ne Mventurers, JOUI'Jlal November, 1992 Not sold in stores King• s Quest VI: a landmark game

I remember once breaking a number of Down and out in against a background of murder, politi­ traffic laws in order to attend a special Daventry Hills cal intrigue and a " ...Does she love me? Does she not?" sub-plot. It is not what film industry premiere of The Empire The game picks up about three months you might call a typical Strikes Back in Hollywood, and finally after King's Quest Vended, where King's Quest story. sitting in front of Muppeteer Jim Prince Alexander of Daventry (Gwydion In Henson, who also confessed to having of KQ3) and Princess Cassima of the Did I say "not typical?" a first for has not gone out of his way to get there. Stanley Green Isles were last seen making goo­ the series, and for Sierra, KQ6 one ending, but over a doi.en. It is not as Kubrick's film The Shining was premier­ goo eyes at each other. Alex is at home it seems, though. There are ing at the same hour, and was virtually pining away when the castle's magic loose as really just two major finishes - based ignored in the rush to see if George mirror shows an image of Cassima look­ Lucas could surpass Star Wars. ing troubled. The combination of on a short path through the game, and a longer one - but they differ in tone, A new King's Quest game is like infatuation and being a noble prince emotion and detail. that: having defined (if sends him rushing off Once the two paths split, they not invented) the to the Green Islands, become mutually exclusive. the other animated adventure game, despite the fact that All endings are variations on these two, but each new sequel sells by no one knows where the spectrum of finishes is wide. A the truckload, and is they are, or that they examined and discussed, arc surrounded by goodly number of actions (and combina­ tions of actions) that the player does, or not just by fans, but by nasty reefs and the entire computer enter­ does not perform, have a direct effect on currents. Yup, he ends tainment industry. just which ending you will experience. King's up washed up on a On the other hand, the game is very re­ Quest has become the beach. benchmark against which all other This entire opening cartoon was playa ble because of this. And Sierra also loaded the game with many "optional" adventure games - including new produced by a Hollywood company that King's Quest titles - are judged. It is has done animated special effects for tasks and puzzles. Jane Jensen, who wrote KQ6 along with Roberta also the best selling series of such games Batman Returns and The l.Awnmower ever. Man; the smoothness of animation and Continued on page 14 use of animated camera moves are quite The end of an era impressive, unlike what you might Welcome to the Age of King's Quest VI: expect to see in a computer game. Contents Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow. Play it. Cherish it. You'll love it. Big, confident, Islands and legends colorful, complex, deep, difficult, From his soggy, sandy arrival, Alexander perplexing; sometimes cute and always will have to find his way to and around involving, KQ6 is a landmark computer a half-dozen island kingdoms, each of game. It's fitting that it also marks the which is unique and based on a different end of an era. fantasy or fairy tale tradition. There is The plot is almost trite: princess an Arabian Nights island, one for Beauty imprisoned in a tower, a really evil and the Beast, Wonderland, Greek Vizier running amok, kingdom in mythology, Druidic religion, and one turmoil, and a lone prince to set it all inspired by the Orpheus story. arights. But then, Star Wars was little Alexander has to unravel what's going else than boys meet girl, they all save the on and watch out for the vizier's genie, universe. who alternates trying to spy on him or attempting assassination. All this occurs by Peter Spear Shay Addams' The Latest Loom and Monkey Island 1; hint Quests books for all games are included. The Mail Maze Adventure This month I've spent time in all Spearheading the quest ~ ~pn Road the new adven- This month's lead review was done u__--====~_____.~IE:::· ==~ tures. Feature by Peter Spear, who has been playing reviews on most Dear QuestBusters: beta versions of King's Quest VI for of them won't About last issue's page 14 - is the several months. His updated edition editor in a coma or something? arrive until next of The King's Quest Companion will month, so maybe include the complete solution. Spear Curious Reader these one-liners will help and his son also have a clue book you choose the best game for you that covers the Space Quest series. Dear QuestBusters: from a crowd of excellent new titles. Both are from McGraw-Hill. Was page 14 of the October issue Might and Magic: Clouds of Xeen printed in Zork I's Echo Room? has the slickest graphics and Adventurous screen saver Enraged Reader monsters, and though its many quests pose significant Jeff Tunnell, best known for Willy challenges, the Beamish and Dear QuestBusters: interface makes it Heart of China, Send me the real page 14 or die! And easy to play. Sir­ has a new kind of get a proofreader! Tech's Crusaders of "adventure." Outraged Reader the Dark Savant Johnny Castaway doesn't look as is a uruque We ran an ad in the Tucson paper for good but offers Windows 3.1 a proofreader, but no one could read more opportunity screen saver - the for interacting with first to feature an it because of all the typos. Anyway, I NPCs as you partici- Quest for Glory Ill animated story fired the person responsible for this pate in a sophisticated story, and it is with sound effects. Randomly gener- disaster. (Then I immediately rehired the toughest RPG of the year. I still ated events depict the life of Johnny him, since it was me.) For page 14 of don't like Darklands, even with the as he strives to escapes a desert October, see our "Patch A" on page patches, because of the overemphasis island. Tunnell also has a "one-of-a- 14 of this issue. No, make that page on menus and all those things to keep kind" game due for Christmas: The 13. Or was it page 2 ... ? track of (it should come with its own Incredible Machine. database) - but if you like that kind of RPG, this is your kind of game. Paragon joins CD Throng Spellcasting 301, no pushover in Though the disk-based version the puzzle department, is clearly the haven't shipped yet, Paragon recently funniest game of the year and features announced that CD versions of the raciest graphics too. Lost Files of Mantis and Challenge of the Five Editor: Shay Addams Sherlock Holmes is more sedate and Realms have been scheduled for fall. Managing Editor: Dora McCormick easier to solve. Quest for Glory III's News Editor: Arthur Kent biggest competition is King's Quest Contributing Editors: Al Giovetti, VI: KQ is tougher, and adventure Patches Bernie Yee, FredJ. Philipp, Clancy fans akeady know which one they'll Look for patch updates on all quests Shaffer, Rich Heimlich, Ken St. play first. Gobliiins is great if you like and simulations in our upcoming Andre, Brian Smith, Russ Ceccola, Bruce E. Wiley, This Reviewer logic puzzles and hate to map. newsletter, Patches, which will also report on home-made quilts and rag QuestBusters, the journal of the dolls. Mtzniac Mansion 2 world's largest group of adventure gamers, is published monthly by LucasArts has finally announced a Ragnarok's revenge Patch It Up Productions. Annual sequel for. their first animated adven­ dues: 3rd Class, $19; lst Class, $25, From Norse Helm, Ragnarok is a ture. Day of the Tentacle, due this Canada, $26, lnt'~ $36. Contents spring, is "loosely derived" from the Viking mythology-based RPG that Copyright Eldritch, LTD., 1992, All 1987 game. This fall LucasArts is looks like something from 1985, even Rights Reserved. Copying without rereleasing the original game in a with VGA graphics. The display is express permission is prohibited & collection of five IBM adventures that reminiscent of Ultima II We won't punishable by applying patches A-Z also includes 'Zak McKracken, run a feature review on this one, to your auto.exec file. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which is not recommended. Member: South American Explorers Club And just vuho is ttis D:rk Savcnt, ~

he last few months have been a real course. There is a limited drag-and­ ters, and only some of their goodies teaser for me - I received a series drop aspect too, as items can be will be transferred, but this option T of early beta copies of Sir-Tech's dragged from one player to another. gives you some instant firepower. long-awaited Crusaders of the Dark And you'll need it: Crusaders sports a Savant, their sequel to Bane of the Automapping added huge outdoor and indoor world for Cosmic Forge, to play around with. Automapping has been added as well, you to explore, not to mention Incomplete puzzles and world, but but it doesn't nearly match the imple­ intense battles - the groups of playable nonetheless. I could not mentation seen in Ultima Ratkins that bar the path to the first import Bane characters in the earliest Underworld. Your automap becomes city are so powerful that slaying them versions, so I waited in frustration more detailed as your nets you thou­ until the final beta was available. skill in Mapping sands of Well, after long and interminable increases. Automap experience delays, Crusaders is finally here. This even maps areas of points. A starter review is based on the final beta darkness, which dungeon is avail­ version, which has completely imple­ makes sense - after able for mented the world and puzzles; all all, if the gamer could developing new that was left to do was for the dedi­ map the area by trial characters. cated beta testers to whip out their +4 and error, your char­ fly swatters and comb the terrain. acters should be able Alternative to do so too. A few other quirks also beginnings Like father. like son linger throughout the game, such as The plot, and its implementation, are Crusaders has remained true to David Bradley's partial adherence to the fascinating. Depending on which of Bradley's vision, for better and worse. dungeon abyss janitor system: if you three endings you finished in Bane, or The first noteworthy improvement is kill a foe, he explodes and his weap­ a new cold-start beginning, you end that Crusaders takes you out of the ons disappear. This fiction works for up on the planet Guardia, searching cave and into a huge and richly the robotic Savant minions, but not for the secrets of the wizard detailed world, above and below for Gorns who swing +2 spears. Phoonzang. But other races are ground. Shimmering seas, dark The object-oriented realism of searching for the same secrets - it caverns, forest roads are spread out Underworld and Eye of the Beholder appears that the planet is now the is not present here. Still, you can drop proving grounds for a race to uncover Type: Fantasy Role-playing items and they will remain on the its mysteries. Your actions and choices will form alliances and antag­ System: MSDOS (640K and hard ground for you to recover. Good onism between your party of humans drive required, 10 MHz or faster, thing too, because it's awfully hard to and the various aliens. DOS 5.0 and mouse recommended, swim weighted down. How does the Dark Savant, a extended memory supported; EGA, As I mentioned before, the game mysterious other-worldly being, fit VGA; Ad Lib, Sound Blaster, system is a direct descendent of the in? Are you merely pawns? Do your Thunderboard, Covox Voice) well-designed engine that Bane of the Cosmic Forge used to emulate pencil­ write your own destiny? All these Planned ports: Amiga and-paper systems. Crusaders takes issues are present. Science mixes with advantage of the computer's inherent sorcery, and you will encounter before your party's feet. The display power to crunch numbers, so every disgusting and sublime beings that remains the same as in Bane, but was swing of the sword, every wave of the may test your notions of good and revamped in rich 256-color VGA. wand sends the computer into a evil, beauty and ugliness. As in Bane, If Might & Magic III's graphics flurry of calculations involving Crusader's great strength lies in its remind you of Lichtenstein, numbers and statistics the gamer will management of NPCs and the Crusaders looks more like a Bruegel. never see. Bradley's sense of continu­ involved plot your characters must The world is rendered in a dark, ity, a rare thing in computer role­ unravel. Similarly, you can talk to moody fashion that surrounds your playing games, allows you to import NPCs so inclined through an party in an air of pensiveness. (Gotta your party from Bane - an option Infocom-style parser that allows get new music though, Davel) that is highly recommended. They conversation in full sentences. Nor have the improvements will be demoted to fifth level charac- rm not sure how the plot fits in stopped at graphics either. The inter­ with the reality-altering Cosmic face is a full point-and-click affair, of Forge, but I can't wait to find out. I'd by Bernie Yee Continued on next page Dark Savant ...... from 3 Ultimo.: Forge of Virtue wager that Crusaders' long gestation Dubbed an "add-in" disk, Forge requires you a free ship to speed your journey. period was to balance out the web of Ultima VII. The disk also contains an Upon reaching the Isle, you'll quickly upgrade to Version 3.4 of Ultima VII, find the three shrines, the mage Erethian, which is free of most of the bugs that an angry demon trapped behind a plagued the earlier versions. Since saved mirror, and the remnants of Exodus. games created under earlier versions Several quests will be presented, requir­ won't run under the latest one, you have ing you to explore the vast labyrinth the option of either doing the upgrade or beneath the isle. Completing the quests keeping the old version. [It has not been will allow you to raise the Avatar's confirmed, but at least one person said ·attributes to the maximums and to forge he could no longer start the game with the legendary Blackrock Sword, a the "cheat menu" option revealed in the weapon powerful enough to kill even competing parties and interests that August issue, so it's possible the upgrade Lord British (be sure to search his body occur with every passing day. Crusaders eliminates the cheat menu.] after you've done the experiment). has the most interesting story, and well­ This add-in quest doesn't affect any developed plot devices and development, Great Isles o• Fire of the major events in Ultima VII; it just that I've seen in a long, long time. Installing The Forge of Virtue adds a gives you an opportunity to build up Parts of the game system still feel a new island to the map of Britannia. The your characters. You can visit the Isle of bit anachronistic. The music and digi­ Isle of Fire was once home to the evil Fire at any point... some of the quests can tized sound effects, while realistic, can Exodus (whom you destroyed way back be completed by an inexperienced party, become a little tiresome. Monsters don't in Ultima III). After defeating Exodus, but several involve some tough battles fall when you kill them; they explode. Lord British built the shrines of Truth, and shouldn't be attempted until you And the graphic engine, though it Love and Courage there. These were have a strong party with some magic provides wonderful images, still works supposed to be part of the Quest of the weapons. in that "move 10 feet" reality, like Eye Avatar (Ultima IV), but before the Conclusions: I'm not sure whether there of the Beholder and Might & Magic III. Avatar arrived, the Gargoyles summoned is enough "game" here to justify the The truth is, Ultima Underworld has the spirit of Exodus price. At $25, The Forge indeed changed the face of role-playing. to inhabit their ~-·II of Virtue costs a third as Will the next Wizardry follow suit? Shrine of Diligence much as Ultima VII, but Who cares! With well-balanced (as seen in Ultima adds far less than a third gameplay, such an expansive world, VI). Their summon­ to the game. I also populated with fascinating characters ing released so thought that some of the involved in the midst of a well-written much magical puzzles were unfair. The epic, Crusaders demonstrates that a energy that the Isle solutions aren't at all game can still come on two disks, take of Fire sank to the obvious, and there aren't up less than 20 megs of hard drive space, ocean floor, where enough clues to point not use earth-shaking graphics modeling, it remains to this day. you in the right direction. [See "Keys to and still be utterly captivating. the Kingdom" for help with these Conclusions: There is no doubt that Whole o• shakin• puzzles.] Hard-core Ultima junkies will Crusaders allows you to set foot in a After installing the disk, you start up enjoy this package, but less fanatical complex, character-driven milieu where Ultima VII in the usual manner, by gamers are likely to be disappointed. l~ you don't feel like you are the only ones either restoring a saved game or starting there, or that the entire world revolves a new one. Either way, your party will around your party. David Bradley must be shaken by an earthquake, which Difficulty: Hard make one helluva dungeon master. signals the mage Erethian's success at Company: Origin raising the Isle of Fire to the surface. Price: $24.95 You can then visit Lord British, who will QuestBusters price: $19 Difficulty: Advanced tell you how to find the island and give Company: Sir-Tech Software Price: $69.95 by Charles Don Hall QuestBusters price: $59

4 QuestBusters ierra On-Line's ever encompass­ flashing 'GO' sign allow you to move S ing mantle has expanded once on to the next screen. again, this time to accommodate their aobllllns Each time you complete a scene's acquisition of North American distri­ by Fred. j. Philipp puzzles, you get a code that enables bution rights for Coktel Vision You solve these puzzles by direct­ you to restart your game at the place games, and the introduction of ing actions of three fun-loving you left off. Write it down. I initially had trouble because I mistook a 'V' Gobliiins. That's right, Gobliiins, not Goblins: Hooter, BoBo and Dwayne. Goblins. Why? Because there are Hooter is a Magician who casts for a 'U' and got an 'error code'. three of them: iii - get it? spells. The spells have no names, and The cartoon-style graphics are hand-drawn, 256-color works of art. First Sierra picked up Game Arts, you don't have to find, buy or steal who did Sorcerian and Thexder. ingredients to make them. You don't A horizontal display across the Then they acquired even have to mix bottom consists of a crystal ball that Dynamix, with them. As a matter shows the active Goblin (you can adventures such as of fact, you won't control only one at a time), a skull for Rise of The even know what restoring and quitting, an energy line, and a row for four magic items that Dragon, Heart of they do until you must be found during the game. China and Willy try one out. And While sound effects and digitized Beamish. Sorcerian, each time Hooter voices abound, there is little or no an arcade-style casts a spell, it music. (On my Ad Lib sound board it game was not to my does something sounded like I was back in Japan liking. But in late different than it again! Before I learned the language.) 1990, it did stimulate me enough to did the last time! Here are a few early examples to get you on your way: move up to a 386, which rve never The energy bar regretted. I may even get back to Hooter can join objects together, The key thing to remember is that Sorcerian someday. make things bigger and cause plants each goblin has a job to do in order Dynamix, on the other hand, has to grow. to complete every scene's puzzles. It's shone in my opinion and should BoBo, on the other hand, is a also important to keep in mind that continue to do so in the future. Warrior. All he can do is hit things the group as a whole possesses a Coktel Vision? Well, if Gobliiins is and climb. Why, he can hit an arch to certain amount of energy, which goes any indication, I'd have to say that knock things off, topple an apple (or down every time you perform a we have a winner. two) from a tree and climb plants. wrong action. So after you have For a pleasant change you don't Dwayne is perhaps the most inter­ completed a screen, be sure to restore have to track down and kill the Evil esting of the trio. Only he can pick up and go through it again in as few Wizard/Warrior/Sorcerer to save the and carry items. And he can carry just moves as possible, to conserve your Kingdom/Empire/World. You don't one item at a time. That's right, I said energy. Otherwise you'll never have have to find and restore the lost/ one - no object management to enough energy to finish the game. stolen runes/gems/artifacts to their worry about here! The advantage is rightful owner/ruler/god. that you don't have Conclusions: to worry about ~=:======~ Gobliiins is what to keep and Type: Object- & magic-oriented Goblins galore logical puzzles different, an what to drop. No siree. In Gobliiins all you have to adventure in Some items System: MSDOS (640K, VGA, which you do is help a King regain his sanity by can be used by hard disk & Microsoft-compatible positively locating three ingredients and giving themselves, while mouse required; Ad Lib, Pro can't get them to Niak the Wizard so he can others must be prepare a medicine that will nullify lost and combined with a ~A=u=d=io=)===:;======:d/, the effects of the Voodoo doll out · never have second object to produce a third there with the King's name on it. to draw a single map. This also object. Confused? Try having Hooter Easy? No way! makes it about as linear as you can zap a branch while Dwayne is carry­ Even after you have located the get. Music would have added a nice ing a horn (he must blow it first). three ingredients, which you'll accom­ touch, but anyone who enjoys object­ You have to solve all the puzzles plish in the game's first six screen and magic-oriented puzzle-solving in each individual screen before sequences, you'll now be sent on a will love Gobliiins. Highly recom- moving on to the next, and every new assignment that will take you mended. ll screen is unique. There is no scrolling, through many more puzzle-oriented and you don't walk off either side to encounters. All the puzzles are of the Difficulty: Intermediate reach another location as in a conven­ object-manipulation type, with a little Company: Coktel Vision/Sierra tional adventure game. Only after all magic thrown in. the puzzles have been solved does a Price: $39.95 QuestBusters price: $35.95 TIESUMMONNG:IEIDITORWEEP by Clancy Shaffer

Of my favorite role-playing games and offers unlimited saves. happened earlier in the game. It's also this year was Event Horizon's Dark In some adventures it is difficult a long quest, but one that I hated to Spyre. Their latest is being distributed to see small items on the ground, but stop playing. My usual midnight - by SSI, and it's the biggest, most not here: you can magnify the picture deadline often became 3:00 AM, due advanced RPG yet from SSL As if you wish, so that an apple looks as to my desire to go further, or to try a designer Chris Straka told me about large as your head. Then you can new combination on a problem. it, "My first and foremost design goal pick it up and put it into any one of The animated sequences are as was to create a 20 boxes or bags, good as any I have witnessed, and the game that was fun which hold from artists did a remarkable job of creat­ and enjoyable to eight to ten ing such great graphics. Music is fine, play... people buy objects. and is not distracting, which occurs games to be enter­ And here's an with some games. tained. To ensure unusual feature: if The game spans up to 40 levels of that you do indeed an NPC is gray in dungeons. Your sole character may have fun, I had to color (which begin by playing a training or begin­ make sure you =-+~-!tl means he is both ners dungeon that is composed of spend your time _..,.llM.ll.liililllllilil~ good and bad), three different levels, or go directly playing the game, not learning how to you must decide how to handle the into the game. You must operate in a play the game." encounter based on your own percep­ somewhat linear fashion. On the first The story - in which you must tion of their intent. Another five levels, for example, you need six destroy the Shadow Weaver before he convenient feature is that when you parts of a seal to proceed further. gains a stranglehold on the world - clear an area of monsters, it stays Conclusions: The Summoning is well held my attention from the first lines cleared. thought out and written, with a great in the manual: "As evening fell, a plot, and I was literally drawn into wind began to penetrate the hall. It Magic fingers this world. One of the most remarka­ came through the slits in the stones The magic system consists of twelve ble things is that it all comes on two where archers watched... " to the final hand gestures. By combining them, disks, for this truly is the lengthiest paragraph, "Here was the only you have at your beck and call 28 and largest of the more than 600 victory good men might grasp from Spells, from Flame Arrow and adventures fve played. It lives up to their first encounter with the Shadow Fireball, to Shape Change and Heal. the designer's wishes, for it is enjoya­ Weaver, a triumph of second chances, As you find or locate scrolls, the ble and will give you many hours of a victory well enough to start the hand signals begin to appear, and play at the lowest cost per man hour game again.. . " during the first four levels you will of any game now on the market. have them all - And it The new benchmark? not. the spells, but never gets As incredible as it may be, The the components of Type: Role-playing Adventure tiresome. In Summoning could become the game the spells. As your System: MSDOS (640K, hard disk, fact I have that is used as a yardstick for all magic points VGA required, joystick and mouse traveled RPGs for some time to come. Not increase, you can optional; Al Lib, Sound Blaster, through The because of its great music or graphics, store as many as Roland, PC) Summoning though these are very good, and not nine or more of Planned ports: None three times, because of the ease of play with each spell. There and each keyboard or mouse, though these are are also 24 Runes used to perform time I discovered something new. Any excellent - but because it holds your magic, from teleporting to poisoning role-playing fan or a·dventure game interest from the first colorful scene, or even killing. The interface is one of player will love The during the choosing of a champion, the best I have seen, and as far as I Summoning. until you arrive at an ending so star­ have seen, the magic always works. tling that it's hard to believe. Complex puzzles Difficulty: Advanced The Summoning combines numer­ Company: Event Horizon/SS! ous great features, many of which The puzzles will at first seem familiar Price: $59.95 other games lack, that endow it with to those who have played Dark Spyre an amazing flexibility in game-play. It or Bane of the Cosmic Forge, but QuestBusters price: $55 will print out all the maps and all these are much more complex. In NPC's conversations, for example, some cases, they involve things that

Quest Busters PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE

mported from Ireland, this is six reels among the game's more than from. Once you exhaust them, you Konami's best adventure yet. 70 locations, return them to the usually don't need to talk to that I Gremlin's transformation of the producer and edit them as they character again. Your main efforts worst movie ever made into a game should be. The reels you edit are the will be spent trying to find uses for has a creative plot, nice interface, actual footage of the film, which you the available objects, from stuffed good graphics, music and sound can view frame by frame. spiders to wooden stakes, and open­ effects - and even actual video from Plan9 works ,...,.. ing paths to new Bela Lugosi's schlocky flick. surprisingly well, locations. Puzzles and some puzzles are challenging, Obscure references are quite challeng­ but not unfair. Plan 9's plot is pretty neat. For ing. None of the Plan 9 is entertain­ anyone lucky enough to have missed reels are out in the ing and works well the atrocious film that inspired the open, and it takes as an object-based game, many sight gags and references some effort to find adventure. may fly right over your head like the them and put the movie's pie tin flying saucers on crappy movie back Playing with strings (but at no great loss). together. The editing room has a the scenes on the VCR The movie is so terrible that you VCR interface to view the footage, Graphics are quite good. It supports may laugh at it and the effects, and and the regular game interface is just only VGA, treating the players to the acting and scenery are so cheesy as simple to operate. clear images, easily identifiable that you'll probably wonder why The action fills a picture window objects and characters, and many director Ed Wood Jr. even bothered that covers a third of the screen and is digitized images - from posters to to make it. It starred Bela Lugosi, surrounded by a montage of pieces of the movie reels. Playing with the Lyle Talbot, Vampira and Tor the film's lobby poster. To the right scenes on the VCR is .neat! How Johnson, and the plot is anyone's of this window is your inventory list, many people get a chance to really guess. Many scenes are thrown below it is the text area. The bottom edit a movie reel on their computer? together haphazardly, and one chase right houses a gravestone on which The game's overall look reflects the sequence even changes from night to are engraved the game's ten time period of the movie and the sci-fi day and back again. Get the picture? commands. The gravestone gimmicks and gags you might expect. commands are the standard ones Sound effects and music stand out players have come to expect. Type: Graphic Adventure too. There are snippets of speech here Command entry works like and there, but the sound effects.help System: MSDOS (640K, hard disk, LucasArts' games, in which you click keep the game funny and in your VGA required; all major sound on the command and then on the face. Atmospheric music plays in the boards); Amiga (one meg) object from the picture window or background and borders on sounding Planned ports: None your inventory. like those goofy 1950s sci-fi sound­ Movement is an entirely different tracks - hopefully on purpose. story. Since the locations are static The game is as much of a Conclusions: When I first heard images that feature spot animation, mystery as it is an adventure. It still about Plan 9, it seemed like a novel characters that move around, and incorporates a lot of the schlock you idea, yet I was afraid that the result other action, movement simply brings would expect, but in a funny way wouldn't be quite as interesting. But up another location picture. If you that is not meant to be taken seri­ it turns out to be wacky good fun for move the mouse over the picture, ously like the movie. For example, adventure fans and B-movie enthu­ words like "Go to street" or "Go to Tor Johnson plays so many charac­ siasts everywhere. Don't let the lousy diner" pop up along with a signpost. ters in the game that I wondered film's poster on the box cover scare Click on the mouse when these show when I wouldn't see him in a scene. you away from the quality game up, and you move to that location. contained inside. May Tor Johnson's Players will get the hang of the game A treasure hunt · image be with you forever! ll in no time, but solving it is another The goal is quite simple. Bela Lugosi's matter. double from the flick, insanely jealous When you talk to people, a list of Skill Level: Intermediate of the actor, has stolen the six reels of messages pops up for you to choose Company: Konami film that make up Plan 9 and plans to edit Lugosi out of the prints and Price: $39.95 himself into them. You must find the by Russ Ceccola QuestBusters price: $36 Darklands: ''son of Samurai'' takes

fter two years in development by keeps and monasteries. Movement within A designer Arnold Hendricks, Darklands the cities, towns and peaceful areas is emerges as one of the most intriguing and achieved through an overly complex series detailed RPGs ever. In it, a group of four of menus displayed over watercolor-style to five adventurers in Germany during the graphics. [Consequently, you will devote a early 1400s receives their holy quest in a lot of time to making menu choices.] A vision: to stop the witches and demons cleverly designed character screen shows from prematurely triggering Armageddon. statistics, skills and paper-doll characters The unique element is that the setting with equipped artifacts. "A highly is historically accurate down to the small­ You may opt for the pre-rolled party, est details, such as a brass handgun but should create your own to get the full informative, causing more damage than an iron one. As effect. Childhood experience, heritage, and with Dusk of the Gods, the subject was primary and secondary occupations hi5torically extensively researched. The result? A develop the character by giving you addi­ accurate highly informative, historically accurate tional experience points at the expense of setting that goes beyond any yet seen. age, which can be used to boost attributes, 5etting that Alchemical, rather than wizard, spells alchemical formulae, saints and skills. goe5 beyond are bottles of chemicals that you toss, rub into items you want to activate, or swal­ Real-time combat any yet 5een." low. Clerical magic is achieved by Combat is carried out in the overhead expending virtue points in prayer to one of oblique-angle, real-time mode. Options the 140 saints, who have different person­ include melee, missile and berserk attacks, alitie~ and often comical and obscure throw potion, pray for divine aid and the methods for helping in many situations. like. The menu system wisely dispenses with the need to manually equip an item, Hey Jude ••. doing so with the selected command. Call on St. Appolinus, for ------All commands require example, to save a using a target to indi- merchant caravan, and he cate the center of will make you appear as impact for an area­ an approaching army effect potion, an indi­ horde and scare them off, vidual enemy character ···tll l~~ " l t.:·:lh1:.,1•1 ,1.:•· allowing you to be './~· " . ·' .:' !:~~! ' for all types of ,·!kt rewarded by the grateful commands, or a loca­ merchants. But call on St. ______.,.. ______..... tion to walk to. Any Jude, the patron saint of command except lost causes, and he will strengthen the cara­ berserk or parry can be overridden by van defenders enough to throw off the enlightened self-interest: if the command attacking bandits, who will now mistake would cause the character to be exposed to you for more bandits and will chase you death, it is replaced with parry or retreat. away with arrows. It is such attention to Another interesting and useful combat detail that makes Darklands unique. command is the enemy information command, which gives you a breakdown Son of Samurai? of the armor, weapons and combat skills Microprose incorporated parts of the game of the enemy. Handy while using the engine from Sword of the Samurai, a exploration menus is the shift key: it tells poorly received strategy-war game hybrid, the chances of success of a particular into Darklands. The menu screens, many action, enabling you to act more shrewdly. descriptive unanimated graphics, the over­ head perspective, and animated overland Puzzle doors travel strongly resemble Samurai. Dungeons feature special puzzle doors that To the Samurai framework was added require the solution of one or a series of Darklands' combination combat and riddles in order to pass safely through exploration screens, which make up the them. Incorrect answers to puzzle doors, interior of caves, mines, dungeons, castles,

8 Quest Busters the lead in realistic role-playing

or unsuccessful lock-picking of doors in no automapping, autocombat, or other the evening city marketplace, may result in features that most of us take for granted. permanent loss of attributes, so save first. Watercolor-like animation and still Alchemy is the basis of the magic backgrounds and graphics are highly system, in which you combine nineteen detailed, attractive and color­ special substances and four special bases ful. Cut scenes at the with the catalytic assistance of a philoso­ beginning, middle and end of pher's stone, according to 66 alchemical the game show detailed formulae that are divided into 22 groups animated depiction of the plot. of three variations. Formulae, substances, The cut scenes are nice and bases, mixed and bottled potions, and worth seeing at least once; improved philosopher's stones are animation is simple and unre­ obtained by purchase or trade from markable, but fulfills the need. alchemists, merchants or universities, or as Figures may be personalized treasure after a battle. The strength of the with a variety of color philosopher's stone can be increased, schemes and hair colors. Music consists of thereby increasing the probability of beginning music, ending music and theme success in mixing the components. music that was professionally mixed and enhanced with very accurate sound effects. Ye quests The quests obtained from the town lead­ Bugs and patches ers, the Fugger bankers, the Medici, The The first release was riddled with bugs [the Hanseatic League and the city merchants reason last issue's Adventure Road were the most endearing portion of the cautioned against the product then]. This game. As in Pool of Radiance and Might led to a spate of patches. As I write, the and Magic I, specific people assign quests current patch is 483.06. Arnold Hendricks to the group, which informs me that a then returns for a version after 483 Type: Fantasy Role-playing reward of money and is due and fame. The completion System: MSDOS (2 megs RAM, corrects minor of the quest circle is a hard disk with 20 megabytes free problems in the uniquely satisfying space, VGA, DOS 5.0 or equiva­ current version. event, akin to the lent, mouse, 16 MHz+, high Conclusions: density floppy drive required; completion of a Darklands is one Sound Blaster, Ad Lib, Pro Audio project - which is of the most Spectrum, Roland) lacking in many complex role­ RPGs. Planned ports: None playing games I Fame is the most have ever seen, important commodity in Darklands. It and Microprose should be congratulated endures longer than cash, and gives you a for such a highly innovative and enjoyable decided advantage in bargaining and deal­ product. I especially enjoyed the quests ing with people. Every door is open to and the historically accurate depiction of famous adventurers, but fame is hard-won Germany in the 1400s. I recommend it to and may take years to accumulate at anyone who likes role-playing games with considerable cost. real-time combat and lots of intricate, An infinite number of games can be historically accurate details. saved, but for some unfathomable reason the restore game screen displays only eight Difficulty: Advanced save games that can be restored. In order to restore the undisplayed games, you must Company: Microprose first delete many of the others. You can't Price: $69.95 save or scroll the map outdoors. There is QuestBusters price: $59 by Al c. Glovettl WALKTHRUt The Dagger of Amon Ra by Clancy Shaffer

Act I Act II using the hand cursor of the head. Look under blotter for a key. Unlock Go to Museum. Use press pass on Walk through the archway, and you desk. Take paper. Look in wastebas­ Heimlich to get in. Eavesdrop on will discover a secret stairway leading ket next to desk and get baseball. Use everyone who isn't a happy party­ down. Use Yvette's bulb on old one. question cursor on everyone to ask goer. There are 14 different conversa­ Save the game. Go down the steps. about everything in notebook. Ask tions you must listen to before you Crodfeller about burglary. will be permitted out of the Rotunda, Downstairs though you may visit the gift shop. Enter Hemlich's office. Examine You must also talk to Steve. The Police Station room, move to left of the rat trap. Enter gift shop and use magnifying Cross the street (use eye cursor on Get and use dinosaur bone to spring glass to look at the daggers. You'll both sides until you get a message the trap, then take the cheese. see some from Pittsburgh, but you'll "no cars coming"). Wake drunk Examine books until you find one also see the real Amon Ra dagger. (At outside station. Enter station, exit that is reversed. Take and open it, this point you will be kicked out of and get newspaper the drunk left on remove the garter and note and keep the shop, and the dagger will be gone the pavement. for evidence. Try pushing the button if you return later.) behind one of the medal pictures, but Go to Luigi's stand by the Tribune Go to the front of the rotunda. Take don't use the secret passage. office and trade coupon from paper a drinking glass to use and hear for sandwich, then give it to the Desk Go out into the hall and look at the conversations through doors. Talk to Sergeant Police Station. Ask about mirror-like alcove in the wall. Use all and ask many questions. Shortly speakeasy, password "Charleston" dinosaur bone to break the glass. after this you can enter the Mastodon and robbery. Talk to O'Riley. Take the lantern. Go through the room. Go through the door into the other door into alcohol preservation Armor room and into the Mummy lab. Go through the door. to right All around the town Display. Examine Medallion and blood, open Mummy Case, and you To travel by taxicab. bring your press Ernie' s Office pass up as a cursor and use it on the will find Pippin Carter's body. You driver to give him your destination. will find "PS" on the Medallion it Get wire cutters from tool box. Take Then use the notebook, click on desti­ belongs to Ptahsheptut "Tut" Smith. "snake lasso at end of desk. Look at nation and exit the notebook. Keep it for evidence. Examine body the desk and check the alcoholic index. Around this time you should Go to all addresses in note book, for evidence and get notebook. Keep hear a message on the intercom tell­ starting with the 12th St. Dock. Ask it for evidence. ing Ernie that Vat 13 leaks. Check the Steve about everyone and everything. Warthog vat, which is 13 (the second Then go to Lo Fat's and talk to the Act ID on the left as you come in the front three boys. You must approach Go to Olympia's office. Remove cloth door). Push button over Ernie's desk. several times before the subject of a from article from beside her desk. By Leave office and go to the vat. Use hobby comes up, then you can trade reading the Rosetta stone with magni­ baseball for magnifying glass. the hand cursor on it, and you will fying glass, you will automatically climb up and obtain the Amon Ra copy it to the note book. If you push Dagger. Go to the back door, enter, Getting inside the Museum the one horn on her desk, a secret and you will see an opening (to the door will open to the alcohol preser­ Take cab to the Lyendecker Museum. Mummy Room). Save game. If this cab is full of trash, use your vation lab. Go to Yvette's office. Light lantern by using your hand finger cursor to sift it until you find a cursor on it, then go up the passage. claim ticket for Lo Fat Laundry. (You Yvette' s Office In the Mummy's room, use magnify­ may have to use the cab many times Look in her wastebasket. Get carbon ing glass on Rosetta stone to copy the to locate the trash-filled unit.) paper. Read it by holding it in front characters into your note book. Go Take the claim ticket to Lo Fat and of the light. Then tum the light off back to Carrington's office. claim an evening dress. Go to the and enter Carrington's office. Carrington' s Office Speakeasy, use password, talk to Examine all. Return to Yvette's. On the way here you will see Ziggy's Ziggy at first table. Go to the ladies Go to the light, use eye cursor on the body in the Pterodactyl room. Use room, use the evening dress on the lamp twice, take the bulb. As you wire cutter to get a section of wire. In dressing room partition. leave, go to the Rodin statue, and Carrington's office you will find a examine the back of the neck by dead body. Examine the two letters

10 Quest Busters "CP" in blood on his desk, which Examine body. Take red hairs and room: "Womb" and "Tomb." (Spell stand for "Crime and Punishment.,, bifocals. Go to the Armor room and them out from your notebook.) You Check books there to find this book, look at the dog. You will notice one are allowed to go free upon your then open it and take Police file . of Steve's boots near it. Get it. promise to keep their secret. Save. Examine his phone list: under "B.SAYFF" you will find combina­ The Cobra Furnace room, cobras, rats tion to safe behind big picture. The Return to the Rodin statue. The As you enter, you see Steve under a number is KL 052 7. Use hand cursor Countess is apparently dying in coal pile. Clear his face and use to click on each number, and the safe Olympia's office. Save game. As you Smelling Salts, but give him his boot will open. Read diary, but leave it for enter the office, you will be attacked before he stands up. Move the Sun evidence. Check calendar and clock. by a cobra: shake the snake oil at it Symbo~ light lantern, enter passage. three times. It will back into a Shake the snake oil at cobras. The Galleries comer. Use Snake Lasso to capture As you near the top, you see a lotof Go into the Old Master's Gallery and it. By using your hand cursor on the rats. Throw the cheese through the check Bosch painting. Note the glint­ cage in the corner, you will dispose first opening and enter the second. ing, then examine this spot until you of the Cobra. You will hear gun shots, so you know seea key glued over another key. Use Examine the Countess. Look at her the killer is still after you. You will Dagger to pry it loose, and take it. ankle to see how she died. Get emerge from the talking Rex mouth. Go to Armor room, then south to Smelling Salts from her. Get grapes Hurry and press the button to start Head room. Examine heads: Ziggy's on the floor. (You may need to go to him talking and capture the Killer. head is mounted on the wall. As you the container in the alcohol preserva­ return through the Mastodon Room, tion room to refill the Snake Oil Act VI you will see Ernie Leach's body on Bottle if it's less than one-quarter At the Coroner's Inquest, you must the Mastodon Tusks. Examine it and full.) Save. Using the notebook, deci­ have the Amon Ra dagger, Watney get the Warthog hairs as evidence. pher the scroll on the wall: the police file, ankh medallion, red hair, solution is "Womb" and "Tomb." Go to the Rodin Gallery. Take stairs pocket watch, wire cutters, carbon down and go to back door of the paper, Yvette's shoe, garter, grapes, Preservation Lab. This is the ActV Pippin's notebook, bifocals, and Mammalogy Lab. Take Snake oil As you enter Mastodon Room, the warthog hairs. bottle, and make sure it full. If not, murderer appears. Run to The majority of the answers you.must fill it with oily substance near Pterodactyl room, close door. Use the answer are O'Riley, for Financial entrance hall from the stairs. Save wire on it to wire the door knobs gain, or to Hide a Crime. (You can game. Go to the cold storage box at shut. Run to Medieval Armor Room, use any of these.) The exceptions are: the back of the room. Open top and shut door, drop bar in place. take the meat. Use key to open the For jealousy or revenge: Yvette Go toward Mummy Room. Stop at trunk, and quickly throw meat to the Whose skeleton was in the trunk: Dr locked door. Move chair in front. beetles. Examine trunk, get watch. A. Carrington Open transom on top. Run to Who murdered and impersonated Mummy Room, open and enter Carrington: Watney Little Act IV mummy casket, shut lid. After Go to Yvette's office and talk with murderer leaves, save game. Run to Who stole Amon Ra's Dagger: her. As you leave you will bump into the transom door and enter. Push the Watney Little Steve. As he enters Yvette office, use crate in front of door, cut rope, push Who was behind robbery: O'Riley water glass to listen to their conversa­ to crate back of you to one side. Who was the women involved in tion. Leave and wander around. Enter elevator, push lever. Save. Go stealing paintings: Countess When you return to her office, there to mummy storage room, take a Who was the man involved in stealing will be signs of a struggle. Examine mummy out of its case, prop it paintings: Watney Little the scene, and you will find a piece of against the door. Use Snake Lasso on Who was the middleman who forged fabric, red hairs, and a shoe. Take the mummy case on your left. Use the painting: Ziggy shoe and leave the other evidence. hand cursor on it, and it will open. Who was the High Priest of The Enter and shut the case. & you enter the Old Masters gallery Amon Ra Cult: Ramesses Najeer you will find a new statue. Examine You are captured by Rameses What museum employee ran a fenc- it, then use Dinosaur bone to break Najeer. He'll free you if know the ing operation: Ernie Leech B plaster casting. Inside is Yvette. answers from the scroll in Olympia's ·d· • · "" '-ll( . ' - I · ~ ~ tv~~ •."kc KlQg· ~-~ Might & Magic: ·-· · . ~ 'B Clouds of Xeen \ ..r. Passkeys: Castle Basenji, there wolf. Darklands Sphinx, Golux. Witch Tower, rose­ the Tree of Life by entering a teleport The starting town has unlimited bud. Dwarf Mines, Mine 1 through in one of the caves. Use pick on tree special missions for easy, fast money. S, omega, alpha, theta. with bucket underneath. You may want to use your virtue stone here, Get plate armor, two-handed swords Items: Last Flower of Summer, B2: 1, because you'll need to come back. and long bows as soon as possible. 10. Yak Opening Stone, D4: 12, 3. Quest of Valor: kill black dragon To acquire gear and money quickly, Key to Tower of High Magic, Cave of with Black Sword. Black Sword: talk pick an unimportant town (with no Illusion Level 4: 2, 14. Key to to mirror with fire, defeat dragon, university, an inept doctor, etc.) and Darzog's Tower, Tower of High obtain crystal, talk to mirror and trap battle the city guards as much as you Magic Level 4: 7, 12. Amulet of the demon; talk to Erithian, and he'll set want (otherwise, always avoid ruin­ North Sphinx, Al: 11, S. Faery you up, then head the blank until ing your reputation). Always have Wand, D4: 8, 14. Celia, D4: 1S, 1S. extreme red and use hammer on the character with highest charisma deal Bone Whistle, E4: S, 14. blank until you get a message. Talk to with all people and do buying and Attributes: F3:, 0, 1-+S levels. F3: Erithian, place gem in one hand and selling. 12, 12 - +S armor. E2: 3, 4 - +SO the sword blank on the other. (The Character with highest artifice skill speed. Al: 7, 6 -+SO energy resis­ Black Sword is a very powerful should carry lockpick. Laying siege to tance. D3: 1S, 4 - +SO electrical weapon but also a curse, because you a castle is the easiest way of killing resistance. F3: 14, 6 - poison resis­ can never get rid of it.) Finale: destroy robber knights, but you get more loot tance. Asp 8, 3 - +100 HP. Exodus by using the three slices of by sneaking in. When witch offers Nightshadow 7, 7-+10 levels. virtue and using gargoyle and something in return for her life, save, Where to find Mega Credits needed Britannia armor from museum. then find out date of Sabbath, then to build the Newcastle: Ancient Name not provided reboot and get her three potion Temple of Yak at 13, 9; 18, 9; 20, 9; formulae. In any town, always sneak 23, 9; 27, 9. Tomb of 1,000 Terrors into all central market offices at night at 1, 16; 6, 9; 11, 30; 13, 13; 17, 28; Legend of Kyrandia to increase stealth and artifice skills. 17, 15. Golem Dungeon at 4, 1; 6, 1; Maze & fireberries: a fueberry lasts a Mike Prero 11, 22; 11, 28; 15, 6; 17, 17. maximum of four rooms, but won't Tommy Russell run out once you drop it. So get four Plan 9 from Outer Space berries and drop one in each room. Go back and repeat as needed, and Rio de Janeiro: Take taxi to EWJ Legend of Kyrandia soon the entire cave will be lit and Airport. Enter. Give ticket to atten­ The saw is under the table in you won't need the berries anymore. dant. Go to runway, plane and Grandpa's house. If you drop a fire­ If you keep a map, this will help cockpit. Talk to pilot. Note name berry in a room in the cave, it will locate the "secret" places, and you (Steve Peters). Taxi will take you to never burn out. The first time you can go back and forth between places Macho Hombre Hotel. Examine meet Malcolm, give him back his without having to worry about losing guest register for Peter's room# (21). knife. Drop the pinecone, the acorn light. Remember, there are four Get key to room 21. and walnut down the hole in the rooms be~een bushes, and you will Go to room 21 and get pilot I.D. Use deadwood glade for the first stone in be eaten many times before finishing passport photo on I.D. Go to beach. the amulet. This is healing. Use heal­ the task, so save frequently. Go to cave. Get film reel labelled ing on the cardinal for the quill. Liria Morrell 'Lo'. Go to projection booth and give When mixing potions, combine reel to projectionist. Watch movie. gemstones with flowers of similar Go to airport. col ors. Enter. Police will arrive. Bribe police­ Eric Grosskurth This month Mike Prem and man. You'll end up in jail. Give rum Tommy Russell were randomly . selected to receive the game of to guard. Get statuette. Use hammer Ultima: Forge of Virtue on statuette. Get slimy pupa. Drop their choice for sending in Keys. So send in yours today! (All hammer. Go to airport. Fly home. Quest of Honesty: look for secret passageway after the X room, all submissions become exclusive Paul Shaffer others are bogus. Quest of Love: find property of Eldritch, LTD. until October 11, 2317 A.O.

12 QuestBusters In the tradition of games whose names we won't even mention, QuestBustezs is proud to cmnounce our first 'j>atch. n To install, put Patch A your October issue of QuestBustezs into drive A, this patch into drive B, and type "Install Patch A, homina homina" Legend of Kyrandia ... from 1 The Dark Half. .. from 6 The Two Towers...... from 9

Picking up an item and clicking it on scenes and some black-and-white dream the level of most currently available role­ yourself will also elicit a response: some­ sequences and trances that improve the playing games. Still, I have enjoyed both times comica~ sometimes informative, look of the game and its overall tension Volumes. Sharing the experiences and sometimes providing a clue. If you try to level. illustrations are sufficiently companionship of the Tolkien characters use an item on something it can't be used detailed and bring to life the visual within the many plots and subplots of on, it will fall to the bottom of the screen images scribed by King and suggested by the richly woven Interplay adaptation of with a thunk. storyboards and some scenes from the The Two Towers makes hours of enjoya­ motion picture version. Closeups look a ble play, and should be the deciding Chapter by chapter little choppy, but the side views work factor in evaluating the worth of this Each Chapter consists of a few minor nicely. Most locations also have day and game to the buying public. l! quests and one major quest. Ranging night versions, a simple detail left out of range from novice level to difficult, many games but necessary for realistic Difficulty: Intermediate plots. puzzles become harder and more Company: Interplay complex as you progress. Everything The music and sound effects are Price: $49.95 involves object manipulation or magic some of the best Capstone has produced. orientation. Characters provide clues, Tense music plays throughout and sets a QuestBusters price: $45 humor, quests and leads as to "What do grim tone for the events that take place. I do now?, Where do I go next?, Who At the very least, the music puts you in should I seek out next to keep the right frame of mind for a Amon Ra ... from 5 going?" horror story. Sound effects The first Chapter, which also reflect some of the care which will determine the fate of the takes place around your house, Capstone gave this game. killer or killers and Laura's present and is novice level. Chapter Two, Though the bone saw in the future fate, so be sure to take notes set in Timbermist Woods, is introduction could have throughout the investigation. You'll intermediate. (Contrary to the been more convincing, digi­ probably find yourself wandering axiom, it is sometimes benefi­ tized sounds like the around a lot in Acts 3 and 4 until you cial to place all your eggs telephone dialing, sirens, can piece things together. When a clock (nuts) in the same basket birds and screams make the appears in the upper-left corner of your (hole). And note Darm's clue: experience a little more realistic. monitor, you'll know you're moving you're looking for seasonal Conclusions: As a horror buff, I along. The only arcade sequence is in birthstones. How many seasons are was quite satisfied with the work done Act 5. All I can say is: keep moving, there? on The Dark Half. While the game is not close/bolt doors and end up hiding in a Copy protection occurs when you particularly difficult, it closely follows coffin (for awhile). Not enough? Hey, move from one Chapter to the next by the plot of the original work - unlike this is a review, not a walkthrough, for matching an item on screen with an item many other King adaptations. Capstone which I am better known. Look for one in the manual. If you have extended managed to successfully interject puzzles in QB soon, though, by C. F. Shaffer. memory, the program will recognize it into a story that at first glance have Conclusions: The game was too short, and use it to allow more fluid movement none, and created a challenging environ­ and the graphics fall short of Sierra's in scene transitions. ment in which.to solve a mystery, avoid standard. The sound was great. The Conclusions: I really liked this game. I suspicion and, most importantly, stay early 'ask someone about something' enjoyed the graphics, animation and alive. Give The Dark Half a try! It's the was annoying and tedious. The copy music, and story line. It's got my vote for only box on the software shelves with protection was cumbersome (I am not an Graphic Adventure of the Year - so far the unique, unusual shrink-wrap Egyptologist, nor do I want to be). If you - and I can't wait for Book 2. But, I imprinted with bloody handprints! D liked The Colonel's Bequest, however, guess I'll have to - just like everyone you'll probably like this one. It gave me else who plays it. D Skill Level: Novice to intermediate something to play during the normal Company: Capstone summer doldrums. ll Difficulty: Novice to Advanced Price: $49.95 Company: Westwood/Virgin QuestBusters price: $ 45 Difficulty: Novice to Intermediate Price: $59.95 Company: Sierra QuestBusters price: $55 Price: $69.95 QuestBusters price: $59 King's Quest Vl...... from 1 effort to create games that all levels of world of computer entertainment, King's players can complete, yet still be chal­ Quest VI is the proof that the era of CD Williams, claims more than a million lenged, this is a problem. game playing is upon us. ways to play through the game. Why?, you may ask. It's not just More animation because the game takes up over seven­ Hardest King•s Quest ever The graphics are especially nice. The teen megabytes of disk space. Games The world of KQ6 is quite constrained. backgrounds are not nearly as elaborate today routinely break 20 megs and have None of the six islands extends more and detailed as those in KQS, but they already approached 30 megs in size. But than a half-dozen screens or so. Only the don't lower Sierra's artistic standards at even 486-class computers are routinely catacombs and the Castle of the Crown all. Detailed and varied, each island in being sold with 40-meg hard drives, and are substantial in size; the mazes in the the game has a different look, from the with DOS and Windows installed, there catacombs are confusing, but not overly oriental quality of the Island of the is no room for the average consumer to extensive, and it's hard to get lost in the Crown, to the fantastic and colorful Isle even load the newest games. castle. Instead of walking around, KQ6 of Wonder, to the game's artistic master­ Why? It's not just because KQ6's requires that Alexander teleport himself work, the Isle of the Dead. The opening animation is over seven megs in from one island to another often. Very company's decision to spend less money length and the company suggests remov­ often. This is because the game is enor­ on backgrounds and invest it in more ing it after you've seen it a few times in mously dependent of one event or action animation was a good one: playing Heir order to save disk space. That opening is triggering another as a way to increase Today, Gone Tomorrow is more like much less than half of what was playing time, gather clues, solve controlling an animated feature film produced; to add more would balloon extended puzzles and just make some than any other game I have ever seen. the game's size enormously. We won't be puzzles more difficult. The game's climactic sword fight, the able to see the rest until the CD-ROM At this level the ploy works; KQ6 is dance of the skeletons, the strut and version is released early next year. the most difficult of all the KQ games to shuffle of the Sense Gnomes - all flow Why? It's not just because the game solve. Just figuring out where to go next from the player's actions, enhance the is full of fully animated sequences that is a constant problem, and each visit to story, and entertain at the same time. also take up an enormous amount of an island is like peeling just one layer of Even little bits, like Beauty's pirouette space. KQ6 is the closest thing we have an onion. A large onion. There were when her clothes are transformed, add yet to an interactive animated feature, times I felt motion-sick with all of the kind of gloss that separates a very and it could use even more of those Alexander's comings and goings. good game from a great one. sequences. There is one weak spot in this tough­ There is full musical scoring through­ Why? Perhaps because of the enor­ ening up of the game, however. The out; each scene seems to have its own mous amount of dialogue in the game. most difficult sequence is climbing up theme, and a couple of the melodies rise We have ears, but we cannot hear. Why? the Logic Cliffs, a series of five logic above the tonal muddle we normally Perhaps it is because Sierra cautions us puzzles. Two of the questions constitute expect in games. With a sound card, that if all that wonderful animation runs the game's copy protection; once you there are voices in the opening, and wall­ slowly, or the on-the-fly sound decom­ · figure out the answers (not easy), they to-wall digital background effects pression might hang up the game, we must then be translated into an iconic throughout add a realistic aural dimen­ should consider defragmenting our hard alphabet included in the Guidebook to sion that rounds out the game world. drives before we play. the Green Isles. The guidebook comes Why? It is all of these and more. It is with the games; don't lose it! But the A landmark game because imagination has no limits, and other cliff puzzles cannot be solved with­ current hardware does. There are other KQ6 is not just good, it's a landmark out using the guidebook, and the games proving this point today, but game. But as KQ1 invented and defined solutions there are well hidden. Between King's Quest has always been the bench­ the animated adventure, Heir Today, the obscurity of the puzzles and the need mark. It is the end of one era, and when Gone Tomorrow marks its end in a most to translate the copy protection, be ready it is released on CD near the beginning important way. No, adventure games for a frustrating time. of next year, it should be the beginning will not go away, but KQ6 represents a This is especially vexing because no of another. Kill your hard drives! ll matter which path through the game the fin de siecle, the end of an era. It is a player takes, all must solve the cliffs. The game that should have been - needed to be - first published on CD-ROM. For situation has the potential to induce l)ifficulty: Intermediate all of its strengths and gloss, it is ill some inexperienced adventurers to turn Company: Sierra On-line served being played from a hard drive. H their computers off and never return to Price: $79.95 only because of its prominence in the KQ6. Since Sierra is making a strong QuestBusters price: $69

14 QuestBusters Swap Shop WiO trade Ultima 7, Bane, Populous for Quest 4 VGA, $25. $1 O@ : Indiana Jones Trade or sell your old Ultima Underworld, Lost Treasures of Last Crusade, Eye of Horus. Shawn Lauzon, lnfocom, Pohl's Gateway, Crusaders of Dark 29606 - 41 st St, Salem WI 53168 adventures with a free ad. Savant. Chris Pttcavage, 19 Egypt Lane, Adventures and original Clinton CT 06413Sell only, $15@, 2 for $25: Will trade my 3 for 1 of yours: Larry 3, programs only, limit 10 games per ad, Conquests of Camelot, Hero's Quest 1, Murder Club, Search for King, Indy & Last one ad per issue. * = cluebook included. Magic Candle, Third Courier, War in Middle Crusade. Trade 1for1: Indy Atlantis 3", Earth, Colonel's Bequest, Rise of the Cruise for Corpse 3", King's Quest 5 5". Amiga Dragon, Lightspeed, Wasteland, Tangled Want Sea Rogue, Lost Files of Sherlock. Ed SeMrade games for IBMware: Universe 3, $5. Tales, Space Rogue. Send SASE for list of Carr, 216 Shaner St, Boyertown PA 19512 King's Quest 3, $10. $15@: Drakkhen, Bar more. Liria39 krausl, 1101 Centre Pkwy C- Games, Populous, Powermonger, Star Ffight, 59, Lexington KY 40517Sell only, 3", $26@: $20@ or best offer: Police Quest, King's Hero's Quest 1. $20, *Altered Destiny. Frank *Black Gate, *Lord of Rings 2, Darklands. Quest 1-4 (unopened), Jinxter, Dream Zone Moore, 14-91 High St, London, Ont., Canada Postpaid. Richard Robillard, 52 S Main St, (unopened), Zak McKracken, Corruption, N6C4J8 Baldwinville MA 01436 Forbidden Quest. Daniel Louie, 4201 S 31st St #1034, Arlington VA 22206. Genie: Trade/sell: Bloodwych, Corruption, Deja Vu 2, SellArade: 3.5" Ultima Underworld, $20. Both D.LOUIE. Hard Nova, Les Manley in Search for the King, Castles, $20. 3• Civilization, $25. Want Sierra games, Spacewrecked, Star Flight 2, etc. M.U.L.E. Nicholas Aquila Jr, POB 471, Trade/sell, all 5": Want Ultima 7, Magic Also some C-64 adventures. Richard Goodkind, Sebastopol, CA 95473-0471 Candle 2, Ultima Underground, Monkey 4444 W Pine #413, St Louis, M063108-1203 Island 2. Will trade 2 for 1: Death Knights of WiU trade Martian Memo, Rise of Dragon, or Krynn, Eye of Beholder, Quest for Glory 2, Free D. C. for Heart of China or Lost in LA. Sorcerian, Knights of Legend, *M & M2 , Apple Paul Kmosena, 5827 Emstan Hills Rd, Bard 2, Bard 3, King's Quest 4, Ultima 5, M & M, $20. Times of Lore, $15. Questron 2, Racine WI 53406 Martian Dreams. Joseph DeFeo, 1460 Buck $10. Many early lnfocoms. Write for lists. Bruce Want books, disks, addresses for nearby Hill Dr, Southampton PA 18966 Smtth, 9158 Conifer Lane #8, Cucamonga, CA RPGs for Twilighl!Mercenary 2000, Traveler, 91730 T & T, similar games. Have ttems to trade, Trade/sell: *Space Quest 4 3", *Faery Tale will buy. P. Doerr, POB 398, Suisun, CA Adventure 5", $15@. Keef the Thief 3", $7. MSDOS &Questalikes 94585 Conquest of Camelot (both sizes), $15. $10 Sell only, 5": M & M 3, $25, cluebook $7. Both, @: *Hard Nova 5", Sentinel Worlds 5", $30. Mili Roberts, POB 6486, Florence KY Sell only: 3• HO VGA Police Quest 3, $20. Millenium 5", Powerdrome 5". Want Stellar 7, 41022-6486. Prodigy #SVSHBOA Larry 5, 5• HO VGA, $15. Ultima 3 5• LO, $5. Nova 9, Pohl's Gateway, cluebook for Chris Kelly, 3709 Sandal Lane, Cincinnati Planet's Edge. *Any cluebooks above for $5 Sell only, $25 @: *Indy and Fate 0/GA 1.2 MB), OH 45248-2815 except FTA. Sean Stratman, 866 Mercury 3" Magic Candle 2, 5" *Tunnels & Trolls, Space Circle, Ltttleton CO 80124 Quest 4 (VGA 1.44 MB) . $15 @: Conquests of SellArade: any CD-ROM, new RPGs. 3", Camelot, Colonel's Bequest, Trial by Fire, Larry $30: *Ultima 7, Ultima Underworld. $15: Sellnrade, 5" VGA: Space Quest 1 & 4, $25 3, Space Quest 3, Journey. Many old games, *Ultima 6, Vengeance of Excalibur. Planet's @. *Space Quest 2, $15. King's Quest 5, send SASE for list. Robert Kraus, 3038 N Edge, $22. Indy & Fate, $25. Heart of China, lndy's Last Crusade, $20 @.Want Indy & Christiana, Chicago IL 60618 $12. Magic Candle 2, $19. Spacewrecked, Fate, Batman Returns, most Sierra/Dynamix. $10. Price includes shipping. Pete Gedzyk, Jim Leone, 4301 Gravenstein Hwy N, Will buy any IBM-compatible games, old & new. 502 S. Brookwood Tr, McHenry IL 60050 Sebastopol CA 95472-2201 Send list w~h date of release and version, other info. Send SASE for large list of my software, Trade only, 3• LO: King's Quest 5 EGA, $18@: Ultima Underworld, Ultima 7. $10@: including applications. No tradesl Dennis Billow, Gateway to Savage Frontier, Pools of Dark Queen of Krynn, Martian Dreams. Fran 353 Hamer St, Clyde OH 43410 Darkness, Eye of Beholder; 5• LO: M & M 3, Maye, 493 Hurley Rd, Coatesville PA 19320 Castles, Terminator. Want Bane of Cosmic, Sell only: Loom CD, $30. All 3.5", $15@: Out of War in Middle Earth, Magic Candle 1. Tory Trade, all 5": *Savage Empire, *Bane of this World, Hair Raising Havoc w/Sound Source. Richard, Box 129, E Kelowna, BC, Canada Cosmic, *King's Quest 4, Eye 1, Hard Nova. Space Quest 1 VGA, $10. Joseph Carter, 410 N VOH 1GO Want Martian Dreams, Magic Candle 2, or 1Oth St, Prospect Park NJ 07508-2211 send list. Richard Carlin, 91 -48 1OBth St, Want: Prophecy of the Shadow, Indy &Fate, Richmond Hill NY 11418 Trade only: *MM3, *Lord of Rings 1, Breach 2 w/ Ultima 7. Trade my Magic Candle 2, Monkey Campaign, Savage Empire, Martian Dreams, Island 2, Crystals of Trazere, Two Towers, or Sell only, 5" MC3. Cluebook, $7. Both for others. Some w/character edttors. Trade my 2 Quest for Clues 4 book. Will pay $3 bonuse. $30. Mili Roberts, POB 6486, Florence KY for your 1. T. Dauer, 1816 Lynvale Lane, Walnut TeU me a good joke and receive $2 extra! J 41022-6486. Prodigy #SVSSH80A Creek, CA 94596 Hadler, 15 E Lagoon Dr, Brick NJ 08723 Sell only, 3" -$28 @: *Black Gate, *Lord of Will buy or trade solutions for IBM games. Send Want 3• Civilization, Planet's Edge, Rings 2. $24 @: *Matrix Cubed, *Dark list & prices, I'll send mine. W. H. Willett, POB Prophecy of Shadow, Indy & Fate, Magic Queen of Krynn. $20 @: Magic Candle 2,, 301, Lewisport KY 42351 . Candle 2. Also any kid's software: Reader Treasures of Savage Frontier. Ri Robillard, Rabbtt, Playhouse, etc. James DeMarco, 52 S Main St, Baldwinville MA 01436 Sell: Space Quest VGA, $20. Willy Beamish 19966 Promenade Cir, Riverside CA 92508 VGA, $30. Bane of Cosmic, $30. Bruce Smtth, Sellnrade (my 2 for your 1), all 5": Death 9158 Conifer Lane #B, Cucamonga, CA 91730 Sell, $15@: Champions of Krynn 5", Ultima Knights, Eye 1, Eye 2, Quest Ior Glory 2, 6 5", MegatraveUer 2 3". Darklands 3• VGA, Sorcerian, Knights of Legend, *M &M 2, Indy & Last Crusade, 5• 256-color, $15. Lost $35. James Wilkes, 3189 Haney's Br, Bard 2-3, King's Quest 4, Ultima 5. Want Treasures 2, 5:, $20. Want Police Quest 3, Larry Huntington WV 25704Sellnrade: Fred Pohl's Ultima 7, Magic Candle 2, Ultima 1 - must be 3• HO, 256-VGA. Paul Shaffer, Gateway, $30. Ultima Underworld, $20. $20 Underground, Monkey 2. Joseph Defeo, 1523-C Crescent Lane, Matthews, NC 28105 @: Pools of Darkness, Star Trek 25th. King's 1460 Buck Hill Dr, Southampton, PA 18966 Special of the Month! Passport to Adventure Quest for Clues: The Book of Swords, with 20 solutions, Books and Map Kits including King's Quest VI, M & Quest for Clues 2, 3 or 4 $25 M: Clouds of Xeen, Dark Seed, (40 solutions in each volume) Spellcasting 301, Legend of Kyrandia. QuestBusters members Quest for Clues: Book of Orbs $17 can advance order this $17 .00 (with 20 solutions) book for $15 (plus shipping). Only advance orders will be auto­ King's Quest Companion $17 graphed, and the book should (with solutions to I-VI) arrive in January. The usual #of Amiga Missions Quest for Clues I: photocopies of solu­ QBs will be added for each book. Conquests of the Longbow VGA $51 tions are $2 each to USA; others add $1. Orders must be postmarked by November 31, 1992. Treasures of the Savage Empire $50 Dark Queen of Krynn $50 QB Map Kit (includes US shipping, MSDOS Quests Canadians, APOs send $3 US funds.) (State disk size& EGA or VGA.) Amiga & MSDOS Kit A: (for text/graphic games) $8 Prophecy of the Shadow $46 Death Knights of Krynn $39 Kit B: (for role-playing games) $8 Lord of the Rings, Vol. 2 $45 Gateway to Savage Frontier $35 (100 sheets of mapping paper in each) Legend of Kyrandia $55 Dagger of Amon Ra $59 See this issue's reviews for prices of US addresses, add $3 shipping @ book or Indy & Fate of Atlantis $46 recent releases. game, $2 @ on multiple orders. To APO, Spellcasting 301 · $45 $6; Canada, $4; overseas, $12/$8. No & Lost Treasures of Infocom 1 or 2 $42 VISA/Mastercard: print sign name bill mes. AZ residents. add 5% sales as it appears on card & include expi­ Frederick Pohl's Gateway $43 tax. Send street address, we cannot ship ration date Dark Queen of Krynn $50 to PO Boxes. The Dark Half $45

Bulk Rate U.S. Postage Quest Busters PAID Tucson l\Z. POB 85143 Permit No. 1153 Tucson AZ 85754 Forwarding and Return Postage Guaranteed Address Correction Requested