Game 151: Innocent Until Caught (1993) - Introduction

Written by Morpheus Kitami

 

It's nice to get back to some normal, standard and uncontroversial adventure games after what in retrospect, was a year consisting entirely of more experimental titles, the most traditional of which was arguably the most insane in other respects. (This was actually written in 2025, since I know it's 2026 when you read this) Yes, sir, it's nice to get back to the realm of adventure games that actually enjoy being adventure games.

What, you think there's going to be a joke here? Nah.

Innocent Until Caught is one of those adventure games with a cool premise and world design that even at the time, seems like a complete and total waste of resources. You're telling me that someone made an adventure game with its own unique universe, completely disconnected to any published sci-fi writer or licensed material? And instead of playing as an actual hero, you're just the local equivalent of a tax dodger? The nerve of these people. Give me ten copies and a framed poster of the box art.

King’s Quest VII - Won!

Written by Michael

Unfortunately, the game fizzles out along with the volcano at the end.

We’ve reached the end, and there’s not much to it.  So, this will be a rather short entry.

When the scene begins, we return to the underground lair where the two troll kings are fighting each other.  While I can’t tell which is which from the animation, the voice of the real one tells me to turn the imposter back into his true self.

Which witch is which?

Unfortunately, the animation is so fast, I can’t tell who to click the wand on, but I manage to get off a shot and hit the one on the right.  He turns into something resembling the scarab of the past posts, and hops away.

Oops.  It seems I turned the real King Otar into a creature, instead of the imposter.

The Clue! - Art of the Steal

Written by MenhirMike

I am not going to lie, this session was a real struggle for a while. Not so much because of the game, which is still great despite some interface troubles I will get into. But because these last three sessions were essentially me keeping notes in an Excel sheet and then writing those notes into prose that read more like math homework than a blog about a game. I am happy to report that the game did pick up on story bits again at the end, but until then it’s going to be a bunch of facts and numbers.

In the previous episode, we’ve burgled the Jeweller, got arrested for 24 hours as part of the story, sold our stolen goods, and are now left with 2398 pounds and no clear direction. Time to look at the available targets, and it’s clear that the next heist is going to be art: 

• Suterby’s: Not to be confused with Christie’s and Sotheby’s, it’s a smaller auction house
• Chiswick House: An old, aristocratic mansion
• Osterly Park House, Isleworth: One of the many country houses around London, having its walls covered by precious paintings instead of wallpaper
• Ham House, Richmond: Another country house with impressive hedges 

Despite the name, it's not a butcher's store.

King’s Quest VII - Why Don't You Come with Me, Little Girl, On a Magic Carpet Ride

Written by Michael

Now, onto the most tedious part of the game so far.  More tedious than a lazy George Harrison song (although it DID inspire a great parody by Weird Al).  

We use a lute, rather than a whistle, but the concept holds.

We landed on what ends up being the Grand Central Station of Etheria, a floating island with four rainbows positioned around it at the corners.  If you click on one of them, it will transport you to various places we've already been to, like the desert and the haunted forest, and we can get back by playing the lute we were given by the count.  It brings the horse back to us, and the horse re-deposits us back at this travel hub.

King’s Quest VII - Rainbows are Visions, But Only Illusions

 Written by Michael

Don’t blog angry.

Welcome back to Falderol, and back to Queen Valanice’s side of the story.  

First, I feel the need to note:  this is, by far, the most boring chapter of the story so far.  “Nightmare in Etheria” is the title, but if this is a nightmare, it’s on the level of Groundhog Day, because we are going to be going back and forth, repeating actions, and really just running down the clock, hoping the other team doesn’t make a basket.

Of course, I won't get to most of these complaints until the next post -- but since I hadn't originally planned on splitting this post in two, I can't resist leaving this opening in place.