Look: 8/10 Welp, I normally play these early graphic text adventures on Apple II, but I figured I'd try out the Commodore 64 since I assume I will be playing more of it into the mid 80s and on. (Welp, scratch that plan, Apple II it is). Anyway, beautiful title screen, tho I didn't get to screenshot it. Back to the comfy Apple II colors and graphics I began to love, even as silly and Paint-esque as they are (often in contrast to the serious fantasy text adventures they accompany ha, we shall see about this one)

I had to hurry, but bam! Got the title screen

Not that many (well, any) screens were "amazing," but they certainly felt nice, great colors especially, and of course were functional (e.g., sometimes even revealed what item you should get better than the text description, like with the bees in the tree). Just all around good vibes, albeit nothing spectacular

Another of the better screens

Lol peculiar looking, and sized, tuning fork

The river monster was cool

Play: 9/10 I liked the sheer amount of possible items to pick up, and hm interesting, the score is based on amount of turns and treasures collected etc it seems. Interesting. So every choice matters, not just for death but rather your final score. Could be frustrating deciphering the exact maximum score, then, and how to achieve it heh like in FFX-2. I always like when a text game reports my final score out of a possible total, and it's interesting that you can take so many routes to different high scores, but I kinda prefer when there's one set linear maximum score (or maybe 2-3 options to get there). I can't deny it's clever innovative and prescient, but not so much my style of calculating a text game score. Anywho, despite all that blabber, I actually really enjoyed the gameplay. The screens were mostly very mundane, but the journey made sense and the way the items worked (and looked) reminded me of Humongous Entertainment point and click games that I love. I prefer when these early graphic text adventures allow you to toggle graphics on and off, like in some of the Hi-Res Adventures, but fortunately, this one's drawing is fast enough, screens simple enough, and gameplay fast-paced enough that I barely noticed. I feel like the pacing and length of the game was well-done, too, which is often critical for me with text adventures.

Feel: 9/10 Cool to shop at the Tavern. I dunno why, but the Tavern shop reminded me of a Zelda shop in general . Like I could steal the items or something ha

Anyway, it felt nice to play just a straightforward, classic-feeling text adventure. Even tho Super Spy/Shaken But Not Stirred was impressive and innovative, I can't deny I prefer these straightforward, classic adventures a bit more. Reminds me of the text adventures that started this chronology project. After a frustrating day with a lot of drama, I was surprised any game would be able to suck me in--and game after game today has proven me wrong! Also lol the Carnivorous Plant blocking your path. Fun to feel like a Zelda, etc., type adventures (which are coming so soon gahhhh) where, instead of a classic text adventure puzzle where you just use inanimate objects on each other etc, you give an item to a character to get to a new area (i.e., to get the Carnivorous Plant to move you give the bees you acquire on the other side of the quicksand heh. Yay for mid-80s adventure games coming in sight! (A similar situation happens again when the river monster blocks your way... and again later ha.) I also liked using the White Potion to turn the Boat miniature so it can fit in your inventory :-p . Love it. Heh, "large and dank depression" indeed... Oh, and pretty cool to have a first-person boating segment in a text adventure.. I don't know why, but LongBows in these early games are always so exciting, almost feel like the soon-to-come overpowered Boomerangs in mid-80s games ha.

Attachment: 9/10 So much of the game, even the pagan idol/altar part to get the Key, reminded me of Zelda, even when I had no explicit reason ha. Very special game, and incredibly early for all these feels. All that's missing is the addition of sprites and action controls, and you have a mid-80s console adventure here! In the meantime, as a graphic text game, defffffinitely worth a playthrough if you have any interest in text adventures or, really, adventures in general. Not that I foresee myself regularly replaying text adventures, but this one is fun enough, brief enough, and interesting enough that I could see it for sure. Perhaps it could become a Favorite if I find myself return to this, because this has to be the best text adventure I've played since I first began playing them during the very start of this chronology project. Ay, the sword at last, then I brought it back to the Tavern safely with the alleged maximum score (thanks to a guide, I would not have managed the score without it ha)

Welp, on further reflection, this is indeed a 9 and a Favorite, because I know I wont forget this game, I know this would possibly be my most preferred text adventure game to play when just want to have fun or show somebody or feel like I did something with my day lol, and I know this is a game I will replay in some context someday. The fact I can even imagine myself attempting this sans hints or a guide, in a year or 2 from now, just for fun, says a lot about the game.