Finished "Willy Beamish" in 5 aggravating hours...

I should have received a real cup, finishing this game...

I finished The Adventures of Willy Beamish in five aggravating hours. Don't get me wrong, I like the little guy. But what a game! If this was made today, it might still contain death scenes but I'm sure you would automatically respawn to try again. The final sequence of the game has some timed sequences where it's a matter of clicking fast and correctly. I do appreciate that sense of urgency and danger, but manually saving and restoring every step of the way isn't of our time anymore.

Why exactly did I need to go into this Buttcrack Bar?

So, after escaping from the Humpford mansion, I learn that my dad has been kidnapped and I need to hurry and save him. So I need to find a way into the Sludgeworks. Only, the strikers are blocking the entrance. It took me quite a while to figure out where to go and what to do. Thankfully there were limited possibilities this time, but I still had to look for some outside assistance for this puzzle. And even now I have no idea how you were supposed to figure it out without some inside knowledge.

Looks like my cooking pot when I try to make chocolate mousse...

So I finally found my way inside the factory, only to be confronted with a series of timed action sequences. I had to save in every room I entered, and had to reload every one of them at least five times. Perhaps it's because my previous playthrough had been a while that I couldn't figure out what to do with all the control panels I encountered. Turned out I had all the answers in my inventory...

Not exactly LeChuck's fortress, but still quite impressive...

All in all, I'm glad I played through this game again, but I wouldn't exactly call it fun. The first half is definitely okay. It's easy going, quite cozy even, with obvious things to do. The second half is a lot of work, with trial and error, saving and restoring, quite non-intuitive puzzles even. But it's a decent enough story, quite the adventure that really fits in with all those animated movies I used to watch as a kid (and sometimes still do...) If it had been a bit more forgiving, I'd recommend it more, but as it is I'd only play it if you're really looking for a challenge.

"Just a To the Moon Series Beach Episode", my Adventure Game Hotspot review!

Read my full review on Adventure Game Hotspot!

Excerpt: "A series’ “beach episode” is generally just a whimsical aside where familiar and favorite fictional characters leave their comfort zones to engage in far different activities than their everyday routines, literally by going swimming, surfing and playing tourist. Just a To the Moon Series Beach Episode might start off like that, but it soon adds other elements to keep you on your toes: there is more going on here, but the question is, will you find out exactly what? In my view, this elevates the game above a simple yet fun diversion. It is still fun, as the mini-games and some free choices ensure, but the overarching storyline for these characters takes a huge turn as well, making it an important addition to the series. We don’t yet know where this particular story will end, since there is still one more episode to come, but for series fans this is a wonderful day out with the SigCorp team and dramatically sets the stage for what lies ahead."

"Arsene Lupin - Once a Thief", my Adventure Game Hotspot review

Read my full review on Adventure Game Hotspot.

Excerpt: "Although I expected to play only as Arsène Lupin himself, the playful way in which the narrative’s chronology is broken up between Lupin carrying out his heists and Ganimard trying to figure out how he does them is very fun. Some of the puzzles are fairly straightforward and overly forgiving, with unlimited tries and no repercussions when you do something wrong, but the more traditional investigative puzzling is rewarding to solve, and whenever I succeeded in linking evidence correctly, I felt as if I was donning a black cloak and top hat of my own in plotting my latest heist. The music is great, the isometric scenes fun to rotate and explore, and the supporting cast just begs to be fooled by Lupin. Since I’ve read some of the Leblanc books, I recognized some plot elements here and there, like how Lupin escapes his unavoidable arrest, but it’s certainly not necessary to know anything about the character going in. Just like his more famous British and Belgian contemporaries, Lupin is a character straight out of literary fiction who was long overdue a lead role, and I’m sure he will charm his way into the hearts of those who aren’t already familiar with his antics as well."

4 hours into "Willy Beamish" and I ran out of save files...

Yeah, I get it, it's the west side of town...

I'm 4 hours into The Adventures of Willy Beamish and I still can't grasp what happened. The game changed from a cozy, "play as a ten year old"-simulator into a "death around every corner" trial-and-error debacle, up to the point where it's just not fun anymore. I can totally remember now why I never finished this game more than once back in the day... After procuring myself a registration form for the frog jump, I got stuck on the other side of the river because I couldn't get back on the ferry. I explored some without really finding anything, until suddenly a gang showed up and, well, ganged up on me for some reason. Took me a while to figure out how to escape from them...

Jump, Horny, jump!

Then back home it was immediately on to day four and the big event! The frog jump took me several tries as well before Horny was victorious. But it's what happens next that really made me run through all my save slots. Looking for Horny after the competition, I get caught by a security guard. I lost count of the number of times I had to restore, but this sequence is a timed event and you only have precious seconds to perform just the right actions so you can escape.

Turns out the solution to this is found in the game's manual...

Next, I learned that the big villain of the story, Leona Humpford, has taken all the frogs to their mansion for dinner. Well, not to serve them dinner, they ARE dinner. So of course I need to rescue them. I think this mansion alone took me an hour of gaming, with a talking parrot first giving away my presence, then Leona herself and her henchman Louis, and of course the knife-throwing chef in the kitchen catching me time and time again. Once again, there's a set series of actions you have to perform to get past this sequence. Do one thing wrong, and it's game-over. I kept saving (over older save files by now) every step I took. And when I finally succeeded, I didn't believe it and I restored again thinking I still did something wrong, because the final cutscene starts in exactly the same way many of the game-over scenes do, with Willy getting caught by Leona and Louis and thrown into an aquarium as a new treasure ornament.

Still don't know what's so appealing about frog legs...

So finally I escaped the mansion with all the frogs - or, well, they escaped with me, I should say... Now I'm back on the west side of town where I'm supposed to save my dad, but I have absolutely no idea how to go about that, and if the gameplay is anything like the last two hours, I'm sure to be busy for at least another two!

"PRIM", my Adventure Game Hotspot review

Read my full review on Adventure Game Hotspot!

Excerpt: "While it does have a few creative tricks up its sleeve, PRIM is very much a traditional adventure game that takes what its classic predecessors did well and updates it for modern audiences. The result is a highly polished, entertaining new coming-of-age story about a wonky father-daughter relationship that will make you laugh and maybe even cry, offering plenty of fun but also connecting on an emotional level. PRIM does a masterful job of combining its serious themes with the right amount of humor, and everything about its production, from the artwork and interface to the music and voice-overs, screams excellence, an eye for detail, and a true love for both adventure gaming and storytelling. That would be impressive for any developer, let alone a small team making their very first game. I most enjoy playing games like this, but rarely are they done as well as it is here. Leave it to a game set in the Realm of the Dead to show that there’s still lots of life left in the point-and-click adventure genre." 

"Murder on Space Station 52", my Adventure Game Hotspot review!

 

Read my full review on Adventure Game Hotspot!

Excerpt: "Sci-fi games usually aren’t my cup of tea, but Murder on Space Station 52 is a mystery game first and science fiction game second, so it doesn’t bombard you with loads of alien lore or technical/scientific stuff. As such, it succeeded in not only holding my interest, but actually making it a lot of fun. Despite its extraterrestrial setting, it’s a pretty straightforward, well-acted detective-style point-and-click investigation combining fetch quests and problem solving and information gathering through examination of hotspots and talking to possible suspects. Most of the puzzles are quite easy, and the logic needed to be applied is pretty much common sense, albeit with a couple of blatant exceptions. It’s too bad there isn’t more actual detective work involved in ultimately pinpointing the murderer in the bunch, but it nevertheless succeeded in making a non-sci-fi gamer like me boldly go where I never really liked to go before."

2 hours into "Willy Beamish" and I caused an explosion and fought off a demon bat!

Hard to "just walk away" when you can't touch ground...

Two hours into Willy Beamish and I took the ferry to grab myself a registration form for the frog jumping contest! The big plan is to win this contest, then use THAT prize money to register for the Nintari championships. But seriously, who in their right mind would enter a competition that demands a $2,500 participation fee? You just HAVE to be a ten year old cartoon character from a video game, right?

Well that was unexpected...

I spent day two hanging out with my buddies Dana and Perry. We went and had an explosive meal at the local pizza joint, then practiced in the park for the frog jumping contest. Horny is a bit like his name when Dana's pet frog is around, jumping much farther. We'll just have to figure out how the make the opponent jump LESS far... Back home, my parents had a surprise in the form of a babysitter from hell. I had a lot of trouble with this sequence when I was young, and now I died several times as well before I vanquished her.

To infinity...

Besides the main storyline, there are also optional things to do that might influence your "trouble meter". This thermometer-type gauge pops up whenever you do a good thing (like picking up your little sister after she fell out of her bed) or a bad thing (crashing your dad's miniature trains). If you do too many bad things, your parents will send you to military school and then it's game over. Doing an extremely bad thing (like launching your little sister from her swing set) will lead to an immediate deportment.

Ooh, area unlocked!

Day three finds me on the other side of the river to get myself an entry form. I met a sweet Japanese family on the ferry, which was pretty random. But I remember from my youth I'll see them again somewhere...

Classic time: "The Adventures of Willy Beamish" playthrough!

New game!

I've started replaying The Adventures of Willy Beamish and I'm 1 hour into it!

The game is like a cartoon version of an early '90s John Hughes/Chris Columbus movie. I played this for the first time as a teenager, aged somewhere between Willy himself and his older sister Tiffany. I only ever finished this game once, but I started replaying it several times, always up to the point where I got hopelessly stuck. I enjoyed the fun and cozy atmosphere of the game, the "real world" setting (I will always prefer that over fantasy or sci-fi settings), and Willy's voice actor, Michael Zibelman.

Not your average breakfast club...

It's the last day of school before summer vacation, and Willy finds himself in detention. First job is to get home early and intercept a bad report card. Your cursor changes into a big red arrow when there's something to do. You can pick up items, use them somewhere else, combine them... Typical inventory puzzle style. It took me a while to realize, but clicking the other mouse button changes the cursor into a magnifying glass, and when it becomes transparant a narrator will give a description of whatever you're looking it. But that doesn't mean that object is a hotspot that can be manipulated. Actual hotspots are limited, but each screen is loaded with background items you can examine.

I was so jealous of Willy's house...

Willy's house might not look like much compared to today's standards, but when I was young, I really wanted to live there myself! I loved the fact that you can move from room to room in a circle and wind up back where you started. There's not only the house to explore, but also part of the city. The main story of the game is that Willy wants to enter the Nintari Championship, but he needs a whole lot of money for the participation fee. When his dad comes home that evening and says he's been fired from his job, Willy have to look for different means to finance his big dream.

Frighteningly similar to what my own son's room looks like...

During this first hour, I played through the first day and up till the next morning, when Willy meets up with his two friends Dana and Perry in a nearby treehouse. At the breakfast table, dad got himself an interview at the local Tootsweet company, but an ominous cutscene showing the Tootsweet management in a hot tub doesn't promise anything good. There seems to be some kind of conspiracy afoot that will disrupt life in the city of Frumpton...

I never had a treehouse when I was young :(

A series playthrough: "The Blackwell Legacy/Unbound/Convergence/Deception/Epiphany"

Let me tell you about the Blackwell series by Wadjet Eye Games. If you're new to adventure gaming, or have only played the old classics, this series is considered a must-play. And it all begins with The Blackwell Legacy.

It's such a beautiful game. I love how it's set in New York. I've walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and through Washington Square Park myself. I really like the characters, I love Rosa's red hair and that she wants to be a writer too. Joey looks a bit like Mark Ruffalo in Shutter Island.

The story is amazing and I was so disappointed when it was over so quickly. I had no idea what these games were about, from the cover I knew there had to be a ghost involved, but this goes so much further. It reminded me a bit of Odd Thomas, the hero in a book series by Dean Koontz. It was a bit weird to have 25 pages of letters to read in the game itself, but it does add some backstory. And I had a feeling what would happen to the pictures you find at the beginning of the game. I lost some time not knowing how to use the notebook. Whenever I got stuck, it usually solved itself once I combined elements in my notebook to give new information. Something I probably would have known if I hadn't skipped the tutorial part... Stupid ol' me...

Where I lost the most time was finding the name to enter the hospital. I mean, it was so obvious how to use the fake name, I never thought to play with it in the notebook. Left clicking to use objects, right clicking to look at them also took some getting used to, and I still mess up there occasionally. I've played a lot of games with primarily inventory-based puzzles; this one focuses on dialogue and finding information to advance the story, but I kept automatically scrolling through the inventory to see where I could use things. I was surprised that it was such a short game. I've heard a lot of good things about this series, so I thought it would be bigger. It only took me a little over four hours to finish this one.

Blackwell Unbound was even shorter for me, taking me only 3.5 hours. This time it wasn't the notebook I didn't know how to use, but the phone book. It just didn't occur to me to look people up that way.

I was stuck almost immediately, because I couldn't get away from the balcony; no matter what I tried, she kept wanting to finish her cigarette. Then I saw the letters in the interface. "Oh, you can switch between them!" So as Joey I finally got the game started properly.

I didn't like the "map" screen. I mean, the skyline is nice, but I liked the map with the buildings on it in The Blackwell Legacy better. I did a lot of running back and forth between all the places.

I didn't know what to do with one task, so I started exploring the other and that was pretty easy. Then back to the first task, trying to look for things I missed. It took me a while because I didn't explore one item enough and missed an important element there. After that it was easy.

This certainly seems like the next chapter of a great game. I wish they would make an edition where it all plays as one game, and you automatically go to the next chapter. I tried looking up the Blackwell series in the Guide to Classic Graphic Adventures and was sad to see that it barely gets a mention, a small line in the afterword. These games deserve so much more; I wish the book had a sequel, with all the adventure games from the last ten years.

The Blackwell Convergence is the third book in the series. I really like Rosangela, although she sometimes gives a creepy grin after she says something. I'm at least glad that the character portraits during dialogues are back; I missed them in Blackwell Unbound.

I like the jazzy music. Working on the computer is fun. I dig into the story, had some unexpected surprises. The interrogation through the notebook reminds me of Gabriel Knight, although I wish it was clearer sometimes when you've exhausted a topic with someone.

I like this "map" screen better than in Unbound, it gives a better perspective on where all the locations are in the city. I finished The Blackwell Convergence in 3.5 hours of playtime spread over two weeks. It was an easier game than the previous two, because the interface was simpler. No notebook to make connections and no phone book to look things up. There are some very small inventory puzzles added, which I liked as well. I love how in the credits the voice actors have pictures next to their characters. It's so much more interesting than just a name. I wonder if the character designs were based on the actors' performances.

The Blackwell Deception is harder than the others. I got stuck a few times with no idea where to go or what to do. I had to run back and forth between locations a few times.

I like how the notebook is replaced by a phone, but not how you have to re-establish connections. I like how the character portraits end up facing the same side as the characters and even turn around if necessary, which bothered me in the previous games.

 

I don't like the "map" screen, because it doesn't even look like a map this time. You just choose your destination on your smartphone, no idea where those locations are exactly in the city. I'm also not a fan of Rosa's outfit in this game, kind of bland, and there's also something wrong with her character design. All the characters look a bit thin.

There seem to be more ghosts in this part. The hardest part is finding clues so you unlock the right conversation topics/answers.

I finished The Blackwell Deception with 6.7 hours on the clock. So that's almost double the playing time it took me to play Unbound and Convergence. I got seriously stuck twice. I wasn't aware of the extent to which Joey could walk through doors and walls; apparently he can also stick his head into smaller spaces that are otherwise inaccessible. The second time I got stuck was because I wasn't aware of the full extent of how Joey's tie could be used. So I got stuck because I didn't know those things were options

The Blackwell Epiphany is the conclusion of this series. I feel like I'm constantly fighting an invisible enemy here. It's a long game, with nice surprises. Rosa looks better than in Deception, she's cute with her earmuffs.

The "map" screen is something else again. I like how the animated artwork looks, but the locations lack a visible distance from each other, which was at least evident in Legacy and Unbound. The phone has a new feature that lets you download information, which you can then use in your notes to look for cross-references.

I finished The Blackwell Epiphany in eight hours of playtime. This story never ceased to amaze me. I'm sad it's over, having spent a total of 27 hours in this universe (and apparently 682 footsteps in this particular episode).

I don't think I'd ever be best friends with Joey, but Rosa found a place in my heart. An aspiring writer who finds a very different calling, and red hair to top it all off. Yeah, I'd definitely go for coffee with her.

This is very well written, good puzzles although it took some getting used to with the notebook and search engines. The music is perfect, the artwork is beautiful, this series is indeed a huge game.

Wadjet Eye Games will be releasing Old Skies in 2025. I already had the privilige of playtesting it, and the look and feel of Blackwell is apparent throughout. Old Skies is easily as big a game as all Blackwell games combined. So if you want to prepare yourself for Old Skies and want to get a taste of how Dave Gilbert's puzzling mind works, I can definitely recommend the Blackwell series.

"Echoes", my Adventure Game Hotspot review!

Read my full review on Adventure Game Hotspot!

Excerpt: "The different graphical styles throughout the game’s five chapters might not fully distract you from the sparing use of music and sound effects, but if you like a good mystery/thriller with a horror edge to it that keeps you second guessing, the characters and their stories here will certainly pull you in. Echoes definitely isn’t for those looking for a typical puzzle-solving adventure game, but if you want to spend a few hours clicking through an interactive graphic novel with some light adventuring sprinkled in, making some conversational choices along the way that subtly impact the outcome of the story, you’ll be solidly entertained the first time through and may even decide it’s worth coming back for more."

 

"Farewell North", my Adventure Game Hotspot review!

Read my full review on Adventure Game Hotspot!

Excerpt: "As I started playing Farewell North, I didn’t find it very adventurey. Sure, it was cool running around as a dog chasing a little blue light around, but the otherwise colorless setting didn’t warm my heart. Then I faced the first obstacles and things got more interesting, and even a little tricky here and there. And when I succeeded in returning color to the first island I visited, it was as if the entire game came to life for me, and the shared magical journey of Chesley and Cailey touched a chord inside me. It’s a very serious game, uncovering deep emotions, but it includes just enough comic relief, like Chesley’s interactions with the wildlife. What at first seemed little more than a cozy exploration game became something resembling a real-life adventure through a jaw-droppingly beautiful land I’d love to visit personally. The narrative builds up to a bittersweet finale through a variety of fun gameplay styles as you feel ever more invested in the deep love between woman and dog, making it ideal for animal lovers, nature fans, or anyone who could use a little more color in their own lives."

I finished "King's Quest V" in 7 hours and with 55 save files!

Wow, didn't expect that score!

Wow, what a journey that was! I had no idea I would like this game so much. I had expected it to be a struggle, with lots of restores at the end, going back to the complete start of the game to pick up on things I missed. And yes, I did have to do that occassionally, but I never had to go back THAT far. I must admit, I had a little outside help. People had warned me about the rat, for instance. And about the pie. So that was great advice, and I was able to handle them appropriately and even at the first try. So, much obliged, dear fellow point 'n clickers! I'm sure the game would have taken a bit longer, otherwise.

Okay, let's mount this Caradhras!

Last time I thought it was time to get rid of the snake. And yes indeed, I succeeded after using a couple of inventory items. In hindsight, it makes sense what you need to use but I never thought of the solution myself; it was just trial and error at that point. I think what helped me through this first section of the game was my notebook: everytime I encountered something, I wrote down what it was and ususally what was needed there. Basically trying to compile my own puzzle dependency chart. Playing the game in this structured way has helped me before, with Quest for Glory 3, for instance.

Release the Kracken!

The second part of the game was easier, in my opinion, and I kinda rushed through the mountains. The next section, however, was terrible. I lost count of how many times that sea monster gobbled me up. This was like the desert; I had no idea where to go, so I tried to go about it systematically again, just trying directions, but this beast seemed to pop up randomly, at least I couldn't detect a pattern behind it which might have shown me the right way to go. I found the island by sheer luck. I don't know how much time I lost here. I did wonder if this section inspired the part in Beyond the Edge of Owlsgard where you have to maneuver the ship through the rocks.

Herman?

After the sea bit, however, I reached Mordack's castle. Now the first part of that, finding my way through the labyrinth, was pretty straightforward. I just followed the walls around, always keeping my hand on the right wall so to speak. Something I learned to do exploring the apartment building in Silent Hill 2. But then in the rooms of the castle itself, I was completely lost. I got locked in the dungeon over and over again, Mordack killed me over and over again, I got THIS close to getting completely frustrated because I knew this was the end game, and I just couldn't figure it out. I knew somewhat what I had to do, because I found a strange machine and it could do something to one of my inventory items, but I was still missing a counterpart and I had no idea how to get it.

Kinda looks like the Death Star...

So yeah, I admit I looked this one up and I was astonished, because there was a complete room I missed! But even had I found that room, I don't think I would've been able to progress without that extra knowledge. Then I still died a couple of times during the final battle, which reminded me of the wizard's duel in that old Disney movie, The Sword in the Stone. I finished the game with a final score of 253 out of 260 points. Which was the old Sierra equivalent of today's achievements and trophies in games.

Graham is buff!

So all in all, quite an enjoyable game. The first part was mostly exploring, finding the right items to progress, and trying to avoid the occasional death scene. The middle part was pretty straightforward, didn't have much trouble with that. The final part is where I restored the most games. In the end, I had about 55 save files; sometimes I would overwrite one when I was sure I had the right thing, but in that final part I think I added at least 20 unique saves because I was so scared something would go wrong; which it usually did.

The next "classic" game I'll play will probably be Willy Beamish, but I'll be playing some other things first, I think.

3 hours and several dead-ends into "King's Quest 5"

Death scene n° 7

So, during my second playthrough session I decided to enter the forbidden forest. Big mistake. The witch turned me into a frog instantly. So I took my little notebook and scratched down "need magical armour". And thus I went to explore all locations again.

Dead end n°1

That's when the ants gave me a hand and precured an item I could use to enter another, closed-off location. And lo and behold, that ultimately delivered me a magical amulet! So, back into the forest I went! And indeed, the witch couldn't bespell me anymore. So I was able to explore the forest, but all I could do was let myself by caught by either a giant spider or a man-eating plant. I tried looking for the next move, but soon I gathered I had still entered the forest too early and unprepared.

These guys know how to party...

A restore brought me back to town, but I couldn't find anything else to do. Then I remembered the desert.  I had seen it, but didn't venture into it yet. Perhaps it was time to do so. Thinking I'd probably die because I didn't possess a water pouch or anything, I went ahead anyway, following the rocky cliffs until finally I suddenly found myself at the Middle-Eastern city of Petra in Jordan; or at least this game's equivalent. A couple of horsemen killed me because I was too busy taking a screenshot. I could easily hide from them next time. But when I tried to enter the temple, of course the door didn't open. I needed the staff the horsemen used, so I assumed I had to follow them. 

Will I find the Holy Grail here?

I lost count of how many times I died in the desert. I had no idea where to go, after all. So I took on the task systematically, until I found an oasis. From that point, I repeated the process, until I reached an encampment after several more tries of roaming in the wrong direction, finding a second oasis in one place, and a skeleton with a shoe in another. Then of course the horseman killed me as I tried to make off with his staff, so I took notice to be more careful during my second attempt. I entered the temple but of course got locked in soon after. Finally I made it out with a couple of new items, hoping to use them in a couple of locations I hadn't been able to do much so far.

Saved a rat. Could be important...

And yes, the temple treasure set in motion a string of events, basically finishing off a series of fetch quests. I was able to vanquish the witch and finally procure an item from every shop in town. Oh, and I saved some rat from some cat while backtracking. Got a bunch of items now, but nothing that looks like it can get rid of the snake blocking the mountain path, even though I think I've done all I can in this area now. Guess I'll just have to try some things...

"Devil's Hideout", my Adventure Game Hotspot review!

Read my full review on Adventure Game Hotspot!

Excerpt: Although Devil’s Hideout is a short game, this developer definitely knows how to keep his audience glued to the screen. There’s never a dull moment, always with some puzzle or other to solve, alternating with some thankfully non-frustrating mini-games and gorgeously horrific locations to explore, filled with creepy characters that seem to have walked straight out of a horror movie. Lauren is a great heroine, a strong woman who will do anything to save her sister, though she still gets scared and freaked out by the crazy stuff she encounters. The “fan service” jump scares never stopped getting to me, which did get a bit annoying in the end if I’m totally honest. While at first I was baffled by the sudden ending, it hit me not long after that the writer wanted to subtly hint at a possible hidden truth without outright stating it as fact, keeping the player guessing, which I can appreciate. It might leave you yearning for a firmer resolution, but in its own way it nicely wraps up a well-written horror tale where the devil can be hiding around every corner.

Classic time: "King's Quest V" playthrough

New game!

I've started playing King's Quest V and I'm 1 hour into it!

This is actually the second time in my life I started playing this game. Last time, some years ago, I died not half an hour into it, simply by visiting a bar. I so wasn't into random deaths at the time, so no idea what I was doing playing a Sierra game, but I've matured since then so it's about time I give this classic point 'n click adventure another chance.

Now where to go first...

I'm King Graham, and the evil wizard Mordack has just run off with my castle. Cedric the Owl witnessed it all, and he takes me to the good wizard Crispin, who hands me his old wand and sends me on my way. Cedric tells me best to go into town first to get some supplies. All this is told in an 11 minute intro cutscene. Which is pretty long for today's standards, but I guess back in the day everyone was in awe of the beautiful backgrounds. They're still beautiful, but 11 minutes before you actually get to play?! Thankfully, you can skip that intro if you so wish...

Not the first enchanted tree I met in a Sierra game...

This first hour I've mainly been exploring. I met an enchanted willow tree in need of  a golden heart to undo the spell. I saved some ants from a dog and some bees from a bear. I bought a custard pie from the local baker. Met a prince searching for his princess. There's a cloak in a shop I'm guessing I'll need to buy somehow. And there's a snake blocking the path into the mountains.

Quaint little town...

There's also a dark forest with a foreboding sign at the entrance. That's where I'll explore next. Not sure if that's a good idea yet, but I've already got 10 saved games. I learned my lesson when I died 24 minutes in when Graham fell into a river...

Sigh...

 (Okay, I admit it, I did that on purpose...)