|
In early 1990s, Readysoft released a number of animated action games that became instant hits on the LaserDisc platform, although their PC counterparts suffered poor sales in comparison. This is by no means surprising: although these games boast very high production values and excellent animations created by Don Bluth Studios, their value as games is sorely lacking. These games are little more than the PC versions of "choose-your-own-adventure" books. PC versions are, naturally, cut-down versions from Laserdisc originals, with many sequences missing altogether. It wasn't until the advent of the CD-ROM that ReadySoft (now sold to Digital Leisure) started making "deluxe" versions of these games and put them on CDs and later DVDs. Treat the games as fun and humorous computer cartoons, but don't expect them to be involving games. If you like any of these disk-based versions, check out the deluxe DVD/CD-ROM versions accessible through the link below. Excerpt from Rob's original review at CW#3: "Dragon's Lair II: Time Warp by ReadySoft is based on Don Bluth's laserdisc arcade game of the same name. Overall the conversion is as good as it could have been back in 1990 with great full-screen animations, albeit a bit choppy, and nice sounds and speech -- but still, it's a poor game. You know the story: "Left? Damn, let's go through that again... probably it's right... No! Then it must be up, or fire? ... The plot: Princess Daphne has been spirited away to a wrinkle in time by the Evil Wizard Mordroc who plans to force her into marriage. Only you, Dirk the Daring, can save her. Transported by a bumbling old time machine, you begin the rescue mission. But you must hurry, for once the Casket of Doom has opened, Mordroc will place the Death Ring upon Daphne's finger in marriage and she will be lost forever in the Time Warp." Also check out Escape from Singe's Castle and Dragon's Lair III. Reviewed by: Underdogs | 
