Customer Reviews

RAMA

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

 

 

This game is for those who like to explore. The environment to be explored comes straight from one of the finest minds to ever write science fiction. Those who have read Arthur C. Clarke's "Rama" series of books will not be disappointed by this fabulous game (which includes some video commentary by the great man himself, as well as an apology if you happen to die in the game :)).

This game will show you what a REALISTIC alien encounter might look like. No xenophobia, no futile wars. Just two (or more) intelligent species warily feeling each other out. Also, don't be fooled by the age of this game. The graphics are excellent (not too flashy but quite adequate). The puzzles are not Myst style puzzles in that they are actually part of a greater whole :)

5+ stars for this one.

Before playing this game, I would recommend that you read at least: "Rendezvous With Rama" by Arthur C. Clarke and "Rama II" by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee.
It would also help to review base 8 and base 16 number systems. There is also a computer mapping bug in the game. If you are a kid and still want to play the game,
I would also recommend that you read the walkthrough of the game. This runs in DOS or Win95. I played on my Windows98 (:p) machine. You could probably play using DOSBox or something. It really is a fascinating game because I am a big fan of the books. That's all I have to say about that.

I assume that many know of the Book Series "RAMA" because of the other book, perhaps the greatest achievement in science fiction, "2001: A Space Odyssey" from author Arthur C. Clarke. The game is very mystifying, filled with many puzzles that relate to math.

I like the robots that inhabit the world. They are freakin' cool! I like the crab and spider ones the best! They will kick your butt!!!!

BUY THIS GAME!!

RAMA is one of the best 1st-person adventure/puzzle MS-DOS games from the `90s. There are many challenging puzzles to solve and an interesting extraterrestrial environment to explore which should keep a player involved for many hours. It's not a shoot-'em-up, action-packed thrill ride. It's more cerebral and logical.

Though an old game, it can be played on your Win 7 64-bit machine. You will need the original 3-disc set or .iso image files for the 3 discs to make it work. Here's a quick to-do list to get going.

1. Download the latest RAMA installation file from the squirtthecat site. Look for the English version .msi file. Note: This file replaces the installation file on Disc 1. Do not install from the disc. It won't work.

2. Create a restore point. It's always a smart thing to do.

2. Run the installation download. It will place a RAMA shortcut on your desktop.

3. Insert disc 1 of RAMA. If you get an autorun message, close it. Click on the RAMA shortcut just installed, and you should be ready to play in full screen.

4. If you have problems, there are RAMA resources on YouTube and elsewhere online. Just Google "Sierra RAMA."

A few things you should know. The audio and video files can be choppy. Oh, well. You can't have it all. Next, it's extremely helpful to have the Official RAMA Strategy Guide to refer to during play. Amazon usually has a number of copies available from various sellers. Finally, there are some puzzles involving base-8 and base-16 arithmetic. If you know your stuff, you can work them out on paper. If you know your stuff but are as lazy as I am, use a scientific calculator that can do base conversions. (I have a TI-83+ on which I installed a downloaded base conversion program. Works like a charm.)