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Mindshadow (video game)

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Mindshadow
Developer(s)Interplay Productions
Publisher(s)Activision
Platform(s)Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Macintosh, PC Booter, ZX Spectrum
Release1984
Genre(s)Adventure

Mindshadow is a 1984 adventure game released on various platforms including Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Macintosh, PC Booter, ZX Spectrum. The game was developed by Interplay Productions and published by Activision.

Plot

The player finds themself on a beach with no memory of his identity. The island is a self-contained area with beaches, rocky cliffs, a hut and a quicksand area, which serves as a maze for the player to reach another location of the game. The character's main objective is to gather objects necessary to assemble a bonfire as a signal for any passing ships.

Once this is accomplished, the player finds himself on board a pirate ship pursued by the Royal Navy without a means to leave the ship or reach any destination. The player has to find a means to stop the ship and thus be rescued and dropped somewhere in London. At this point, the player will start having clues about his past, and has receive mysterious instructions and even evade attempts against his life. Buying a forged ticket, the player has to fly to Luxemburg where he will receive more clues, and finally confront his nemesis.

If the player has uncovered enough clues (i.e. by reading a newspaper, or finding notes and messages on dead bodies) at the very end, the player will be able to regain his memory. It is revealed that the player is wealthy industrialist William Arcman, whose evil twin brother, Jared, having faked his own death, attempted to make William disappear and then steal his identity to take advantage of his wealth. The story started right after Jared hit William on the head and dropped him on a desert island.

Gameplay

The detective mystery is portrayed in an interactive fiction adventure game style. A window displays static graphics with the environment the character sees.[1]

An important command of the game is REMEMBER which is used with clues. (e.g. REMEMBER WILLIAM ARCMAN) which is obligatory for the player to regain his memory at the end.

The game accepts also the phrase HELP CONDOR; a condor appears giving the player cryptic hints (when available). This can be employed only 3 times in each playthrough.[2]

Critical reception

Allgame gave it 2.5 stars out of 5, writing "Mindshadow is basically a second-rate Amnesia with weaker graphics. It has its moments but, unless you're a diehard fan of the genre, you won't get much enjoyment out of the game."[1]

Sinclair User awarded 2 stars out of 5,[3], describing the game as 'not very original' and 'rather small'.

ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) gave it 8.5 out of 10,[4] Zzap! rated it 75 out of 100,[5] Your Sinclair rated it 7 out of 10 and Tilt gave it 4 Stars.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b Rovi Corporation. "Mindshadow".
  2. ^ Game documentation
  3. ^ "Sinclair User March 1986, page 74". EMAP.
  4. ^ "Kultboy.com - DIE Kult-Seite ber die alten Spiele-Magazine und Retro-Games!".
  5. ^ "Impossible to Display Scan".
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