Police Quest II: The Vengeance - Sierra On-Line RRP œ24.99

I don't particulary like to compare a 'new' game with it's 
predecessor as I believe a game should be judged on it's own 
merits - yet this is necessary with a sequel, and what a sequel 
it is!
 
The first Police Quest followed the hunt and subsequent 
apprehension of one Jessie Bains. Now he's out! The Jailer is 
dead and you are once again cast in the role of Sonny Bonds, 
charged with the ultimate capture of the Death Angel. Time has 
naturally moved on since PQI and you are now a Detective, still 
based at Lytton, but assigned mainly to homicide cases.
 
To add further intrigue to the quest, and possibly increase your 
vigilance, your girlfriend has also been kidnapped by the Death 
Angel.......and she left you such a sweet message!
 
The game documentation boasts your involvement in underwater 
scuba missions, handling a skyjacking and the safe disposal of 

possible explosive situations. All the skills necessary to carry 
out these tasks have to be learned and practiced as you progress 
deeper into the game.
 
One important point that must be raised is the fact that these 
later Sierra On-Line games require a DOUBLE-SIDED drive, but you 
will find an offer of exchange for single-sided drive disks 
enclosed in the game packaging, provided you enclose a further 
ten dollars for this service! As it stands, the game comes on 3 
disks.
 
The graphics in this sequel are verging on the superb, with far 
greater detail shown and much more use made of the objects 
situated in your on-screen vicinity. Try playing with the Sierra 
computers in any of the offices and check out your rear-view 
mirror when driving along to see what I mean!
 
As with all Sierra games the motto is: SAVE OFTEN - SAVE EARLY. 
Clues abound in the not-so-obvious areas, such as the numeric 

code for your personal locker (flip the business card that you 
should have found in the glove compartment of your initial 
location!).
 
Police Quest II is based on real life in a U.S. Police 
Department so, as you can well imagine, the scenario is vast and 
the situations are inexhaustible! A thorough reading of the 
Homicide Officer's Guide (enclosed with the game), is a must, if 
only to learn the correct wording for the various U.S. Police 
procedures - remember 'ADMINISTER FIELD SOBRIETY TEST' in the 
first one?!
 
Most inputs are understood and acted upon.....eventually! On the 
512K it seems rather a long time for everything to happen, yet I 
can assure you that the wait is well worth it! As usual I tried 
a varied input and was subsequently corrected several 
times.......a glove LOCKER doesn't exist yet a glove COMPARTMENT 
does, and ear MUFFS can be requested and obtained yet only ear 
PROTECTORS can be used!! Minor points really, but it shows that 

even with a comprehensive vocabulary, the best games (players?!) 
are easily fooled!

Most doors open automatically for you, but not all. I was 
particularly pleased to find that I didn't have to try and 
manipulate my car around Lytton - just 'DRIVE TO (Wherever)' 
provided you have previously justified your journey! There are 
two main areas you MUST check out before leaving the Police 
Station, these being your Storage Bin in the entrance hall, 
where you find your 'Field Kit' and your Locker, where you find 
the rest of your equipment. Examine all locations and TALK to 
everybody, you never know what you may learn!
 
I'm not going to spoil things for you and reveal too many of the 
treats in store, but this game is really a pleasure to play, 
almost like controlling a film!
 
You may be somewhat disappointed to learn that Jim Walls - the 
author of both Police Quests - has no immediate plans to write a 

third in the foreseeable future, but the the good news is that 
Sierra have commissioned him to produce 'Operation Code Name: 
Ice Man' - a new undercover spy thriller about hi-tech weaponry 
and hi-tech crime. This should hit the United Kingdom about this 
time next year, all being well.
 
                                        John