I am an avid fan of the good old "scare" television. Outer Limits and Twilight Zone were rarely missed as us kids would huddle in front of the screen with the lights off trying to scare each other. As I grew older, the shows still were fascinating with their twisted plots and, often times, unpleasant endings for the hero. With today's demand for gore and violence, often times we see plot being sacrificed for sensationalism. Those were the days when a writer really had to think carefully just how long to build the tension, as well as how to shock the audience with reference more than visual.

I Have No Mouth, But I Must Scream took me back to those days. The game is unforgiving when it comes to mistakes made. The twisted endings for each character give the game that old fashioned, outer limit flavor. Based primarily on logic and clues, the game is a maze of puzzle solving and multiple choices. The wrong choice means death. Even the puzzles being solved correctly does not mean you win. Unfair? Deal with it. This game is not happily ever after.

This game doesn't rely on snazzy flash engines or souped up soundtracks. The movements are basic; there are no fancy high tech guns or flashy magic. What the game uses is a vivid imagination, curiosity, and the twisted endings meant to shock the player. While there is a soundtrack, I chose to turn off the music, finding it distracting. Using internal dialogue the characters walk the player through their individual stories and tasks which must be performed. Simplicity is the key here, giving the game an almost Hitchcockian flavor.

Even the graphics are basic, only the most minimal required details are used. Run on a DOS platform, the game can be twitchy when running on an OS mirror higher than Windows 95. I did have some trouble with the game running on ME. Once I downgraded my DOS program, however, it ran smoothly. The controls are simplified, point and click method for everything you have to accomplish. However, it is harder than hell to play if you don't follow three simple rules.

1) Check out everything. Even if it doesn't seem to be important. What works in one room may not work in another. An item used in one way may not work in the same way again. Recheck everything,

2) Listen carefully to what the character is telling you. Often times the puzzle can be solved by following the lead of the character. Several times the character will give you clues to something you have not run into yet, but will soon.

3) The puzzles are based on the individual character's pasts. Their story is the clue to how to solve the game.

While the game does not rely on gore or glamour to entertain, it still is a great play. I recommend anyone who gets nostalgic for the days of old grab a copy if they can find one, get a bowl of popcorn, and get ready for the old fashioned thrill.

Grade: B+

System Requirements:

PC REQUIREMENTS
486/33
8 MB RAM
2X CD-ROM Drive
SVGA video
15 MB free hard drive space
DOS

MAC REQUIREMENTS:
System 7.1
8 MB RAM
2X CD-ROM Drive
15 MB free hard drive space