Neat slice of text adventuring
A pretty obscure slice of interactive fiction that harkens back to the glory days of the genre, when the likes of Zork, Guild of Thieves and The Lurking Horror ruled the roost, Lost Dutchman's Gold offers a surprisingly decent little adventure that isn't exactly a must play but which ticks the boxes for fans. It might lack the sophistication and style of the aforementioned classics but the puzzles and writing are good enough to provide a least of few hours of satisfying adventuring. As you might expect, your quest is simple enough and requires you to set out on a quest to discover the legendary titular treasure. You start out by discovering the map which will take you there, but of course the journey will not be easy and will take you through deserts, mountains and ghost towns in your search. You have the help of trusty old Back Pack Sam, a ghost of an old pioneer who offers wit and wisdom should you get stuck along the way and his company is sure to prove welcome on what is a spooky and challenging quest. The game is a good one for newcomers to the genre to pick up as the parser system is simple and intuitive to pick up, requiring merely two word commands to be entered but this lack of complexity may prove slightly frustrating for those accustomed to more sophisticated ones. The story itself is reasonably gripping, with plenty of twists, turns and surprises to encounter while puzzles are challenging enough but without being overly frustrating. While far from being a genre classic, this is fun, if forgettable, little adventure that is perfect for novices and which holds plenty of appeal even for old hands.
