Not sold in stores
ncredible as it sounds, one of my "new fish," as newcomers to Gateway I've been playing a lot of flight simu favorite adventure game designers are called. lators recently, and found it encouraging I just adapted one of my favorite These and other elements of the that I was still able to solve the first few science fiction novels as his latest tour de adventure are faithful to the concept and missions without referring to the due force. After reading Gateway several setting of Pohl's nove~ but the game uses book that is included with the game. years back, I bought each sequel in this them as a jumping off point to tell an (One thoughtful feature of the book: in story of a galactic prospector sent out to original story with a different ending. some cases it not only provides the unknown destinations on ships whose Bates still captures the mood of the answer, but explains why the answer courses were plotted by the mysterious novels in every scene: . makes sense.) Heechee millennia ago. Now rm the sense of apprehen Bates' adventures, "living" the story and enjoying it as sion, for instance, as · stocked with challeng much as Pohl's novel - which won the you prepare to push ing puzzles, are Hugo and Nebula awards for science the "go" button on designed as a series of fiction writing. the Heechee ship's self-contained puzzle The action revolves around control panel, not areas. Each consists of Gateway, having the slightest a half-dozen or fewer Type: Graphic an ancient idea where you might locations, and most of adventure Heechee arrive moments later Headed for the unknown the things needed to Systems: MSDOS (640K base on the far side of the solve the central puzzle & hard disk required, circling sky. there are found nearby. This makes the · mouse optional; CGA; Earth in As in the Spellcasting games and most demanding puzzle more accessible EGA, 256-color VGA, the year Timequest, this is a smooth blend of all than if you had to race back and forth SVGA & MCGA, TGA 2012. text and graphic adventure. The full across the universe (which you still must (hi-res black & white); Dozens of sentence parser is the most refined in use do in some situations, of course). RealSound (PC speaker), Heechee today; lazy types can still click on word And while you'll spend a lot of time Sound Blaster, Ad Lib, craft lists to assemble commands. You may Roland) discover also switch to an all-text screen, or view Continued on page 14 Planned ports: none ed here the one with the small picture ·and a text are being window below it. Contents used by And with this game Legend daring explorers to visit new galaxies Entertainment has warped far beyond and planets in hopes of finding riches, the realm of "illustrated text.adven new civilizations and - most signifi tures" by incorporating full-screen cantly - more about the Heechee and SVGA graphics and animation through their fantastic scientific knowledge. out the quest. (The game looks almost as good in regular VGA, so don't feel left New fish in town - and out if you haven't got SVGA.) it•s not a Babel fish You are monetarily rewarded for each Clue book included! discovery. And after completing the The puzzle types will be familiar to requirements, you can advance to "green anyone who played Bob Bates' badge status" and obtain information on Timequest. Object manipulation, timing, previous missions that isn't available to clever but not-too-maddening mazes, and a sense of imagination play key roles in a solid mix of logical puzzles. Several by Shay Addams features alternative solutions. Shay Addams' As midsummer Reruns at CES arrived, so did The Mail Maze One reason I don't attend CES twice several long a year is to avoid seeing the sam'e Adventure await.ed quests. games over and over. These are the Sierra's Dagger ~ ~~n Road games Russ Ceccola saw at summer of AmonRa and u_-===~-~ ~ CES and the previous winter CES - LucasArts' Dear QuestBusters: and which have still not been Indiana Jones and What is happening with CD-ROM released. the Fate of Atlantis games? I still haven't got a CD drive were the most notable Accolade: Star Control II because I'm afraid it will be obsolete new releases. SSl's ASCII Entertainment: SpellCraft two weeks later. Prophecy of the Shadow also showed Capstone: The Dark Half R. Young up. Interplay's Lord of the Rings: Electronic Arts: The Lost Files of Th~ Two Towers is shipping and Sherlock CD-ROM games for MSDOS and should be on the Interplay: Buzz Mac are actually about to take off - shelves by now. Aldrin's Race into or at least get their chance to. These and more Egghead and Software Etc. are stock ~ Space new quests - in ing them in specific sections, while Konami: Plan 9 their released record and video retailers and even from Outer Space version, not the Kroger (yes, the supermarket chain) (Gremlin), betas - will be are planning to test market Cb games Champions (Hero) covered next and other entertainment software. · month. MicroProse: Softkat, a ma;or distributor, recently Look for Dagger of Amon Ra Darklands put out a CD-only catalog, and by Crusaders of the Dark Savant in Origin: Strike Commander Christmas there will be twice as many September. And Accolade is bringing Paragon: Mega1ravel/er3, Challenge CD games from which to choose. over another European horror adven- of the Five Realms When picking out a drive, be sure it's ture from Horrorsoft in the fall. The US Gold: Cruise for a Corpse got at least a 500 ms access time (380 working title is Waxworks. Virgin: Fables & Fiends: Legend of is even better) and a continuous Kyrandia, 7th Guest throughput rate of at least 150 KB TSN goes flat rat:e per second. The Sierra Network is now much Five more years! more affordable since they established While some folks are shouting "four flat rat.e charges across the country. more years," QB members have been You can play 30 hours a month for asking about special rates for five $12.95. For hard-core modem mani more years of the Journal. So we acs, additional time beyond the 30 finally instituted this option, which is hours is also available. not only cheaper but also ensures you Editor: Shay Addams won't be affected if rates rise due to Managing Editor: Dora McCormick Lost Treasures the inevitable hikes in postal rates. News Editor: Zippy the Pinhead EA lost their-distribution rights for Contributing Editors: Bernie Yee, Al USA, 3rd class: $75 Giovetti, Russ Ceccola, Rich New World Computing in the USA To USA, Adventure Express: $100 Heimlich, Fred G. Brooks, Ken St. (Broderbund is doing it now) but To Canada/Mexico: $115 Andre, Stephen King, Steven Payne, continues to market the games in Bruce E. Wiley, Duffy, This Europe. EA is also no longer distrib Overseas airmail: $160 Reviewer™ uting LucasArts products or Prima (This offer applies through 1992, Books. after which rat.es may go up.) QuestBusters, the journal of the world's largest group of adventure gamers, is published monthly by Orbs Book of Orbs in orbit Simulations! R Us. Annual dues: 3rd Class, $19; Everyone who advance ordered Quest If you are already receiving 1st Class, $25, Canada, $26, Int'l, for Clues: The Book of Orbs from QuestBusters, you can get our $36. Contents Copyright Eldritch, LTD., 1992. QuestBusters is a trade QB should have received it by now. If bimonthly newsletter on flight and mark of Eldritch, LTD. Copying SimCity-type simulators at a special you ordered one before AugU&t 1 and without permission is prohibited & haven't got it yet, please let us know low rate. To USA addresses, punishable by one-way teleportation right away. Simulations/ costs only $10. To to Sarjevo. Canada: $14. Overseas: $18. For a free sample, send $3. Member: South American Explorers Club Ultima VII: Ye Black Gate
ontrary to comparisons with engines will be combined for a real glowing, ominous face - the C Spinal Tap's first album cover RPG knockout.) And following the Guardian - who tells you that he l!::::::=:::::!I on '"Smell The Glove," Origin trend set by companies like Sierra, soon will take his rightful place as the Systems' SoHo-hip black, tech-noire Ultima VII sports a whole new inter ruler of Britannia. This is accom cover shows that they take themselves face - completely point and click, plished through an impressive seriously ... perhaps a bit too seriously. with no icons on: the screen. multimedia introduction, complete Origin must have a deal going with Everything is controlled by clicking with digitized voice and stunning Austin Computers or something: once on characters, items and objects. graphics. Then you take that tradi again the "creators of worlds" have Is a "realistic., tional leap upped the hardware ante for playing fantasy universe - through the their games. To play Ultima VII you an oxymoron? . Moongate and will need - at the very least - a Origin doesn't think materialize in 386125, 21 megabytes of free hard so. All objects front of Iolo. drive space for the ·game, and another possess physical As in Ultima SOOK for each saved game. So plan to properties: you can VI, issues of good delete some games, files and utilities churn milk into and evil are omni off your hard drive. butter or watch present. The But don't worry about buying a castle servants do documentation better memory manager - Ultima the same as they go The ultimate Interface? introduces the VII actually provides its own, called about their lives. Click on your char Fellowship, an association of individ acter, a:nd his display and vital stats uals dedicated to seemingly worthy Type: Fantasy role-playing appear. Click on his sack, and its -ideals. But you've seen that before. Systems: MSDOS (386SX/20 or contents·appear [unless due to a bug They are based on the notion that the faster, 2 megs RAM, 21 megs in the first release, they have mysteri Virtues (which the Avatar embodies) hard disk space, 256-color VGA; ously disappeared]. are unattainable, so it's better to Roland, Ad Lib, Sound Blaster & Each display is a movable provide "realistic" moral goals for Pro; disk cache & mouse window, and items .:._which, true to people. There's no doubt they'll be recommended) the Origin philos·ophy, have physical causing trouble, but in a brilliant characteristics such as size and weight stroke of moral ambiguity, you will Planned ports: none - can be "drag and dropped." This be waiting for definitive proof for tends to require a bit of a "pixel some time. Good and evil are never Voodoo. You will, however, need hunt" to discover important objects. clear. your own boot disk, or use something Although Ultima VII doesn't require like DasBoot, a shareware multiple a mouse, the keyboard-only intedace My name is Legion boot configuration file. is clumsy. With a mouse, the intedace The problems haunting Britannia are If it seems Origin has gone too is easy to learn and powerful enough obviously based on current events. A far, well... they have. For better and to carry you through the game with serial killer seems to be on the loose. worse. A 386125, mouse and a Sound out a hitch. Magic no longer functions properly, Blaster are recommended, along with and the youth are experimenting in a disk cache~ Rumor has it that A morality play escapist "reagents." And of course, Origin used Hyperdisk, available as As in earlier Ultimas, Lord British the Fellowship is everywhere - shareware, during development and seeks to provide a moral framework people are either fanatical followers testing. (It's an excellent disk cache in which your character lives and or vaguely suspicious of the zealots. for general use.) Without a disk acts. It may seem sanctimonious, but Homelessni;:ss, poverty, pollution and cache, animation is choppy even on in fact, heroes always function under taxes also crop up. Ultima VII's my486/33. moral codes. Ultima VII just doesn't strength lies in these plots and sub give you the option to be evil. Unlike plots, which provide mini-quests that New and old in Underworld, there is no karma aren't necessarily involved with the True to its heritage, Ultima VII uses counter to penalize you for bad main quest. Ultima VII is definitely the top-down view. (Earlier Ultimas deeds, though stealing in Ultima VII non-linear. did switch to a first-person view . is met by some pretty foreboding These moral dilemmas may be when exploring dungeons - perhaps reprimands. subtle, but the action is far from it. one day the Ultima and Underworld On one level the story line is stan Though there is little combat at, i:he dard Ultima fare. Britannia is in need by Bernie Yee again and you are summoned by a continued on page 14 THE DARK QUEEN OF KRYNN by Al C. Giovetti Dark Queen of Krynn concludes the balance of good and evil. You and classes) can be obtained for free in epic that began with Champions of the Companions are to seek out the many of the training halls scattered Krynn and Death Knights of Krynn. help of the original Dragonlance throughout the land. Dark Queen Set in the AD&D Dragonlance game companions (Tasselhoff Burrfoot and also has vaults that allow you to store world, it introduces new improve Raistlin Majere) to foil this latest items and cash for retrieval when ments in the sound, graphics and attempt to dominate the world and needed at a later date, making item playability of the fantastically popu subvert Paladin's rule, order and management a less onerous task. lar "'gold box" game engine that may balance. The conclusion requires a Combat still utilizes the less-than set it apart as the best title in this line fight to the death intelligent auto of games. with the Chromatic combat rCJutines After Treasures of the Savage Dragon after for non-player and .. Frontier and Dark Queen, no more companions manage player characters. gold box games will be produced. to trap the Queen in In comparison The 8-bit game engine will be retired the abyss. with the autocom for a new 16-bit engine in future SSI Dark Queen's bat's use of magic games. Originally designed to accom format resembles seen in Ultima modate EGA monitors and the PC those of past gold VII, the old, out speaker, the 8-bit engine has been box games. When of-date gold box improved over the years - but only creating a character Queen for a Day intelligence is super- with patches that have allowed for you select from seven races of Krynn, ior in many respects. seven character class and nine two Autocombat could be improved Type: Fantasy Role-playing dimensional alignments composed of by allowing for more precise instruc Systems: Amiga (one meg world view and ethics. Dual-class tions as to general courses of action required), Mac, MSDOS (286, Humans may be created by changing in a battle. Combat occurs in rounds 640K, HD floppy required, hard classes after substantial advancement and allows for full control of player disk recommended; EGA, 25 6- in their original class. Elves and half and non-player characters in manual color VGA/MCGA; Sound elves can be multi-classed, with as mode. Blaster, Ad Lib, Roland) many as three simultaneous classes. Characters may be randomly Monsters galore assigned six ability scores and maxi Dark Queen is stocked with a large sound board capability and super mum hit points, or you can "'modify" variety of high-level monsters that VGA. With the new 16-bit engines these points to create characters from will tax your combat abilities to the under development, SSI games can go books, comics, paper and pencil fullest. There are underwater combat beyond the old 8-bit, 6-frame anima games and other fantasy games. To scenes when you help the sea Elves tion limitation (SSI gold box games the great relief of reviewers and fans defend their kingdom and save one of use 2-frame animation) and provide alike, characters from Dark Knights their cities from an evil plan. Sea an even better questing experience. can be transferred with items and monsters, underwater exploration coin intact. and combat can be experienced in the The story•s still the thing Character advancement in non early parts of the game. Beholders, · One thing I hope won't change is the human races still reflects the illogical enchanted Draconians, black depth of the storytelling. Playing a and "'racist" limitations imposed by pudding, hydras, gorgons and other gold box game is like reading a the AD&D second edition rules. (By fiends make for most interesting fantasy novel over which you have racist I am referring to the limitations combat puzzles and strategies. control. Every word in the paragraph imposed on all non-human races by ·The game encompasses thirteen book, rule book, clue book and tht. rules of the game.) Elves continue towns, cities and castles on the map version card, each and every nook to function under the limitation of of Krynn. You also get to explore the and cranny of every map were read not being able to be resurrected. abyss of the Dark Queen - the five and explored by me with hungry Dark Queen is a first-generation headed dragon (referred to in the anticipation. I for one will join others role-playing game, with ;dvancement game as the Chromatic Dragon) also at the wake and raise a glass to this in levels of a profession or class known as T akhiss. Your exploration dying old friend. rather than the assignment of skill of the towns and cities 'does not allow The plot involves yet another points to a s<;t of skills. Training and you to use the excellent automapping attempt by the Dark Queen to enter level advancement up to the 40th system. the world of Krynn and challenge the level (save for some non-human Dark Queen's designers restricted
4 Quest Busters Dark Queen ...... from 4 CES Party Report the automapping so it works only by Russ Ceccola in certain areas, and in others only Oh, boy! Here I am party at Red Kerr's restaurant. They after specific tasks are completed. again with the "society had lots of food and drink, but also This is no fun if you hate to map. column" section of QuestBusters all their latest titles up on computers Dark Queen limits the use of - the official unofficial summer CES and videogame machines. The party non-player characters. At no time party report! Who's sleeping with had a sports theme, and announcer does the group have eight players whom? Who makes more money than Ron Barr was taping a broadcast live travelling together. Treasures of the anyone else? Who ran around beating from the party. Savage Frontier does a better job with those dagnabit kids over the head Also unique to EA's shindig were NPC interaction than Dark Queen. with a baseball bat for points in the all the people crammed into the place There are no new wrinkles here, and Nintendo area? (which seemed just about everybody the old annoyances persist. I can't answer any of these ques of any importance in the game indus· Sound effects, musical score, tions! But I can tell you which parties try, and plenty of others too) and the mood music and musical stings are were worth visiting at the CES, and fact that the party took up two floors very well done - if limited to short how much fun I had at night in of the restaurant/bar. People stayed pieces - and must be heard to be Chicago. Well, let's get gossiping.... until about midnight, and there were believed. Compatible with many lots of EA giveaways like sunglasses, major boards, the sound is the best of buttons and posters all over the any gold box game to date. place. Kudos to David Dempsey for The player character icons are the Wednesday night putting it together. most colorful and detailed of any After a hard day's work at the show, gold box game. You can no longer I got back to my room in plenty of customize player icons with color, but time to watch cartoons on TV and must now choose from a set of highly learn how to watch pay movies for Thursday night detailed and colorful ones, all less free on the TV box before heading This night was a lot tamer than boring than those in earlier games. out for the parties. My first stop was Wednesday, but still a lot of fun. The Queen's interface is easiest to use Acclaim's suite at the Hyatt. festivities started off with an incredi with the keyboard, but the mouse is The place was packed and decked ble dinner at the University Club of adequately supported. Attention to out well with upright arcade games Chicago thrown by TSR and SSI. The detail and refinement of the mouse near the entrance and video game food was the best I had the whole interface and display have paid off in machines all with their latest titles time in Chicago, and the dinner an effective use of mouse and icons, available to try out. The food was conversation - ranging from RPGs in addition to a simultaneously active great, the bar was open and they even and TSR games to Alien 3 and keyboard-hot-key-based interface. had a pig's head with an apple (the Chicago's traffic -was stimulating. Copy protection is by keyword first I've ever witnessed up close and Walking was tough after the dinner, from the paragraphs book, which in person). but I managed to make it to Atari's holds eighteen pages of text. The Acclaim's suite was classy, the Batman-themed party at the Barclay number of saved games is limited, atmosphere was fun, and many hotel penthouse suite. Typical of and they cannot be user-labelled. people. who left returned later to hang Atari's great hospitality, they had a · Dark Queen's configuration file out again. At one point in the night caricaturist and fortune teller, as well cannot be changed without reinstall George Foreman came by to check as free Batman posters, a Batman ing the game. The game boots and out the activity, but not when I was stand-up and a princely night-time saves quickly, and the introductory there. He made repeat appearances view of the city. This party was low and demonstration sequences can on Thursday and Friday too, key by the time I got there (because I now be quickly bypassed. The "Accolade in Motion" theme missed the lady who was levitated), Conclusions: H you like the gold box party in the Fairmont's Gold Room but it had a neat atmosphere and series, Dark Queen is highly recom was my next stop. There was ample laughs all-around. mended. I strongly suggest that you space for mingling, and lots more buy the clue book, since this game is food and drink than at this party. very difficult. ll Accolade set up a videocamera to Friday night capture attendees' favorite motion on Friday was a bust because there were tape, and lots of people did silly no major parties, but I made it back Difficulty: Hard things that Accolade can dredge up to the Acclaim suite, which was still Price: $50, IBM & Amiga; $60, Mac for America's Funniest Home Videos. rocking, with my buddy Rohb Alvey Company: SSI & Micro Magic/EA Last stop for the ni~t and best and later at the "rock and roll party of CES was the Electronic Arts McDonalds." ll Summer CES: looking for
ith all the new technology rearing out their latest, Links 386 Pro, a major its high-tech head, it's taking a lot revamping of the Links system with the W developers longer to tUm out fastest redraw and best interface flexibility games. Indeed, a lot of what I saw at of any of the current golf games. summer CES in Chicago were games I saw six months ago in Vegas -just a lot Hard ACTIVISION to Follow further along in development. For this Here's one for confusion. After reason, I made a list games shown at this Mediagenic filed for bankruptcy, they CES that were also previewed at last CES changed the company name back to and are now somewhere near completion Activision, the name they started business ''New games (a few of these havae actually been under oh so many years ago. So forget that "previewed" at the last three shows!). New Mediagenic era. You've gotta admire their were few and games were few and far between as far as tenacity. Activision now releases products adventures go, but those that showed up under three names: Activision (general far between look promising. games and videogames), Infocom (adven Another emerging trend from this CES tures) and The Disc Company (a separate as far as is the rapidly narrowing line between productivity software company with which computer and videogames. Two years ago, Activision merged to strengthen their adventures maybe even last year, videogames were marketability). go, but mostly action/arcade and Activision is work- adventure games popped ing on three game those that up solely on computers collections and one new because they were the game. The Power Hits showed up only machines that could products collect older looked handle all the locations, games into single value objects, graphics and text priced packages. In promising.'' of a good RPG or addition to the sports graphic adventure. Now and movies collections, CD software has begun King's Quest VI (Sierra) expect to see the Power the rapid devolution of the Hits Sci-Fi collection floppy disk for computers and the (Prophecy, Tongue of the Patman, cartridge for videogames. Circuit's Edge, Mines of Titan and Death Also, there are many new videogame Track) and the Power Hits BattleTech adventures and RPGs, as well as conver collection (Mech Warrior, BattleTech I sions of computer game winners, and I'll and II). try to cover them as space permits in Under the Infocom name are The Lost upcoming issues of QuestBusters. Before Treasures of Infocom II, which collects long, CD games will be simultaneously almost all of.the remaining lnfocom titles, released for multiple computer and video and Return to Zork, a graphical Zork game machines with CD drives. It's game not shown at CES but which happening quickly and, though I hate to purports to encompass the entire Great keep on praising 7th Guest, this game's Underground Empire. Not an adventure almost simultaneous release for both the game, but still a c;ool game for any comics Nintendo CD drive an 6 Quest Busters a hit in the fall line-up warriors to enact your retribution. will not affect you as negatively as they did Shadowlands uses three-quarters perspec in the first game's final battle sequence. tive like Populous and Powermonger, with lots of puzzles and traps to beguile the KONAMI goes Krazy player. It's one of those games you might Konami once again will be storming .the ·pass on unless. told about. Let's hope it's as software market in the coming months nice as it looks at the show. with a lot of software titles in various cate- gories and developed by a number of ELECTRONIC ARTS & Crafts companies, including Hero Software, Electronic Arts had only one game of their Gremlins, Renegade; Rizon and Spirit own worth mentioning. (The rest of their of Discovery (who have a few great new titles are sports games.) However, a edutainment and productivity couple of their affiliates have forthcoming programs on the way). But brand new adventures. adventures from Konami are scarce. The Lost Files of Sherlock: The Case of Utopia is a Gremlin game that the Serrated Scalpel was previewed at the looks a lot like the Populous, last CES, and since then have played a Powermonger and Sim-Everything single-scene demo that shows off the games but offers a lot more, for the goal is Might & Magic: system. It has the perfect interface for a to colonize a desolate planet and create the Clouds of Xeen Sherlock Holmes adventure, allowing you "perfect" society. The player controls (New World) to gather clues, examine evidence and many aspects of life on the planet, and interrogate people with ease by using a game's scope the game is a lot bigger than command-selection system similar to the . .other such games. Lucasfilm adventures. The graphics are Batman Returns is billed as an adven very detailed; and the music helps put you ture, but it looks more like an action/ in that London state of mind (foggy). · adventure hybrid whose goals are defi Sherlock is a hit in the making. nitely adventure-like, but there are some arcade sequences to spice things up. The INTERPLAYBoy adventure part involves gathering clues to Besides Battle Chess 4000, Interplay had solve crimes in Gotham City and trap the only one new "adven Penguin. Don't let past ture" on hand. Castles Batman action games II: Siege and Conquest warp your opinion of goes beyond the first this game. It definitely Castles in strategy and has the adventure-game adventure. elements for fans of the The main difference movie. This should be a is that there are multiple worthy title that lets barons you must defeat ...______. you relive the movie and whose land and Eric the Unready (Legend) and actually "direct" people you have to ·the computer game movie. control. This modification opens up a lot Finally, Elite II is a brand new sci-fi of new possibilities, including a multiple epic in trading and colonization that takes player option. VGA graphics and digitized place in new galaxies and with new video enhance the look of the Castles missions. The original game had a cult environment. following and more gamers are sure to Also, runiors· of another Star Trek latch onto this sequel game are true. It will not be in the form of a mission disk for the existing game, but LEGEND in its own time. instead a brand new game using the Star Showing only self-running demos, Legend Trek: 25th Anniversary interface/system. has two upcoming gamesthat are full of Commendation points (or lack thereof) humor. One introduces a zany new charac ter, another brings back an old favorite. by Russ Ceccola continued on page 9 Lea.ther Gocl.cl.esses of Phobos II by Russ Ceccola. ubtitled "Gas Pump Girls Meet to reflect your option: a hand cursor, the characters, particularly in close S the Pulsating Inconvenience from means you can use or take that object. ups, stand out. And Earth, Planet X Planet X," Leather Goddesses II is The cursor changes to an arrow that and Phobos come to life! I wasn't Steve Meretzky's latest game under shows which direction you can move, sure how graphics would change an the Infocom product name and the and it's important to tum around at Infocom game, but the result was sequel to his hit all-text adventure times in certain locations to see pleasantly surprising. This one could from 1987. objects obscured by the forward view. stand on its own with or without The first true graphic adventure When you speak to a character, graphics. from Infocom, this is a bold step boxes pop up to the Even greater forward that works well - to some left with objects or ------.i..------strides were taken extent. Although the game is far too people in them that in sound effects simple, it's a lot of fun while it lasts, you can discuss with Infocom failed to and music. I don't has a decent interface and contains the NPC. Other provide screen shot, think the music over an hour of recorded speech. boxes let you greet, ever stops in the kiss or have sex with despite several phone game unless you Bad boy Barth that character. calls to Kelly Zmak tum it off! The story starts on Earth and moves That's about it: Problem is, that to Phobos and Planet X. You choose talk to people, move even though it's to play one of the three main charac around and use and actually more exciting with all that ters: Zeke Zarmen (a relative of take objects and you'll have the game music going on, but gets annoying down in no time at all. The ESC key when you try to listen to the charac Type: Wacky Graphic Adventure accesses system functions. It's nice to ters' voices and the music at the same see this back-to-basics approach in System: MSDOS (640K required, time. Fortunately, you can pipe the Infocom's first graphic adventure. mouse optional; EGA, VGA; Ad music one place and keep the levels low and pipe the speech somewhere Lib, Sound Blaster, Roland; Funny as ever else and keep the volume high. "Sound Enhancer" included The program includes the Planned ports: none for now Like the original game, the sequel features adult humor; graphics and "LifeSi.Ze Sound Enhancer" so people plot development. Unlike the origina~ with no sound boards can hear the Zarmen from the first game), Lydia there is only one naughtiness leve~ so music, voices and sounds by pumping Sandler (daughter of the town's parents of younger players be warned. them through a stereo. Kudos to professor) or Barthgub el Nikki-Nikki The game would be rated PG-13 if it Infocom for not requiring you to son of Jelgobar el Zayda-Zayda (alien were a movie, and the naughty parts listen to each character's entire Pulsating Inconvenience from Planet are as tame as any of the soap operas. speech. As soon as the speech kicks X, known as Barth for short). Barth The best thing about Leather in, you can hit the mouse or a key crash-landed on Earth, and the Goddesses II is that it's a vehicle for and.move on to the next sentence. Leather Goddesses are after him and, Meretzky's wacky humor, which he Conclusions: Leather Goddesses lI consequently, all humans because promises to stop with each and every was fun, but way too simple for an they think we are harboring Barth. release. From the wild parties on Infocom game. A nice way to spend In the first part you must repair Phobos, to the sheep mixed in with some time between games, it presents Barth's ship, treat his wounds and the girls in the whorehouse, to even no challenge even at the harder levels. leave Earth to save the planet by the title of the movie playing in the The interface works well, except the defeating the Goddesses. The three local theater (It Came On the Desert), pre-named save game. Leather characters follow different plot lines, Meretzky lets loose. Your play Goddesses II takes what started out but they all meet at key points, so you sessions are sure to be filled with as a text adventure and successfully can't stray too far. Barth's game is the chuckles. Just listen to the sounds one translates it into a funny graphic easiest, while the others are harder. of the gas pump girls makes under the adventure - and Meretzky's humor The simplistic interface is too hood of the car.... is the main reason to play this one. limiting. There are few objects in the Graphics generally nice. There are game, and you spend a lot of time lots of locations and screens, and the Skill Level: Novice talking to one of the many characters artists took advantage of the many Company: Activision to uncover clues. Using a "smart colors available to them in 256-color cursor," the interface is completely VGA. The rooms and some of the Price: $69.95 point-and-click. The cursor changes outdoor scenes are a bit choppy, but .QuestBusters price: $55 8 Quest Busters Summer CES ...... from 7 are nice, and there are video-captured all-action games. characters and multiple views and interface screens throughout. Rex SEGA in the Bodega Eric the Unready is a knight who Nebular is MicroProse's answer to seems to get all the dull jobs and the Sega Genesis games may be a little Roger Wilco. This onl" should be fun. short stick in life. In this wacky too arcadish for QB readers, but a few of their RPGs and adventures like adventure from Bob Bates, which Brave NEW WORLD pokes fun of lots of pop culture icons, the Phantasy Star series and Shining you venture into the Not So Great COMPUTING in the Darkness offer more adventure Underground Empire to guide Eric on The next Might & Magic is on the than some computer games. With the his quest to rescu~ Princess Lorealle way! Avoiding the use of a number in advent of their CD drive, Sega plans from the evil Queen Morgana. the title, this game will be called to bring adventurers quality titles on ll Ernie Eaglebeak survives another Might & Magic: Clouds of Xeen. It CD. These include: Ultima school year and makes it to takes you.to an Underworld, Spe/lcasting 301: Spring Break. This entirely new world .---""'!"'------..------King's Quest, series is quickly becoming one of ~nd boasts better Wing Commander favorites from past years and is graphics than ever and Sherlock certainly bad boy Steve Meretzky's before, not to Holmes, finest set of games so far. Maybe mention the classic Consulting fatherhood has something to do with M & M interface Detective. I it.... In Spring Break, Ernie and his and a larger world wouldn't be frat brothers visit Ft. Naughtytail and than any of the other surprised to see battles it out with rival frat Getta games. This game CD-specific titles Loda Yu. will certainly surpass Rift wars (Dynamlx) on this system. Look for lots more babes and M & M III in every way. brewskis and all the other events Spaceward HO/ is a Westem Super SIERRA & the Spring Break has to offer, from wet themed strategy game that may DYNAMIX Duo T-shirt contests to beer brawls. It appeal to readers because it's a game As expected, Sierra has a few titles brings back my memories of Fort of exploration and ~onquest in outer that we'll all be interested in seeing. Lauderdale spring break vividly. Oh, space. The galaxy changes from game With the exception of the Dynamix to be a sophomore again .... NOT! to game, and multiple-player games RPG, everything was running in Look for both of these in the fall. make this new title a fun way to chal demo-only mode. On the way for lenge other adventurers. Sierra· adventure lovers everywhere MERIT Badges are: King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Merit Software is publishing a game ORIGIN & Tonic Gone Tomorrow; Space Quest V: from Cyberdreams, and Dark Seed This company is busy these days, and Roger Wilco in the Next Mutation; may wind up the sleeper hit of late their next few titles will keep people Quest for Glory III: The Wages of 1992. The horror/sci-fi adventure busy for a long time. First off is War; The Island of Dr. Brain and thrusts you into a waking nightmare Ultima VII Part 2: The Serpent's Isle. EcoQuest: The Lost Secret of the and boasts many horrific elements. This is an intermediate game in the Rain Forest. All feature 256-color But the game's real claim to fame is latest Ultima mini-series, one that ties graphics and mucho sound support. the graphics. closely to the story line started with Next fall and winter looks like a great . All the scenes in this nightmare Ultima VII. Britannia is once again time for new Sierra products. world are scanned images of faced with problems, particularly a Dynamix's new RPG looks like a gorgeously detailed paintings by H. strange sickness, and it is up to you landmark hit. Raymond E. Feist's R. Giger, the famous German artist to save the land. Graphies look a lot Riftwar Legacy: The Betrayal at who created the Alien creature and cleaner than other Ultimas, and Krondor is the full title of a game that many other monstrosities on canvas. Origin promises they'll check thor reveals a bold new direction in oughly for bugs before bringing it gaming for Dynamix. Produced by MICROPROSE & Cons out. John Cutter, Krondor is a first-person Trade Commander is next in the perspective RPG that lets you explore Darklands is next on the plate, and Wing Commander series. Besides after that comes Rex Nebular and the a vast world of digitized characters Cosmic Gender Bender. This wacky fighting space battles, you take over and very realistic terrain. Combat the life of the fighter pilot character graphic space adventure lets you feels like it's real time even though it's in the Federation. The game's all control the titular Rex on the planet tum-based, because the characters expanded scope may appeal to those Terra Androgena, which is populated are animated during battle, not just who didn't like the Wing by alien women. They capture you, during their tum. This game will be Commander games bec..:tuse they were and your goal to escape. The graphics concluded on page 11 WALKTHRU: Twilight 2000 Twilight 2000 was originally a jacket or the Kevlar Vest and Helmet scenario-oriented pencil and paper role-playing game by Game Designers Also make sure the party has at least Workshop. Players generally one Heavy Machine Gun for backup. portrayed NATO soldiers who have This provides the heavy support you'll suffered the loss of contact with their need: battles can be easily lost if you commanders and no longer have There are only eight possible scenar fail to "bring enough smoke" against ready access to supplies and provi ios, each with a few minor variants: the foe. Snowshoes are necessary for sions. They are, therefore, now on Treat the ill or wounded citizens, speedy foot travel during winter their own in the middle of Poland Repair the vehicle, Hostage Rescue, months, and incidental equipment, during World War ill. Get the supplies and deliver them, such as a. Hand-Held Radio, a tent, The computer version allows a Destroy the invading vehicle, Find the and IR Goggles are also a good idea. minor deviation in which the player spy, Get the large supplies with the All this gear will exceed the maxi has radio contact with Exor-1, your Deuce-and-a-half, and Stop the forces mum weight a character can carry. home base commander, who will attacking the town. These, along with But a little-known "feature" lets you assign you missions and keep you their locations, ate randomly exceed the maximum weight. After abreast of enemy troop movements. generated. combat, scavenge all the equipment To win the game you will complete As this game relies on a random you can from the battlefield. When .60 missions, a trying experience. The factor for the scenarios, a standard you can't pick up an item, move the "win screen," anticliinactic as it may soluti~n is impossible. However, a character over the "footlocker" icon be, does leave you with a. feeling of few tips on combat strategies will and click on the Inventory Icon. Scroll accomplishment. make the 60 missions go much the left window down one step to the smoother. Weapons in Use area; then you can pick up the items from the ground and return them to the inventory back in Krakow, or carry them around. This will allow you to carry the heaviest of equipment without penalty. There is nothing wrong with using the pre-generated party. But if you do so, Develop your Leader as a Combat choose the option to "roll your own" Specialist with Rifle, Heavy Weapons, and randomly roll up the stats of the Stealth, Foraging and First Aid skills character in question from the at the very least (all should be higher Manual Character Generation option. than 5). Then develop a Combat Patience is the key as you try for the team, a Mechanic team, a Medical There are only a few basic missions, highest possible Strength and Agility, team and an Interrogation team. - solving the game is simply a matter of which guarantees greater carrying enduring the repetitious play until the capacity, extehded range when throw bitter end. The best tool for survival is ing grenades, and a high number of Each combatant should have: to frequently save the game. Always actions per round. The highest stat 1: a Rifle (M16A2 or the like, capable save before moving to another map possible is 10. Generate as many char of automatic fire) location and before engaging in acters as possible, distributing skills 2: a Grenade Launcher (the Mk-19 combat! You can undo hours of effort evenly for maximum flexibility. belt-fed launcher or the Soviet AGS- simply by forgetting to save before a You should have a Doctor/Nurse/ 17 are best, as you won't have to . mission, then running into a random Paramedic with Medical of at least 4 reload every other turn; but they eat tank encounter. or more, characters with good combat grenades like popcorn, and you will Another "game-saver: be prepared skills in Armor and Heavy Weapons, spend a lot of time looking for 30- to get out your tank at a split-second a Mechanic with Mechanic of S or and 40-mm grenades) notice -you will escape being shelled more, and all possible Language 3: an Anti-tank weapon with reload into oblivion by incoming fire as the skills. Do not bother creating Pilots, ing capability, such as the RPG-16 shell "magically" disappears. who have no value in this scenario. In (lean toward the launcher or TOW When facing an overwhelming fact, it is possible to crash the game if the AT-5 Spandrel) number of foes, arm one or two of war breaks out while you are rolling 4: the basic gear, including the flak your guys with the fastest reaction up an Officer character in the Air speed with belt-fed grenade launchers. ll Force. BY BRUCE E. WILEY 10 Quest Busters Summer CES.. from 9 The CES Questies Now for a new computer game award - the Questy™ - in various the first of a series and should open a strange categories, some of which make sense only if you were there. lot of eyes. For anyone planning on buying a BEST GAMES OF CES Sega CD drive, Sierra will be right 7th Guest takes the top spot again because of its approach, graphics, there along with you. These titles will story, interface and musidsound effects. It's light years beyond the compe be converted to Sega. CD format in the tition, but the re.st of the games in this category are still excellent. Only near future: King's QU&St V, Space games in some form of completioffcount, not just demo graphics. They Quest IV, Willy Beamish, Stellar 7, arc: The Lost Files of Sherlock, Batman Returns, Dark Seed, Rex Mixed-Up Mother Goose, Police Nebular, Might & Magic: Clouds of Xeen, Ultima VII: Part 2, The Quest 3, Leisure Suit Larry I and Rise Betrayal at Krondor, M and Dark Sun. of the Dragon. BEST PRESS KIT SOFTWARE TOOLWORKS You get so many press kits at the show that it's tough to get the informa & SPECTRUM HOLOBYTE tion you need quickly if they're not organized effectively. Sierra and T oolworks signed an agreement with MicroProse share honors for nicest press kit: colorful, informative, well Lucasfilm Games to put out three organized ap.d containing slides. (Yea, I know this is a ridiculous category, titles on CD-ROM. Loom is already but it's my category.) out and rivals any other game on CD. Monkey Island and Secret Weapons BEST CES BOOTH/DISPLAY are next on the slate. Virgin Games grab this award because of their excellent back room setup Spectrum Holobyte landed one of for 7th Guest. This was the nicest display I've ever seen at CES - other the hottest licenses around - Star than the parties - and had musty old chairs, cobwebs, a grandfather Trek: The Next Generation. They plan clock, spooky music and even a smoke machine. The room was dark and a PC adventure in the spirit of the TV a repeating video demoed the game. Cowls off to Lauren and Lisa at show. Let's hope it's as good as Virgin for putting all the elements together. Interplay's Trek game. BEST SCENE AT CES SSI of the Beholder The funniest sight I encountered at the show was on Saturday, the first On the way are two fresh RPGs that consumer day. Origin had taken down their meeting.room sign so the sport new game engines and new public wouldn't storm the booth. I opened the door and saw Richard worlds. Dark Sun: Shattered Lands Garriott lying on the floor, and Chris Roberts and another Origin takes place in the harsh desert "Dark employee slumped in chairs, obviously all tired from the show. They·woke Sun" AD&D world and sports 256- up when I opened the door and gave me the strangest looks I received color graphics, lots of animation and during the show. They deserved the rest, because Origin's booth was over an open-ended story and universe that run by everyone from foreign magazines to local TV stations. They allows you to wander around before worked hard! tackling the main goal. Shattered Lands is an attempt to break away from the previous AD&D games and takes place on a planet called major hits. F & F dwells on magic start off a new series with the new 16- Monsoon. The object is to save a and f~tasy, while 7th Guest focus~ bit engine. group of diplomats with a band of on horror and mystery. 7th Guest Mis SSPs science-fiction game that renegades from various alien races. could ea.sily be the first eertified hit in Graphics and sounds are enhanced CD gaming, and rumors have it that for this game as well, and you it will be packaged with the Nintendo discover what "M" means as you go. Twilight 2000 CD drive - a coup for Virgin. Other Virgin games visible at the Enter combat mode and fire the show that should be out by now are: launchers. Just before the action is Like a VIRGIN Heimdall (a goofy Viking·adventure), about to pass to the enemy, Flee Though I saw both 7th Guest and Floor 13 and KGB (political adven combat. This resets the action pointer Fables & Fiends: The Legend of ture-thrillers), Realms (a strategy to the first combat action at the next Kyrandia at the last CES, it's worth adventure). The Dune sequel should round. Reenter combat and repeat. mentioning them again because of appear some time in 1993. ll Th~ enemy therefore will have no how far along they are now and how chanee to shoot back! ll much they've changed. Both cpuld be "sit and spin" technique of fighting: . - ' ._.5 . . 11 slow to speed 0 or 1, and while the 0 •.J. enemy ship circles, set your weapon \ Planet's Edge: The Point of to automatic fire and keep your bow Planets for finding building materials No Return pointed at the enemy. (Don't remove all the units from a Important places to visit Travel first to Alpha Centauri 2. planet, or it will never produce them Land at the Alien Outpost and fight Algieba Sector: Talitha 2, Subra 2, again.) the hostile robots. Pick up any good Koo-She Prime, Algieba 4 Alien gasses: Sar 1, Phaet 7, Deneb 1) ies you want. Talk to any intact Alh~na Sector: Procyon 3, Capella androids, especially the one in the SW Alien metals: Miaplacidus 1, Biham 1 Prime, Athena 8, Hyades, Prime comer of the outpost. He will give Alien organics: Scheat Zaurak Sector: Rana Prime, you an android tool you can use to Alien crystals: Kitalpha 1 Rasalmothal 5, Diphda 4, Zaurak 2 get info from the severed android Rare elements: Misam 2 Ankaq Sector: Formalhaut 6, Deneb heads lying about. New elements: Nekkor 1 2, Alrai 2, Nashira 3, Ankaq Prime Next travel to Talitha 2. Talk to Inert gasses: Alphard 6 Alnas! Sector: Vega 9, Ascella 2, everyone, especially the queen, who Radioactives: Aldhibain 1 Alnas! Prime will give you a test to prove your Soft metals: Seginus IS Komephoros Sector: Ruticulus 2, worthiness. Go to the arena and open Hard Metals: Venus (Sol) 2, Nukasan Sabik Prime, Eltanin 7, Komephoros the correct door (save first!). Take the 3, Kochab2 banner back to the queen. Follow the 3 hidden path in the garden to the lair lzar Sector: Alpha Centauri 2, Crystals: Atria 3 of Geal Fight Geal and get the Arcturas3,lvfizar5,lzar2,Alkaid Common liquids: Chara 3 amulet and the levitator. Prime, Vind.emiatrix Prime Organics: Alpha Centauri 4 Take the levitator to the princess, Caroli Sector: Alula 4, Denboa 4, and move the wardrobe. Take the SethKrych Cor-Caroli Prime, Merak Prime princess to the shuttle. Pick up the trinket she drops. Travel next to talk Leather Goddesses of Some planets to mine Subra 2. Get an Imastyl and to Phohos II Alien Crystals: Kitalpha Prime the fungus people's leader. Go across Planet X, Phobos and Earth: these Alien Gases: Kerb Prime the· bridge, and stay to the north or south to avoid fighting the guards. actions are necessary and the same Alien Isotopes: Shedir Prime Watch out for the traps and Blood for any character you choose to play. Alien Liquids:Almach 4 stalkers, and go down the hole in the Enter the hotel on Planet X and click Alien Metals: Miaplacidus Prime ground. Talk to the outlaw, fight the on the box. You'll be summoned to Alien Organics: Scheat 3 bladderclaws, and get the Talking the Council Chamber. Talk to the Council leader. (S)he will say your Common Liquids: Chara 3 Stick. Give the trinket to the outlaw ship is fixed and give you the invisi Crystals: Acamar 3 and take the Talking Stick to the leader to get the Algiebian Invite. bility belt and self-recording record. Heavy Metals: Sol 2 Use the Invitation to gain access Get in the ship and you'll fly to Inert Gases: Alphard 6 to Algeiba 4. Talk to everyone. Show Phobos. Enter the building and go New Elements: Nekkar Prime the amulet to the prisoners in the through the kitchen. Wear the belt. Organics: Alpha Centauri 4 north of level 1 to get a clue about Go through the blue curtains. Use the record. Wait until the conversation RadioactivesiAldebaran Prime the sixth seal. Go get a press pass ends. When Lubanna says she didn't Rare Elements: Misam 2 from the newspaper editor. Use the pass to see the president, then use the hear something, leave. Go through Soft Metals: Sirus 5 pass to talk to the president. Give him the center door. Click on the prison the amulet, then give him the seal. ers' manacles to release them. Go Getting started Explore further with pass - get plans back to the main room and through Use the Ulysses to travel to star for the Calypso (ship 2)and lots of the right door. Go to the war ships systems of interest and to check out items in the room north of where you and enter the flagship. planets for hostile aliens. Wait until beamed in. Wait as before. When the Leather Goddesses leave the ship, do so your you have built the Calypso to do any Ed Reedy serious mining. Space battles can be self. Leave the angry crowd. Go to won even in the Ulysses by using the the radio station. Put the green record 12 Quest Busters on the turntable and flip the switch so remove the energy·field protecting ·the Beholder, as magic won't work. the "on the air" sign lights up. Black Gate and destroy it with In the last battle, cast Charm Peter Roest Rudyom's Wand. You don't have to Monsters on spellcasting foes (espe buy the Armageddon spell; grab the cially those in the process of casting, spellbook from the Mage you meet in as their spells will now be cast in Ultima VII: The Black Gate the last maze on the Isle of the your favor). The main tactic is to The best weapon is the Hoe of Avatar. prevent the enemy from casting spells, Destruction in the shed of the "luna How to kill Lord British: when he so have Clerics cast Hold Person, or tic" farmer (east of Britain on the walks under. the steel plate that says use Fireball or Lightning Wands to way to Cove). Use a powder keg to "Throne Room of Lord British;" click support your main Mage. Have your blow up the door. on the plate (this is based on a true Fighters hack away at the Dragon To destory the Black Gate, you incident during the production of while the Mage casts Hold Monster. need the wand from Rudyom's home Ultima VI - see The Official Book of Andrew Phang in Cove. To disable the fields Ultima for the gruesome details]. surrounding the Gate, use the three Andrew Phang black prisms found after destroying Ultima Underground the power generators. The first gener To access the secret cheat menu: load Mantras (see June/July issue for ator is in the dungeon on the isle the game by typing more) north of Moonglow, the "ultima7 abcd". Missile weapons: Fahm second in the dungeon NW Then with the Cast: Sol of Britain (with the magic numlock turned Defend: Anea carpet ?utside), and the on, hold down Lore: Lahn last is in a ·cave in the the ALT key Fellowship Retreat (on and type Mana:Imu an isle east of Serpent's "255" on the Picklock: Aam Hold). numenc Sneak: Mui Use a glass sword to keypad. Press Swim: Ono defeat the Ethereal ·· enter. The Sword: Amo Monster guarding the function keys bring up a variety Traps: Romm first generator. You will also need the of options for obtaining objects and Ethereal Ring (from Spektran, past spells as well as boosting attributes the stone harpy), which must be and so on. (Make a copy of your Spells found in Maze (not in enchanted by Penumbra (in northern saved game before using the cheats.) spellbook) most house in Moonglow). Fred J. Phillip An Corp Mani: Dispell Undead Use Nicodemus' hourglass (Paws' An Sanct: Curse Antique Shop) to get past the red gate Kai Mani: Summon protecting the second generator. Use Treasures of the the Mark and Recall spells on the Savage Frontier Uus Por: Better Jump Vas Kai Corp: Destroy virtue stones you "borrow" from the Collect all the Lucky Papers (though Avatar Museum in Britain. Once you one from each town should suffice). Vas Ort Grav: Sheet Lightning cast Mark on a stone at a particular You need the red, blue and green Ylem Por: Walk on Water spot, casting recall on it later will tele crystals to read the Papers. They are Greg Zeschuk port you there ([like Lloyd's Beacon obtained after the "final" battles in inM&M]. most towns, and in each battle you'll Enter the final dungeon on the face three or more types of enemies. Isle of the Avatar with the big gold Make sure the first type you kill is This month Greg Zeschuk aud key from the chest in the mountain different each time, otherwise you'll mazes of Buccaneer's Den. Inside, Ed Reedy were randomly selected get the same crystal. to receive the game of their choice head for the curtain with the blue The toughest battles are the for sending in Keys. So send in patch of water near it. A secret lever Fireshear/Firedocks battle and the yours today! (All submissions hidden there will open the iron gate. final one. In the first, use lots of become exclusive pr9perty of For an easy way to get past the Fireballs to clear out the Yeti. After Eldritch, LTD. until October 11, final battle, cast Armageddon. You entering combat with the Beholder, 2317 A.D. may then use the black prisms to cast Charm Monsters on foes near the Ultlma Vll ...... from page 3 ... Or that Old Black Magic? Gateway ...... from 1 Origin could have used a little enchant- zipping through space, you can "go outset (an excellent element of game ment for debugging Ultima VII, which places" without leaving Gateway. A design - to let you get your legs before takes up almost as much disk space as a virtual reality machine (like the one in forcing you to fend for your life), Origin full- blown Windows/DOS installation! I Timequest) facilitates visits to alternative has rated this game for mature players, find the trend toward bigger, buggier "worlds" where you may ultimately find due to the generous amounts of blood and atmospheric games a bit discou- more than you will on other "real" raging - Ultima VII worlds. tension that the music and other effects gener is really a game that Several useful devices in Timequest ate. As clouds pass should be released on have counterparts here: a portable overhead or lightning CD ROM. Dataman' and the PV terminal - store flashes, you get a fore And like information on the Heechee ships' Microsoft, Origin is controls, details about life on Gateway, boding f~ling that all getting to the point message from other prospectors and is not well in heaven where you should other things you might otherwise have to and earth. wait for version 3.0 keep track of on paper. Your interaction I said close that door! to expect a reasonably The variety of music and noises with NPCs is handled stable product. The first major bug was sounded good on the Sound Blaster and with aplomb. Conversation choices are where keys disappear from your inven- the Roland. And the music changes occa- context-dependent and evolve as the tory when you sleep. This was remedied sionally even when you remain in the conversations and the quest progresses. by a patch now available from Origin or same location, unlike in most games. Unfortunately there is no note-taking feature, nor is there automapping - the major online networks. Bates' sense of humor also sparkles I found that other objects may also in every comer of the both should be standard equipment by disappear. Upon reach- story, such as the now. ing the second murder "trivia game" you Voodoo •••• site, I discovered the must play in order to bodies and a piece of obtain a medallion. I never liked the idea of having to gather evidence were missing. There is an enormous reagents to cast spells, and Origin I have even had entire range and variety in provided a reprieve in Underworld. But towns can disappear as the artwork as you once again you're.schmutz-hunting in well! On top of that, move from world to order to cast spells of eight levels of the copy protection world: some are stark power. The combat system is detailed requires you to trans- Returning to Gateway black and white, others but is conducted in real-time, which may late runes from your map- a true pain! ripe with hue and texture. be annoying to many. I found it difficult Conclusions: Don't we deserve a bug- Conclusions: So far the best graphic to figure what was going on during a free game when we shell out $79.95? adventure of the year, Frederick Pohl's full-scale melee. Well we didn't get it n the intial release, Gateway more than fulfilled my expecta- Still, elements of strategy exist, as which some people report having played tions. I am not merely recommending it, you can order your party members to to nearly the end and finding that bugs but demanding that everyone with a carry out nine different combat modes. prvented them from copleting. What we taste for logical puzzle-solving in a They can attack certain opponents, run got was a cutting-edge, elaborately science fiction setting play this game or or even protect the weakest party detailed world that is both fascinating cancel their subscriptions to member. and frightening. Ultima VII, the first · QuestB~ters. (Ok, just kidding ... but it There are many nasties for those release, at least, may be the Finnegan's is that good.) Bates says Legend has the inclined to hack and slash, but don't Wake of computer gami.D.g - a flawed rights to a seque~ so let's hope we see forget your main purpose on Britannia masterpiece. ll part two somewhere down Adventure - it's easy to get lost amassing a body Road. B count or carrying out interesting side quests. And it's tempting to get involved Difficulty: Intermediate Difficulty: Tough but fair in playing with the world around you, Company: Origin Company: Legend Entertainment but there is a quest to fulfill, after all Price: $79.95 Price: $59.95 QuestBusters price: $54 QuestBusters price: $43 14 Quest Busters Rogers, more. Send lists and wants. Justin Larry 5, 5: HD, VGA, $19. Ulima 3, $10, Si!.'::~~~op Reich, 32 Overlook Dr, Southboro MA 01772 Police Quest 3, 3• HD, VGA, $24. Want Space Quest 5 VGA. Chris Kelly, 3709 ·m adventures with a free ad. $20@: Ultima 6, Martian Dreams, Bane of Sandal Lane, Cincinnati OH 45248-2815 Adventures and original Cosmic, Megatrav 2 -will throw in Future programs only, limit 10 games per ad, Magic, Pool of Rad or *Star Right 2 free. Want lnfocom's Arthur, Shogun, Journey. one ad per issue. * = cluebook included. Brett Stauffer, 131 Hopewell-Wertsville Rd, Wil pay, or trade 8vira, Larry 5, Buck Hopewell NJ 08525 Rogers, Heart of China or Rise of Dragon. Apple Marian Apgar, 456 Franklin St, Napa CA $5 @: Expedition Amazon, Times of Lore, 7 Trade/sell: Colonel's Bequest, Buck Rogers, 94559 Cities of Gold, Gemstone Warrior, Gemstone King's Quest 1 enhanced, more. Want new Healer. $10@: Wizardry IV, *M&M 2, Dragon games, send list. Donald Tong, 196 Faifield Trade/sell: Colonels Bequest, King's Quest 1 Wars GS. Write 1st. Gayle Ann Stanford, 3281 St, Fairfield, Sydney, NSW 2165 Australia (new version), Buck Rogers, Martian Memo, Foxgate Dr, Memphis TN 38115 many old RPGs. Want Ultima Underground, Trade/sell: *Space Quest 4 3:, $23; *Faery Buck 2, more. Send your list lot mine. For 2e, slightly older adventures for sale. Send Tale Adventure 5", $15. Keef the Thief 3:, $7. Donald Tong, 196 Fairfield St, Fairfield, for list. Take any reasonable offers. Harold Heck, Conquests of Camelot (both sizes), $17. $10 Sydney, NSW 2165 Australia 667 Geyser Rd Apts #2, Ballston PA 12020 @: Stellar 7, Nova 9, Star Trek 25th. I pay shipping, will also sell cluebooks separately. Sell only, 5": *Dragons of Ram~ , $10. Sean Stratman, 866 Mercury Circle, Littleton *Fountain of Dreams, $12. Mili Robers, POB Commodore 64 C080124 6486, Florence KY 41022-6486. Prodigy Many games $5-1 o@ plus postage. Except #SVSH80A Ultima 5, $15 +postage. C. Brouillette, 1845 $20 @: Police Quest 3, EMra 2. *Pools of Baseline Rd # 725, Ottawa On!, Canada K2C Darkness, $30. *Ultima 7, $35. Battletech 2, Trade or $20 @, all 5": King's Quest 5 VGA, 3K4 $10. Castles, $15. Brian Kupfrian, 1901 Savage Empire, Altered Destiny, Times of ShowerTreeWay, Wellington FL33414 Lore, Dragon Wars, Moebius, Tunnels & Sell only, C-64 games $7-9. Mouse, $12. SASE Trolls. Send SASE for complete list. Want to Mike Wilkes, 3189 Haney's Br, Huntington WV Sell only, $15@: Manhunter 1 & 2. Les Ultima 6, EMra 2, Magic Candle 2. Craig 25704 Brymer, 900 Stonewall Loop, Fredericksburg Morrissette, 3449 Castle Way, Silver Spring VA22407 MD20904 MSDOS & Questalikes Sell only, 3': Ultima 7, $35. Star Trek 25th, SellArade: 5" HD Hard Nova, $28. 3": $10@, or will trade any for Star Control 1 or 2, $35. M & M 2 & 3, $35 for both. Megatraveller 2, $18; Twilight 2000, $28. or Battletech 2. 5": Ultim~ 6, Overlord, Hard Megatraveller 1 (5') and 2 (3'), $35 for both. Want Conflict in Middle East. Mike Wilkes, Nova, Future Magic, Star Flight 2. 3": Dragon AD&D series, prices negotiable. Many more, 3189 Haney's Br., Huntington WV 25704 Lord. Dan Young, POB 69, Still River MA 01467 send SASE. David Denton, 6798 Los Alos Way, Malibu CA 90265 Trade *M&M3 with character editor. Trade/ Sell only, 3": *Black Gate, $32. $25 @: *Matrix sell others, my two for your one. Want newer Cubed, Magic Candle 2, Treasures of Savage Sell only, all VGA, 5', $15@: Leather RPGs, strategy games. Send wisMrade list, Frontier (5j. *Bard 3, $1 ~- Postpaid. Richard Goddesses 2, Space Quest 4, Elvira 2, Heart or SASE for my list. T. Dauer, 347A W 3rd Robillarad, 52 S. Main St, Balwinville MA 01436 of China (3"). Greg Mintz, 413 Santa Anna Ave, Dugway UT 84022 Trail, Martinez GA 30907 Tons of IBM software to seU or trade. Some old Selll1rade, $20@: Monkey 2, Conquests of Atari 800 & ST stuff too. Send SAS~ for list. Trade *M&M 3 with character editor. Trade/ Camelot, Larry (all 256 VGA). Complete ZZT. Want WC2 Special Ops, Bane of Cosmic, Lost sell *Ultima 6, Breach 2 w/campaign disk, $15 @: Tmequest, Conquests of Camelot. Treasures, more. Rorke Haining, 13224 39th *Battletech 1 and 2, more. Will trade most Many more. Want Lost in LA, Indy & Fate of Ave NE, Seattle WA 98125 my two for your one. Send list or SASE for Atlantis, Civilization. Dean Oisboid, 12323 mine. T. Dauer, 347A W 3rd Ave, Dugway Texas Ave #2, Los Angeles CA 90025 Sell only. $1 Ofor any game, write for price on UT84022 more. Various disk sizes: Death Knights of Krynn, Ultima 6, Eye of Beholder, Space Quest Selll1rade: Willy Beamish, Larry 5, Monkey Multiple systems 4, M & M 3, Battletech 2, Bane of Cosmic, Buck Island 2, Space Quest 4, Hero's Quest 1, King's Quest 3 and 4, King's Quest 5 VGA, Wanted, IBM, either disk size: Phantasie 2, Rogers 1, Hero's Quest 1. Nicholas Blawat, Bard 1, Questron 1, Wizardry 1-4. For C-64, 3911 N 92nd ST, Milwaukee WI 53222. more. Want Lost in LA, Altered Destiny, Longbow, Indy & Fate, Legend of Kyranida want Dragonriders of Pam, Mules. Marilyn Mike Zier, POB 546, Smallwood NY 12778 Cciberly, 20323 235th Ave SE, Maple Valley Want 3" Leather Goddesses 2, Indy & Fate of WA98038 Atlantis, Darkseed, Lost Treasures, Out of this World, Gateway, Planet's Edge. Mark ParseU, SellArade, all VGA, $25 @: Buck 1, Lost in LA, MegatraveBer 2, Martian Memo, King's Want: Dr Dumont's Wild PARTI for Apple 2, 500 W. Lake Lansing Rd #C-48, East Lansing Ml Mac, Atari ST or IBM. Timothy Walsh, 2155 48823 Quest 5, Heart of China, Countdown. $10: Zork 2. $8: Zork 1. Many more. Want Lost in St. Jacques W, Montreal, Quebec, Canada LA, Longbow, Altered Destiny. Robert Keys to Maramon, $10. Willy Beamish EGA/ Will buy Apple & IBM games, wiD give Tandy, $20. King's Quest 5 EGA/Tandy, $17. Dickerson, 367 Cadillac Ave, Rochester NY 14606 money, games, Zorkmids for: Breakers, Savage Empire, $15. Fool's Errand, $7. Prices Brimstone, Essex, Mindwheel, Ronin, any negotiable. Craig Daves, 5 Field PI, Port Chester Scott Adams' games, Time Zone, Prisoner 2, NY 10573 SellArade, $10-30@for over 100 games. From Enchanter TrHogy to M&M 3, Eye 2 Cyborg, other "dassic" adventures. Send list, not reasonable offer refused. David Micun, and most Sierr~. Lost in LA, Martian Memo, Trade/sell, mixed disk sizes. $25 @: M & M 3, 313 Ridgewar St, Philadephia PA 19916 Space Quest 1 & 4 VGA, Police Quest 3 VGA. most SSI gold box. Send SASE for list. $20 @: M & M 2, Centurion, Dragon Lord, Ralph Staley, USACIL-EUROPE, Unit# Battletech 2, Vengeance of Excalibur, Buck 25726, APO AE 09242 AdventureNation! II Passport to Adventure II In this great land we think of as AdventureNation, each citizen has Books and Map Kits but one civic responsibility - not to Quest for Clues 2, 3 or 4 $25 vote, not to pull jury duty, but to (40 solutions in each volume) buy more adventure gamesl So get out there and exercise your constitu Quest for Clues: Book of Orbs $17 tional right to slay ores and look for (With 20 solutions) gold keys until dawn! And don't forget that when you buy your King's Quest Companion $15 games and books here, you'll get 2- (with solutions to 1-V) 3 months more QBs free for each product ordered! Quest for Clues I: photocopies of solu Amiga Missions tions are $2 each to USA; others add $1. (Offers applicable only to QuestBusters members) Altered Destiny $45 Legend of Faerghail $33 QB Map Kit (includes US shipping, MSDOS Quests Lord of the Rings Volume 1 $36 Canadians, APOs send $3 US funds.) (State disk size& EGA or VGA.) Kit A: (for text/graphic games) $8 Prophecy of the Shadow $46 Amiga & MSDOS . Kit B: (for role-playing games) $8 ·Lord of the Rings, VoL 2 $40 Death Knights of Krynn $39 (100 sheets of mapping paper in each) Ultima Underworld $54 Gateway to Savage Frontier $35 Dagger of Amon Ra $51 US addresses, add $3 shipping @ book or Indy & Fate of Atlantis $45 See this issue's reviews for prices of game, $2 @ on multiple orders. To APO, recent releases. Spellcasting 201 $45 $6; Canada, $4; overseas, $12/$8. No Conquests of the Longbow VGA $51 credit cards or bill mes. AZ residents, add Lost Treasures of Infocom $42 VISA/Mastercard: print & sign name 5% sales tax. Send street address, we as it appears on card & include expi Might & Magic m $47 cannot ship to PO Boxes. ration date Police Quest 3 $41 Eye of the Beholder 2 $39 Bulk Rate U.S. Postage Quest Busters PAID Tucson AZ P085845 Permit No. 1153 Tucson AZ 85703 Forwarding and Return Postage Guaranteed Address Correction Requested