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The first release from Tsunami Media is a disappointing adventure despite
having a powerful license behind it. Based on Larry Niven's Hugo and Nebula
award-winning novel, Ringworld eschews the book's plot and instead cast you as Quinn,
a human "problem solver" who has to deliver an infodisk for Louis Wu, hero of the
novel. The premise is intriguing enough: the infodisk said you were to deliver a
warning. Unfortunately for you, it never mentioned an insane Patriarch, Kzinti
assassins or Puppeteer genocide. A tangled web of intrigue brings you to form an
unlikely team with Seeker, a vengeful Kzin, and Miranda, a kidnapped woman engineer.
The Kzinti are on the warpath, the Puppeteers claim innocence, and the vast,
mysterious Ringworld holds the answer. Despite this promising start, it degenerates
into a poor click-and-wait kind of game: puzzles are few and far between, and you
will sit and watch Quinn solve most interesting obstacles on his own, without your
involvement. Worse still, most puzzles, whenever they appear, range from boring to
downright pointless. After watching the heroes haplessly look for his own belongings
one too many times, you'll wonder why he's worthy of Louis Wu's mission. The n
on-interactive sequences can last minutes or more, and although they are generally
well-scripted, they will make you wonder whether you're watching a poor Ringworld
movie instead of playing a game. Die-hard Niven fans or adventure game beginners
who want a game they can easily complete in one sitting may still enjoy it. Anyone
interested in a good game based on Niven's novel should play the much-better sequel
Return to Ringworld instead. |
