Lighthouse
        (ADVENTURE)


   The eerily rendered graphics, first-person perspective, and intricate
   time-traveling storyline of Sierra On-Line's Lighthouse may remind one of
   Myst, but the trip down memory lane will be short-lived for most.
   Lighthouse has exceeded the adventure bar set by the overwhelmingly 
   successful Broderbund hit, but the result will leave a lot of fans of
   the genre more frustrated than fascinated as they explore a strange
   new parallel world and strive to outwit the ominous Dark Being.
   
   Set on the mysterious, murky Oregon coast, Lighthouse is the story of
   a young writer seeking to unravel the mysterious disappearance of her
   physicist neighbor, Dr. Kirk, and the strange kidnapping of his infant
   daughter Amanda. Her discoveries take her beyond the realm of the
   present and into a mystical world full of strange mechanical gadgets
   and beings.
   
   Graphically, Lighthouse is, at its heart, a moving picture book.
   Beautifully detailed structures and landscapes intertwine with fluid
   video sequences to create a totally beautiful experience. 
   
   Unfortunately, the same does not hold for gameplay. The well-designed
   adventure entices the player from one experience to the next with
   puzzles that test the mind, but the solutions to these teasers are
   occasionally vague and obscure. It's far too confusing to reason out
   what items can or need to be gathered. This mysterious feel may
   intrigue some players, but most will quickly tire of having to click
   on practically every item in sight. Also, many of the clues needed to
   solve the puzzles are very obscure, and often illogical.
   
   Completing Lighthouse is a formidable and lengthy quest for even a
   seasoned gamer. Novices and wanna-be adventurers, beware. Most of the
   time your only help would be a walk through if you can get one !