Posted March 23, 2025
And by "old school gaming" I mean that as you play the game you write down everything you read and sketch your own maps as you go. Why? Because the game has no journal to tell you what you need to do or where you need to go, and even if it did there is no map in the game to show you how to get there. You do get some hints but that's all - hints.
The level designs are sadistic - twisty turning confusing 3d-mazes (although true 3d which is actually impressive for the time) with teleporters all over the place that send you who knows where because, once again, no maps. Not only do you run around endlessly trying to find what to do next, sometimes you run around endlessly just trying to find your way out of the level.
Most of the puzzles are just finding objects and putting them back where they belong, but there's this one particular bridge puzzle... well, you'll find out when you get there.
Combat is basic and simple, just blast them until they drop.
I found that a lot of the objects you need to progress through the game are hidden and quite hard to find. This was quite common back in the pre-internet days when game studios would hide items and make very obscure puzzles so they could make extra money selling solution books. Sometimes they made more money selling the books than they did from the game itself.
The game does look quite good when played in a sourceport. It runs smooth and is very stable and never crashed once.
Anyway I gave it a go because I played all the other ID games but never got around to this one. Had fun at first but it got tiring. Gave up halfway through the Egyptian level because, once again, no maps. I probably would have slogged through it back in the day but just don't have the time and energy anymore.
If you're interested in the lore of the series or want to see what it was like when games started using 3d models instead of 2d sprites then it's worth a run through. Or you can give it a run through anyway and find a new appreciation for quest markers, journals, minimaps and all the other things modern games have spoiled us with.
But prepare yourself if you do because, once again, no maps.
Happy gaming!
The level designs are sadistic - twisty turning confusing 3d-mazes (although true 3d which is actually impressive for the time) with teleporters all over the place that send you who knows where because, once again, no maps. Not only do you run around endlessly trying to find what to do next, sometimes you run around endlessly just trying to find your way out of the level.
Most of the puzzles are just finding objects and putting them back where they belong, but there's this one particular bridge puzzle... well, you'll find out when you get there.
Combat is basic and simple, just blast them until they drop.
I found that a lot of the objects you need to progress through the game are hidden and quite hard to find. This was quite common back in the pre-internet days when game studios would hide items and make very obscure puzzles so they could make extra money selling solution books. Sometimes they made more money selling the books than they did from the game itself.
The game does look quite good when played in a sourceport. It runs smooth and is very stable and never crashed once.
Anyway I gave it a go because I played all the other ID games but never got around to this one. Had fun at first but it got tiring. Gave up halfway through the Egyptian level because, once again, no maps. I probably would have slogged through it back in the day but just don't have the time and energy anymore.
If you're interested in the lore of the series or want to see what it was like when games started using 3d models instead of 2d sprites then it's worth a run through. Or you can give it a run through anyway and find a new appreciation for quest markers, journals, minimaps and all the other things modern games have spoiled us with.
But prepare yourself if you do because, once again, no maps.
Happy gaming!
Post edited March 23, 2025 by desert-bard