| 6 DEC 2004 at 11:40pm |
Lady KestrelGuild Master
Posts : 4038
Joined: 27 SEP 2004
Location: US, NJ
Status : Offline | #50
Timelapse: Ancient Civilizations...The Link to Atlantis
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/Lady_Kestrel/timelapse.jpg[/IMG]
If you take several beautiful and realistically-rendered ancient locations, add generous handfuls of believable artifacts, and mix them all up with huge dollops of legend and fantasy, you’ll get the delicious pastiche called Timelapse.
Although this first person point and click game has ingredients common to other adventures, such as often-used locations, ubiquitous journal entries, and a misunderstood archeologist on the brink of a major discovery who needs your help, it is enhanced by a blend of savory graphics and tasty puzzles sure to please every gamer’s palate.
The puzzles are molded from the worlds in which they are located. In the Anasazi world, for instance, you get to try your hand at archery, weaving, and drumming, and, in the Mayan world, you’ll find numbers, a calendar, and some bones to add spice to the mix. There are some old stand-bys, such as a maze game, a slider, and an Egyptian version of Chutes and Ladders, plus some fresh new puzzles unique to this game recipe that I won’t spoil by mentioning here.
It’s a treat to see a number of animals indigenous to each area, some of which act as guardians and some as guides, and there are people who provide clues to help you put together this interesting concoction. Near the end, you’ll have to watch your timing in a couple of critical spots as someone might try to sabotage your efforts. Your final choices can bring about any of six finished products.
All in all, Timelapse is a sweet adventure ready to be savored by both Windows and Mac connoisseurs. Dig in and bon appetit!
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/Lady_Kestrel/Timelapse-Egypt.jpg[/IMG]
"Where is the fountain that throws up these flowers in a ceaseless outbreak of ecstasy?"
-Rabindranath Tagore
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| 7 DEC 2004 at 8:40pm |
dombrewerGuild Master
Posts : 3103
Joined: 19 JAN 2003
Status : Offline | #49 - FAUST: SEVEN GAMES OF THE SOUL
[img]http://www.adventurearchiv.de/s/faustusabox1.jpg[/img]
In this game, released in 1999 by the perplexingly inconsistent Cryo Interactive, you take on the role of elderly caretaker Marcellus Faust, chosen to judge the lives of seven misfit characters who inhabited a now-deserted 1930s theme park. In a story loosely influenced by the Faust legend your guide is the devilishly charming Mephistopheles, and as with any contract with the devil, your involvement is predictably not as straight-forward as it first appears.
[img]http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/tac/seven_games/media/5.jpg[/img]
The game world is distinctly Myst-like; a first person perspective in beautiful pre-rendered screens but with a darker, seedier edge. It is great to play a game with a confidently mature theme – there are moments that are certainly not suitable for all ages – a particularly unsettling exploration of a photographic darkroom comes to mind, as well as the grisly fate of the 550 pound woman. This bravery with subject matter as well as a theoretically and psychologically intriguing plot really make this game memorable.
Quite uniquely for an adventure game another thing that pulls it into the top rank is the use of music; we hear Marvin Gaye, John Lee Hooker, Billie Holiday… wandering through deserted rooms hearing a scratchy vinyl of Nat King Cole crooning “Nature Boy” is a rare treat, and the song selections are relevant to the character you are investigating in another well-considered touch.
[img]http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/tac/seven_games/media/4.jpg[/img]
Finally, and vitally, the voice acting for the lip-curling, sarcastically malevolent Mephistopheles is amongst the very best I’ve heard in an adventure game. His smooth one-liners both entertain and repulse – and what better way to characterise the devil than that?
Faust is a guilty pleasure, both intelligent and atmospheric, and even with the occasional gaming flaw and lumpy cut-scene it is highly recommended. It also goes some way to proving that the devil does get all the best tunes.
[img]http://www.justadventure.com/public_html/yabbfiles/Smilies/detective.gif[/img][b]Playing:[/b] &&[img]http://www.justadventure.com/public_html/yabbfiles/Smilies/blahblah.gif[/img][b]Reading:[/b] &&[img]http://www.justadventure.com/public_html/yabbfiles/Smilies/whistle.gif[/img][b]Listening:[/b] &&[img]http://www.justadventure.com/public_html/yabbfiles/Smilies/indie.gif[/img][b]Watching:[/b]
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| 7 DEC 2004 at 10:23pm |
AndromusGuild Master
Posts : 5537
Joined: 6 NOV 2002
Status : Offline | #48: Broken Sword 2: The Smoking Mirror
[img]http://www.adventurecollective.com/boxshots/PRODUCT_Broken_Sword_2_PC4.gif[/img]
Broken Sword 2 brings back George Stobbart and Nico Collard for another mystery, this time on the trail of a madman and the artifacts he needs to free a Mayan god who will bring untold death and destruction if he is released.
[img]http://www.gamerankings.com/screens4/196823/1.jpg[/img]
I have to admit I found the game a bit of a down turn after playing through the stellar Broken Sword 1. The story and dialogue aren't quite as good or complex (although the game still has some good humor), and it feels a lot more linear than Broken Sword 1.
However, equalling the first game would have been difficult at best, and what you do have is still a fine game in the tradition of the first one. Gorgeous graphics, another excellent, atmospheric soundtrack from Barrington Pheloung, an interesting cast of colorful characters including some familiar faces from the first game, and tougher, better puzzles than the first. For example, trying to figure out how to get a ball from a stubborn cat will probably make you long for the goat from Broken Sword 1.
[img]http://games.tiscali.cz/images/news/bs2.jpg[/img]
Another change from the first game is that George and Nico get to follow separate paths for awhile, and you alternate between both characters for part of the game -- a very nice touch that I felt added a lot.
[img]http://www.csoon.com/issue29/shots/i_bs23.jpg[/img]
Overall, another entertaining high adventure of the kind you would expect from the Broken Sword team, but play Broken Sword 1 first to get even more out of it!
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| 7 DEC 2004 at 11:42pm |
MikekellyPrivate Detective
Posts : 612
Joined: 25 JUN 2004
Status : Offline |
[glb]#47 - Blade Runner[/glb]
[img]http://www.brmovie.com/Images/Things/Blade_Runner_Poster_2.jpg [/img]
Once when director Ridley Scott was asked in an interview if there was going to be a Blade Runner 2, he replied yes, as a computer game.
Interestingly, this direct sequel to what is to many the greatest SF movie of all time is based on the the origonal release (Blade Runner OR) not the director's cut (Blade Runner DC).
I love both versions of this dark gritty vision of the future, so that was not a problem for me.
At the time of this games release in 1997, it was marketed as the first "real-time" adventure game ever released. The game actually does have some variation in it. For example, during play you may find hints about Nexus 6 replicates. The next time you play the game, those hints may not be there.
[img]http://www.brmovie.com/Images/Games/BR_Game_Ray_Mccoy.jpg[/img]
The character graphics look very dated by today's standards, Ray McCoy - the main character looks very blocky and his animations are very limited. The backgrounds are beautiful however and are directly taken from the movie.
The game uses a standard mouse interface where you click on an item or person to interact with it. The story is rich and has mulitple endings that make replaying the game fun. This game runs well under windowsXP.
If you are a Blade Runner fan this game is a must buy. Although this game actually plays at the same time the movie does (You are the rookie Blade Runner, Ray McCoy in the game - with many references to Decard as you play) it feels like a sequel - a Blade Runner 2.
Overall, Westwood has done a wonderful job in taking this classic movie and making it an enjoyable game. Having voices you recognise from the movie definitely adds to the game, four actors who were in the movie are in the game as well - including Sean Young!
Difficulty - puzzles are very easy, but some of the action sequences are very tough. Set the difficulty level down if you hate action sequences.
Graphics - 8
Playability - 9
Sound - 9
Overall - 8.75 or 88%
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| 8 DEC 2004 at 12:40am |
AndromusGuild Master
Posts : 5537
Joined: 6 NOV 2002
Status : Offline | 46: Discworld
Discworld is based on a comic fantasy series by the brilliant Terry Pratchett. It is set quite literally on a world shaped like a disc, resting on the back of four elephants who themselves are riding on the back of a giant turtle swimming through the void of space.
[img]http://users.bigpond.net.au/terrypratchett/A'Tuin2.gif[/img]
The game takes place in the city of Ankh-Morpork. A dragon has been troubling the city, and the Arch Chancellor of Ankh-Morpork's school of magic, Unseen University, calls upon its most inept member, Rincewind to do something about it. So, in other words, the Arch Chancellor gets to look like he's doing something about the problem while risking very, very little, unfortunately for Rincewind!
[img]http://www.mrbillsadventureland.com/reviews/c-d/discworldR/reddragonfs1.jpg[/img]
The game plays out through four acts, with the middle two acts containing some of the most convoluted, abstract, and down right frustrating puzzling you could ever conceive of in a point and click adventure, as well a large amount of pixel hunting. Fortunately, the game also has some of the best humor I've ever seen in a adventure game, capturing much of the spirit of the books. Terry Pratchett's gift for sight gags, puns, and just generally funny dialogue is on display here.
[img]http://www.mrbillsadventureland.com/reviews/c-d/discworldR/flagpole1.jpg[/img]
The graphics are hand drawn, making for a colorful and nicely styled presentation. And the voice acting is top notch, with Eric Idle of Monty Python fame leading a great voice acting cast.
If you've not familiar with the Discworld, you're in for a treat. Start reading the books, then play the game. Don't blame yourself if you need a walkthrough, but you probably won't mind because you'll be laughing too much to care!
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| 8 DEC 2004 at 12:49am |
The_cranky_hermitPrivate Detective
Posts : 547
Joined: 14 MAR 2004
Status : Online | #45: Leisure Suit Larry 7
This review was written by Mikekelly.
[img]http://www.allowe.com/download/images/Woman1.bm[/img]
To many, this was the LAST Leisure Suit Larry game. This was the last of the series that was a traditional point and click adventure game that had Al Lowe involved. LL7 is number sixth in the long running series actually, they skipped number 4 to add a bit of humour to the series.
The game starts with Larry escaping a house fire and the fiery clutches of Larry's hatefull girlfriend, then the polyestered Larry takes to the high seas. Love for Sail features an easy to use interface that reminds you of the old days of the game series. The production of the game is magnificent - Backgrounds, animations, and sound have all been upgraded from previous Larry adventures.
The voice acting is truly topnotch, Larry and the rest of the cast say their lines well and can be understood clearly. Puzzles are very easy to solve and logical.
This is a 2D game released in 1999 and for the time was considered stunning graphics-wise. It does hold up well today when compared to current releases.
Overall, I enjoyed this game, the humour made me laugh and while an adult game (the game features no full frontal nudity) it was very enjoyable. On a negative side we've all heard the story before - the plot was basically the same as the others in the series.
Graphics - 9
Playability - 8
Sound - 9
Story - 6
Overall: 80%
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| 8 DEC 2004 at 12:57am |
The_cranky_hermitPrivate Detective
Posts : 547
Joined: 14 MAR 2004
Status : Online | #44: Discworld II: Mortality Bytes
This review was written by Joe_Molotov.
It’s Part 2 in the video game adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s wacky Discworld, and Death takes a holiday…literally. After Death has a brush with death (!?), he decides to take a break from soul-reaping, leaving the freshly dead to suffer the indignity of zombification and the living to suffer the zombies. Naturally, the job of saving the world falls in the hands of the person who least qualifies to do so, Rincewind the inept wizard.
The game kicks off by sending Rincewind on your standard-issue item hunt, forcing you to look for the black candles, six sticks, etc. needed in the ceremony to summon Death. You get the items of course by picking up other seeming unrelated items and then figuring out how they can be used or traded to get the items you really need, in the classic Point-and-Click adventure game style.
But how many games have a heroes that actually bemoan the fact they’re on a standard-issue item hunt? Or have shopkeepers that threaten to send you on some outrageous quest for another meaningless item, only to then tell you they were just kidding and you can just have the bauble you need. That kind of self-aware humor is one of the things that make this game so funny. Just like the Discworld books poked fun at standard fantasy adventure clichés while still following those clichés, the game makes fun of adventure gaming clichés yet still follows them as well.
There’s also plenty of pop-culture references (albeit circa 1996 pop culture) and broad humor that even non-adventure, non-fantasy, non-Discworld fans should find amusing (although being at least one, if not all of the three certainly would help). Overall, it’s a well written, well animated, funny game, with what I believe to be just about the right difficulty level for a moderately skilled adventure gamer, but it doesn’t explore any new territory in the genre. What it does, it does well though.
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| 8 DEC 2004 at 12:40pm |
dombrewerGuild Master
Posts : 3103
Joined: 19 JAN 2003
Status : Offline | #43 - THE NEVERHOOD
[img]http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Pines/4434/pc/the_neverhood.jpg[/img]
The central concept of this true one-off seems so obvious it’s surprising it hadn’t been considered before. The hand drawn cartoon style had been an effective format in adventure gaming for many years - if not hand-drawn, why not stop-motion animation?
Released in 1996 by Speilberg’s DreamWorks Interactive and Microsoft (who? ) it’s a simple, quasi-religious tale that is more sophisticated than its child-like imagery first suggests. You are Klaymen – the innocent protagonist who needs to redress the balance of power in the Neverhood from the twisted usurper Klogg back to the creator, Hoborg. Along the way you interact with characters including the vicious Weasel (more of a huge green crab-mantis, introduced by a superbly timed gag) and gentle giant Robot Bill, who just wants his teddy bear back.
[img]http://www.dreamworksgames.com/Games/Neverhood/media/sim5.jpg[/img][img]http://www.dreamworksgames.com/Games/Neverhood/media/sim6.jpg[/img]
Because the game is made entirely of clay (some three tons of it – about the weight of an elephant, fact fans) everything you interact with is wonderfully chunky and rough-edged. The artistry and effort involved is obvious - it’s a treat to pull every lever and prod every brightly coloured button for the sheer tactile pleasure of it. The puzzles are challenging without being illogical, and the numerous movies throughout are simply superb, one in particular I was so taken with I even played to non-gaming members of my family.
Combined with excellent voice work and a truly loopy folk-singer score "The Neverhood" is easily one of the most unique and treasured games in my collection. If you like animated, funny or surreal games, or simply ones that speak to your inner child (you know, the one tucked away in your psyche pulling silly faces and messing with plasticine all day long) this is definitely the game for you.
[img]http://www.dreamworksgames.com/Games/Neverhood/media/walk.gif[/img]
Wander over to the website for more info and a downloadable demo -
http://www.dreamworksgames.com/Games/Neverhood/index.html
[img]http://www.justadventure.com/public_html/yabbfiles/Smilies/detective.gif[/img][b]Playing:[/b] &&[img]http://www.justadventure.com/public_html/yabbfiles/Smilies/blahblah.gif[/img][b]Reading:[/b] &&[img]http://www.justadventure.com/public_html/yabbfiles/Smilies/whistle.gif[/img][b]Listening:[/b] &&[img]http://www.justadventure.com/public_html/yabbfiles/Smilies/indie.gif[/img][b]Watching:[/b]
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| 9 DEC 2004 at 11:33pm |
The_cranky_hermitPrivate Detective
Posts : 547
Joined: 14 MAR 2004
Status : Online | #42: Under a Killing Moon
Review by Mikekelly
Under a Killing Moon has been called the first true "Interactive" movie ever done. In this game - the third in the series actually, you play "Tex" Murphy - a down, drunk but not out private detective. Under a Killing Moon is a wonderful adventure game, particularly for those of you who prefer your detective stories to be similar in ways to an old Humphrey Bogart movie. The game is actually set in the year 2042 after World War III in what used to be San Francisco. Society is divided into two types of people: Norms and Mutants. Under a Killing Moon has a good variety of puzzles, some of which require a bit of work to solve. None are so difficult that you need to resort to a walk-through however.
[IMG]http://img29.exs.cx/img29/2092/uakm9co.gif[/IMG]
The interface takes some getting used to and is not user-friendly at all. At first, I tended to spin around rooms allot until I became skilled at using the complex interface. The graphics are, on the whole, very good for the time and hold up very well even today. Tex Murphy games are famous for their humor and Tex delivers in spades. This game is actually funnier than many games that are marketed as comedies. This game's world is huge and quite detailed, ranging from cluttered offices to a huge space station. The cut scenes in this game are very well done and also well acted.
This game is highly recommended - The Tex Murphy games are a "must have" in every adventure gamer's collection.
Graphics - 9
Playability - 7
Story - 9
Sound - 9
Production - 10
Overall - 94%
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| 9 DEC 2004 at 11:34pm |
The_cranky_hermitPrivate Detective
Posts : 547
Joined: 14 MAR 2004
Status : Online | #41: Loom
This game was written by DJ Souza.
[img]http://home.tiscali.de/slydos/l/loomicon.jpg[/img]
In Loom, you will help young Bobbin Threadbare in a quest to find the members of the Weaver’s Guild, who have all been turned into swans through mysterious circumstances.
[img]http://home.tiscali.de/slydos/l/loom13.jpg[/img][img]http://home.tiscali.de/slydos/l/loom1.jpg[/img][img]http://home.tiscali.de/slydos/l/loom10.jpg[/img]
The greatest thing about Loom is surely its unusual gameplay format – there is NO inventory or mechanical puzzles to be found – it features puzzles that can ONLY be solved by playing music! Each measure of four beats triggers a different spell. The correct spell will help overcome any obstacle that just happens to stand in your way.
[img]http://home.tiscali.de/slydos/l/loom14.jpg[/img][img]http://home.tiscali.de/slydos/l/loom15.jpg[/img][img]http://home.tiscali.de/slydos/l/loom3.jpg[/img]
Unfortunately, despite being fun, the puzzles are not exactly challenging and the game is too linear, which makes it even easier since there’s so little to explore. But Loom’s major downside certainly resides in its length... it’s incredibly short! It can be finished in less than 2 days by most players. Experienced players will only require a few hours to complete it.
On the other hand, it can be a great introduction for newbies who are just taking their first steps in our beloved genre. Loom features a great atmosphere, an interesting gameplay concept, and puzzles that won’t alienate first timers.
[img]http://home.tiscali.de/slydos/l/loom5.jpg[/img][img]http://home.tiscali.de/slydos/l/loom7.jpg[/img][img]http://home.tiscali.de/slydos/l/loom8.jpg[/img]
It’s no wonder that Loom’s interface is also very simple: the bottom part of the screen depicts Bobbin’s magical distaff. Each part of it represents a different musical note. Play the right sequence of notes to cast a spell. The spells are hidden throughout the game. To learn them, inspect objects onscreen, and sometimes a measure of 4 notes will play (be sure to write them down, for later use).
You know, I find it a lil’ bit frustrating to realize that the ending of Loom left the story open for a planned sequel that never came to be... and probably never will, considering the current state of LucasArts and the relative obscurity of this particular game.
Loom was released both on floppy disks and CDs, the latter version featuring enhanced graphics and sounds - including voice acting of just average quality IMO.
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| 10 DEC 2004 at 3:33am |
| Deleted User | #40- Schizm
Schizm, also known as Mysterious Journey, is in many ways a dream come true for a fan of Myst and its sequels. The surreal, exotic beauty of its graphics exceeded anything that other games had to offer at the time, dropping the player into an exotic world filled with rusty machinery, strangely organic structures, and strange apparitions that appeared out of nowhere to make cryptic comments. The soundscape was equally impressive; the footsteps of the characters echo tinnily on a metal catwalk, or squish slightly as the they explore one of the game’s living ships. If there was one thing Schizm succeeded at, it was creating atmosphere.
Schizm’s main claim to fame, however, is the astonishing difficulty of its puzzles. For many gamers, the prospect of beating the computer twice in a row at a board game to raise a bridge- and then repeating the same feat under even more adverse circumstances- was off-putting. Besides the sheer difficulty of the puzzles, the game featured two protagonists who cooperated to solve some puzzles, an entirely new innovation in this genre. As a result, many started Schizm, but few finished.
Myst fans, naturally, were ecstatic.
This, unfortunately, was Schizm’s main weakness. In few other games could you spend so long working out puzzles at the expense of all else. For players who thrived on dialogue and interaction with characters, the game must have seemed quite dry. And unfortunately, when the other characters in the game made there rare appearances, they were invariably quite poorly acted.
Schizm will likely always remain a niche game. To those who are not already fans
of the Myst series, it has little to offer. However, to those who like its style of gameplay
and who are looking for a challenge, Schizm is one of the best choices available.
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| 10 DEC 2004 at 4:46am |
The_cranky_hermitPrivate Detective
Posts : 547
Joined: 14 MAR 2004
Status : Online | #39: Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade
This game is claimed as of December 10, 2004.
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| 10 DEC 2004 at 4:46am |
The_cranky_hermitPrivate Detective
Posts : 547
Joined: 14 MAR 2004
Status : Online | #38: Discworld Noir
This review was written by Mike_Sharp.
Discworld Noir made by Perfect Entertainment continues the Dicsworld Computer Game Saga. After 2 highly sucessful games with Rincewind as the main character the developers under the advisement of Terry Pratchet has come up with another game that has all the qualities of a Discoworld Game and an old 1940's Detective Movie. This is a parody of all those movies all in one box.
The Game starts off like most Noir Movies of the 1940's with a femme fatal entering the office of the Detective and our Friend Lewton. The main character of the game just happens to be a likeable detective who has enough irony and wit up his sleeve to fill a shirt of a very large Troll. Our Hero is set the case of finding the femme fatal's lover who returned to town a couple of days ago but failed to meet her. Seems kind of a standard case but as the story progresses more plot strands open up like Pandora has just opened a box labeled "Plots" and unleashed them into the story. Just as you find the mysterious lover the story takes a highly imaginative twist and the lover is vicously slain. Our hero then takes it upon himself to investigate his murder and several other murders that have happened around the City of Ankh-Morpork. As so leads turn into other leads until one giant monster from the dungeon dimensions is terrorising the city. All in a days work for Lewton.
Discworld Noir is a terrifically funny game which would be a hoot for Adventure Gamers and Discworld Fans alike.
So Play it again Sam.
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| 11 DEC 2004 at 12:32am |
AndromusGuild Master
Posts : 5537
Joined: 6 NOV 2002
Status : Offline | #37: Obsidian
[img]http://www.the-spoiler.com/ADVENTURE/Segasoft/obsidian.2/obsidian.jpg[/img]
At first glance, Obsidian might not seem particularly impressive. Its developer, Rocket Science, lost money on the game and went bankrupt as a result. And it's also often labelled as a "Myst clone", which scares off quite a few gamers on that basis alone. Top it all off with the fact that it's a rarer game and will probably require some patience and eBay to find it. Why play it at all?
Because, quite simply, Obsidian is about as close to a perfect adventure as you can get, puzzlewise.
You are Lilah, a scientist pulled into a dreamlike world with her husband through a strange expanding black rock you've been studying. Separated, your search for him uncovers some unsettling connections to yourself and a nanotechnology project you've created to clean up the world's pollution, but now threatens the world. There's little story development as you play, and not much characterization, but that is more than made up for by the imaginative world design, and the possible symbolism of its elements will give you something to mull over for awhile.
[img]http://alswaiter.codedaemon.com/Games/globe.jpg[/img]
The world of Obsidian is spectacular, very surreal with some incredible wonders. It's amazing that the game designers have created logical, original puzzles in all this abstractness, logical in the sense that they conform to the concepts of the world you're exploring. All the information you need to solve the puzzles can be gleaned from the world around you, no matter how bizarre the situation -- whether you're running through a bureaucratic maze or reprogramming a robot.
[img]http://www.macgamer.com/Reviews-old/obsidian/bureau.gif[/img]
And that is what makes Obsidian a perfect puzzler. The puzzles are beautifully designed, always challenging, but I never found them frustrating, save for one. I haven't seen puzzles before or since in an adventure that provided that kind of balance so well.
Do anything you can to pick up a copy -- it's an unbelievable experience!
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| 11 DEC 2004 at 5:37am |
DJ SouzaJourneyman
Posts : 1452
Joined: 19 OCT 2002
Status : Online | #36- The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Serrated Scalpel
[img]http://www.adventurearchiv.de/s/sherlock1box1.jpg[/img]
A perfect Sherlockian experience: “The Case of the Serrated Scalpel” successfully captures the essence of the most famous detective of all-time. This story-driven adventure challenges your attention to detail: so sharpen your eyes and be prepared to examine every object in the room with extreme carefulness - and it’s usually a good idea to exhaust every line of dialogue with the characters you meet too.
[img]http://www.adventurearchiv.de/s/sherlock1-1.jpg[/img][img]http://www.adventurearchiv.de/s/sherlock1-3.jpg[/img]
Gathering the required evidence results in new dialogue options and/or new locations to explore. There are lots of places to visit, and thankfully the game design is clever enough to allow some freedom to the player - it isn’t too linear, thus the detective work never becomes stagnated for too long. But if that happens, you can always turn to good ol’ Dr. Watson for some very useful advice.
[img]http://www.adventurearchiv.de/s/sherlock1-2.jpg[/img][img]http://www.adventurearchiv.de/s/sherlock1-5.jpg[/img]
The game features only a few inventory puzzles - and usually they are very easy (or should I say “Elementary”?[smiley=detective.gif]), requiring little effort from the player. Nevertheless, they do add some welcome diversity to the game and can be very amusing at times, particularly the ones involving the laboratory table back at 221B Baker Street - it’s just so darn fun to play with Sherlock’s chemistry set!
[img]http://www.adventurearchiv.de/s/sherlock1-4.jpg[/img][img]http://www.adventurearchiv.de/s/sherlock1-6.jpg[/img]
The user interface is simple and intuitive - but that’s no big surprise since it’s just a variation of the classic SCUMM system created for the LucasArts games. The music, while not great, sets the mood for each scene perfectly. The writing is top-notch: featuring an engaging plot, interesting dialogues and well developed characters.
All those attributes manage to succesfully recreate the atmosphere of mystery and suspense found on the original books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Forget the later “Mystery of the Mummy” developed by Frogwares many years afterwards - “The Case of the Serrated Scalpel” is the gaming equivalent of what a REAL Sherlock story is all about!
[center]DIEGO J. SOUZA&&Consulting Detective for Hire[img]http://www.justadventure.com/public_html/YaBBImages/smilies//detective.gif[/img]&&&&[img]http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v249/Fairygdmther/Avatars/A-G-E-S_SIG.jpg[/img][/center]
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| 12 DEC 2004 at 5:49am |
The_cranky_hermitPrivate Detective
Posts : 547
Joined: 14 MAR 2004
Status : Online | #35: Leisure Suit Larry
This game is claimed as of December 28, 2004.
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| 12 DEC 2004 at 1:57pm |
AndromusGuild Master
Posts : 5537
Joined: 6 NOV 2002
Status : Offline | #34: Amerzone
Amerzone is a creation of Benoit Sokal of Syberia fame, and although the two games are very different, with Amerzone using a first person interface as opposed to Syberia's third person view, both games evoke a similar charm.
You are a reporter doing an interview with explorer Alexandre Valembois, who in his younger years led an expedition to a country known as the Amerzone, legendary for its rare white birds that live their entire lives in the air.
[img]http://www.mrbillsadventureland.com/reviews/a-b/amerzoneR/valembois.jpg[/img]
After awhile Valembois got restless, thinking of the fame and fortune he would have if he could return home with evidence of the white birds. Betraying the trust of the Amerzonians, he steals an egg of the white birds and leaves the Amerzone forever.
Now old, near death, and ridden with guilt over his betrayal, he entrusts you with returning the egg, preserved all these years, to the Amerzone to restore the white birds to their home.
[img]http://www.pc-gaming.com/db/imgs/Amerzone_header.jpg[/img]
The puzzles of Amerzone are fairly easy. Generally you'll encounter some obstacle in your journey, and while removing it, discover a bit more of the back story. But I found uncovering the tragic aftermath of the Valembois expedition fascinating and moving. You'll discover the terrible consequences Valembois' decisions brought to the native Amerzone people, as well as how contact with the outside world has marred the Amerzone. That combined with the beautiful environments you'll explore evoked much the same feelings of wonder and set the kind of bittersweet tone Syberia did with its incredible backgrounds and Hans' sad story.
So Amerzone, though short is still a very good play, particularly if you enjoyed Syberia. Benoit Sokal is a masterful artist, and you'll see some of what made Syberia shine in this early work of his. Very worthwhile indeed!
[img]http://www.mrbillsadventureland.com/reviews/a-b/amerzoneR/giraffes.jpg[/img]
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| 13 DEC 2004 at 6:08pm |
dombrewerGuild Master
Posts : 3103
Joined: 19 JAN 2003
Status : Offline | #33 - DARK FALL
[img]http://net.metron.com/imgs/darkfall.jpg[/img]
After receiving an urgent message from your brother you set off to investigate the deserted and famously haunted Dowerton Hotel and train station deep in rural England. You soon discover that your brother and two young ghost-hunters are the latest in a line of mysterious disappearances since the 1940s. You need to discover what has happened to these victims and prevent the dark forces at work from claiming you next.
[img]http://www.xxvproductions.co.uk/darkfall/pic7.jpg[/img].[img]http://www.xxvproductions.co.uk/darkfall/pic8.jpg[/img]
The brainchild of designer Jonathan Boakes and released in 2002 in the UK by XXv Productions (later by The Adventure Company in the US) represents one of the great success stories of independent game-making.
This is a modern classic of the mystery/horror genre, and while it feels similar to games like “Amber” and “Blackstone Chronicles” its effectiveness and atmosphere distinguish it amongst its predecessors. It’s seriously immersive and deeply scary. Understanding that the best scares come from suggestion and the unknown, the dimly lit corridors of the hotel combined with an intelligent storyline really get under your skin. The sparse soundtrack is perfect, with distant whispers, creaking floor boards and the occasional unexpected surprise. Quite often you find yourself jumping in fright at something moving in a darkened corridor, or genuinely fearing what may be out in the woods or hiding in the basement. The supernatural element is handled beautifully – with spirit detection tools at your disposal from advanced night goggles to a simple ouija board (one of many terrifically spine-chilling moments in the game).
[img]http://img112.exs.cx/img112/2501/1046550073002bw.jpg[/img]
Although simply presented in 90-degree viewable screens, the graphical quality and detail level is impressive, more so when you consider the game plays directly from the disc with no installation. Dark Fall is highly recommended as one of the very best games of recent years, independent or mainstream.
Visit the website and play the demo here – http://www.xxvproductions.co.uk/darkfall/index2.html
[img]http://www.justadventure.com/public_html/yabbfiles/Smilies/detective.gif[/img][b]Playing:[/b] &&[img]http://www.justadventure.com/public_html/yabbfiles/Smilies/blahblah.gif[/img][b]Reading:[/b] &&[img]http://www.justadventure.com/public_html/yabbfiles/Smilies/whistle.gif[/img][b]Listening:[/b] &&[img]http://www.justadventure.com/public_html/yabbfiles/Smilies/indie.gif[/img][b]Watching:[/b]
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| 14 DEC 2004 at 12:50am |
colpetSchattenjger
Posts : 1630
Joined: 12 APR 2003
Status : Offline | # 32 Amber: Journeys Beyond
This 1996 game is 1st person perspective with point and click controls. You come to the aid of a co-worker (Roxy) who is investigating paranormal activity in a house. When you arrive, you lose control of your car and crash into a lake. As you make your way up to the house, you start to explore your surroundings. The house is a beehive of ghostly activity. Roxy has been experimenting with equipment designed to detect paranormal energy. Your goal is to get the equipment working again and to find out what happened to Roxy.
[IMG]http://img135.exs.cx/img135/7537/amber026sl.jpg[/IMG]
This is a very spooky game with lots of atmosphere. As you check out the house, shadows flit and noises creep up around you. Much of the game is finding out why the ghosts are so restless. There are 3 subplots involving different eras and characters, and each plays out like a little game of its own. There are a variety of puzzles, but I had the most fun figuring out how to set up the observation equipment and watching the video monitors as the ghosts do their thing.
[IMG]http://img135.exs.cx/img135/5940/amber045qx.jpg[/IMG]
If you like you games a little on the scary side, this one will deliver. Games with a similar feel to this are Dark Fall, Morpheus, and Zork Nemesis. If you enjoyed those, give Amber a try, but you will need to find an older OS to play the game, as no one's found a way to get this game to run on XP.
[IMG]http://img135.exs.cx/img135/2852/amber067ko.jpg[/IMG]
Occasionally visiting Uru Live (KI 0063722 .&&
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| 14 DEC 2004 at 1:24am |
Lady KestrelGuild Master
Posts : 4038
Joined: 27 SEP 2004
Location: US, NJ
Status : Offline | #31
The Dig
Ah, space opera! I could sing praises to the genre all day long. Give me a space mission and an alien or two, and I’m off and happily humming for hours. Combine space opera with a point and click adventure game, and I’ll warble a couple of arias and a recitative! The Dig made me sing for joy!
Let’s begin with the mission, a tried and true space opera theme. An asteroid is in a decaying orbit around Earth. A shuttle crew, headed by Commander Boston Low, is organized to set nuclear explosives in strategic places on the surface of the asteroid in order to correct its orbit and prevent a potentially devastating collision with our planet.
After succeeding in this task, Low and two crew members, Dr. Ludger Brink, the mission science advisor, and Maggie Robbins, a top-notch civilian reporter, investigate the asteroid and make the startling discovery that the asteroid is actually an artifact. They soon find themselves transported to an alien planet with no apparent way home, and it is here the main adventure really takes off.
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/Lady_Kestrel/Dig1.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/Lady_Kestrel/Dig2.jpg[/IMG]
The planet has a wide area to explore and many noteworthy puzzles to solve. Inventory puzzles abound, but there are also strange devices to repair, alien critters to thwart, and several other difficult and potentially dangerous situations to overcome.
The player manipulates Low and addresses the other characters through him. The inventory and dialogue interface is easy to use, and while the dialogue choices can be repeated, they change color when all new information is given. Aside from one character getting rather annoying at times, the voice acting is decent and the bits of dry humor add to the composition. There are two possible endings to the game, and both have enough melodrama to be worthy of the space opera form. Exsultate, jubilate!
"Where is the fountain that throws up these flowers in a ceaseless outbreak of ecstasy?"
-Rabindranath Tagore
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| 14 DEC 2004 at 2:35am |
colpetSchattenjger
Posts : 1630
Joined: 12 APR 2003
Status : Offline | # 30 Zork Nemesis
[IMG]http://img135.exs.cx/img135/5830/zorknembf9jj.jpg[/IMG]
I played this game a while ago, so the details are a little fuzzy. What I do remember, however, is a great story and the fact that at the beginning, I jumped out of my seat when a disembodied voice speaks out. This is a 1st person game, and you are alone in your exploration, so for the rest of the game I tip-toed (or clicked ) around, anticipating another shock. This gave the game a sense of spookiness that few games have matched since (Dark Fall and Amber come to mind). Don't look for an obvious tie-in to the other Zork games (Return to Zork and Grand Inquisitor); humour is not a big part of this game. This could be a stand alone game, and the tone is much darker and quite sinister. Many of the puzzles are inventory based, and I thought they were well integrated into the plot. The exploration is a big part of the game, and as you learn more about what happened, the story takes shape and pulls you in. There are 4 subplots and a few twists that kept me guessing until the end. If you like a little horror with your adventure, this one's for you.
[IMG]http://img135.exs.cx/img135/9328/zorknem44ao.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://img135.exs.cx/img135/262/zorknem36dp.jpg[/IMG]
Occasionally visiting Uru Live (KI 0063722 .&&
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| 15 DEC 2004 at 12:24am |
The_cranky_hermitPrivate Detective
Posts : 547
Joined: 14 MAR 2004
Status : Online | #29: Full Throttle
[IMG]http://img25.exs.cx/img25/9453/title5ye.gif[/IMG]
This is one of the most technically impressive adventure games ever released by LucasArts. The presentation is more cinematic than in previous titles, suggesting that the puzzles are there to make the story feel interactive, rather than to constitute the adventure itself. Although animated, Full Throttle has a dark and gritty atmosphere, punctuated by murder, corruption, and road violence, and scored by a terrific hard rock sound track by The Gone Jackals. You play as Ben, a tough-guy biker leader, perfectly voice-acted by the late Roy Conrad. After being nearly killed, and then framed for murder, Ben finds himself hunted by the police, state agents, thugs, and other bikers. The result is a nonstop thrill ride with a steadily unfolding plot and plenty of gripping action scenes.
[IMG]http://img26.exs.cx/img26/6075/ss23tf.jpg[/IMG]
Gameplay is simpler than in earlier LucasArts titles. Due to the forward-moving and linear nature of the game, you never have a large number of accessible areas at any given time, and there’s little backtracking. Puzzles are logical, and usually require a bit of clever lateral thinking, but never strain your brain cells. They never become so hard that the pace loses its fluidity. In addition to puzzles, there are several road fighting sequences. They can be skipped by those who abhor action in their adventure, but live with them if you can; they’re fun.
[IMG]http://img26.exs.cx/img26/1301/ss10np.jpg[/IMG]
Perhaps the biggest change to the LucasArts formula is how human the characters are. Even Guybrush Threepwood, a fairly realistic character for an adventure game, lives in a world full of loony privateers and undead ghost captains. Every character in Full Throttle, no matter how minor, has personal ambitions and understandable motives. This, the movie-like presentation, and the downright fun gameplay and plot, make Full Throttle among the best adventures of all time.
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| 16 DEC 2004 at 7:06pm |
Lucien21Guild Master
Posts : 4876
Joined: 9 JUL 2003
Location: 0
Status : Offline | #28 The Pandora Directive
[img]http://www.justadventure.com/thejave/html/Games/GamesP/PandoraDirective/PandorDirLogo.jpg[/img]
Pandora Directive was released by Access Software in 1996.
Set in post WWIII San Francisco where mutants and humans live together. You play as Tex Murphy a down on his luck Private Eye. To-date this is his 4th big case and by all accounts his most impressive.
Initially hired to find a missing man the case soon spirals out of control taking in The Roswell UFO Crash, a Package, a Serial Killer, a government cover-up and a mysterious woman.
Pandora Directive Utilises a mixture of FMV for conversations and cut scenes and at other times you are free to explore areas in 1st person 3D, toggling between movement and interaction with the Space key.
[img]http://www.justadventure.com/reviews/Pandora_Directive/pandora1.jpg[/img]
Exploration is a vital ingredient of any detective work and none more so here, as certain items can be VERY tricky to find and lead to puzzle frustration because you missed an item. Close examination and interaction with your surroundings is vital.
Puzzle types vary from mazes, inventory items and Myst style logic puzzles. There is something here for everyone. My only slight disappointment in the game is the overuse of timed sequences which can be very frustrating especially the rooftop encounter.
However, what this game offers over all other is choice.
• Two modes – Entertainment mode (wusses), which makes hints available and offers 1,500 points; or Game-Players (real adventurers), which eliminates the hints while offering 4000 points of puzzles.
• Choose for each conversation you have a choice of adopting one of three 'attitudes', Mission Street (nice guy); Boulevard of Broken Dreams (hard-boiled PI) and Lombard Street (neutral)
• Choose with your actions within the game which one of the 7 potential endings you will see.
Therefore for a compelling story, variety of puzzles and replay ability it’s hard to beat Tex Murphy: Pandora Directive.
Dear Diary, My teenage angst bullsh*t now has a bodycount.
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| 17 DEC 2004 at 8:59pm |
| Deleted User | #27: Myst III
Myst III: Exile is the third installment in the fabled Myst series, the best-selling adventure game series ever. Produced by Presto Studios of Journeyman Project fame, Myst III took a slightly different approach to the source material than the original creators. Rather than
the subtle backstory which formed much of the plot of the first two games, Myst III focussed more on the game’s events. The plot is more urgent than usual; at the start of the game, a scuzzy-looking fellow makes off with one of Atrus’ linking books, which you must retrieve by making your way through a series of puzzle worlds. The villain doesn’t speak to you through books or restrict himself to one age; he runs around and fiddles with things, and at one point you actually chase him through an Age.
This may sound very arcane, but it’s an important difference. It meant that Myst III was more immediately accessible to a gamer unfamiliar with the series. It also meant that the built-up atmosphere which characterized Myst and Riven was sacrificed. In Riven you explored a civilization, but in Myst III you explore a series of clearly artificial puzzle worlds. For some this was disappointing, but others didn’t notice, and simply enjoyed the immediacy of Myst III's revenge plot.
Everyone could agree, however, that Myst III was gorgeous. Especially notable were the ending videos; each time you completed an Age, you were treated to a long, beautiful cutscene in which all the pieces of the puzzle you’d gathered in each age
suddenly came together. And the puzzles, while easier than the previous games, are fun mechanical puzzles worthy of the series.
The bottom line? Myst III isn’t the best of the series, but it’s head and shoulders above many other games. For almost any adventure gamer, Myst III is a worthwhile play.
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