Spectrofon #22 20 июля 1997

Review - New games: Mystery of Arkham Manor, Magic Stripes, Satan II.

(C) Andrew Schoolchildren


         Mystery of Arkham Manor


             Melbourne House


               Rating: 75


   You have not missed the good old
adventyuram? So that was a clever plot, a rare but well-aimed 
schedule "Use the hammer on the head" and other small 
pleasures? If you missed - then this game is for you.



   I have the honor to introduce you to "Mystery of
Arkham Manor "- a game well-known firm
Melbourne House. Famous names adventyurami. (Just try to 
remember their game other areas! To me, except for "Way of the


exploding fist "yes" Starion ", the head did not come.) Grand" 
The Hobbit " immense "Sherlock", "Lord of the Rings" and the

"Shadows of Mordor", unusual "Doc the
Destroyer "and many more games. And now
that's "Mystery of Arkham Manor".


   However, in actual fact I'm a little lukavlyu. Normal 
adventyuroy "Arkham Manor" did not name. And it's not just

that the classic text input
here, but there is the menu - a list of commands.
That's what we've seen.


   In short, this game is you - the reporter, a member of 
"London's Chronicle". A certain Colonel Lemin sent to the 
newspaper letter, the editors sent you understand -

In general, all as expected, the classical
tie detective. And besides - at the appointed meeting place, 
Colonel did not appear, and at his home weeping wife (ie

already a widow, of course) told that the colonel was buried 
yesterday. A family vault 

Lemin the cemetery is closed, and so easy
there do not get. So even the cemetery ramble somewhere 
zombies. However, the harm from He is not special and do not 
know whether he is in any way to this story, or just creates an 
atmosphere. 


   The main difference between "Arkhema" from other adventyur 
detectives, if only from the same "Sherlock" - perhaps the fact 
that the investigation here carries a journalist. And so here, 
besides the classical action - talk to humans and nonhumans, 
"exam" evidence - is and new: pictures, request for information 
to editors, even to figure out how to meet future article in 
the newspaper page (though there is for the game some meaning 
in this article and, if so, What - no idea).



   And a special gift for fans of Chesterton - in "Arkheme" You 
will meet with Father Brown! He got a vicar at the local 
chapel, but continues 

protect the famous silver cross.
True, I was able to get the "fishers of men" only two 
sentences: "Put that down!" (Of the notorious cross) and "Beg 
your pardon? "(all my timid attempts to start a conversation).



   But in general ... The first impression of
"Arkhema" quite favorable. Really
that ... too many possibilities here.
Would not drown in them poor fellow journalist close to the end 
of the game! However, we will pass - We'll see.




              Magic Stripes


  Virtual Brothers and Max Petrov, 1997


               Rating: 60


   Again, the puzzle. Multilevel. All
with the same, Morgoth take them, incentives.
"Proceed level - see picture.
Pass the second level - will see another
picture. Pass the third level ... Hey,
hey, where are you? "


   However, the actual puzzle in originality can not refuse. On 
the one hand, it is not pyatnashki-mosaic (which pleases), with

another - and ksoniks also does not seem (that
guards). In general, imagine
Field 4 / 5, broken into squares with pictures. Of course, in 
so many pictures none of the artist's imagination is not enough

therefore, all of them (pictures, not artists,
of course) are presented in two, and even in
triplicate. Accordingly, our

goal - to collect identical copies together. The purpose of a 
friend (the same "Twiinz", at least), but the new tools. 
Pictures-cells can now move only Edge - right across the strip, 
hence the name. You can add the streaks

There are vertical and horizontal, and that
they are closed (ie cell, missing for the right edge of the 
field immediately appears on the left). Well, what else is 
there? Sometimes on the field caught the fixed cells - "stops."

They themselves do not move, and others a hindrance.
That's all.


   Yes, I almost forgot about the incentives. They
cursed, as usual, are presented in
as erotically-MEMBERS-indecent-frivolous pictures, and I think, 
sometimes even cartoons. Why "think"? Alas. Case

not that I so tired
such things (although they are really tired of the small). Just 
own puzzle-with-stripes, sadly, I have not been the teeth. Yes, 
yes. That you do not adventyury about go here, you know, think 
it is necessary. A authors, although attached to the game 
"help" with Rules hesitate even a hint

explain the very tactics of the game. Up to something
Of course, I still rode, but this
"Something" was only enough for a couple of levels in
"Training mode" (when it's time to think not limited). And then 
after passing each level remained uneasy feeling that the 
success of a purely accidental, and with all my tactics 
confused no more than from the "system" in the game of 
roulette. A maid at the prize-winning pictures only snidely 
grinning. 


   Which of all this moral? They say, "who can let him do
better. "Perhaps, then, and a cartoon look.


                 Satan II


              Dinamic.1990.


           TR-DOS: Magic Soft.


               Rating: 30


              Zhu frivolous ... studied

           killing dragons. Ruined his

           family, having a thousand gold
           that, and for three years has mastered mass
           terstvom. However, his ordeal
           ings by applying he found no use.


                           Chzhuantszy.



   Well, what can I say? No, beautiful, beautiful - no one 
argues. Rocks, clouds, turret, the screen scrolls themselves, 
some viking beard with an ax runs. A run tired - can jump and 
pinnacles. Lepota one word. 


   What, you say, it was all this?
"Golden Axe" nickname? And here and there.
Firstly, there the gnome - just klopik
against the local Vikings. Secondly, the whole
schedule of "Satan" would be thicker. Downright devilish 
schedule. And thirdly ... 


   That's imagine - imagine you go all in
the same "Golden Axe" in the woods. The notorious Axe at the 
ready, waiting for - now naprygnut villains! And the villains 
there is none. Reach the rock, think - well, I do now, 
something like Goblin on the dragon will leave! But no - no

leaves the goblin. What is it, where all gone? Pass the rock, 
waiting with hope - Maybe even the trolls will not fail? So in 
fact trolls and those long gone. And so -

level by level.


   What an awful picture? Here's to it and get ready. I am 
something, I saw an inscription "Dinamic" da barbarian on the 
splash screen at once thought - dashing Spanish guys do not let 
you down: it will be "arribo", will "abajo", will be 

crowds of people from the infamous hell is the sea
blood and saving the world in the future! But
how am I mistaken ...


   The fact that the menu was in English -
this is a trifle. So, the first bell -
something unclean. The real strangeness began then. Bearded 
viking, waving his ax, ran and jumped around a dozen rocks and 
pinnacles - and nobody else! No enemies, no friends, no 
civilians, even turkey does not fly! And a peaceful landscapes -

on hellish invasion somehow it does not. Not directly obtained 
arcade, and some benefits of meditation. Admiring the scenery, 
looking for non-existent enemies and little by little, degrees, 
set on philosophical way.



   Maybe the whole thing in dvoechke in a name?
Say, the first part was "kill-them-all"
here you are you now continued - "is-ktozhivoy?".



   In the end, the peaceful monotony was broken - when my 
viking heroically stomped on all the towers, leaned into 
something incomprehensible to the right, it finally assaying. 
Was a dull kind of nosy features and fired Viking fireballs.

Lazy that way fired, without a spark, if
I may say so. A viking just lazy
waved at him with an ax. And why should try? Axe is the devil 
is not valid still like the sword-kladenets the dragon in

cartoon. Though a year machine. Only then will choose 
immortality - damn balls though slowly, but all the same act.



   Only that's why all this? And without that
the overall impression that the dismal features in the game 
once. Causing a "lack of serenity of spirit," as the mother 
Kendarat. Do not jump to my viking where do not ask - the devil 
and did not appear to. Could be endlessly walking on clouds 
look. AND meditate, meditate

meditate ...



   Finally, I note also that discussed in this issue of toys 
available us by FFC Computers and specifically Letaevym Alexey 
and Maxim Lebedev, for which them and thank you.




                          Overview prepared

                         Andrew Schoolchildren


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