Six of the Best

                       by Bev Truter

Yes, there *are* some good, entertaining AGT games to be found if
you dig around in the SynTax PD games list; but not many. I could
only come up with 6 really "good" examples of text adventuring at
its best, whereas in the `Bottom 11' category I had oodles to
choose from - it was tough whittling them down to only eleven.
Anyhow, here's what I consider to be the six best AGT games of all
time. I haven't included "What Personal Computer" or "Cosmoserve"
in this list, as I haven't played either of them, but both are
apparently highly regarded. Six other games which I also found
enjoyable were (in no particular order): The Elf's Adventure,
Re-runs Again, Lost in Space, Quest for the Black Pearl*, New
England Gothic, and Whatever We Decide to Call This Game; but all
had some features or flaws which made them top of the `mediocre'
category, rather than includable in the `best' category. [* Unless
you have the fixed version from Sue, Quest f/t Black Pearl is
bugged and unfinishable].

The following list of my personal favourites is in reverse order,
number 1 being my `favouritest'.

6) MISADVENTURES OF THE HOLY GRAIL
(This was in the SynTax PD library as "Quest for the Holy Grail").
Loosely follows the adventures of the Knights of the Round Table,
in Pythonesque style, as they toddle off to find the famed Holy
Grail. Entertaining stuff, with many quite difficult puzzles en
route.

5) SON OF STAGEFRIGHT
Unfortunately you've been locked inside an empty theatre for the
night, and have to find a way out. Ramble around many interesting
locations and deal with literally hundreds of wildly-assorted
problems. This is one of the older AGT games, with plenty of
puzzles (hard to medium-level difficulty) which will keep your
brain cells occupied for a-g-e-s. I never did manage to solve this
one - got permanently stuck at about 40%

4) SHADES OF GREY
This is a type of time-travel adventure, but not the usual sci-fi,
futuristic kind. Due to the effects of a hallucinogenic drug your
mind keeps on switching between the modern day and past times /
events. You have two ways of solving each puzzle in the game;
either in the present time or in the past, depending on your state
of mind and to which era it is currently "switched". For example,
you can read a newspaper in the modern setting, which becomes a
scroll in the past setting. This game was raved about by (almost)
everyone, with the exception of Alex McEwan (see his review in
SynTax issue 25).

3) CRIME TO THE 9TH POWER
You play the role of Cliff Diver (love the name!), a seedy Private
Investigator who has stumbled onto some dark secrets about a large
corporation somewhere in the city. Someone is trying to bump you
off - and nearly succeeds. You recover consciousness to find
yourself locked in a dark building late one night, somewhere on
the ninth floor; and your aim is to wend your way downwards to the
ground floor, and freedom. Narration is in the first person, with
a stylish running commentary on your various inputs. This is a
clever, jokey game; not your average `detective' story at all.

2) MULTI-DIMENSIONAL THIEF
You're an amateur thief, trying desperately to join the
prestigious Multi-Dimensional Thieves' Guild. You are offered
membership if you can pass a simple test - escape from a set of
locations which have been specially prepared for this test by
putting together scenes and locations from other times, places,
and stories. There's the fascinating portable hole to fiddle about
with, which will give you access to Heaven, and Hell. With
excellent puzzles and a great atmosphere this game has always been
one of my personal favourites.

And now.... <Fanfare>.........

Number 1 is a tie. I couldn't decide which of the following two
games to put in the number one spot, so they'll have to share the
honours, in alphabetical order:

1a) DISENCHANTED
You are (mistakenly) summoned by a group of Elders to retrieve an
artifact stolen by the evil wizard Vartok. Soon he will unlock all
of the Artifact's secrets, and the world will fall into darkness.
Collect a Fighter, Cleric and Wizard to help you in your quest,
which takes you first to a deserted castle high up in the
mountains, and then through the dragon's lair to the edge of an
unpassable chasm.  Beautiful programming, absorbing plot, great
atmosphere and good writing make Disenchanted one of my all-time
`best' AGT text adventures.

1b) OKLIB'S REVENGE
You are tricked by your crafty Sergeant Oklib (Bilko backwards,
but nothing at all to do with the T.V. series) into volunteering
to find the King's lost Staff of Power; a golden rod giving
immense power to whoever holds it. You are transported to a
strange land where you must discover the secrets of the Giants'
house, explore the beach and caves below a cliff, and (in the
registered version) find a way of entering the castle across a
moat. The Dragon's Riddle, the problem of the coloured marbles,
and sailing a boat across a vast underground lake were only three
of many delightful puzzles to wrestle with.

She-Who-Edits wrote this one, and I don't care. I couldn't give
a hoot who wrote it, it's a gorgeous game. Great puzzles, great
atmosphere, great entertainment. This is one of those games to
lose yourself in for a few weeks...months....whatever.

@~I don't know what else to say but, thanks, Bev. Praise for my
@~game from someone who has played so many adventures means a lot
@~to me ... Sue








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