Blade Runer

(Westwood Studios, 1997)

While its sprite graphics could often get quite "blocky" (by 1997 standards, anyway), this was an excellent translation of both the movie of the same name, and the classic book by Philip K. Dick (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?). Its ingenuity was in choosing a seperate blade runner character entirely --not the one played by Harrison Ford in the film-- allowing for a completely different story arc. Unhindered by the film's linear story, the game was then able to show cameos of original movie characters (including the actual voice of Sean Young, as Rachael), and even use the same cool tools used in the movie (including that flying "Spinner" police car!) all to reach multiple endings galore. What ending was the best one? Well, whichever one you wanted! This game allowed you to end the story based on your own choices, depending on whether you wanted to side with the replicants, your fellow female Blade Runner, or just yourself. The game even allowed you to just run away and leave town, with a girl by your side. Other endings and variations were also available, given a randomized game engine that chose who was a replicant (and who wasn't) at the start of each game; who is or isn't your friend might change completely, each time you play! A fantastic game; if not for Curse of Monkey Island and Twinsen's Odyssey, that same year, it could've been the best adventure game of '97!

Rating : Large Crater.

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