The Island

Author: SC
Publisher: Crystal Computing
Machine: Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Personal Computer Games #6

The Island

The Island is a text-only adventure that could well end up driving you mad with frustration. Perhaps that's a desirable feature, but if frustration is all you get, then surely there's something wrong.

This program does have its good points, however. The responses are very quick, so at least you don't have to wait for ages between each instruction.

On the other hand, there isn't an awful lot to wait for. If you're used to adventures that give you lots of detail and allow you to examine objects and search rooms then The Island will come as a severe disappointment.

The Island

The vocabulary is limited, and there isn't much for you to do except wander about collecting whatever you find, and only occasionally using your initiative.

What puzzles there are seem either illogical or disappointingly easy to solve. If you really get stuck, I suggest you try breaking the rules.

Working out what is and what isn't possible isn't all that easy since the program won't tell you which words it doesn't understand.

The aim of the game is to, wait for it, find treasure. Most of your time is spent wandering through caves, which tend to lead you back to where you started. There are other islands to explore, but the environment is hostile and premature death isn't easy to avoid.

There's a real-time clock built into the program which will tell you, among other things, how many days you've been playing. Personally I couldn't stick it for more than a couple of hours.

SC

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