is almost just as good! Not that there is anything particularly wrong with it; I just wish it was longer and slightly more challenging, matching the length and difficulty of the original."
From Doug Egan:
“'Magpie Takes the Train' shares several features in common with its inspiration: an entertaining detective farce involving frequent costume changes; dialogue with an amusing cast of upstairs-downstairs society figures (but curiously set in the states). Both games have a well implemented full parser interface."
From Viv Dunstan:
"Fortunately you don’t have to have played the original to enjoy this. It sets things up quickly and efficiently at the start, so you know what you need to know from word go."
From Radioactive Crow:
"The prose is excellent and laugh-out-loud funny at times (particularly when you try the amusing things suggested after you beat the game for the first time). Mathbrush is a long time IF author and one of the most passionate and dedicated advocates for IF that I've encountered."
From Josh Labelle:
"This would be a great game to give to a person who wants to get into parsers -- they'll understand the fun without having to toss them right into the deep end."
Also, Donald Conrad has done some fan art:
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