November 27, 2006

Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express (**** out of four), based on the best-selling author’s novel, is a beautifully rendered mystery/adventure game that takes you on a journey aboard the fabled Orient Express. You’ll travel with the famous storybook detective Hercule Poirot as you try to help him find the murderer of the one of the passengers.

Many different characters are aboard the lavish train, and all become suspects. You work closely with Poirot (voiced by David Suchet, the actor who portrayed Poirot in the A & E television series) and must gather hints and tips, get to know the characters, and find the murderer. You’ll need to collect items to help you during your investigation, store them in the inventory, and then use the items when needed. There’s a scrapbook to keep important information you learn from documents you collect throughout your investigation, a passport section, where you keep information that you’ve learned about each of the characters, and a fingerprint section, where you keep fingerprints that you may need to compare with those found throughout the game.

The game takes place in three different areas: at the station before boarding the train, aboard the train, and during an avalanche that stops the train en route to its destination. Each area has wonderfully detailed backgrounds and a sound track that adds to the adventure.

To solve the crime, you’ll have to discover who the mysterious Princess Dragomiroff and Count Andrenyi really are, what the pair of businessmen are working on and much more. Patience and persistence is needed to follow the many clues, but those who work through all leads are rewarded with a richly detailed mystery that can only be unraveled by listening to the famous Poirot and following his lead to solve the crime.

Oh, and if you have read the novel and think you know how it ends, think again--the game has a different ending than the novel.

From The Adventure Company, Windows 2000/XP with Pentium 3 1.4 Ghz, $30, includes a bonus paperback copy of the novel.

F.E.A.R. (First Encounter Assault Recon)(***) is a first-person shooter filled with plenty of shooting using countless weapons, all noisy and destructive. The game features remarkable shooting effects, with soldier drones and objects reacting to the shots, pieces spraying off cement columns when hit, objects disintegrating and so forth. But unfortunately there’s blood, gore and violence, warranting the M for mature rating (ages 17+).

A decided positive in the game is the sound, including an original eerie score that produces a creepy, crawling sensation under the skin and back of neck, clearly setting a supernatural stage. The random unexpected noises, a click here, a door opening and objects falling all give you the feeling you’re being watched. This is especially effective if you have surround sound. Other creepy items include a black mist devouring people and things and a strange apparition, which appears when you least expect it.

The storyline finds a deranged soldier/scientist controlling, by telepathy, an army of drones who are setting out to destroy most everything and everyone. You, as a member of a special team, have to search out and destroy the drones and their leader to save the world (or whatever). In addition to the weapons you have some interesting abilities, such as time warp, but the enemies have the same--so stay alert. The aforementioned creepiness does keep you on edge though.

The graphics are good, with the sharp character control mixing mouse and keyboard commands to simulate a video game controller (the game is available for Xbox 360). Multiplayer is supported.

If you like the action and supernatural overlay of this game, a follow up story line, F.E.A.R.: Extraction Point is also available as an expansion pack (needs the original program to run). This time you become the hunted and must escape to the extraction point to save yourself.

From Sierra, Windows 2000sp/XP, Pentium IV 1.7GHz, 5GB free hard drive space, $29.99, Extraction Point expansion pack, $29.99.

Build And Drive Your Own Car (ages 6+)

Gary Gadget: Building Cars (****) is a fun way for children to put together their own car out of parts they find in Gary’s gadget piles. More than 100 parts are waiting to be found, and children can use these parts to create endless combinations of wacky cars in Gary’s garage. Once a car is assembled, children can take it out for a ride and explore Gary’s world.

Visit some of Gary’s friends, such as Freddy Ferrick the junk dealer, find his lost dog, and he’ll give you some fuel for your car. Or Dana Digital, where you can play computer games. Or the car show to win medals for your car. Different combinations of parts create cars that have different abilities such as a speed, hill climb or long distance. You can win medals for getting through obstacles on the roads, and more than 16 missions and activities are included.

Children learn about the parts used in a car, its engine, battery, brakes, gearbox and such and what each can do. Some parts are wacky, such as a couch for the front seat but most are fairly realistic. Extra parts are available from Gary’s Web site.

A simple, colorful and fun program for the whole family.

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