Ecstatica - Psygnosis RRP œ44.99
         (Graphic arcade adventure for CD-ROM only)

              Played on a P90 by Alex van Kaam

Well, what can I say about Ecstatica that isn't already said in
all the glossy magazines. Yes, the graphics are great, the sprite
movement is wonderful and the music is very atmospheric but does
this make a good game, NO it does not, to be honest it is one big
pile of rubbish !!!

Why you may ask? Well let me explain, after you are used to the
nice graphics, the nice camera switching, the walking around and
the fighting you soon start to notice that this is all your
character can do. He can't talk, there are no real sub-quests, you
can only carry 2 items at one time and with the few items that are
in the game you soon solve all the SIMPLE puzzles.

I mean, a man dies and he gives you a key, well there are a few
dozen houses so let the player search a little you may think, no,
don't bother, just use it on the door behind the dead man.  Then
you need the word of the lord to enter into the monastery, well,
you really couldn't have missed that Bible which lies plainly
inside in the church entrance, and so it goes on.

So maybe there are some tough enemies, well forget it, after you
master pushing the 7 and 9 keys on your numeric key-pad you can
handle all of them, there are a few Implings in the game but you
just kill them, there is a Werewolf which you can soon keep at a
distance, the only real danger is a Minotaur but you just outrun
him. So that only leaves the end Demon, well it is easier to kill
him than to keep the Werewolf at a distance.

Well onto the non-enemies, yes there are a few, there is a priest
in a bell tower, who you just punch down so he keeps his mouth,
then there are some monks, they get really in your way if you
steal their relic so you just kill about 5 monks and on you go,
and this is how the rest of the game is.


Hold it, we almost missed the magic part, yes you may be surprised
but this game has, as all good adv/rpg games, spells, and you may
not believe this but I found 1 magic potion and 1 magic spell. Oh
yes, there also is a flying broom, maybe that makes up for the
rest I mean how many games are with a flying broom..??

You may wonder why I'm so harsh about this game, well it took me
less then 5 hours to complete, the RRP = 45 pounds, so that's 9
pounds per hour, and the first hour I just wandered around getting
used to the movement and fighting.  You may think that maybe I
didn't explore the whole game, and come to think of it you are
right, I didn't, I didn't go for the bow and arrow that hangs on
the statue in the pound, but why should I, I didn't needed it to
finish the game, my sword was enough to kill the complete cast so
why bother with a bow and arrow.

So after finishing the game I sadly looked at the box and I saw
this line, "..... in this terrifying graphic adventure ...", yes
terrifying it is that there isn't a law against something like
this, well at least I know what was my worst spent money of 1995.

Now to close this review, there is absolutely nothing ecstatic
about the whole game and if you don't need to buy it, then don't,
instead go for a game like Death Gate which I, and probably some
more people (hint to the editor), can highly recommend.

@~Oh yes, I'd certainly recommend Death Gate - see my review this
@~issue ... Sue











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