"It's Better Than the PC Version, But Unfortunately That's Only Because of the Crisper Video Sequences..."

The Daedalus Encounter presents another really cool idea from developer Mechadeus, the makers of Critical Path. In that game you were a guy sitting in a control room setting off traps or making machine guns fire at villains, doing whatever it took to keep Kat, the game's heroine, alive. In keeping with their apparent trend of showing players things they've never seen before, in Daedalus you play...a probe (this, along with Bad Mojo's roach, must be the two strangest characters in adventure game history). If that sounds absurd, believe me, it's actually not in the context of the game's story. Mechadeus apparently has no shortage of innovative ideas when it comes to things like that. Even as a game, Daedalus Encounter is an improvement over Critical Path. The bad news is, that's not really saying much.

The story takes place in the future where there's a big war going on between humans and aliens (you didn't expect everything to be original, did you?). As Casey, a member of the Terran Star Fleet, you find yourself in the middle of this war on a ship with your fellow crew members, Ari (played by Tia Carrere, no less) and Zack. Your ship takes damage, and you are all forced to eject. Unfortunately, while your buddies make it in one piece, your body is demolished. Yet, due to the marvels of technology in the future, your brain, which survived, has been saved and combined with a computer. Ari and Zack basically kidnap you and take you with them on their new vessel, in which they now salvage items of use from destroyed ships floating around after the war. Throughout the game as they explore various locations, a massive alien ship in particular, you float along with them (controlling very little I might add), solve a few puzzles, and engage in a shooting sequence or two.

There's a little bit more to do here than there was in Critical Path. Your probe has a few nifty abilities, like mechanical arms and what not, and you can explore a bit more freely, though "freely" is still not the right term. The puzzles are generally very easy, and few in number, as are the shooting scenes. The story, acting, graphics, music, and sound all do a better job of immersing the player in the game world than Critical Path did. This game evokes that sense of wonder and enjoyment as you explore, not knowing what is behind every door, and being on a completely alien ship. There's a sense of mystery as you play the game. Also, the art direction (created with computer animation) is very solid. In the 3DO version of the game the video is both full screen by default and very clean.

Sounds like a lot of compliments doesn't it? Well, it doesn't hurt to focus on the good things I guess. Unfortunately this game is still no great shakes as a playable experience. The interaction, as limited as it is, is easy as can be when it does finally show up. Also, the writing isn't exactly top notch. Zack can be a little annoying at times, and it's obvious that he's the just the reckless guy, and Ari the brains of the operation. That's all there is really, of their characters, and their interactions with each other range from amusing to mediocre. The game also suffers due to its brevity. It's not as short as Critical Path, but it's still a quick, simple game to zip through. Lastly, while the story kept me involved the entire time, it's ultimately nothing to write home about. It's good, entertaining fun, but it's not Gabriel Knight or Syberia or Grim Fandango...not by any stretch of the imagination. Anyway, in the end, I just can't really recommend this game except for people who want to play it for 2-3 hours of cool movie scenes and an interesting, though short, plot.

Reviewer's Score: 3/10, Originally Posted: 07/02/04