Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Something final about Simon

... even though it's not 'final' final - Simon is still alive.


Now that I've finished "Simon the Sorcerer 4", I decided to write another post about it. It turns out that I was quite far already when I wrote the last post about it.

In the end the game was typically "Simon" again - even though the demons did not get him as they wanted (he accused them of doping and managed to get away with it). And I think his mother will be happy - as he sent the other Simon back who likes to clean up and keep everything in order.


Looking back on the whole game, I must admit that it was the first good adventure I've seen in a while. I had some fun with the second part of "Tony Tough" not too long ago, but the puzzles weren't up to the good old standard defined by LucasArts and Sierra in the 90's. The puzzles in "Simon the Sorcerer 4" aren't perfect either - but what is perfect in this world? -, but they are quite logical and thus good.

The intro-sequence isn't very good - it's ugly and it's rather pointless. But once Simon has reached the magical world and wears his red wizard-outfit again (he's got a violet coat and hat in the first game, but from part 2 onwards he's always been wearing red), the fun really starts. There's strange characters (both old and new), there's a surrounding filled with life (even the first game had fluttering butterflies, little rabbits and squirrels moving about) and there's a lot to use and put into the inventory.

The puzzles, as I've pointed out before, are quite logical. By thinking about them and looking at what's in the inventory and surrounding the 'problem', it's always possible to find as solution. And if the solution is wrong, so what? It's still funny to hear the comments.


I will play the game again, to enjoy the process now that I know the end - I often do that. And maybe I'll play it some more afterwards. Not right now, but maybe in a couple of weeks - once I've finished redesigning my website "Night-Shade".

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