Linden Lab launches Versu, an interactive fiction app for iPad

Linden Lab, the self-described "makers of shared creative spaces" behind games like Second Life and Patterns, has released Versu, a free interactive fiction app for the iPad.

A mashup between a choose your own adventure book and a text adventure, Versu ships with three stories — "An Introduction to Society," "The Unwelcome Proposal" and "The House on the Cliff." In each, you play as a character in a short story, making decisions that affect how you'll treat other characters, how they'll treat you and how the story unfolds.

You can also can buy a murder mystery called "A Family Supper" for $4.99 with an in-app purchase. Linden Lab also has plans to expand the game to other platforms and include more interactive adventures.

"Reading has always engaged a reader's imagination, but with Versu, you're not just a reader, you're actually a creative participant in the story," said Linden Lab CEO Rod Humble. "Today is just the first step for Versu, with the iPad version and our first few stories, but we'll soon be expanding to Android devices and adding more titles, and in the future, we plan to open the platform to allow authors to publish their own work on Versu as well."

The app comes courtesy of the developer's acquisition of LittleTextPeople earlier this year, according to a press release from the company. Last October, we spoke with Humble and a few of the developers at Linden Lab about the company's philosophy, and two of their newest games, Patterns and Creatorverse, so be sure to check out our interview.

You can check out the game in the iOS App Store and watch the video below to see Humble walk you through Versu.