MINES OF TITAN from Infocom
Review by Robert Brown
Copyright (c) 1990 Apple Users' Group, Sydney
Republished from Applecations, a publication of the Apple Users' Group, Sydney, Australia.
Requirements
- An Apple //e with atleast 128K ram, //c or //GS.
- One 5 1/4 inch drive.
Options
- Joystick
- Colour Monitor
It's taken a long while. Two years of cryogenic suspension. When you wake up from it, it seems like someone kicked you in the head. Two hours ago, sensors picked up the nearing of your destination, Titan, a small satellite of Saturn. As you started your final entry, a small rock flings from one of Saturn's rings and punctures your fuel tanks. Normally the hole would be plugged by sealant, but on final entry, the outer pipes are closed. Your fuel is spilling out into deep space. You think quick. Mining equipment, it would be insured. You jettison the equipment and save your life. Unfortunately, the 'Paramount Mining Company' didn't think that saving a life was worth more than saving mining equipment. You have to sell your ship in order to pay for their equipment. You're stranded on Titan. There is no work for astronauts. The only work available is mining or bounty hunting. You choose to be a bounty hunter thinking that is easy work, until you are given your assignment.
'Mines Of Titan' is a role playing adventure set in the 22nd century. As a bounty hunter, you must create and control a party of characters to explore the satellite. You must improve yours and your party's skills before entering the vast deserts on your mission. You must earn credits which are needed for training and buying special weapons. And what about this mission? The 'Paramount Mining Company' has lost a city. It was the newest city built on Titan and now, all telecommunications have been lost. The mission you are sent on involves seeking out the lost city and destroying anything that stands in your way. You must be aware of Titan's natural beings such as Crushers, Dust Worms, Sand Loins, Scorads, Thrashers, and Urchins. Each are deadly in their own different way.
Throughout the adventure, you will have to fight. Options of combat allow full computer control or full player control (the computer controlled is best when you are learning). Each city you visit is a labyrinth of computer terminals, Armory Shops, Bars, Gambling places and Police stations. One important fact to remember is in this game, the Police are your friends.
Most adventure games now have menu driven interfaces containing the commands needed to play the game. 'Mines Of Titan' is no exception. Screen layout is in the form of graphic windows displaying commands, aerial view and ground view of your present situation and your life statistics.
The game comes on one 5 1/4 inch disk, and is not copy protected. It is a difficult game to master and there are a lot of frustrating moments. Be prepared to spend atleast 10 full hours in playing it.
It is a fairly strange game to get into. It tends to get a bit boring in places and as mentioned before, frustrating. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone just getting into adventure games.

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