Posted on: March 23, 2015
nitrogenfingers
Possesseur vérifiéJeux: 330 Avis: 48
Underrated but not perfect
The Dig is a rather infamous tale of development hell when the phenomenon was not so well known or understood as it is now. Spielberg's grand ideas of a sci-fi masterpiece went through a number of revisions, team changes and left a product that many feel falls short of the lineage of the rest of the company; no humour, less personality and confused mechanics. While all of these things are true, the Dig does have soul, albeit one much darker than its siblings, and is a well made adventure worth playing. Its mechanics can be thought of as a cross between typical LucasArts adventure puzzles of object manipulation and dialogue, and adventure games like Myst that focus on deducing mechanics from observation and experimentation. As The Dig takes place largely on an alien world, the game's central theme is zenoarchaeology: determining the purpose of the many pieces of alien technology you will find and how to manipulate them to your advantage. Unfortunately, the puzzles are purposefully obfuscated to feel more 'alien' so detailed experimentation is necessary. Some feel confusing and unfair, like interpreting low-resolution images on a stone, and others feel token like arranging metal plates in a pattern or opening doors with needlessly obscure keys. The game is also noted for being distinctly unfunny; it typically keeps a straight face and tells a very mature story touching on themes of survival, abandonment and delirium in the face of great danger. The characters experience loss and tragedy, and when they joke it's not to be funny but to pretend to put a brave face to an ever-darkening situation. In no LucasArts game do the characters feel more 'real' and more human than they do in the Dig. Whether or not you'll like The Dig will depend on why you play adventure games. Is it for the humor, the clever settings and the puzzles? If so it will fall short. But if a character drama about uncovering mysteries on an alien world sounds appealing, The Dig may just surprise you.
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