Customer Reviews

The Zork Classics Collection

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

 

 

I'm sorry, but I have to very strongly disagree with most of the other reviews on this site. Yes, these games are VERY good. I would go so far as to call them brilliant. Which brings me to the question of them being "dated." These games are not "dated." They are as fresh and innovative today as they were when they were first released. Unfortunately, there are many who are overwhelmed with an industry whose reviews focus more and superficialites such as graphics and sound rather than gameplay. To call these games "dated" is tantamount to saying that there is no market for books anymore because movies are so popular. These games are remarkable. They are solid games. They are edgy and intelligent. These are qualities which do not "date." We live in a society that prefers mindless pointing and clicking to the open-endedness of exploring a literary world. But the qualities of this literary world are timeless.

...but make no mistake, it's dated and probably won't appeal to much of today's audience.

It's all text: no graphics at all. You interact with the game by reading (and imagining!) your surroundings and control your character in plain English sentences.

They used to call this genre "interactive fiction". It's like being the main character of a novel. If you're in the "movies are rarely as good as the book" camp, enjoying your own conjured up images more than someone elses, then maybe this set of games is for you. I've never been so immersed in a game as when I played these the first time.

Story-wise, these games are set in a unified fantasy world. Sword and sorcery stuff. However, with one exception (you have to kill a troll early on in zork1), violent behavior is anathema. These are not d&d/ultima/everquest type games. There's certainly an occultish underpinning, draw your own bias.

The charm is from the engaging and humorous stories and the puzzles of course. Most puzzles in this set are classics and logical, not the blind "try-x-on-y, nonsensical even after you've solved them" ones.

Personal faves- zorkII and spellbreaker.

I saw this in the Amazon catalogue but could find no mention of it on Activision's web site or on the interactive fiction newsgroups. And as I write this, there is not one word of description of this item on Amazon's website, beyond the title and cover picture. So I bought it to see what it was. The box and CD are labelled "Zork Classics -- Interactive Fiction" (I don't know where Amazon got the title "The Zork Collection" from) and the games included are: Zork I, II and III, Enchanter, Sorceror, Spellbreaker, Wishbringer, Beyond Zork and Zork Zero: The Revenge of Megaboz. Packaging is all but non-existent -- a CD rattling around in a box, but there are Acrobat files on the CD with manuals, maps and other paraphernalia (the calendar etc. from Zork Zero is there, for example, which I think is required to solve the game).

If you like interactive fiction and are looking for a way of getting hold of these classic Infocom games, this is one way.

I first played Zork I several years ago on my dad's old IBM pc. I immidiately loved it and played it for several hours a day. I was dissapointed when i finished it, because Zork II or III were not available anywhere! after a year or two, I stumbled on Zork classics. I love this game! there may not be any graphics or sound, but it doesn't detract from the experience. The maps and hints are included, so if you get stuck,(and you will, trust me!) you can get the answer.

If you are a fan of the Infocom interactive games, don't miss a chance to pick up this very reasonably priced collection of Infocom's most popular Adventure series. Sadly, these games are no longer sold by Activision and are now only available via private sellers and collectors. Games included are: Zork I, II, III, Zork Zero, The Enchanter series, and WishBringer. The CD contains information that was included in the original box (manuals and fake advertisements) as well as maps and the hint booklet. (My only regret is that the PlanetFall collection is not included.)

I first played Zork in 1984 at the age of 12 as well as all the other remarkable Infocom games and let me tell you they a re classics and will never be 'dated'.They ahve more depth than most of todays graphic intensive hi tech games Text adventures have attributes of their own and unlike some of the new ones dont stifle imagination.Id love to have a ll the old Infocom text adeventures again today I will never forget the hours of pleasure and the journeys of imagination which they brought me

You all heard of Zork? Now, have you ever played any of the Zork classics.(like zork 1 and zork 2 etc.)Well, if you did, you will know that they are text-based games and they have little to no color and small pictures. Besides this, the text is funny and it tells the story well and there is a lot to do in them. You probably will spend up to aleast two to three hours playing depending on the amount of time you play. With this 9-game set you get all the text-based Zork games and four Enchanter series games. For a text-based game I think everyone will enjoy it and you will spend hours to hours with hilarious fun.

For anyone that likes to go back and play some classics! You can't beat this game collection. It has all the best of the origial Zork world! A gotta have for the TRUE Zork fan!

Zork, what's not to love? It's Zork! The underground empire! Zork! Most of the games are text based, meaning NO graphics. I enjoyed it, but you might not. But if you like to read, you'll love these. Absolutely hilarious! Wonderful stuff.