THE QUEEN'S FOOTSTEPS
This is a text adventure set in 1904. You are Emilia Vittorini, an archaeologist recently returned to Italy from fieldwork in Egypt. You have gleaned 25 crates of artifacts from Queen Nefertari's tomb, though something happens to your goods in transit. It is your task to recover them, and in doing so unravel a greater mystery. It's a brilliant plot and setting with more than a touch of Herge about it.
There are no pictures, but the author's attention to detail and obvious passion for the subject more than make up for that. There are numerous historical and geographical references that add depth, even if you aren't familiar with the subject. Some of the language is delicious - it's not a mere pavement, but "porphyry stones", and more than the usual detail is given to things like trees, furniture and pieces of engineering.
The adventure is split into 4 parts, but completing the game is not a mammoth task. I managed it over several very enjoyable & absorbed evenings. There were two occasions when I felt lost, or had to play 'guess the verb', which did spoil it a little, but it was still way better than my usual text adventure experience. A nice touch is that you can contact the author with the completion code and be added to his website's Hall of Fame :-) This is a game for anyone - from text adventure aficionados to duffers like me. Try it, you should enjoy it, and I guarantee you'll emerge with an enhanced knowledge of early twentieth century pneumatic doorbells.
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