Chronicles of the Sword (PC)

When I use the phrase "classic" to refer to computer games, I'm usually just being polite. Especially when it comes to adventure games, which seem to have grown very little since their introduction in the early 80s. Chronicles of the Sword from Psygnosis takes a classic approach to a classic story--and manages to accomplish very little in the process.

Using the Arthurian mythos as a backdrop, Chronicles of the Sword does a lackluster job of utilizing the rich characters and legends of Camelot. One would think that the designers, using a story with so many interesting facets and tangential characters at their disposal, could at least have found one aspect to use as the basis for their game. Instead, they have simply appropriated the names into their generic fairy tale.

As Sir Gawain, you have been commissioned by Arthur and Merlin to stop the evil Morgana. Unfortunately, your role involves little more than playing errand boy to other characters, and you're stuck with the menial task of collecting the numerous artifacts and objects they have requested. Unfortunately, most of these objects are almost impossible to find, not because of any mind-bending puzzles, but because they are literally hard to find. At times, Chronicles of the Sword seems like a high-resolution version of an old Highlights hidden picture search as you comb the screen with your mouse, searching for objects which are hidden under scenery or are obscured by shadows. The few actual puzzles that do exist require such obtuse logic that they can seem more puzzling after they're solved.