Venture into history
Set very much in the style of the classic 'choose your own adventure' books which have proved enduringly popular among both gamers and readers, this is an unusual little gem which is worth digging out. It's an Italian game that is set in the unusual but highly intriguing world of the Middle Ages. The player takes the role of a mercenary who has been hired to track down a golden crown which happens to be safely in the hands of a mad duke, deep within his mountain fortress. The duke apparently intends to use this crown in some bizarre magical rite, which he presumably intends to take over the world with. The game itself plays out as a sort of interactive story book, where the player follows a path through the narrative and must make a series of multiple choice decisions, which then affect how the story continues. There is no single set path through the game and instead the player is fairly free to follow whichever path they choose, but a sense of continuity must be maintained, so that decisions must follow logically on from previous one. Profezia certainly isn't a classic adventure, but it is intriguing and original enough to make for a highly enjoyable game. The interface is pleasingly straightforward and intuitive, making exploring the world easy and fun, while the decisions themselves add a lot to an already engaging narrative and which certainly make you think. When you add in the surprisingly detailed and evocative visuals, which bring the period to vivid life, you have a decent, if unspectacular adventure.
