New Games on The Great Games Experiment http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/css/logo.jpg en-us Roger Wilco. Ladies man, hero, man about town, Janitor.

If you've ever touched adventure games back in the late 80s you'll know about the brilliant work that Sierra did with the genre. Sadly, those days are long gone. However someone did something right and released the Space Quest Collection.

Contained on the DVD are episodes 1 to 6 of Space Quest, all of which follow our intrepid janitor hero as he gets into one (PUN)messy situation(/PUN) after another.

The games are all designed with the standard Sierra adventure game engine(s): AGI (SQ2), SCI (SQ1 VGA, SQ3, SQ4, SQ5). Space Quest 1, 4, 5 and 6 all use the later icon driven interface whilst 2 and 3 use the classic text parser to direct our gallant mop jockey.

The brilliant use of nerd (i.e. sci-fi, computer, etc...)humour blends perfectly with the game play/puzzles. The outlandish situations, and locales will remind you of less formal science fiction movies/tv shows as will the many pot shots at the established sci-fi franchises such as Star Wars, Star Trek and Aliens.

If you like aliens, if you like adventure games and if you like mops then I highly recommend picking up the Space Quest collection.

]]> 20 Jan 2007 08:22:02 Another World, known as Out of this World in the US and Outer World in Japan, is a 1991 cinematic platformer designed and developed by Eric Chahi. The graphics and box art were designed by Chahi, while the music was composed by Jean-François Freitas.

While not a great commercial success, Another World was innovative in its use of cinematic effects in the graphics, sound and cut scenes, with characters communicating through their facial features, gestures, and actions only. This cinematic style granted Another World cult status amongst critics and fans.

The protagonist of the game is Lester Knight Chaykin; a young, athletic, red haired physicist. Lester arrives at his high-tech underground laboratory during a thunderstorm, and continues to work on his experiment using a particle accelerator. Right before the particles reach their intended destination, lightning strikes the lab and interferes with the accelerator causing the unforeseen teleportation of Lester to a barren alien planet.

The player can control Lester using the keyboard or gamepad using four directions buttons and two action buttons: one for main actions, and one for jumping. Depending on the player's current position, movement, and status, the main action key performs a variety of actions including attacking and interacting with Lester's environment. At the start of the game Lester can only kick to attack, but later he can acquire a gun. While the movement keys normally make Lester run, the game also features sections where the player must swim, roll, or drive a vehicle. The player only has one life, but there are multiple checkpoints he can return to by entering the relevant pass code given at each one.

]]> 10 Dec 2006 09:53:52 After the fall of the Second Galactic Union in 1716 GY, a ten-thousand-year dark age settled upon the galaxy. Interstellar travel was non-existent, and many star systems descended into a near-barbaric state, buring coal and gas for energy, and growing food directly from exposed topsoil.

In 11,203 GY, a treaty between the Empires of Tremain and Galium formed the Third Galactic Union. Ships of the Stellar Patrol (a pseudo-military wing of the Union government on Tremain) began exploring the galaxy, searching for the human civilizations that are the remnants of the Second Galactic Union.

You are a native of the planet Gallium. Although it is one of the most politically powerful worlds in the Union, Gallium is no garden spot. In fact, the Gallium Chamber of Commerce brochure entitled "Ten Great Reasons to Visit Gallium" ends on page 3. The author ran out of reasons after listing just two.

For five generations, your family has served in the Stellar Patrol. Your great-great-grandfather was a High Admiral and one of the founding officers of the Patrol. It was taken for granted that when you came of age you would join up.

Now, more than a year after signing up, and two months after being transferred to the S.P.S. Feinstein, you are still only ranked Ensign Seventh Class. You superior officer, Ensign First Class Blather, has been making your life miserable. You're begining to wonder if you're really cut out for the Stellar Patrol...

]]> 28 Nov 2006 02:39:20