Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The Lost Treasures of Infocom II brings together an impressive collection of 11 classic text adventures and three bonus CD-ROM titles, delivering an unparalleled depth of interactive storytelling. From the steely espionage of Border Zone to the futuristic simulations in A Mind Forever Voyaging, each title challenges your wit and ingenuity through a high-quality text parser that recognizes complex commands. Players will find themselves typing multi-step instructions, experimenting with verbs and nouns, and uncovering cleverly hidden solutions that reward patience and creativity.

Gameplay mechanics vary notably across the compilation. In Plundered Hearts, romance and puzzle-solving intertwine as you navigate pirate-infested waters, while in Bureaucracy, you’re plunged into satirical frustration as you battle red tape and endless phone menus. Titles like Hollywood Hijinx and Cutthroats inject lighthearted humor, prompting you to sift through movie memorabilia or swindle unsuspecting rivals in a port town. This tonal range ensures each session feels fresh and encourages you to switch between narratives whenever you crave a different kind of mental challenge.

The three CD-ROM bonus adventures—Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur, Journey: The Quest Begins, and James Clavell’s Shogun—blend seamlessly with the original offerings, adding fresh puzzles and story arcs. These extras offer unique twists on Infocom’s signature style: Arthur leans into Arthurian mythos with cleverly disguised riddles, Journey touches on early graphical elements alongside text input, and Shogun transports you to feudal Japan, emphasizing strategic decision-making. The inclusion of these games elevates replay value, making the compilation more than just a nostalgic trip but a comprehensive survey of interactive fiction’s evolution.

Overall, the gameplay shines through its commitment to player agency and imaginative engagement. Whether you’re inputting “OPEN CHEST WITH GOLDEN KEY” in Wishbringer or deciphering coded messages in Trinity, the interface remains responsive and intuitive. For modern audiences unused to command-line inputs, the learning curve can be steep, but once mastered, the sense of accomplishment is profound. Infocom’s parser still stands out for its sophistication, recognizing a wide range of synonyms and compounds that many contemporary indie text adventures struggle to match.

Graphics

As a predominantly text-based compilation, The Lost Treasures of Infocom II offers minimal in-game visuals, focusing instead on evocative prose to paint vivid mental pictures. The DOS and CD-ROM editions include static cover art for each adventure, menu screens with period-authentic aesthetics, and atmospheric title cards that set the tone before the text begins. While there are no animated cutscenes or detailed sprites, the stylized typography and occasional line drawings serve as tasteful, unobtrusive embellishments to the core text experience.

For players accustomed to graphic-heavy titles, the sparse visuals can feel like a departure, yet this is precisely where the collection’s charm lies. Infocom’s design philosophy trusted readers to conjure their own imagery, and these bare-bones presentations invite you to imagine sprawling pirate ships, cluttered bureaucratic offices, or the windswept plains of medieval England in your mind’s eye. This minimalist approach encourages deeper immersion, as your own creativity fills in every detail that on-screen art might otherwise dictate.

The CD-ROM extras introduce modest graphic upgrades, such as illustrated puzzle hints and illustrated character portraits, but these remain secondary to the text. In Journey: The Quest Begins, you’ll encounter simple line sketches alongside textual descriptions, offering an early glimpse into Infocom’s forays beyond pure text. While not cutting edge by today’s graphical standards, these additions underscore the developer’s willingness to experiment and expand the sensory reach of interactive fiction.

Ultimately, the visuals in The Lost Treasures of Infocom II complement rather than compete with the rich narrative and puzzle design. If you’re seeking lush 3D environments or real-time animations, this collection won’t satisfy that craving. However, for aficionados of classic adventure gaming and newcomers open to letting their imagination lead the way, the understated graphics foster a uniquely personal and memorable storytelling experience.

Story

The narrative range within The Lost Treasures of Infocom II is nothing short of remarkable. Each game delivers its own self-contained world: you may find yourself negotiating Cold War tensions in Border Zone, exploring the psychological consequences of utopia in A Mind Forever Voyaging, or solving a regal puzzle in Sherlock: The Riddle of the Crown Jewels. Infocom’s writers excel at crafting distinct voices and atmospheres, ensuring that every storyline resonates with authenticity and purpose.

Romance and drama take center stage in Plundered Hearts, where you assume the role of a noblewoman turned pirate heroine, forging alliances, outsmarting villains, and ultimately finding love on the high seas. Bureaucracy, on the other hand, lampoons government inefficiency with surreal scenarios—mail goes missing, phone operators are unhelpful, and you must outwit an absurd system to simply get your taxes filed. These thematic shifts keep players on their toes and highlight Infocom’s versatility in blending genres.

Fantasy elements abound in Wishbringer and Trinity, where magical artifacts and nuclear mysticism drive the plots. Wishbringer’s enchanting premise—finding wishes hidden within a mystical object—offers an approachable entry point for newcomers, while Trinity’s apocalyptic tone and time-traveling puzzles challenge veterans craving deeper complexity. Meanwhile, the CD-ROM bonus titles explore legendary and historical narratives, from the chivalric quests of Arthur to the political intrigue of Shogun, adding further breadth to the collection’s storytelling scope.

What unifies these varied narratives is Infocom’s commitment to character development and environmental detail. Whether deciphering a pirate’s cryptic journal, interacting with eccentric bureaucrats, or piecing together clues in a haunted trawler off the Pacific coast in Seastalker, you’re always guided by evocative writing that brings characters and settings to life. The result is an anthology that feels less like a random assortment and more like a curated journey through the golden age of interactive fiction.

Overall Experience

The Lost Treasures of Infocom II stands as a testament to the enduring power of text-based adventure games. For longtime fans, it’s a nostalgia-infused celebration of Infocom’s legacy, complete with original packaging graphics and faithful emulation on modern systems. Newcomers will discover a vast playground of puzzles, humor, and narrative sophistication that set the gold standard for interactive storytelling in the 1980s and beyond.

Installation is straightforward, and the built-in hint system helps ease novices into the challenging mindsets these games demand. The compilation’s interface unifies all titles under a single menu, complete with save/load functionality and an index of in-game documentation, making it easier than ever to hop between adventures. This cohesive presentation enhances playability, ensuring that even the longest games remain accessible and enjoyable without resorting to external walkthroughs—though veteran puzzle solvers may resist the temptation to peek.

Value-wise, the sheer volume of content justifies the purchase for anyone with an interest in gaming history or narrative-driven experiences. Eleven classics plus three bonus adventures offer dozens of hours of gameplay, punctuated by moments of genuine surprise, wit, and emotional resonance. Even repeated playthroughs reveal alternate solutions and hidden Easter eggs, rewarding those who relish thoroughly exploring every nook and cranny of Infocom’s worlds.

Ultimately, The Lost Treasures of Infocom II is more than a mere archive; it’s a living anthology that invites you to engage with the roots of modern adventure games. If you’re eager to stretch your imagination, sharpen your problem-solving skills, and dive into some of the most inventive narratives ever crafted in interactive fiction, this compilation remains an essential addition to your library. Whether you’re charting the stars in a submarine in Seastalker or negotiating swordsmen in Cutthroats, the experience promises to be as enlightening as it is entertaining.