Plundered Hearts - Infocom (Text adventure on ST (reviewed), Amiga, PC)) Reviewed by Neil Shipman Both SynTax and Adventure Probe are edited and published by women and, if the readership of these two magazines is anything to go by, almost as many women as men enjoy the wonderful world of computer adventuring. Why is it then that there have been so few female authors and, indeed, so few heroines as the central characters in adventures? High fliers in the publishing field include Roberta Williams of Sierra On-Line and Anita Sinclair of Magnetic Scrolls, and writers like Linda Wright and Sandra Sharkey have featured women in their adventures. And, of course, don't let us forget Level 9's redoubtable Ingrid! But men, by far, dominate the adventure scene throughout. Plundered Hearts, therefore, marked a departure for Infocom when, in 1987, they released their only title both to be written by and to star a woman. Amy Briggs had come to the company with a degree in English and she contributed to the works of other authors principally as an editor of their text, helping to hone it to the perfection for which Infocom are renowned. With Plundered Hearts her own creative talents were given full rein and, drawing on her knowledge of the works of such diverse writers as Jane Austen and Ian Fleming, she produced a thrilling, if somewhat controversial, adventure with a strong romantic theme. It is the late 17th century and you, Miss Dimsford, a genteel Englishwoman living in London, receive disturbing news from Jean Lafond, Governor of the island of St. Sinistra, that your father has been taken ill. You embark on the Lafond Deux for the journey to the West Indies but, a few days from your destination, the ship is attacked by pirates and you are carried off by the scourge of the sea, the dreaded Falcon. However, this handsome man is none other than Nicholas Jamison, a sea captain and a gentleman who has been obliged to turn to piracy. Rather than letting his crew have their way with you he turns out to be entirely honourable in his intentions and, somewhat surprisingly, he hands you a missive from your dear father. You learn from this that Lafond is really a deceitful viper whose evil clutches you must avoid. Papa has sided with Jamison who, for his own good reasons, abhors the fiend and he implores you to put your trust in him. Anchored now off the coast of St. Sinistra, the "pirate" captain leaves the ship and sets off to free your father and settle the score with Lafond. But you cannot stay on board, especially as one of the crew is an agent of Lafond's intent on sending you and the remaining crew members to a watery grave. Your plucky, spirited nature comes the fore and it is at this point that for you the adventure really gets going. Not only must you find a way of stopping the ship from being blown up as a burning fuse inches ever closer to a stack of powder kegs, you must also prevent it from drifting onto the nearby reefs. But first you have to get on deck without the crew realising you're a woman - because they're not all as honourable as their captain! As you are dressed in only kid slippers, a linen chemise and a cotton frock, then some sort of disguise is essential. Once you have neutralised the danger to the ship you have to find a way of getting to the island and helping Jamison, with whom you are already beginning to fall in love. The style in which the adventure is written is that of popular romantic fiction and the following, from your later meeting with Nick, is a good example: "My lovely," Jamison says huskily. His eyes burn intently, their blue like the sea on a summer day. A shiver of warmth flows through you, and you tremble at his touch. The pirate's hands, warm and exciting, caress you, searing through the thin linen of your chemise. His lips near yours, his breath softly scented. "May I kiss you?" >yes Breathless, eager, you lean into him. Tender is his kiss, soft his lips as his body presses hard against you. You drown in the tide of your passion, swept like the sea against the rocks of the shore. Amy Briggs's extensive research into the period shows in the wonderful descriptions of people and places and this has the effect of making the story thoroughly believable. The attention to detail throughout is up to the very high standard you expect from Infocom. The responses to many of your actions differ depending on what clothes you are wearing, what items you are carrying and where you happen to be at the time. Also, a number of the puzzles have more than one solution so, should you not have a particular object with you, something else may work equally as well. And just how does a young lady carry around all the things she needs to help her in her adventure? Why, in her reticule, of course! This is a small drawstring bag which you never let out of your sight and, despite its size, it is capable of holding all manner of useful items from Jean Lafond's letter and a 50 guinea note - all of which are included in the packaging - to a dagger and a slab of salt pork - which, needless to say, aren't! Most of the action on St. Sinistra takes place in Lafond's mansion where you will have to attend a sumptuous ball, locate the hidden passage to the dungeons and find a way past a crocodile in order to secure your father's freedom. But that's only a small part of the story and you will have to come to the aid of your new found love on more than one occasion before Lafond and his cronies are dealt with and you can sail off into the sunset, happy ever after. You'll need your wits about you to keep your honour and avoid the ultimate humiliation of being bedded by the villain. Indeed, as often as you will die during this adventure, you are just as likely to suffer a fate worse than death from some foolish action. These endings are numerous and varied and it's worth deliberately doing the wrong thing just to see many of them! There are the usual nice Infocom touches like "Aye-aye" when you save or restore your position or "Prithee, pardon?" if you inadvertently hit the Return key by itself. There's humour, too, from the orchestra playing "I Want to Kiss Your Hand" by J.S. Beatle to the rhyming reply of the cook if you ask him about himself. So why the controversy when Plundered Hearts was released? Well, as far as I can recall, Amy Briggs was taken to task for failing to employ her unique position as Infocom's first - and only - female author to promote the cause of the independent woman. Critics felt that having a heroine with heaving bosom and pounding heart gazing adoringly into the burning blue eyes of the main male character made her too subservient. I wonder how many had actually taken the trouble to play the adventure all the way through? Granted that the style might not be to everyone's taste, but there's no getting away from the fact that it is the skill and bravery of the heroine rather than the macho exploits of Jamison and his men which are needed for success. Indeed, not only does this once genteel woman free her father but she also saves Nick's life on at least three occasions. Romantic fiction is undeniably popular. It's certainly made pots of money for writers like Barbara Cartland and publishers like Mills and Boon. I confess I've never read any of their novels but I would be surprised if many of them featured women with such resourcefulness and strength of character as Miss Dimsford. I enjoyed Plundered Hearts when I first played it three years ago and I've got just as much out of it the second time around when looking at it again for this review. The literate, vividly descriptive prose, strong storyline, believable characterisations and a whole host of cracking problems pushed the adventure into my personal Top Ten. I'd be interested in reading a second opinion from a female adventurer - any incurable romantics out there? @~Well, perhaps one of the female readers of SynTax will give her @~opinion next issue....