How is Prisoner of Ice?
Hartmut Schmider
I didn't like it. The graphics are nice, but I prefer the AITD-like
interface of the same company. The idea is rather interesting, but the
story moves sluggishly, and the puzzles are garbage. Often, the only
thing to be done is searching every screen for an unspecified object
to move the story. The rest is "use everything on everything, talk to
everybody anytime". This type of game is getting old.
There also seems to be a specific problem with the dialogue. Often, it
is hard to figure out what the answers of theh NPC's or of the
computer are supposed to mean. No attempt was made to simulate some
sort of realistic conversation, instead everybody keeps on repeating
the last sentence.
Twice I found vital objects by clicking 20 times in the same area,
being told "why carry around useless stuff?" 19 times, and "you pick
up ... there's ... in it" at the end.
Specialists for adventures (you know, the people who got through
"Monkey Island II" without any hints) will play the game in 2 hours. I
needed weeks, but just because I kept on being stuck on account of not
clicking the right pixel.
If you haven't played it already, I suggest "Buried in time", ten
times better, imho.
Hartmut "prisoner of rain" Schmider
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Hartmut Schmider, Kemisk Lab. B | Too many mouths open,
DTU - 301, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark | Not enough eyes open,
| Too many legs open,
e-mail ha...@kvant2.klb.dtu.dk | Not enough minds open.
| Sinead O'Connor
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Christian Boehme
>From: ha...@kvant2.klb.dtu.dk (Hartmut Schmider)
>Subject: Re: How is Prisoner of Ice?
>I didn't like it. The graphics are nice, but I prefer the AITD-like
>interface of the same company. The idea is rather interesting, but the
>story moves sluggishly, and the puzzles are garbage. Often, the only
>thing to be done is searching every screen for an unspecified object
>to move the story. The rest is "use everything on everything, talk to
>everybody anytime". This type of game is getting old.
I disagree here. The question whether the more action oriented AITD interface
or this point&click interface is better depends on what you want to do. This
is a graphic adventure, so the AITD interface isn愒 usable. I think there were
quite some interesting puzzles, the graphics are good and the story is
outstanding. There愀 only one puzzle which really depends on finding a
item which is very hard to spot. Definitely a must for any horror/dark fantasy
fan. If you愉e just looking for a serious adventure you should at least try it
out.
>Twice I found vital objects by clicking 20 times in the same area,
>being told "why carry around useless stuff?" 19 times, and "you pick
>up ... there's ... in it" at the end.
I cannot second that.
>Specialists for adventures (you know, the people who got through
>"Monkey Island II" without any hints) will play the game in 2 hours. I
>needed weeks, but just because I kept on being stuck on account of not
>clicking the right pixel.
It愀 quite short, but not more than Full Throttle (or many other adventures
right now)
>If you haven't played it already, I suggest "Buried in time", ten
>times better, imho.
The demo was really boring, but that needn愒 be representative. This game
seems comparable to Myst. I liked Myst very much but it愀 of course no horror
or dark fantasy game !
Christian