Homestuck is not just read, it’s played. As I will discuss on the next few pages, it bases its interface on an array of older videogames to create a nostalgic effect. Although it is in rare occasions that users actually ‘do something’ in the game, in order to turn every page one must go through the labour of clicking on a link which is always worded in a command format, as if one was giving that command.  This mirrors older text based games.

For example, here's a comparison between Homestuck and an early instruction based game.