Saving Salammbo
Taking its inspiration from the classic novel from 1858 by Gustave Flaubert, Salammbo, this is an unusual Myst-style adventure that is a tad on the short side but which is otherwise pretty compelling stuff. It mixes a bold, imaginative storyline with some impressive visuals and clever puzzles to generally decent effect, making it a good one for point-and-click fans. The story takes place in the time of the Roman Empire during the Fall of Carthage and finds you in control of a slave who belongs to a Libyan mercenary who happens to be in love with General Hamilcar's daughter. It's your task to navigate the chaos, outwit rebel forces, save Carthage, and reunite your boss with his beloved. What follows is traditional point-and-click, mouse-driven adventure where you'll explore various environments while talking to characters and picking up items to solve the numerous inventory-based puzzles. There are also a few conversation-based ones too while the whole thing is fully voice acted and features some proper classical music and visuals from the designer of Ring. Salammbo's main issue is that it's a little on the short side but if you go in prepared for this, it shouldn't be too disappointing as in every other aspect, this proves to be a quality experience. The story is gripping while the puzzles are well integrated into the narrative so that the whole thing meshes nicely. The puzzles themselves are challenging and satisfying to solve while the visuals are impressive with some very striking design work. All in all, this makes for an excellent adventure.
