Although short on a big, meaningful save-the-world plot (most of the time you're not even sure what you're supposed to be doing aside from solving various unrelated puzzles), Lost New York is long on ambience – and what ambience it is! Every epoch in the city's history is well-written and realistic (as the game's lengthy bibliography can corroborate), and even the parser takes on the unmistakable New York mentality – it will sneer, laugh and positively make fun of your frantic efforts to solve puzzles (for fun, try swearing at anything or assaulting someone). Although the "big picture" is never clear, you will find yourself too immersed in the game to care. This game has, without a doubt, one of the most well-realized geographies ever seen, and you'll find yourself unwittingly learning about the city's checkered history while enjoying the atmosphere. Two thumbs up!