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This is one of the most obscure and underrated shareware adventure games
of all time. Designed by Bill Fisher, designer of The Last Half of Darkness, Nine
Lives uses a tweaked version of the same game engine. The plot is simple: you
control a party of 4 secret agents, who must infiltrate a super-secret lab to steal
a super-secret document (duh). Despite this typical espionage plot, Nine Lives is
full of interesting plot twists and excellent atmosphere that Last Half of Darkness
fans will enjoy. Gameplay is similar to Last Half, but with some significant
enhancements. The screen is still divided into four major sections: scene graphics,
list of exits, action menu, and a description box. This time, icons have replaced
action words in the menu, and pictures of your four agents are displayed at the
bottom along with what they are holding. Most puzzles, as one can expect from an
espionage game, involve the use of high-tech gadgetry and your agents' abilities.
You can call up the HQ for some hints on what to do next, and combine some inventory
items together. Agent Kat is the name of the team's leader, who must be kept alive
at all costs to continue the game. Each agent has a "health bar" similar to RPG
titles, and they will die if the health bar goes to zero (they can be wounded by
enemy bullets, etc.). With an interesting blend of RPG and adventure elements,
some solid puzzles, and a high play value, The Nine Lives of Agent Kat is well worth
a look for anyone looking for a fun, unassuming spy adventure. It certainly does not
live up to Last Half of Darkness in terms of atmosphere or plot, but it has plenty
of charm all its own, especially considering the shareware status. |