A unique and engrossing world full of challenging puzzles and atmosphere in spades but let down by clunky interface
Visual style and graphics: Superb graphics for the time. Although terribly blocky and pixelated these days they still convey the atmosphere of the world very effectively. Visual style, although not exceptionally varied, is superbly atmospheric and fitting. 7.5/10
Environment and puzzle design: Very unique and well-designed environments with some innovative and satisfyingly interactive puzzles. Puzzles are challenging and appropriate to the game progression. 9/10
Interface design: The most major fault in the game. The interface is clunky, obstructive and un-intuitive. With experience the interface becomes much easier to use, however more intricate navigation and puzzle solving remains frustrating. 4/10
Sound effects and music: Truly exceptional and immersive. A constant background of appropriate and dynamic effects and subtle eerie music adds considerably to this game's ability to immerse you in a fantastic world. 9.5/10
Story and writing quality: Basic game premise is relatively simple and not exceptionally original, however the background and sub-plots are unique and very intriguing. 8/10
Bugs and stability: No bugs or stability issues at the time. However this is a very old DOS game that is apparently fully supported by DOSBox. N/A
Atmosphere/Immersion value: As with my Doom3 review I feel this game deserves a unique category for its most notable feature. This is its ability to immerse you in its world and to have a beautifully realised atmosphere (visually, sonically, thematically etc) like no other. 9.5/10
Total score: 8.0/10
(Genia's previous number of reviews: 1)
This is a game I played and greatly enjoyed long ago but it has remained surprisingly clear in my mind. Therefore I have decided to briefly revisit it and review this little known gem in the hopes that it will inspire someone to lose themselves in its wonderfully designed, immersive and lonely world.
The game's opening cinematic sets up the game story (futuristic archaeologist on the hunt for the Holy Grail to save the world from a plague) and drops you, quite literally, into the unique world of The Knights Templar. Your first experience of this crazy underground dungeon is a dark, wet cave. This may seem terribly anti-climatic but somehow it isn't. The dark, wet, creepy cave feels, sounds and looks an awful lot like a dark, wet, creepy cave, complete with echoed dripping water and various other unidentifiable and shudder inducing sounds that you'll encounter the source of later. After the cave the environments become more intricate and varied but the beautifully realised atmosphere remains a constant companion while you explore the rich world you find yourself in.
The game instantly bombards you with expertly crafted sensory delight. The graphics at the time were truly something to behold, and even today manage to convey the dark and oppressive nature of that world incredibly effectively. The sounds however are even better. Every environment has a variety of very fitting background effects that vary in volume as you approach their source. The creepy sound track is subtle but also adds a great deal to an already stifling, in a good way, atmosphere. The game has a unique way of making you feel truly trapped in a dark and dangerous world with just your wits and your hi-tech suit to protect you and guide you.
As you explore you will encounter a great many puzzles presented to you in a large variety of ways but almost all are very satisfyingly interactive in a way that most first person games at the time, and for many years after, weren't. Your actions, such as pulling levers, often have an affect on the 3D world around you that is very visible, audible and animated in a very detailed real-time way making the world seem all the more interactive and realistic. The puzzles are also very well structured and appropriate, fitting perfectly into the world and never feeling like a puzzle for the sake of a puzzle. Another notable feature of these is their difficulty and solving them often involves a great eye for detail and bucket loads of logical thinking. The difficulty level of the game is overall very high, especially to an inexperienced adventure gamer.
On top of the puzzles you also encounter a handful of very unique characters and creatures. Although your contact with them is relatively small, though significant, they each come across as independent entities with their own strange lives and agendas. As you search for the grail the game's sub-story revolves around the history and subtle politics of these characters, some of whom you meet, and some you don't, and it is a very intriguing world indeed. Various characters and creatures you meet are hostile, but there are only a handful of opportunities for "combat" and it is mostly optional leading to the game taking subtly different directions depending on if you chose to fight or not. The combat itself is very clunky and adventure game oriented and this is by no means an action first person shooter. Anyone interested in running around shooting things simply wont find that here. This is through and through an adventure game.
Unfortunately the combat is not the only thing that is clunky. It is impossible to ignore the one serious fault of this game; the interface. Your view of the game is first person through the helmet of your "Raptor" suit. Although this leads to an extra element of immersion it is also difficult to use. The actual view is obstructed and small and the HUD is not intuitive. This does lead to some frustration when exploring or trying to solve the more intricate puzzles. This unfortunately adds another level of difficulty, though a negative one, to an already challenging game. The game also involves a great deal of backtracking through loading screens that can get quite frustrating, especially when you will inevitably get stuck and end up searching for something you have missed to let you progress.
Overall though this game is a treasure trove of unique design and is full of terribly effective atmosphere that makes exploring this game a fulfilling experience like no other. This game is a spiritual predecessor, though by no means a primitive one, to the atmospheric, physics based first person adventure games recently popularised by the likes of Penumbra. Although not a game for the faint hearted, requiring a great deal dedication to the challenging puzzles and interface, it will reward those who dare with a unique and rich experience that in my time as a gamer has barely been equalled since.