HELL - Gametek (Budget) RRP œ9.99

   Reviewed by Dave Stone, PC CD ROM version on a P120.

YES IT IS!! Claimed one juvenile reviewer as the game was awarded
25% and sunk without trace. Like most of its characters HELL was
unfairly damned.

More of an interactive novel than a movie, the game is based on
lengthy conversations with a huge cast of well acted and well
scripted characters. All the conversations are recorded and these
gradually reveal locations on the on-line map.

The future setting, omnipresent evil, character interaction and
underground travel are a direct steal from Bloodnet. The plot is
substantial, well developed, and well deserves the 18 rating. This
is not a game for the squeamish, for children, or for those
offended by the near blasphemous religious references.


THE PLOT involves your playing one of two former State Agents on
the run from Government assassins. The US is governed by a
powerful Dictator (played by Grace Jones). Hell has opened up and
crime is controlled by minor Demons.

A series of quests are offered, some have little reward while
others deepen the plot and reveal new locations.

BUT do not enter without a GUIDE. Most of the object manipulation
puzzles are fairly simple, but the game is over littered with
passwords, quizzes, Latin phrases and word plays which I found
incomprehensible. (How good are you at US State Capitals?) Further
more there is an appallingly badly programmed arcade section. I
skipped this and looked up the password revealed by that section.

THE GRAPHICS are not quite the Full Motion Video claimed on the
box.  The characters have a 'Wallace & Gromit' look to them, which
combined with unrealistic and spasmodic arm movements (to show
they are still alive), and non-existent lip synching add a degree
of unintentional humour.

BUGS almost led me to abandon the game. Several times my save file
corrupted, requiring a restart from the beginning - this may have
been due to switching off before cleanly exiting the game. There
are also certain locations which cause minor save file corruption.

SVGA graphics were also a problem, although my S3 card supports
SVGA, and has the required 1MB ram, I suffered severe glitches
until I loaded UNIVBE (supplied).

SO WHY is the game recommended? For the plot, amount of gameplay,
and value (at the budget price). I enjoyed the 'novel like' volume
of dialogue (conversations could last several minutes) and the
gradual unfolding of the challenging plot (which cannot be
revealed without spoiling some surprises).

TECH NOTE: Requires 1MB Video Ram.


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