Roberta Williams Anthology review by Al Giovetti

 

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By Al Giovetti
Price: $50 -55
Genre: adventure anthology
Release:
Developer: Sierra Online
Lead Artist:
Programmer:
Producer: Roberta Williams
Publisher: Sierra Online
Phone: 800-757-7707
Website: www.sierra.com
Requirements:Windows 95 and 3.1 or DOS 5.0 or better


Roberta Williams Anthology

History

Roberta Williams has involved herself with many games and companies since the founding of Sierra Online in 1980 with husband, Ken. Collaborations included Jim Henson for the Dark Crystal game, and Disney's Ron Millar for the Black Cauldron. Unfortunately, the Black Cauldron game remains out of print and could not be sold in this anthology due to problems with licensing. The Black Cauldron was an exceptional computer animated graphic adventure. Sierra even published a game called Ultima II for a fledgeling game designer Richard Garriott and his company named Origin.

Roberta's first game was programmed on her Apple Computer, given her by husband, Ken, after an automobile accident made her convalesce for an extended period. The game was sold with small fraction of a page advertisements out of the back pages of computer magazines. Enough games were sold to justify the formation of Sierra Online.

Company Line

For twenty years, Roberta Williams has had her own quest: to bring the world adventure games that challenge the mind, delight the senses and push computer technology to the limits. The most prolific and successful game designer in the history of entertainment software, Roberta's career several #1 best-sellers, and her work has always set the industry standard for both technological advances and storyline.

Now, join Roberta on the 20-year journey from Mystery House to Phantasmagoria... and all the magic along the way. The Roberta Williams Anthology Includes thirteen games: Mystery House, The Wizard and the Princess, Mission: Asteroid, Time Zone, King's Quest I: Quest for the Crown, King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne, King's Quest III: To Heir is Human, King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella, King's Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder!, King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow, King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride, The Colonel's Bequest (Laura Bow), The Dagger of Amon Ra (Laura Bow), and Mixed-Up Mother Goose, and some extra features. The extra features include Chapter 1 of Phantasmagoria, Sneak preview of Mask of Eternity, and a bonus game: The Dark Crystal.

Game Play

The game play here varies from the earliest game parsers used in the Mystery House game to the most sophisticated context sensitive mouse pointer controlled adventure system used today by Sierra.

Plot

You fight the forces of evil in a haunted house, in the lands of

Graphics

The graphics range from colored sticks on black backgrounds to intricately hand rendered characters and backgrounds rivaling the art of a Disney animated feature film.

Animation

The animation varies from no animation to sophisticated multiframe animation which simulates animated films at 2x12 frames per second.

Voice Actors

Music Score

Sound Effects

Utilities

Sierra has pioneered a unique function key activated restore and save game system, and a F1 based help system for game.

Multi-player Features

Cheats, Hints, Walkthrough

King's Quest 1 Walkthrough
King's Quest 2 Walkthrough
King's Quest 3 Walkthrough
King's Quest 4 Walkthrough
King's Quest 5 Walkthough
King's Quest 6 Walkthough
King's Quest 7 Walkthrough, 1

Journalists

Kevin says that "Roberta certainly was a pioneer, but in reality, you probably just won't play these games now." I don't agree. Games that are fun, stay fun and going back and playing them is fun, even when they are old. Some of the games require patience, but the time and effort is certainly worth it.

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References

Kevin J. McCann, Computer and Net Player, volume 3, number 12, May, 1997, pg. 96, 70%.

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