Suspect - An Interactive Mystery (ZxZvm)

ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment)

The Pilgrim

A PILGRIM RETROSPECTIVE 'Never heard of it', said an Activision spokesperson when the Pilg rang to check the price of one of his favourite Infocom games. That just about sums up the treatment this little gem has had since its release. This is mainly because the game came out at the same time as Hitchhiker's and was rapidly eclipsed by its more famous companion. That's a great pity, because it really is an excellent example of interactive character programming. Stuck in a large American country house, attending a fancy dress ball, you discover the corpse of your society hostess, strangled by the lariat from your costume. The police are on the way, the clock ticks remorselessly towards midnight and if you can't find out who did it then you're for the chop. Almost all the many characters in the game can be addressed as you question them about each other, themselves, their love lives and their business affairs. You will spend time hiding in corners, listening for indiscreet conversations and rooting around in personal documents, as well as solving the usual locked-door and inaccessible-location puzzles. The magic of this game lies in the complex movements and actions of the different characters, all of whom you must keep track of and check out during your investigation. A small map, lots of conversations, much brain work, and an excellent atmosphere make this one of the ail-time adventure classics, and deserving of a wider following. The Pilg has seen versions for all the usual Infocom formats, including Amstrad CPC but check with Activision for availability and pricing.

Personal Computer News

Mike Gerrard

[ZXSR: This is not a review for the Spectrum version, but multiple machines or a.nother machine. The text could describe the Spectrum version. Scores have not been added as separate entities but only at the end of the review to prevent score-skewing.] PRIME SUSPECT Mike Gerrard finds he's the number one suspect when a murder is committed at Ashcroft Farm. A gorilla was taking the coats at the door. A six-foot invisible rabbit began to dance. Cardinal Richelieu strolled by. Near the bar, a sheik was deep in conversation with a fairy queen while an astronaut rubbed shoulders with a vampire. A werewolf chatted up a ballerina. As a cowboy, I didn't feel too conspicuous. It's not every day that a newspaper reporter gets invited to a very exclusive Halloween Night Fancy Dress Ball and since my editor thought there might be a good story to be had, who was I to complain? So here I was again, caught up in yet another totally engrossing disk-based text adventure from Infocom. This new one is called Suspect (various micros, £35-£40) and follows in the footsteps of its illustrious whodunnit predecessors, Deadline and The Witness. Suspect introduces a new twist - a murder is committed and you are the prime suspect! SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT The setting is Ashcroft Farm, a hundred-year old southern mansion. You play the part of a local newshound who has been invited to mingle with the upper crust by the hostess, Veronica Ashcroft-Wellmann, an old friend. You left it late in ordering a fancy dress costume so had to take the only one left, a rather ridiculous cowboy outfit. In this company, it only stands out by reason of its relative taste. So here you are, mixing with society's best, swigging champagne, gorging caviar and enjoying the excellent orchestra and the outlandish costumes. However, the party fun evaporates when Veronica is strangled. You experience a slight choking discomfort yourself when you see that the murder weapon is your cowboy lariat which is still looped round her pretty neck. Well, you know you didn't do it but the evidence is damning and, because you are a social outsider, all fingers are pointing in your direction. Get the picture? You've been framed. You must convince the police (by now swarming all over the place) of your innocence. The best way is to find the guilty party. Who dunnit? And why? And where's the irrefutable proof? You also have to remember that someone out there is a murderer, probably watching every move you make. Laughing at you too, most likely. GRUESOME JOKE The adventure starts in the ballroom, near the bar. The place is teeming with people. Some of the older guests are already dancing - the band played 'Breathless' - while many becostumed partygoers stand on the edge, discussing everything from politics to local scandals. A sheik talks to Veronica, decked out as Titania, the Fairy Queen. I strolled over and joined them. Veronica is discussing an upcoming horseshow in which one of her horses will appear. Zork fans will be tickled by the horse's name - Lurking Grue. As a further in-joke, one of the guests comes dressed as a grue. Veronica is clearly just a tiny bit 'tired and emotional'. Her speech is slurred and, as she waves a glass to emphasise a point, she slops the red liquid all over her white dress. Uttering a word that lace-winged fairies are not supposed to know, she hurls her glass to the ground and stalks off. FOLLOW THAT FAIRY As I already knew that the plot centered around the bumping off of the hostess, I thought I'd be cunning and keep a close eye on her. So when she left, I followed. Infocom, as usual, was several steps ahead of me. In hot pursuit, I reached the South Long Hall where Smythe the butler was helping a guest with his coat. Here's what happened: 'You reach the vicinity of the coat closet, but you must weave your way around the butler and a guest. Smythe is taking the guest's coat to hang it up, and the two of them are blocking the hall. The guest turns to stare at Veronica as she rushes by, and bumps you. Now Smythe, whose vision is not improved by the gorilla suit he is wearing, becomes entangled in the guest's overcoat. Unfortunately, it's still attached to the guest and the two of them fall to the floor. You are entangled in the confusion. Veronica heads off to the south.' I typed Follow Veronica. The response? 'You try to extricate yourself from the undignified tangle, but only succeed in confusing matters more. Veronica, off to the south, disappears from sight to the west. Again. Smythe almost succeeds in reaching his feet, but the guest pulls him down again by trying to pull his coat back on. Again. 'You succeed in regaining your feet. Smythe regains his composure, and helps you to your feet, apologising profusely. "I've got your costume all dirty. Permit me to straighten it." He removes a small brush from his suit, straightens your vest, and brushes the dirt off. While Smythe is administering to your costume the other guest speedily and thankfully departs the area.' Needless to say, after this delicious bout of slapstick. Veronica has disappeared. DIVERTING Just this single humorous diversion highlights the amount of care. Ingenuity and attention to detail which Infocom lavishes on its adventures. Where else would you find such a convincing and witty method of preventing you from taking a course of action? Suspect is a superb, richly detailed and incident-packed whodunnit, possibly the best adventure yet from Infocom. Go get it.