After having taken a swing at the Syberia series from Benoit Sokal and feeling dismay at adventure point and click titles, I went into John Passfield's Flight of the Amazon Queen with hesitation, but optimism. My goal anytime I play a game made prior to 2000 is that I should be able to complete my undertaking without the assistance of a cheat guide (I'm looking at you Sokal). I'm happy to say: mission accomplished, Passfield. Princess saved, confidence in puzzle solving skills restored and game cheat databases left behind. Kudos on not having to deal with multiple character deaths as well. Joe King didn't once have to fall into a bone crushing hole or any other life ending scenario. Most of the puzzles also made sense, which is no small feat for game designers to accomplish when integrating such an array of items to collect and integrate into the adventure. NPCs also were helpful, with the exception of the tall glass of tribal brew that refused to speak to me despite my formidable mastery of the Pygmy to English translation book. If you play this game, and find yourself stuck, chances are Bob the Trader will have words of wisdom to help you continue your journey. As with life, the game isn't perfect. There were times in the journey where I found there being one or three more unnecessary elements placed in the way to throw me off. Or, maybe these were bonus puzzles that I just never figured out. When it comes to mouse-clicks hitting the pixels, however, Flight of the Amazon Queen kept me captivated, interested and cozy in a nostalgic coma for longer than I'd have expected.
