Personal Computer News


Mindshadow

Author: Bryan Skinner
Publisher: Activision
Machine: Commodore 64/128

 
Published in Personal Computer News #105

MINDSHADOW

Who am I? Where am I? No, I haven't just woken up from a heavy night out. I've been playing Mindshadow, one of Activision's latest, where the aim is to discover your own identity. It's an illustrated adventure, and disk only - hence the price.

After wandering about on a nicely drawn beach it's plain that it's both desert and deserted. But if you get lonely or stuck you can call up your friendly local Condor, a feathered creature who gives advice, but only three times. As it turns out, the advice isn't always that useful.

Strolling around the island you come across a hut. Nothing much here except some dry straw. Then it's off to the jungle, passing a wrecked dory before ripping off a length of steel. In the jungle you can collect a vine, then it's back to the beach, east to the rocks and down to a cave - you must tie the vine to a rock first. Digging in the cave unearths a map. Examine the map and you see the hut and a set of triangles. It doesn't take much to work out that these indicate directions - if a triangle is apex up it means North and so on.

Mindshadow

So it's back to the hut - but climbing the vine breaks it, so think again... Must be more in the cave - yes a small rock with a rough surface.

Following the coded directions brings you to another beach, and a half-buried trunk with a bottle of rum.

The graphics are good - colourful, detailed and drawn quickly. Some are slightly animated, not up to Melbourne House's Castle of Terrors, but the rippling sea and wheeling seagulls look pretty. Five lines of text appear below each picture and you can toggle between text and image by pressing Return. The keyboard response is slow, but you can chain commands together with full stops.

Frankly, I wasn't impressed. Know thyself, goes the adage, but all I know is that without any real challenge I become bored quickly.

Bryan Skinner

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