LURE OF THE TEMPTRESS: THE REVIEW ---------------------------------  Scott English   ¿? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿? Yet another game that I have come across that oozes of quality. This one, seductively named Lure of the Temptress is comprised of some many little jewels that the whole productive can't fail to please. If you can be bothered to watch introductions sequences, then you will probably find this one interesting. Graphically this one is very movie-like and professionally done, interspersed with text that describes the progression of the story. The wide range of effects and the fantastic silhouetted scenes really are used well to create the atmosphere for the game and project the background of Lure of the Temptress to you. Although the music that is used helps to set the mood portrayed visually, the sounds are of poor quality, and sometimes hard on the ears, and the transition between scenes is not as smooth aurally as it is visually. Otherwise however, you are itching to get started by the time that the control of the game is actually turned over to you, and as it is, you find yourself locked up in a two star (comfy straw bed, drippy leak in the roof, and a wonderful view through a barred cell window, if your 9 foot tall!), prison cell. You got here because your dumb steed doesn't know north from south and you were caught up in the King's army as you were trying to get as far away as you could in the other direction. So you witnessed the slaughter of the King's army AND the King for that matter, before the hordes of Skorl surrounded you. Now it beats me why they didnt just kill you as well, perhaps you pouted at just the right moment, because they decided to throw you in a prison cell instead of extracting the vital organs from your body.... Many of you will be familiar with adventure games that give you puzzles to solve immediately before you can get anywhere. Suspicious Cargo is one that comes to mind, as well as several text only adventures that I used to struggle with years ago. Lure of the Temptress is the same... and of course this time you have to work out how to get out of your damned cell! It is in your cell however that the beauty of Lure begins to dawn on you. The crack of the thunder and flashing of the lightning outside your barred window is almost enough to make you jump. Lure is another in a line of adventure games that are purely mouse driven... you need never ever use your keyboard at any time. And all this bodes well for a really good game - you just have to find your way out of the damn cell so that you can see the rest of it. So you look around for means of escape and find out that controlling your character, named Diermont (your parents had it in for you from birth). Any time you move your mouse pointer over an object, you'll see what it is. You can then have a closer look at it by pressing the left mouse button. Clicking on your right mouse button, you will be given a list of options and actions that you can carry out (which expands depending on the objects that you are carrying and the things that you have explored). Several actions allow you to build up complex sentences of commands if need be - while still remaining a very simple job of clicking a mouse button. You're still stuck in the cell though. As nice as it is, you'd rather be elsewhere - you're sure that you heard a mouse somewhere in the straw here. And it'll be about this time that your Skorl guard walks in the door to check on you. Isn't that sweet? The first time the cell door creaked open and this huge goblin-like creature walked into the cell I nearly had to go and check my duds! I was intent on searching for a way to get out, studying all the clues, when the brute walked in! He just checked on me, and then walked back out. That's another thing that you will notice about Lure, there always seems to be things going on despite what you are doing. Wether it's the storm outside, the flickering of torches, or birds flitting about the trees. People that you run into also appear to have their own lives and will generally go about their own business unless you interrupt them (although the two pubs in the town are suspiciously busy). They'll even go around and interact with each other. They'll talk to each other, tell stories to each other, be rude to each other and so on. Sound is relative as well. By that I mean, as you get closer to something, the sound it emits gets louder. At the sewerage drain, you can hear the 'murmuring' of the sewerage coming from it, quite loudly. Walk away from it and you will hear it stll, but more faintly... the same with the Blacksmith. If he is at his forge as you approach, you'll hear him banging away faintly, but as you arrive in the forge it will be quite loud. Actually Lure provides a feast of sound for you to listen to, especially in the town. Birds are constantly chirping, and quite often you'll hear a dog barking away somewhere (the first time I heard it, I thought it was one of my neighbours dogs, the sound was that realistic). Lure of the Temptress really is a gem of an adventure. There seems to be things going on all over the place. There are heaps of people to talk to, all of which have their own personalities and their own information and ways of giving it to you. The puzzles are great, and will often require the aid of a certain loyal follower that you can find along the way. The graphics on the game really are a treat, and they are very moody and set a great medieval feel to the game. Lure of the Temptress is a very polished, enjoyable game that should keep you at it for quite a while. I think this is a great game to have.  © Scott English  ¿? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿*? 35 ¿?