ZX Computing


The Inheritance

Publisher: Infogrames
Machine: Spectrum 48K

 
Published in ZX Computing #36

The Inheritance

Things are looking bleak for penniless Peter when suddenly, a letter arrives: his aunt has made him sole heir to her vast fortune. However, to gain it, he must make a million dollars in Las Vegas in a single night. In game one of this three-parter, you must escape your apartment block, having first satisfied the numerous fellow inhabitants who want the return of items you borrowed from them. Part two is set at the airport, while part three is in Las Vegas itself, where you can participate in several gambling games (fruit machines, craps, etc) in your quest for the magic million.

Control is via a roving (and sometimes flickering) cursor. With this you can pick up objects, open doors and move. This gives an endearing sense of real exploration. The graphics are large, colourful and generally rather good. You encounter various characters, all well drawn in cartoon style, who utter stilted dialogue (the translation from the original French shows, unfortunately); their mouths are animated - impressively - to show this. There's very little text except their captions.

The Inheritance has many genuinely original touches, and is cleverly designed. Unfortunately, the gameplay is weak. The characters' mouths take ages to recite speeches you've already read countless times before, so you become bored. The tasks are mostly repetitive and tedious - especially making the money in the final part (the gambling machines are entirely based on luck - hardly enthralling tests of skill). At some points you are required to sit there and do nothing for over a minute. The game system (i.e. the roving cursor) has great potential, but sadly The Inheritance doesn't use it.

Nice try.