Research Dig -  Written by Chris Armitage
  (1998 Interactive Fiction Competition) - part of disk 1291

       Review by Dorothy Millard (PC Inform Version)

Working at the Archaeological Centre at Bradford you are given an
assignment. The Centre has received a letter from a Mr.  Yeomans,
the groundkeeper at St. Mary's Church, next to Shelf Abbey. They
found something while digging in the graveyard. The game commences
with you outside Mr. Yeomans' house.  Knocking on the cottage door
you meet Mr. Yeomans who invites you in and you meet his daughter
Louise who is 8.  I thought it was nice touch, his daughter being
there, and that she was there just to add atmosphere, but later in
the game you discover that there is much more to Louise than first
meets the eye.

Phil excuses himself to answer the telephone and Louise tells you
about the little people who live underground. Phil tells you he
has to leave and tells Louise to show you around, however she is
only interested in the television, so you are free to wander and
discover for yourself.  Examining the urn in the living room you
see symbols around the top Fire and Air, the symbols of the
Element Gods, and think that there should be another one to make
four symbols. Entering the graveyard you see the dig and then
enter a crypt containing a coffin. Entering the underground
caverns and traversing an underground river you find a door
engraved with the water symbol but cannot enter. Finding another
way into the Abbey perched on the top of the cliffs you eventually
discover the four symbols, water, fire, earth and air. Once the
stone has been recovered it is a simple matter of returning to
complete the game and earn the rank of Grand Master Archaeologist.

Research Dig is written along traditional lines with puzzles to
solve.  It is well written and I thoroughly enjoyed playing it.





                              - o -