Sunday, June 28, 2009

Deja Vu Part 1


Deja Vu is one of the classic 80's MacVenture games, along with Shadowgate and Uninvited. Unfortunately, it's also the only of the three that doesn't break into nerdy mythology or sci-fi, and the game suffers for it. It follows a pretty standard detective noir plot, and frankly could have used a few centaurs running around the place to liven things up.

You play as Ace Harding, a P.I. suffering from a serious case of TV Amnesia. As you explore the game you discover a number of clues that add up to you being framed for kidnapping and murder, and must find a way to clear your name and bring in the people behind the blah blah, etc etc etc. One notable thing about this game is that the graphics somehow managed to be
more detailed and atmospheric in screamingly neon DOS.
Bolded text is in-game narration, everything else is me being a dick. I'll try to show most of the interesting interactions and deaths, but this game's much more linear and harder to die in than the other Kemco adventures, so there's not a ton of options.
A more honest tagline would be "A Series of Increasingly Cliche Film Noir Tropes, Doled Out Slowly and in Very Low Res.

That'll teach whoever it was to do whatever they did to whoever I am!

Yeah! So far this nightmare is going pretty well.

Y
ou feel a sharp pain on


Whatsoever?? This is serious! Let's take a look around, then. Maybe there's CLUES.

Ooh, toilet paper? Charming!

Apparently I'm a snappy dresser, that's good to know. Guess we should take the coat...

Oh ho! And what's that behind it?

Can't argue with that.

A quick examination of the lump in my pocket reveals a wallet with money, a key, and some sort of card. Also, it sure was considerate of the dudes who rolled me to leave me my cash and my piece.

Hells yeah! I'm either a high roller, or will be robbing one shortly!
Let's look at some of the other crap in my coat.

Detective Siegel, aka the Sugarless Gumshoe, a.k.a. The Carefree Crimefighter, a.k.a. The Dentyne Dick, a.k.a. The Juicy Fruit...a.k.a Big Red Bloodhound...actually wait that's my *ahem* side business.

That's the distinctive characteristic of sunglasses, all right.

Checking out the light... And here I thought it couldn't get any fancier than the TP. This may be the classiest stall I've ever been left for dead in.

My favorite place. Let's go.

Hmmm, no trouble in here. Nothing to steal, either, so let's check out the mirror.

Jesus. Apparently I'm The Grimace.
The game won't let you leave the room until you look in the mirror, even though it told you literally two minutes ago that you have amnesia. Moving on out of the bathroom.

What about that puddle, that's standard issue? What kind of place is this? Oh man I hope that's a water puddle...

EXPLODING BLADDER TROUBLE

Suck it, ladies. You should see the fabulous Baroque sconces we got in the men's can.

Still hoping it's just water...

Uh...why am I investigating this, exactly?

You have no idea. Let's head out and try that other door.

Hmmm...I guess this scene was drawn as day for night.

Booze seltzer?

Luckily, I have just the thing.

THRILL! As our hero CHEWS...SOME...GUM!! SPILL!! As he DISLIKES...A...BEVERAGE!!

I'D BETTER INVESTIGATE.

This calls for further investigation!

I'll start drinking there and by the time I make it down to the rat feces encrusted bottles, I'll be too wasted to care.

Peculiar!

THIS TAP SEEMS PECULIAR.

I try every action I can on the wine, but nothing happens. f I can't drink all of someone else's wine in a bar I broke into in the middle of the night, then no one can!

TAKE THAT, UNCOOPERATIVE BEVERAGE!!

Unless it is a secret passage to drunk I am not interested.

Screw that, let's check out the dark hole in the floor instead.

After the luxurious bathroom earlier, I was expecting better from you, sewer.

It's cool, I'm pretty sure I can take him.

Well, I guess it's really my fault for laying down lengthwise in his mouth.

Indeed I have. Next time, the game noirs it up a notch with a mysterious torture room, random dead guy, and more things that are PECULIAR.

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