The main reason I got this game for it’s fabulous themes (having to do with enjoying violence in video games). However the gameplay is frustrating and repetitive. The controls are also quite awkward. Also this is NOT an action game, it’s a stealth game, which admittedly it is very hard to make a good stealth game.
This game is the first to use the virtual theatre engine, and is therefore the first game to have NPCs that move around about their business in a relatively realistic manner. This makes the game important in the evolution of adventure games and even video games in general. Unfortunately this game has it’s issues. It has quite possibly the worst audio ever. The interface is often awkward to use and NPCs get in your way. The worst part about this game however is it’s story. It is extremely basic and clichéd, if it wasn’t an adventure game it could get away with this, but in an adventure game the story is absolutely crucial.
For me, the story is absolutely crucial in adventure games. This game a weak, though somewhat humorous story.
For the most part this is what one would except from an early 90s point and click adventure game. The command system is a bit more complex than most, but most will pick up on it quickly. Unlike most games of it’s time, the game has full voice acting. Most of the puzzles make logical sense and are fun. The story, while it is mostly clichéd and has some characters act illogically at times to move the story along, has it good points. The story is entertaining, is very interesting in how it portrays it‘s non-human species (giving reasons as to why fairies taunt humans and the ostracize ion of the shifters), and has a great twist.
While most of the free games on GOG feel way beyond what one would except from a free game, this game feels like what one would except from a free game. I don’t even really consider it a full game as it doesn’t have single player campaign. The controls are clunky and confusing, and the level designs are among the most uninspired I have seen.
This game has a very interesting story and premise, but don’t expect the enjoyable gameplay of the latter games. In this game you are stuck with a boring turn-based battle system. If you like turn-based battles though there is probably no reason not to get this game.
This game was probably one of the greatest games of all time when it was released, it certainly had the greatest video game story of all time when it was released. While it’s story is probably still up there, the game play has aged horribly. The controls are extremely obtuse and game in general is very confusing. It was probably not considered so at the time of the release, but it is by today’s standards. This is a game that is very hard to get into. Instead of just having an action button, they opted to have and “open” button, a “talk” button and so on.
