Discussion Point: Costumes

Written by The TAG Team

Halloween is nearly upon us, for those of us who celebrate it.  In many places, including the United States, it’s a holiday that celebrates people dressing up in disguises, and begging strangers for candy.

Because really, what could be better than free candy?

But the costume part isn’t just for children in autumn.  It’s also a puzzle source for adventure games!

So, in honor of the holiday, let’s talk about your favorite costumes donned by our game protagonists in order to solve a puzzle, trick a foe, and win the game.

For example, an early Sierra example might be Police Quest 1, where Detective Sonny Bonds goes undercover as a pimp named Whitey to infiltrate a drug ring.

Another early example, Zak McKracken, needed glasses to look like the aliens making us all dumber.  This is, of course, before the internet.  We now do it to ourselves.

In a recent game played for the blog, bookseller Gabriel Knight dressed as a priest to extract information from a voodoo practitioner, and then as a wild animal to crash a ritual.

And there are many others.  So, which ones are your favorites?

Alone in the Dark 2 - Won!

Written by Andy Panthro

Hey, can you teach us some magic?

We begin this section in control of Grace again, although not for long. With Carnby out of action, it’s time to get to work. Grace only has a couple of items available, and there’s nothing to be found in the captains room. There is a large statue of the captain next to a locked door though, and by putting the loa stick into the captain’s hands, the door opens.

Inside is the witch lady Elizabeth, who is busy keeping Carnby suspended in the air. There doesn’t seem to be anything to pick up in the room, so instead we remember the advice from an earlier book about voodoo (we picked this up as Carnby in the gunpowder room, if I didn’t already mention it) and wave our chicken leg at the veve (a ritual symbol) in order to break the spell. Not sure how much this really mirrors actual Haitian vodou practices, but it causes the witch lady to explode in another fun animated scene. 

Dragonsphere – Space Oddity

Written by Vetinari

First thing as I leave the Hightower mountains, I decide to travel to Slathan ni Pathan to get my shifter ring back. It's not such a good idea, because the two imbeciles who guard the access to the swampland have decided that since the new developments any shifter is fair play to be run through with their halberds.

Callahach's finest.

I try everything, telling them that I am a shifter that just wants to go home, that I am NOT a shifter, that I don't know anything at all, this exchange always ends with me getting shish-kebabbed by these two dumbasses.

Alone in the Dark 2 - Pirate Shenanigans

Written by Andy Panthro

Grace is of an age where the basement is too spooky.

I will fully admit to looking up the first of the steps I needed to take in this section. I had arrived back in the kitchen of the mansion as Grace, and all I had found was a key on the floor. If I tried to leave this room to get to the main door (or the stairs up or down) a pirate would come and catch me.

I tried ringing the bell again, assuming the key might be for something back at the ship, but you get a message saying you’re not done here. Good that it’s not letting me leave without getting whatever items I might require at least! A quick check of a hint and it turns out the key is for a cabinet in the kitchen. The trouble with this cabinet was, I had completely assumed it wasn’t able to be opened, because there was never a message when I tried to interact with it. Often a locked door or cabinet in this game will give you a message if you try and interact with it.

Anyway, the kitchen cabinet contains two items, an ice box and molasses. I tried using both, and grace dumps them out on the floor. I immediately assume I’m supposed to use these as traps, so I reload, and then pour the ice out on the floor. Next, I get the attention of the pirate and make him follow me into the kitchen, where he slips on the ice and dies! Score another one for Grace.

Donkey Island - Final Rating

Written by Michael

I sometimes get excited over the littlest things.

After Alex's post last week, anything I write this time is going to be a massive let-down.  I apologize in advance.  I'll try to do my best in his shadow.  

But after his slightly disappointing game, I have a dilemma.  Which is harder, rating a game like my last one, and worrying about how people will feel I was too generous, or a game like this one, and worry about being too harsh?

This game has a lot of charm and character to it.  For something that was intended mostly as a demonstration of concept, a test of a homemade game engine, you can tell that the authors enjoyed the source material.  Then again, who DOESN’T enjoy the Monkey Island games?  (Well, I’m sure there’s ONE person reading this blog right now that’s calling them overrated, but remember, we ARE an inclusive blog, tolerant of all opinions, even the wrong ones.)

Shall we begin?