Look: 8/10
Decent enough, but some of these graphic text adventure looks are feeling tired already. The port town and forest settings boosted this from a 6/10 to an 8/10 heh. Shows how much specifics parts can sell me.
I wish I had screenshotted the port town part, but the forest is great, too
Oh, well, I did end up returning to the Docks for the game :-p
Sound: 0/10
Shhhh. The Apple II should never allow its system beeps and boops for sounds for its games. Of course, not included in the rating, but just had to be said...
Play: 7/10
A[nother] good graphic text adventure. I do like when you buy equipment and items in text adventures like a fantasy/RPG game. Oddly though, the store part kinda felt like a chore :-/ And I wanted to like this cuz it's Online/Sierra. I tried to push through because some of the settings were good, but the gameplay was just so tired and redundant feeling. Especially after coming fresh outta Demon's Forge, which was an amazing contemporaneous graphic text adventure. I did like the "Your crew is following you" lines :-p But anyway, I almost finished it out, but in an odd coincidence--I didn't quit it because I died or petty RNG, as would be the usual for text adventure games--instead, Michael's ready for us to watch our show in bed and go to sleep! So, that's a better reason than usual to quit a text adventure, but it still says a lot that I don't think I will be returning to this ASAP to give it a proper finish.
Feel: 7/10
Can someone explain how the early Sierra graphic text adventures are considered top-notch? I mean I like a lot of later Sierra games, so I assume/hope that's why--but sheesh, based on these... the graphics are mediocre; compared to other Apple II graphic text adventures, these are simply bland; and the gameplay isn't nearly as clever as, say, I do give credit that these early Sierra games allow where you turn on and off the graphic part of screen. Also, some of the screens oddly reminded me of Humongous Entertainment settings and screens, though it was honestly embarrassing how clumsy some of the graphics are (e.g.:
Attachment: 6/10
The fact I don't plan to already return to this to give it a proper try, means I doubt I will ever return to this. I assume, and have indeed already noticed, an influx of many many "okay"/"good enough" graphic text adventures. But after seeing the possibilities in Demon's Forge, why do I feel guilty and like I should give this a better consideration? It's obviously, simply time to move on. I can't deny I'm excited for the Adams graphic versions, but I'm starting to get worried with these mediocre, "brand-name" graphic text adventures. The indie, non-Anglo, and/or experimental text adventures are starting to shine more and more in the graphic era. Despite all this seeming criticism though, it still is a quality graphic text adventure, and far above a lot of the trite I've sifted through in this pre-console-crash era.
