Customer Reviews

Loom

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

 

 

Loom is an epic adventure game from LucasFilm. What sets Loom apart from other adventure games (in direct comparison with Sierra's) is its unique interface: you do not carry items around, but rather manipulate existing items through the use of spells. The spells themselves are woven through playing magical notes on a special distaff. Loom also features three difficultly levels, and differentiates them by changing the way the interface works: Standard features the distaff at the bottom of the screen but notes aren't written, whereas Expert doesn't have the distaff and you have to replay the spells by hearing alone.

In Loom you play the role of Bobbin Threadbare, a young man from the Guild of Weavers who just turned 17. Although you do not know why, you are outcast from the guild and blamed for the lack of prosperity in recent times.

After the Council of Elders is attacked and the Elders are turned into swans, you as Bobbin must set forth on a journey to find the swans and try to restore order to the Guild of Weavers

Unless you are either an adventure game enthusiast, or you decided to take that bug-eyed pirate's advice in the SCUMM Bar in Monkey Island and check out Loom, it's doubtful you've ever heard of this obscure game. Being an adventure gamer myself, and beating every other LucasArts adventure title out there, I eventually got around to this one.

Loom isn't a bad game by any means. The locations you explore and the world this sets up are pretty imaginative and fantasy based which is a plus. But it's missing something. Most notably music and sound effects. I played the CD ROM version of this game and the graphics have been polished up for the DOS floppy version, but I've read there wasn't enough disc space to fit all the uncompressed audio data and enhanced soundtrack. The music that's in it is good, there's just not enough. Except for the adequate voice over dialogue that we've become accustomed to, it's a very silent game.

The puzzles aren't too difficult. The hardest part about it is figuring out the irregular interface, which is still point-and-click, but instead of the usual, open, use, pick up, commands, you use your staff to cast spells (or in this case, spin drafts) with other items to help you achieve your goals. You never pick up anything in this game, which in a sense makes it easier with fewer combinations to try to solve puzzles.

This was supposed to be the first game in a trilogy, but due to the game's notorious unpopularity, this never occurred and Monkey Island went on to become the company's longest adventure franchise. In spite of Loom not blowing me away, I wouldn't have been opposed to getting and playing the sequels as I'm sure the plot would have been improved upon as well as the graphics and sound design. They obviously left it open for a continued story by introducing the main villain in the third act.

However, every game has it's shortcomings, and Loom suffers a major one. No memorable characters and an unsatisfying plot. The protagonist you embody, Bobbin Threadbare, has to be the least interesting character in the entire LA canon. He's pathetically dull and doesn't really have much personality or anything interesting or funny to say. And a villain should be just as interesting if not more so charismatic than your hero, and unfortunately Chaos is somewhat interesting but didn't give us enough time to get invested in his story. I suppose that's where the sequels would have come in.

Overall, this title is for adventure game obsessed fans like me only. If you're new to adventure gaming and want to know where to start, make sure you're introduced properly with Day of the Tentacle, or Grim Fandango. And then after you've played everything else, and still want more, check out Loom. Having said all that, I still accept it into my collection like a step child you have to love.

An original and very enjoyable game. It can be completed rather quickly, but that's partly because it's hard to stop playing. In my opinion, Loom is much more educational and meaningful than the vast majority of past or present video games.

Lovely story line! beautifull music (midi of course- after all it is an old game...)

I played it as a kid, and me and my big sister were addicted to it, we were touched by the story and the characters and found the story most exciting!
we loved the music! (mostly tchiecowsky's swan lake)

lovely game! wish there was a vista version! but that is too much to ask for isnt it?