Fun slice of graphic adventuring
Gamers familiar with Game's Workshop's Talisman board game must be warned that this has nothing to do with that classic, and is instead a graphical adventure set in the mysterious land of Ancient Arabia. The tale is an intriguing one which draws heavily on the likes of Aladdin and 1001 Nights and features a cast which includes Grand Viziers, evil genies and of course a plot which requires that an epic quest be undertaken to destroy the magical talisman which is the source of the genie's power. The game starts in bold fashion, with the player about to be executed but who is granted freedom by King Darius if they agree to hunt down the talisman and save the land from the genie's vicious plans. What follows is a fairly standard graphical adventure, similar to Forbidden Quest, The Tracer Sanction or Transylvania, with players exploring various environments, solving puzzles and interacting with the numerous characters who populate the world. Actions are carried out via the text parser, with the game allowing for full sentences to be entered but which lacks sophistication when compared to that used in Infocom's games. The graphics are simple but certainly atmospheric and help to make the game stand out from the usual fantasy and sci-fi games which typically make up the genre. The story is pretty entertaining, with some memorable characters and situations to encounter along the way, while the puzzles are logical and rarely frustrating or obscure as is often the case in such games. If you are after a fun slice of graphic adventuring, this is a good bet and should keep you amused.
