Planetfall
 Science Fiction |
Planetfall is a science fiction interactive fiction computer game written by Steve Meretzky and published by Infocom in 1983. It was Meretzky's first game to be written for Infocom and it proved to be one of his most popular works and a best-seller for the company.
| Planetfall | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | Steve Meretzky |
| Publisher(s) | Infocom |
| Release date(s) | 1983 |
| Authoring system | ZIL |
| Platform(s) | Z-code |
| Language(s) | English |
| License(s) | Commercial |
| Multimedia | |
| Color effects | none |
| Graphics | none |
| Sound/Music | none |
| Ratings | |
| Cruelty scale | Cruelty to be determined |
How It Begins
The game starts with the user assuming the role of a lowly Ensign Seventh Class on the S.P.S. Feinstein, a starship of the Stellar Patrol. Overbearing superior Ensign First Class Blather assigns the player to mop decks, not exactly the glorious adventures promised by the recruiters on Gallium. But a sudden series of explosions aboard the ship sends the player scrambling for an escape pod, which eventually crash-lands on a nearby planet. There are signs of civilization, but curiously no traces of the beings that once lived there. Eventually encountering a helpful but childlike robot named Floyd, the player must unravel the mysteries of the single deserted structure on the planet, Resida, and find a way to get back home. As the fate of the planet's former inhabitants becomes clearer, a time limit also imposes itself.
Notable Features
In many earlier games, the battery power of the lantern had been limiting factor, Planetfall replaced this element with the somewhat more realistic requirement that the player sleep and eat regularly.
The concept of a NPC sidekick (Floyd) was also new for Infocom games. Floyd would follow the player from location to location and interaction with him was required in order to complete the game.
Reaction to Floyd's in-game death was hailed at the time as a telling sign of the emotional power of Infocom's games. Many players, it was widely reported, wept openly at the scene of Floyd's "death". Apparently, it was previously unthinkable that "a simple game" could move people to such a degree.
Versions
Release TBD
- Planetfall (Steve Meretzky, publisher: Infocom; 1983; Z-code).
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Availability
Links
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetfall (Wikipedia Entry)
Reviews
- Planetfall - at SPAG.