Cold comfort

Previous Next

They used to say that just before it dies a mute swan sings most beautifully - hence the term swansong. And that is the description we should apply to Scapeghost, the latest - and final! - adventure released by the wizards of Weston-super-Mare.

Just before I received the game the news was released that Level 9 is turning its talents to the arcade market after more than six years as uncrowned kings of the British text adventure scene.

So what are we to make of the year long production efforts? Well some things can be taken for granted now like the sophisticated parser allowing high-level commands such as Go to (location), Follow (character) and especially undo which allows you to take back a move that proves unhealthy.

The storyline is a good one: Alan, an undercover detective, was trying to infiltrate a drugs gang. His last memory when he wakes up at his own funeral is of being in a car with Sarah, his partner. He discovers that Sarah is being held hostage and that his former colleagues think it is all due to his stupidity.

Alan has three nights - the three different sections - to clear his name and bring the villains to justice.

In part one - November Graveyard - he has three main tasks to accomplish. At the very start he is weaker than the proverbial kitten and can't even pick up a small object like a pebble. So his primary objective is to gain strength. The method used by weightlifters is the one to go for - start with something light and work upwards.

Task two involves recruiting help. This is where the high-level commands come in useful, since instructions can be given to other characters in the adventure. The helpers are other ghosts, no less useful on account of their being late, and in some cases, unlamented.

First on the scene is retired publican Joe Danby, who offers to show you around.

Take advantage of this help by all means, but I found that simply to enter Follow Joe robbed me of a couple of opportunities to increase my strength. It was better at this early stage to make each move singly, so that I could pause and do things from time to time.

Third task on the list is that of finding a way to delay the villains and demolish their plans, so to speak. This can only be done with a little help from your friends once you have gained sufficient strength.

As always in a good adventure, you can wander around freely without having to do much problem solving in the early stages.

This is Vital, as it gives you the chance to start making a map - don't forget to type Exits On at the start of the game - so that when the guided tour of the cemetery is complete you'll have a good idea what to do, and where.

You'll soon find that two factors affect your strength, the presence of living human beings and bright lights. They should be avoided where possible.

Part two, Haunted House, finds you with increased strength and enhanced abilities: You'll need them all to be successful. You must find the evidence you need in the haunted house and work out how to attract the attention of the authorities. A light touch will be needed here.

Part three, Poltergeist, opens with you in imminent danger of a shower-bath from holy water as the villains force a priest to attempt an exorcism. And that's only the start of your troubles.

Basically, a successful bout of haunting, rescuing a damsel in distress (your ex-partner, Sarah) blocking the gangsters' escape and producing the evidence of their villainy are all that you have to do here. This part alone should keep the most avid adventurer quiet for a week or two.

The 30 or so illustrations - available as long as you have sideways ram - are up to the highest standards as you'd expect from Level 9, and the text is superb.

As always I'll include a small sample to whet your appetites:

"I drifted south and was on a path leading south out of the cemetery. The church wall had collapsed into a great pile of rubble that was strewn across the graveyard, though much of the debris had by now been cleared.

"I felt a twinge of guilt about the damage that I had caused - even though it had been in a good cause. One thing was certain: the church was going to need an even bigger thermometer for its repair fund. I wondered what they would fasten it to this time.

Some of the puzzles in this game are real brain-teasers and will delight any experienced adventure addict. As always, though, there is a clue sheet on offer, so beginners to adventuring shouldn't hold back from buying Scapeghost. Archimedes owners should note that the black and white illustration option should be used in the PC version of the game. This, Pete Austin tells me, is because the disc uses the hardware of PCs from time to time. I must say, it didn't worry me at all - in fact I mostly played on my Archimedes while I wrote the review notes simultaneously on my 8-bit machine.

My recommendation is straightforward: Spend some of your Christmas money on this adventure as a top priority. My final comment is similar: If the Austins are finally bowing out of text adventures what a way to go! Scapeghost is quite simply superb.