Customer Reviews

The Dagger of Amon-Ra: A Laura Bow Mystery

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was fortunate enough to have this game included in my Kings Quest Collection. I finished it in one day and still continue to play it every once and a while. It's got some pretty funny stuff in it, from the lesbian flapper in the Ladies' room to the rude taxi driver you meet during evening hours. The police chief is quite a character too. The only thing I didn't like about it was that during Act 6, if you didn't get every answer right, you end up murdered. Still, no matter how old it gets, it'll always remain a favorite.

This and its predecessor, The Colonel's Bequest - A Laura Bow Mystery were classic Sierra adventure games, every bit as good as the King's Quest series, though perhaps more oriented to a niche audience. The humor and puzzles are very enjoyable and the characters are extremely memorable. The over-the top murders and crimes are balanced out by the art-deco theme of the 20's, the vivid colors, and the wonderful humor.

If you play this game to the end, you'll probably wind up at the wrong conclusion or won't have nearly enough evidence to tie everything together, but you'll still have beaten a challenging and enjoyable game and be interested in playing it through again to figure out what you missed and find the way to decipher the mysteries. The first time I beat the game, I didn't even know about a major character in the story (which is kind of disappointing because the coroner mentions their name in the finale).

This fixes a lot of what was wrong with the original Laura Bow (older graphics, text driven interface instead of the later icon based engine Sierra made, and a mystery you really had to dig to uncover). I really liked their dialog system that let you ask everyone about everything. I wish more games used similar systems.

I don't know if this will run on modern PCs, but it's a real gem that got overlooked.

I never was into chick flicks but this game is fun and is nothing of the kind. As Laura Bow,(jokingly branded in Quest for Glory III as a War Bow with no arrows) you have to find your way(rather awkwardly) around NYC and your new Job at the Register. It's fun and Laura's Voice talent is adorable and funnny especially in awkward momnets. "Who you call'n a rube?" Unfortunately thier is no Leisure Suit Larry momnets like the first installment where commands such as "Remove Clothes" is common place, but I respect this woman too much for that anyway and it is a very charming game for anyone. The scenes are sinsiter and scary and dark and she has to figure it all out. My mother loved Nancy Drew and if you do, you should also give this a try.