Uchuu no Rendezvous: Rama

Uchuu no Rendezvous Rama is based on the best-selling book series by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee, the game puts you in control of an astronaut sent to replace Valeriy Borzov who died under mysterious circumstances on the spaceship/cylinder known as Rama. It is your mission to explore Rama and learn as much about the alien artifact, races and biological robots (called biots) that inhabit the space vehicle.

This involves finding alien museums and using base 8 and base 16 math to solve several puzzles in various areas. You also learn about the alien races through instruction by teachers of the alien species. Solving puzzles opens up more areas of Rama to exploration and from time to time, you receive information and alien artifacts from other team members.

The game is partly randomized with several puzzles changing every time a new game begins or when you leave that puzzle and return later. Rama has many full motion video sequences and many of the incidents in the game have parallels in the books. When your character dies during the game, you’re treated to a video of Arthur C. Clarke giving advice and asking you to try again. At the end of the game, Clarke makes reference to a possible sequel and the game contains several plugs for the novel 3001: The Final Odyssey.