"Space Quest V" is not very popular among Space Quest fans. They cite the following arguments for disliking it:
1. Only one of the series's two original designers worked on it.
2. It's a very direct spoof of "Star Trek."
Color me crazy, but I don't really care about either of these concerns. Sure, it's a direct spoof of Star Trek - so what? Actually, many of the Trek jokes are quite funny. Besides, the much-loved original Space Quest is a very direct spoof of "Star Wars: A New Hope." So where's the problem here?
In my heretical opinion, this is in fact one of the very best "adventure" games designed by Sierra. The puzzles are challenging but somewhat logical - a reasonably intelligent person can work through them without getting a severe headache (unlike, say, the dense and obscure Space Quests II and IV). And the graphics are, for their time, quite funky and cool; the game's got a fun visual style.
Unusually for the Space Quest series, the hero, Roger Wilco, becomes a space captain and is given command of his own ship (this also happens in "Space Quest III," another great game.) I like this development. Frankly, I always thought it was a bit dumb that Roger was eternally a janitor in the other games - it's gratifying that he finally gets some respect here. Of course, his ship is just a garbage scow, so his status as a downtrodden everyman is still sustained.
One of the highlights of the game is the amusing cast of characters that crews Roger's ship, which includes chief engineer Cliffy (who is sort of like a disgruntled, mentally disturbed version of Scotty) and Droole, an extremely lazy helmsman with no mouth. Hey, they make me laugh...
Of all the Space Quest games, I think this one remains the most playable for a modern audience. It has a fairly linear, well-developed plot (as opposed to the earlier games, which meandered more), and the graphics hold up well. Anyway, I just wanted to review this game here so, somewhere on the Internet, it can get the props it deserves, instead of the usual slagging-off on shaky grounds.
1. Only one of the series's two original designers worked on it.
2. It's a very direct spoof of "Star Trek."
Color me crazy, but I don't really care about either of these concerns. Sure, it's a direct spoof of Star Trek - so what? Actually, many of the Trek jokes are quite funny. Besides, the much-loved original Space Quest is a very direct spoof of "Star Wars: A New Hope." So where's the problem here?
In my heretical opinion, this is in fact one of the very best "adventure" games designed by Sierra. The puzzles are challenging but somewhat logical - a reasonably intelligent person can work through them without getting a severe headache (unlike, say, the dense and obscure Space Quests II and IV). And the graphics are, for their time, quite funky and cool; the game's got a fun visual style.
Unusually for the Space Quest series, the hero, Roger Wilco, becomes a space captain and is given command of his own ship (this also happens in "Space Quest III," another great game.) I like this development. Frankly, I always thought it was a bit dumb that Roger was eternally a janitor in the other games - it's gratifying that he finally gets some respect here. Of course, his ship is just a garbage scow, so his status as a downtrodden everyman is still sustained.
One of the highlights of the game is the amusing cast of characters that crews Roger's ship, which includes chief engineer Cliffy (who is sort of like a disgruntled, mentally disturbed version of Scotty) and Droole, an extremely lazy helmsman with no mouth. Hey, they make me laugh...
Of all the Space Quest games, I think this one remains the most playable for a modern audience. It has a fairly linear, well-developed plot (as opposed to the earlier games, which meandered more), and the graphics hold up well. Anyway, I just wanted to review this game here so, somewhere on the Internet, it can get the props it deserves, instead of the usual slagging-off on shaky grounds.
