Connections
Discovery Multimedia / 1995
W95/W98/Mac
First person point and click adventure
Recommended - All ages

This game is based on the television show of the same name and even features James Burke. As the game opens you are standing in front of a castle - thus your first task is figuring out what the heck you're supposed to be doing.

Once you find Mr. Burke all is clear. Seems that chaos has entered the web and it's up to you to set it right. This is done by finding items throughout history that connect together to form a chain. There are eight such items in each area of the game you visit. Once you find all eight you are automatically transported to the next game sequence.

The game uses full motion video for the "connected" items - but otherwise the game is static slideshow movement. Very little inventory is used and what there is does not carry from one area of the game to the other - you start fresh each time. Extremely easy interface to use and the game has a built in hint system that can be turned on or off at the start of the game. I chose to turn it off and there were a few puzzles that I wished I'd have left it on for. But the clues to solving everything are in the game - you pretty much know what you are supposed to do.

All in all I enjoyed the game very much. It's a nice diversion from some of the hair pulling games I've been attempting the past little while. And besides, what other game are you going to play where you learn that a tea cup led to the discovery of the big bang theory and have it make perfect sense?





[This message has been edited by syd (edited 05-16-2001).]

Syd - what a great game to bring up.

I love this game! My favorite was when you were busted out of the jail and became famous as the cannonball kid...or something like that.

I've seen it available in different places and it is a good value. It played fairly long too - if memory serves me correctly. It's been a while since I played this one - I think back in 1995.

Laura

I got stuck in the Wild West level. I loved the castle level, though, especially the silly video from the company that makes -- was it drawbridges?

The science part wasn't too heavy-handed. Kind of neat the way the chain works, actually.

I guess I should go back and play it with hints so I can get myself out of the saloon.

I'm playing this old game right now and it's a blast!

It's like a series of mini-adventures and it's quite imaginative. Music is pretty good, humor is suble, situations are interesting. I like the inventory system, carrying around just what you need, starting over with the next set of "links".

Playing this on the trusty Dell PII, I had trouble getting the FMV to work with my P4 and it was just easier for me to swing my chair around and install it on the Dell then change the other settings on the P4. On the Dell it's running like a top.

I would reccommend this one to anyone who is looking for a diversion from the usual long story driven game. You can play it in fits and starts without racking your brains trying to remember what you've already done or where exactly you are.

The built in hint system is great, yes I am using it. It's like the UHS system in that you don't get an answer usually, more like a few progressively strong nudges in the right direction, which I think is great. I got stuck in a maze in the Wild West level and there was a "magic button" buried in the hints that brought you out again if you pushed it.

All in all a great game, glad I picked it up.

happy trails,

Carolyn