Reviewed: August 21, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith
Publisher
Dexterity Software
Developer
AncientSoft
Released: August, 2002
Genre: Puzzle
Players: 1
ESRB: Everyone
7
8
7
7
8.3
System Requirements
Trial Version Download
As a former shareware author I can really appreciate the entire philosophy of the “try before you buy” system. Shareware not only gives budding software designers a great outlet for their products, it also allows gamers to sample some quality games that might otherwise never see the light of day.
Pharaohs’ Curse is the latest title from game publisher, Dexterity Software, and from the moment I played my first level I was magically transported back to 1984; a time where I was totally addicted to a little game called Jumpman on my Atari 800. These two games share so much in their visual style, multi-screen design, and simple gameplay that I knew I would be hooked for a long time.
Pharaohs’ Curse puts you in the boots and pith helmet of our tomb-raiding hero as he explores 65 mind bending, puzzle-filled levels full of traps, mummies, and more gold than you can count. As you explore this ancient Egyptian pyramid you will come across a variety of tools, each with a specific function that will help you solve these fiendish logic puzzles.
Here are just some of the fun things you'll do in Pharaohs' Curse:
- Collect piles of gold to unlock the door to each level.
- Climb ladders to reach new platforms. Some ladders are permanent, while others are temporary.
- Use the proper tools to dig through walls and floors.
- Use hammers to break through single walls.
- Use drills to break through double walls.
- Use shovels to dig through single floors.
- Use picks to dig through double floors.
- Outsmart Mummies who guard the gold. Pharaohs' Curse includes four different types of mummies, each with a unique behavior: Basic Mummies, Climbing Mummies, Jumping Mummies, and Stone Mummies.
- Throw knives to defeat mummies.
- Boomerangs work like knives, but a boomerang will return to you after being thrown.
- Push rocks to fill holes or create your own stairs.
The first thing you will notice when jumping into this game is that you have immediate access to all 65 levels. While it might be tempting to jump to the end, you might find yourself suddenly floundering in the deep end of the pool. The progressive level design does a good job of adding new challenges and increasing the difficulty gradually as you advance through the stages in their presented order. Jumping from level 12 to 57, while possible, isn’t recommended.
While some levels require quick reflexes and nimble fingers, these are few and far between. Most levels simply require the use of good puzzle-solving abilities and a bit of planning. You basically need to locate the exit, the gold then analyze the “barriers” between you and them and locate the necessary tools to make it all happen.
Of course the occasional mummy will often be running around making your task just that much more frantic, and the occasional trap door, or magically appearing wall will increase the challenge factor. As difficult as the puzzles are, the gameplay is as easy as it can get. To this end, controls are very simple, reduced to the four basic movement keys and the JUMP/USE key.
Much of the challenge comes from initially learning which items do what. Once you know that a shovel can only dig through one layer of horizontal floor and a pickaxe goes through two you can begin to formulate strategies for each level. To make things even more challenging, many of the levels span multiple screens. This is indicated by the grid-map in the upper corner, and you can also bring up a level summary page that allows you to preview the other screens in the level to locate items and create a plan of attack.
To make the levels and puzzle solutions even more interesting is the use of what I like to call the “wrap-around”. Basically, if you dig through the floor at the bottom of the screen or fall into an existing hole you will reappear at the top of the level. Not only is this a great way to avoid a mummy attack, it is often an integral part of the level’s solution, as in one level where the exit can only be reached by falling through the floor below it.
By having only one shared button for both JUMP and USE the designers have created yet another challenging aspect of gameplay. If you are carrying an item you cannot jump – plain and simple. This immediately creates some interesting dilemmas, especially since you cannot drop an item. You need to make sure you can use an object before you pick it up, especially if there is a gap in your path.
Most puzzle have multiple solutions but there is generally a “best way” to do each level. If you get totally stuck you can hit the cheat key and watch the level play itself out. I did this a few times after I had already solved a level and was amazed at how much “extra” work I had done. Only once did I solve a level the same way as the auto-solve did.
Pharaohs’ Curse has some wonderful, albeit simple graphics. They hearken back to the days of the simple 2D side-scrolling games with Mario-like animations. The graphics feature rich and vibrant colors, and while there are only a handful of items, monsters, and building pieces to each level, each is unique, detailed, and fun. Even the backgrounds are animated and feature unique designs that change every dozen or so levels.
The overall presentation of the game is simple and intuitive with an easy-to-navigate menu and a level select screen that presents all 65 levels in a grid-like pattern of stone tiles. Completed levels are highlighted, so you can easily pick up where you left off the last time you played.
The music in Pharaohs’ Curse is wonderful and quite suited to the Egyptian theme of the game. It changes often enough that you don’t get too tired of it. There is even some triumphant fanfare music when you collect that final stash of gold.
Sound effects are equally as good with lots of fun sounds like drills and hammers cracking stone walls, or the shoveling sound when digging through loose floor sections. There are no groans from the mummies, but you can hear when their coffins open alerting you to their presence.
Each of the 65 levels will take you 10-60 minutes to figure out. Many levels are designed so you are forced to replay them. These generally are the levels where walls appear in certain places at certain times and you have to play at least once to learn where these are. I’ve logged about 8 hours on this game and I have played through the first 22 levels. Expect anywhere from 25-50 hours of gaming from this title.
Pharaohs’ Curse features a normal and hard difficulty level. The hard removes the map-grid and makes the mummies considerably harder than their normal counterparts. It definitely adds a challenge but probably not enough of one to make you replay the entire game.
The game also keeps score, but that score resets each time you leave the game and return. Not that it matters, as there is no high score list anyway. This pretty much eliminates any competitive aspect to the game, reducing it to a simple quest of completion. It would have been nice to have a list of high scores and a record completion time for each level.
There is a full-featured level editor that lets you create your own levels using all the tools that the original designers used. This has the potential to create a virtually unlimited gameplay experience. One thing I found particularly annoying is that there was no easy way to load a custom level. You had to actually go into the editor and load it there then play it. It would have been so much nicer and convenient to have a “Load Custom Level” option underneath those 65 tiles in the level select screen.
Dexterity Software is on a roll with some really great and incredibly addictive titles. This is the fourth release in as many weeks that I have had the privilege and enjoyment to review. What really amazes me is that this little 2D arcade puzzle game has provided me with just as much fun as many of the $50 titles that come across my desk.
Pharaohs’ Curse is a great puzzle-solving game that with offer you many hours of challenging gameplay. Its low system requirements make it accessible to just about anyone with a PC that can run Windows 95, and the simple gameplay and colorful graphics will appeal to both kids and adults alike.
And since it's shareware you don't even have to take my word for it. Download your copy today and try it out. You will find it is well worth the $19 for the full copy, and with a 60-day money-back guarantee you have nothing to lose.