kosma%human-torch@STC.LOCKHEED.COM (Monty Kosma) (06/08/90)
Just got this new game from Accolade, and here's a few comments: The Third Courier is kind of like a "spy/espionage" version of Bards Tale. The feel of the game (screen layout, movement commands and images, sound) really is lots like bard's tale, but the game concept and play is IMHO much more interesting. It's a pretty basic espionage storyline: there's three components to some NATO thing which three couriers were bringing to some meeting somewhere...two couriers turned up dead, and now the third one is in Berlin, saying that he has all three parts and he's going to sell out to the highest bidder. Your job is to recover the goods, basically. You start out with some deutschmarks, an ATM card, a Smith&Wesson, and your US passport. At Mission Control you can get outfitted with a host of James Bond type equipment, and more stuff can be purchased from the black market in West Berlin. I haven't really got into the game too far--I just finished exploring all the buildings in West Berlin (there's lots of offices, shops, bars, restaurants, hotels, and apartments, as well as subway stations, "my apartment," mission control, street vendors, and a few other "special" places). The main job here has been to find out which places in the city have people or things which are useful or interesting, and which are just your "standard everyday shops." Now I'm just starting to make contacts with different informants (bribing people happens a lot), and identifying people around the city (like the shoemaker who REALLY is a NATO agent...). Anyway, it looks to be a very good game, with lots of territory to explore, and lots more really good ideas. Here's one I like: at some point (once you reach a certain level with your character I think) Mission Control can provide you with bugs; in your apartment, there's a bug recorder, so you can plant bugs in the restroom in the park and go home and listen to people flushing the toilet, or whatever. Anyway, good game. AND: the best part......it's EASILY HD-installable, and very system friendly; only codeword-based copy protection (well, it's a spy game :-). Anyway, for what I can say after playing with it for a day or two, I recommend it. monty