Return to Zork
$19.95		(DOS Only!) (Jewel Case) (RETZORKPJ)
$14.95		(DOS Only!) (Paper Sleeve) (RETZORKPO)

Infocom (Activision)

Game

Ratings:

Top 100 CD-ROMs from PC Magazine 1994

4/5 from the Adventure Collective

An Epic Adventure in the Great Underground Empire

According to the myth, the Great Underground Empire of Zork was destroyed and all evil magic was dispersed. But now, the IT&L Corporation claims to have discovered the mythical dark recesses beneath the Valley of the Sparrows.

Since their discovery, nightmares have become common. People have vanished. Buildings have disappeared. And you, the unwitting traveler must save the underground empire from the forces of evil.

Designed by Doug Barnett

Return to Zork. A mesmerizing interactive adventure of danger, intrigue and cunning. Explore the most amazing territory ever seen. Face one fascinating puzzle after another.

Ground Breaking Production. Be entranced by a cast of Hollywood stars. Revel in a superb soundtrack with over 180 original compositions. Be intrigued by more than one hour of spoken dialogue.

Revolutionary Interface. Quickly and easily master complex interactions. Choose your conversational tone, from threatening to friendly, for different responses from the characters you meet. Snap pictures and tape record conversations to review at any time.

The Experience. A story so compelling novice adventurers will be enthralled. A puzzle structure so challenging even the most experienced game players will not be able to sleep. It's an adventure you'll never forget.

Requirements:

386 25+ MHz required, VGA and Sound Card Required, 4 MB RAM required, DOS 5.0 or higher and 600K free RAM, Supports Sound Blaster, Pro Audio Spectrum, Disney Sound Source, Roland MT32, and AdLib. CD disc caching software recommended.

Reviews:

Computer Gaming World, November 1994

"Designer Doug Barnett's dream of returning gamers to the Great Underground Empire has been fulfilled again. The full-screen video pulls you into the action. Michele Em's script is as witty as ever, with more depth than is normally found in the genre. The performances of professional actors add immensely to the overall experience, and make this one of the better Siliwood productions of the current lot."

CD-ROM World, September 1994

"You remember these words: 'You are standing in an open field west of a white house.' These are the opening lines of Zork, one of the most famous computer games ever. The game, a text-only adventure in which you typed commands like OPEN MAILBOX and read onscreen responses, ran on state-of-the-art computer systems like Apple IIs and CPM machines. How times have changed."

"Now, a point-and-click interface lets you interact with characters and handle objects. Indeed, Return to Zork is a new storyline, not just a pretty version of the old Zork."

"Whether you've played the old Zork games or not, it is worth visiting - just don't get caught in the dark without a light: You are likely to be eaten by a grue."

PC Magazine, September 13, 1994

"Return to Zork combines an unusually friendly mouse interface with a host of live actors to draw you effortlessly into the action. You quickly forget that you are out to save yet another world (the Underground Empire of Zork) from yet another villain (the IT&L Corp.) and begin to enjoy Return to Zork for what it is: a first-class cinematic adventure."

The Adventure Collective

"Return to Zork is the very first game in the Zork series to be set in an entirely graphical world. As such the question that springs immediately to mind is whether or not the essence of the puzzles, dialogues, and humor that is characteristically Zorkian can survive the transfer to a graphical look. Return to Zork succeeds as well as can be expected for such a first attempt. While it is not perfect and has its weakness, it remains as a very good game and a definite must for all Zork fans and adventurers!"

"The production is great considering the time in which this title was produced. To modern gamers the graphics may look a bit pixelated, especially the movie sequences, but it was cutting edge for its time. What this Zork title has started that many successors have since followed is a valiant effort to merge computer graphics with live acting. Phantasmagoria is a game that uses entirely live acting but ends up leaving you with absolutely no control. In contrast, this game gives you all of the control of a computer graphics game but with the real life feel and advantage of live acting..."

"The gameplay follows an interesting style that differs a bit from the original Zork games. There are some logic puzzles, but many of them follow almost a detective style approach. You need to wander around the empire, talk to people, and ask questions. As you ask new questions, new options unfold. You can tape-record what people have said and play it back for others to listen. Basically, you have to put the pieces of the puzzles together from fragmented information from several sources. The game is therefore very nonlinear and extremely interesting."

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