Blue Heat: The Case of the Cover Girl Murders

Orion Interactive, 1997

This is a mature nature adventure game of suspense and murder that casts you as Holly Jacobson, an undercover LAPD Homicide Detective investigating the murders of Cover Girl models posing nude for an adult magazine, LA Erotica. The killer has used a similar method to kill the girls at different times and places by tying each of their hands and legs on the four-bed posts before killing them. You start your undercover investigation by meeting and questioning the suspects, cross-examining the clues and sifting evidences to find a lead that may carry you closer to the murderer. During your investigation the serial killer strikes again and again and other models lose their lives. You save all the information that you gather and all the records related to the case in a Personal Digital Assistant or a PDA.

The game is created in a photo-realistic environment, which can be viewed at some places in a 360-degree panned view. You interact with suspects and other characters in an interactive full-motion-video environment. There is a map option that provides you a 45-degree overhead view of Los Angeles, which you use to travel from one place to another. The most exciting feature of the game is the cast that includes many Playboy Playmates and top-notch celebrities of the big screen showing their best performance in this exciting game.

Geisha

Tomahawk, 1990

One of the earliest Coktel Vision releases, this fast-paced erotic adventure leads you from the high-fashion models of Paris to the Kimono wrapped ladies of Tokyo, also known as Geisha. A mad scientist has kidnapped your girlfriend Eva, and wants to transform her in some sort of futuristic Geisha i.e. part machine, part human, and you have to travel to Tokyo to save and rescue her. Your mission is to acquire information from certain criminals by infiltrating their society in the guise of a Geisha. The puzzles are difficult and the game, unforgiving. Should you miss a specific puzzle or game element, you must reload an earlier saved game in order to continue. Additionally, there are several arcade sequences you must deal with to complete the game. The graphics are quite good for the time, sprinkled with some adult oriented scenes and supported with mouse-driven point & click interface.

20,000 Leagues under the Sea

Coktel Vision, 1988

Based on the classic Jules Verne's novel of the same name, 20,000 Leagues takes you aboard the famous ship Abraham Lincoln for an adventure on (or should I say, "below") the high seas. Seek out the secret of the legendary leviathan as you attempt to solve puzzles that almost boggle the mind. Explore and discover the unseen underwater world aboard the Nautilus, the submarine navigated by Captain Nemo, while following the trail of the sea monster.

The enhanced graphics are quite good for the era. While the interface is a bit clumsy, the internal PC speaker supported sound is slightly better.

Mystery of the Mummy

Time Warp, 1991

Originally released for the Amiga Gaming System, this PC adaptation of Mystery of the Mummy casts you as the investigator of a missing mummy in Hamburg, Germany.  You have just five days to gather evidence, follow up leads and question witnesses in order to solve the crime. You can use items and interact with environments as you seek the perpetrator, but the fun is slightly marred by a few annoying action sequences and a cumbersome interface.  Lovers of detective games are urged to overlook these flaws, as the marvelous mystery elements make this one well worth playing.

KGB

Cryo Interactive Entertainment, 1992

From the creators of the game Dune comes this unusual adventure that casts you in the role of Maksim Rukov, a KGB agent. You have been assigned to investigate a series of murders in the Russian underworld, but to do so you must infiltrate a ring of cocaine smugglers. During your investigations you also uncovers a nefarious intrigue plotted by some high ranked KGB officials to oust President Gorbachev.

The game was released in the USA under the title, Conspiracy on an enhanced CD-Rom. The graphics in KGB are as impressive as they are in the game version of Dune and the sound is equally as good. Be sure to grab this one if you like secret agent adventures!

Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness

Sierra On-Line, 1993

Shadows of Darkness is an appropriate name for this fourth outing in the Quest For Glory series. In this chapter you must journey to Mordavia, a dark land that could have been taken straight from the spookiest of Transylvanian legends. Against this sinister backdrop you must battle monstrous creatures that strive to bring about eternal darkness. This edition also allows character import from earlier games in the series and was highly ranked by popular gaming magazines of the time.  This game is way better in graphics, sound and music than it predecessors and the CD-ROM version of the game also features digital speech. The title covers numerous gaming elements like visuals, music, story, fighting system, replay value, atmosphere, and combines them into one of the best gaming experiences you'll ever come across.

Simon the Sorcerer

Adventure Soft Publishing, 1993

One of mankind's oldest fantasies is to live in a world where magic really does exist. Thanks to Adventuresoft, you can now experience such a life in the timeless adventure, Simon the Sorcerer. You play Simon, a young boy of fourteen, who is transported to a magical world by goblins. You soon discover that your abduction is part of the sinister plan of the evil Sordid, a vicious wizard bent on taking over the mystical realm. Put on your pointed hat and rescue Calypso, a grand wizard from the manacles of evil Sordid.  This title features standard 256 color VGA graphics, beautiful MIDI music and game controls that allow great freedom of movement. While the interface most likely resembles the LucasArts' style the storyline is almost similar to Monkey Island games. But overall, it's a highly recommended game and series.

Gold Rush!

Sierra On-Line, 1988

One of the first graphic adventure games from the well-known house of Sierra On-line.  Like other early text-and-graphic based adventure games, this one is story-driven.  You play the part of a young man from New York who travels to California during the Gold Rush in search of his missing brother. You can choose any one of the three different paths to reach California with different puzzles. So, play your cards right and you will not only discover your brother's fate, but also find fame and fortune.

The graphics and the internal PC sound is good enough for the time, The puzzles are not very hard and make this game worth playing by younger children or more experienced players who don't want too much of a challenge.