Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The CD-ROM 2 Pak brings together two very different experiences under one dusty jewel-case roof. In Crime City, you’re dropped into the neon-lit streets with a first-person perspective that mixes point-and-click investigation and rudimentary action sequences. You’ll chase down clues, question suspects and occasionally engage in quick-time shooting galleries. While the pacing can feel uneven—some segments drag into lengthy dialogue trees—the variety of tasks keeps you on your toes.

The Dagger of Amon Ra offers a classic Sierra point-and-click template: inventory puzzles, dialogue choices and environmental riddles. As journalist Laura Bow, you sift through museum exhibits, interrogate suspects and piece together evidence. The challenge lies in thoroughly exploring every nook, combining items creatively and remembering cryptic clues. It’s a deliberate, methodical style of gameplay that rewards patience and attention to detail.

Both titles share a reliance on trial-and-error learning. Expect to die (or reach a dead end) more than once, especially in The Dagger of Amon Ra where a single misstep can ruin your investigation. Crime City, by contrast, occasionally leans on timed action that demands speedy reflexes. Together the bundle offers a pleasing contrast: one game tests your deductive reasoning at a leisurely pace, the other injects bursts of adrenaline into your detective work.

Graphics

Visually, Crime City is a snapshot of early CD-ROM ambitions. Backgrounds are rendered in chunky, low-resolution stills that evoke a gritty, cyberpunk atmosphere—grime-splattered alleyways, flickering street signs and garish nightclubs. Character portraits occasionally flash digitized faces that, while blocky, introduce a human element missing from many contemporaries. The FMV snippets, though brief, feel like curiosities now, more nostalgic than thrilling.

The Dagger of Amon Ra steps away from the night-club noir into the hushed halls of a 1920s museum. Here the pixel art is crisp and colorful: polished marble floors, richly detailed Egyptian artifacts and period clothing that lends authenticity to the era. Animations are simple—doors slide open, objects blink into existence—but the static beauty of each scene compensates. As you move between rooms, you get a clear sense of space and history.

Neither game competes with modern visuals, but both titles wear their age with charm. The CD-ROM format allowed for higher-quality audio and still images in 1992, and these design choices remain appealing for anyone curious about gaming’s formative years. If you value atmosphere over polygon counts, this bundle’s pixel-perfect nostalgia will resonate.

Story

Crime City thrusts you into a futuristic metropolis plagued by crime waves and shady corporate conspiracies. Dialogue is terse, delivered in caption boxes that rarely allow more than a line or two at a time. While the narrative occasionally dips into predictable “big bad corporation” tropes, it succeeds in creating a tense, neon-soaked mood. Uncovering the mastermind behind a series of heists feels rewarding, even if the overall arc is more about setting than surprise.

The Dagger of Amon Ra spins a tighter mystery around the high-society world of museum curators and glamorous socialites. As Laura Bow, you chase down rumors of an Egyptian dagger cursed with tragedy. Twists abound: double-crossing colleagues, hidden motivations and period scandals that echo real-world archaeology drama. Dialogue is more fleshed out here, peppered with 1920s slang and sly humor that give the cast surprising depth.

Combined, the two stories showcase early ’90s designers experimenting with narrative on CD-ROM. Crime City opts for broad strokes and mood lighting, while Amon Ra drills into character relationships and atmosphere. Fans of interactive storytelling will appreciate how each game tackles mystery differently: one through action-heavy beats, the other through carefully crafted dialogue and puzzle clues.

Overall Experience

The CD-ROM 2 Pak is a time capsule for anyone fascinated by gaming’s CD era. Installation demands some tinkering on modern machines—emulation or legacy OS setups—but once sorted, both games run smoothly. You’ll switch between adrenaline-pumping chases in Crime City and measured puzzle-solving in The Dagger of Amon Ra, creating a varied marathon that keeps you engaged for hours.

Replay value varies. Crime City’s action bits and branching dialogue options invite a second run to see alternative outcomes, but some segments can feel repetitive. The Dagger of Amon Ra’s multiple endings encourage thorough exploration and clever item use, making a second playthrough more purposeful. Together, they complement each other nicely, offering highs and lows that reflect the experimental nature of CD-based gaming.

For collectors and newcomers alike, this bundle serves as both entertainment and a historical artifact. You’ll watch former limitations—low-res art, limited voice samples and punishing puzzles—become part of the charm. If you’re curious about how developers leveraged early CD-ROM technology to push storytelling and interactivity, Crime City and The Dagger of Amon Ra stand as must-play milestones.