BIOSCOPIA
By
Tiovla
(Don’t you just love those flying hats?)

An abandoned biological research station, a curious young scientist, her ill considered actions that put her in peril, race against time to rescue her create drama in this game.

You point and click you way around a self contained biological research station and at times you have to pick pixels but navigation is mostly easy. The game is not really linear but since you have to solve puzzles to get from one place to the other it may as well be.

You discover that the robots are responsible for the stations demise but when you meet some of them they either ignore you or are easily disabled. There are a few minor mazes some quite interesting and a pleasant change from going around in circles from door to door.

The different sections of the station are locked behind doors that are opened with a card you put into a slot. The cards carry five charges and they need to be recharged often, this is where the educational aspect kicks in. The charging machine asks questions and only charge the card if the answer is correct. There is no penalty for the wrong answer. Luckily one of the computers is a universal brain (with work stations all over the place) that contains all the answers you need. The information is extensive and well presented.

You have to be observant, collect objects, visit many places, and manufacture some things in your quest to make penicillin that is needed to save the life of the young scientist. After all your trouble she barely thanks you for saving her life and rushes off to report her findings.

They game play is smooth and the graphics if not sophisticated are sharp enough to be enjoyable. There is very little music but the sounds are appropriate. There are two disks, if you do a full install you do not have to swap disks. The main menu is uncomplicated and easy to use and there are enough slots to save. There are no bugs (except in the zoology department ha ha) but there are some minor annoyances. For example: every time you start the game you have to listen to the girl looking for the station, getting locked in and complaining about her predicament. The game ending is rushed but the credits roll on and on.

In spite of that I enjoyed playing the game and having the unfair advantage of extensive training in biology my card was fully charged at all times. This is a game worth playing it is entertaining beside being educational and you get a lot of interesting information about genetics, cell biology, zoology and botany in a painless way.


Win XP/Home (HD format FAT32)
Nvidia GeeForce 4 Ti 4200
VIA AC97 Enhanced Audio Controller
512 MB Ram
Played on the fly

Kathy - have you played Chemicus? If so how did the hardness of the game compare to it? I was lousy in Chemistry but managed pretty well with the game - did better in Biology in school. I have had Bioscopia for a while now, guess it's time I plopped it onto the hard drive and see how much I've forgotten over the past 30 years

Chemicus is hardest of the three games. Not because of the science as much but because of the way that you had to get back to the different aspects of the laboratory.

In all three games the answers to the puzzles are always at hand, you have to shift through the material (of course that is the point of and edugame) to find it.

I think Physicus is the easiest of them all.

I agree about the assessment of which of the series was harder/easier. I thought Bioscopia had the best plot/story line. I did think the graphics were sharper with Chemicus. However, Bioscopia was my favorote of the series. The knowledge base was one I have some familiarity with, so the questions were on easier grounds for me.

I also love the little hats at the Tivola intro. One of the very few publisher credits I watch at the load of a game.

I am glad that you covered this game as it has not been talked about that much. Well done.

Lasanidine,
I don't want to put a spoiler here, but did you realize what really happened at the end of BIOSCOPIA? I thought it made it a bit more interesting.

The factual information in CHEMICUS was not as well organized as it was in the other two games. I found it to be the most difficult of the three, but still great fun.

My sister, who is handicapped, loves the Tivola MAX games and WHERE'S THE BLANKET, CHARLIE BROWN? I have enjoyed them, too, and also get a kick out of the hats.

Lady K.