Adventure games, round 3

1991-1994: Monkey Island 2: LeChucks’ Revenge

The way this game works is close to identical to the CD-ROM version of its Monkey Island 1.  I note only two meaningful differences: maps have compasses, and there is an “easy” mode,” which might be good if the kids have a hard time with the more difficult puzzles.

Otherwise the interface is the same.

1992: Indiana Jones 2: Indian Jones and the Fate of Atlantis

Indy 2 is basically the same as Monkey 1 CD-ROM and Monkey 2.  Verbs have been rearranged slightly and the fonts and colors have changed, but that’s about it.  The map has a compass but no letters to indicate direction.

 

 

Maniac Mansion 2: Day of the Tentacle

Let’s start with the negative: the font is difficult to read.  Especially for early readers, who are used to seeing “proper” text, this may be too much.

On the positive side, the subtitled cutscenes have a lot of fun with text size and placement, which is more engaging… if only this font was more clear at smaller sizes!

Interface changes are otherwise subtle: six inventory items instead of eight, although this stopped mattering when they converted to icons, and (I kind of like this) to “use” or “give” an item you need to drag the icon with the mouse, as you can see here as I use my inventory item “hamster” with the microwave.  If only the text was more prominent along with the icon, this would be more significant.

Otherwise the gameplay is the same for educational purposes as Monkey Island 1 CD-ROM.

1993: Sam & Max Hit the Road

The beginning of the end.  “Sam & Max” removes the text element from LucasArts adventure games.  There is no longer a verb list: verbs are now represented as icons (the fist as an example for “use” or “do”).

Inventory is made up as icons, as before, but this time with no text representation.  You can optionally look at the items using the eyeball icon, but that elicits a more verbose description, not a simple vocab word.

Even the conversation trees have been simplified, narrowed down to icons for “question,” “exclamation,” “non-sequitur.”

I’m pretty sure that the three remaining games I was going to look at, “Full Throttle,” “The Dig,” and “Monkey Island 3: Curse of Monkey Island” continue down this path.  If memory serves, they are all good games, but simply not the English language tools that the earlier games are.

The use of icons saves money for video game developers: less time reviewing the English text, less time and money in translation, etc.  For my purposes, though, the earlier games provide similar enjoyment for the students but with the benefit of doubling as a reading and pseudo-writing exercise.

Two final points: 1) I know that many of these games have fan-made sequels using similar gameplay.  This may offer similar benefits in the classroom without the complexity of licensing from LucasArts, and 2) Adventure games are only a very small part of the puzzle, so I’ll be looking at a lot of different programs, but I don’t want to turn my blog a software review site.  Likely I’ll be setting up a wiki for my comments in order to separate it from the blog.  In this way, I hope to get feedback and suggestions for other programs… I only have so much time and I can’t look at all these things myself!