HOUSE OF THE O's - Authors: Wally O. & Pete.
 A Text Adventure on disk 71 (ST), 456 (PC), & 491 (Amiga).

                    Review by Bev Truter

This Standard Level AGT game has no Instruction file, no Readme
file and no details of authors' surnames or addresses; so
presumably they wish to remain anonymous, and aren't interested in
trying to collect a registration fee for their Shareware game. It
seems a fairly typical AGT product in length (69 locations), with a
maximum score of 270. The game has a Detective/comedy storyline,
and here's a bit of the Intro. to give you an idea of what lies in
store ....

"You are struggling to develop your own Private Detective Agency,
and a call from the lady of this house has provided your first job
in the field. The woman was distraught over the disappearance of
her husband a day and a half ago, and it seems you have a missing
persons case on your hands. Your job, should you choose to take it,
is to locate the missing Mr.O.  This should be easy, and a real
opportunity for you to prove your skills as a sleuth. Success here
should assure a string of new clients as your fame spreads."

You begin the game outside the typical (American) suburban house of
the O's, and after finding a way inside, you can ask Mrs.O various
questions which might help you in your task of tracking down the
elusive Mr.O. But you will have to remove your cruddy shoes before
she will allow you to go snooping around her house for clues; and
she will follow you around almost everywhere, ever-watchful and
careful of her possessions. If you ask her about Mr.O, she reckons
he's got lost on some project or other, and says there's a big
reward if you can find him.

Thus begins your career of sleuthing. The puzzles in this game
aren't too hard to solve, although a few of them are quite novel
(especially the method for getting rid of the Teenage Daughter from
Hell!) The biggest problem I encountered was in dealing with a
black dog - the solution to this canine problem is either a bug in
the game (a typo. in the Data file), or a very feeble attempt at a
joke; I'm not sure which. Finding Mr.O isn't too hard, if you've
taken your sleuthing seriously and read all the bits of paper,
messages, etc. left lying around the house.  Persuading him to
follow you, so you can return him to his spouse and claim your
reward, is a different kettle of fish.  This bit requires much
to-ing and fro-ing, and lots of patience.

This is a fairly average sort of game, but its storyline seemed
different to the usual AGT fare - or maybe I just haven't played
many "detectivey" text adventures?  Anyhow, I found it novel and
diverting, and interesting enough to while away a few afternoons.
Although I described this as a Detective/comedy sort of game, the
humour isn't exactly the side-splitting variety; and I wouldn't
rate it as high as the 2 "Cliff Diver" detective games. (Now THERE
was a hero to make your trenchcoat curl....)
    ENJOYMENT             4.5/10
    ATMOSPHERE            4/10
    LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY   4.5/10
    FINAL COMMENT         Interesting...try it if non-serious
                          detective-stuff is your thing.
                              - o -