In Search of Atlantis - author Mieke van der Poll
     (3D Construction Kit game for Amiga only on PD 512)

                 Reviewed by Nigel Parker

I must admit my heart sank a bit when I loaded this and saw the
name Mieke van der Poll on the intro, having played his less than
exciting 'Mountain Adventure' a couple of weeks previously. But,
putting my prejudices to one side, the intro didn't look too bad
and had a reasonably atmospheric tune playing as well, so perhaps
Mieke had progressed and learned some more since 'Mountain'.

The scenario has it that you are dropped (ouch, I think he means
parachuted) on a deserted island and your mission is to explore
under the sea, locate the lost city of Atlantis and find its
treasure. Your boat already awaits at the isle but while coming
down your diving equipment broke free and scattered all over the
said island (wouldn't you just know it!) and you must collect it
all before attempting to complete your mission.

The game has been written using the 3D Construction Kit and this
suits it down to the ground as the majority of the time is spent
underwater and the slow, jerkiness of it all quite adds to the
atmosphere! Movement in the game is achieved by clicking on
directional arrows situated at the bottom of the screen, also
located there are icons for save/load/inventory, time and energy
bars, score achieved and a message window. The game window is
quite large and shows off the 3D graphics well.

The graphics used are, on the whole, satisfactory and there has
been a good use of colour which adds to the mood of things. Sound
effects are a bit dull and are limited to spot effects when
picking up a key or banging your head on the wall etc.

In terms of playability I was surprised to find the game had a bit
of a pull. I can't quite put my finger on why, perhaps it was my
early encounter with a pilfering crab-fish that made me wonder
just what creature I would encounter next or it might have been
when I finally managed to get past that shovel-nicking lobster!
Who knows, but what I can say is that, despite several annoying
quirks, including the game slowing down to a snail's pace when too
much is happening on screen, the annoying way the game freezes
every time a message is displayed or the way it's sometimes
impossible to pick up certain objects despite being right next to
them, the game is enjoyable to play, if you're not expecting too
much from a PD game, that is. I had fun exploring the sea world
and attempting to map it (a nightmare!). So if you fancy a couple
or three nights' worth of reasonably cheap entertainment you could
do worse that this (perhaps 'The Mountain Adventure'. Ho ho!) Oh,
and I finished with a score of 2400.