Sour Grapes

On the weekend, i had the pleasure of striking another game from my Hall of Shame: Simon the Sorcerer 2!

 I have an odd history with the Simon the Sorcerer series: I first became aware of it during the bleak period between the end of the 4th generation and the dawn of the 5th (for me this was 1993-1996). As established before I had an Amiga during this period and found myself with little choice for games - thus leaving me unable to do much bar read the magazines and look lovingly at screenshots of games I could never hope to possess
This is how I became aware of the Simon the Sorcerer. It was a talked up a lot in the gaming press and one particular article revealed a sequel to be in the making. I never knew if this was sequel was eventually completed but apparently it was. And so, I got to play through a game I'd originally heard about twenty years earlier(!).

Unfortunately, as is often the case with sequels, this game seems to be something of a let down. First up Chris Barrie is absent and it is drastically felt - subsequently, Simon has a different voice and less charm. Matter aren't helped with the writing making Simon even more sarcastic than before and thus come across as being more of a complete douche.

Still there is much to admire in the game itself: The jokes are great, the writing is superb and, once again, it is the people that populate the world that makes the game. The backdrops are as gorgeous as ever and the quicker travel method is a welcome change - and one for the better.

But the ending was annoying: A cliffhanger ending? That (eventually) spawned sequels that were pale shadows of the original? And a breaking of the fourth wall that did nothing more than add nightmare fuel? Whoopeee. And considering that games are still doing this - even when there's no guarantee there will be a sequel, you'd think the lesson was already well-learned - but noooo....
Mind you, seeing the credits that followed, I couldn't help but think they came across as being half-arsed in their approach - which in turn adds to the rushed nature of the game's conclusion.

Ultimately, Simon the Sorcerer 2 had it's moments but I've always wondered why it isn't as fondly remembered as it's predecessor. Now however I think I know why...