Finally! After two not particularly exciting games, Simon nailed that elusive 3D look. Probably has to do with the combination of gorgeous hand-painted background graphics with smartly cell-shaded characters methinks. Now, if the humour and puzzles are as good as the they were in the first two 16-bit Simon the Sorcerer installments, we can all be sure that Simon the Sorcerer 5: Who'd Even Want Contact?! will be an excellent PC adventure indeed. Mind you, the German demo seems fine, and you can download it from Simon's highly informative official site.For another (or a first) go at the original games on the other hand, you could do much worse than having a look at GOG.com. Oh, and better avoid Simon 3D as it does have more than its fair share of flaws.
Anyway. On to the Gnome's Lair related bit of the post. Thing is, you see, I'll soon (mid-May) be joining the army for something less than year, meaning that new posts will be sporadic at best. BUT, till then, I hope to actually revitalize the blog and provide you with quite a few decent quality posts, that will among other things include two game reviews, an interview, a retro focused guest post and a lot of free games. And that while working on the upcoming issue of Retroaction, updating Retro Treasures, doing stuff for that little project of mine and adding the finishing touches to a PhD.
That's all for now. Really.
Well, the last simon game I played and by play I mean not just load a game, was Simon 2. This one however has made my interest rise so high..
ReplyDeleteThe artwork for it is incredibly gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I (and many others) are going to miss you when you're gone. Good luck!
We'll keep watch for you, and will still be here when you get back gnome. But you're not gone yet, are you! ;)
ReplyDelete@ Dualanames: Same thing here. Even though nobody from the original team has apparently something to do with it...
ReplyDelete@ Ross: Indeed and thank you!
@ JMcL63: Ahh, that's reassuring my friend. After all, after all those years it would be awkward to miss you :) Anyway. I'm still here, I am.
Gnome: Oh, by the way, there's a german demo, available. And about you join the army..guest post? I'm in if you're interested.:D
ReplyDeleteAh, double post..how's that project we've all forgotten goes? Anything to show us? I'm dying here!!
ReplyDeleteDon't fret over them double posts mate. They are nice and surreal! Well, in a way... Heh. Anyway. Your contributions are always welcome as you should already know :)
ReplyDeleteAs for the project, well, it stalled a bit, but now I'm back finishing the design doc of the thing which will then be sent to my super secret collaborator who'll hopefully work on it while I go through basic training. Some of the tech is apparently in place too.
Uhm, thus, not much to show I'm afraid yet. Please don't die.
I'll try not to. :D. Collaborator..mmm..going commercial? (Random guess, it's the random gnome's lair anyway). Anyway, best of luck there.
ReplyDeleteCommercial? Oh no, definitely not. And thanks. And good luck to you too ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm a sucker for 'bad' 3d graphics, so I kind of like Simon 3D and I think all the immature jokes in it are actually funny.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason I could never get into 2d Simon games... I don't really know why, but I get bored really quickly. These games are a few of famous ones that I've never finished all the way through.
Never played Simon4, but the screens look cool.
Only one year in the army? That's a better deal then most of the world gets, sir! Hopefully you're well prepared. Good luck!
Can't wait for the new updates!!!
Though I'll have to suggest you actually give the first two Simons a new -more mature- look dear Anatoly, I have to admit to also enjoying Simon 3D quite a bit. I still wouldn't recommend it to non adventurers, as it has some incredibly boring bits and a few really appalling graphical bits. Simon4 looked kinda odd too...
ReplyDeleteOh, and 1 year aint that good really. I don't think any other EU country has army service, Albania doesn't have, Bulgaria is about to end it and well the US have stopped it since the 60s. Unfair!
Then again, you did say the rest of the world didn't you? Hmmm.. guess you're right there. Thanks too.
Eh, obligatory army service, how I hate it. It was my nightmare throughout the period of my studies.
ReplyDeleteFortunately my region didn't have money for military training the year I finished my higher education and they have let me slip.
As a result I have the best military "usefulness" category A and note in my military record that I was released to be a civilian having fulfilled my duties. Lucky me, I guess.
You lucky, lucky person. Can't envy you enough...
ReplyDeleteGood luck Gnome.
ReplyDeleteSporadic posting is better than nothing at all.
Thanks Caleb! If I'm lucky it might even be less than sporadic.
ReplyDeleteOoh.. this looks much closer to the original games. Maybe these designers actually *played* them at some point, unlike the last game.. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'll still be here when you get back, don't worry. I still have a dissertation to write :P
I take it you actually did give Simon 4 a try, didn't you oh Chris? And I still haven't finished me dissertation either. Oh well... army time :P
ReplyDeleteI remember you mentioned having to serve in the military before your earlier hiatus. I hope all goes well, that you don't go to Afghanistan. (I have a nephew serving in Iraq, which at least is not as violent now.)
ReplyDeleteYou are a man of many irons.
Afghanistan? No way... It's highly illegal to try and get non professional soldiers to get killed outside Greece or Cyprus. Besides, no one would ever go really. Oh, and good luck to your nephew. Time he got home methinks...
ReplyDelete(starts polishing irons) Irons?