Shadowlands

Birrova classic this; in other words: its old and full of nostalgia. People reminisce about once playing Shadowlands. However the reminiscers tend to be divided pretty evenly into those who go misty-eyed with fading adulation and those who go red-eyed with hatred because Shadowlands is, indeed, one of those love it or hate it games.

In scenario and general gameplay it is not terribly unusual: its the standard wander around, collect weapons, cast spells, waste baddies scenario: in frighteningly numerous levels. Your four adventurers (warrior, magician, ore, priest) each have different attributes and abilities, a large backpack and a low regard of life. The puzzles are a fairly good mix of style and challenge.

Where Shadowlands is (or rather was) different is in its graphics (lots of use of light and dark, with areas around you shrouded in shadow) and its control system which for me is its primary failing. Actions are accessed by highlighting some limb or organ of one of your four team members. For example highlighting a right leg will cause him to walk with his pals in tow; his left leg makes him walk alone; highlight a left arm and he picks things up - its all pretty obvious but hardly speedy. I and my four brave adventurers had fallen asleep in the time it took ns to pick up an apple.

The cursor, shown on-screen as a large, groping hand, makes accuracy hard to achieve. So walking through a door, attacking a moving adversary or dropping an object within a reasonable area will often take several attempts. None of this makes for pace, tension or excitement.

On its side, Shadowlands is cheap and amply RPGish for fans of the genre so if youre so inclined, it could keep you active for a great deal of time. As I said before, a lot of people loved Shadowlands. I wasnt one of them.