Zork: Nemesis

Zork: Nemesis is a 1996 graphical adventure game developed by Activision. It is the eleventh game in the Zork series, and the first such title not to appear under the Infocom label (Return to Zork was marketed with both the Infocom and Activision labels). It was released for the Apple Macintosh, MS-DOS, and Windows 95 platforms (the latter using DirectX, another first for Zork).

Plot

In the game, the player takes on the role of a nameless adventurer, charged by Vice Regent Syovar the Strong to enter the Forbidden Lands to investigate the disappearance of four prominent citizens:

• Madame Sophia Hamilton,
• Bishop Francois Malveaux,
• Doctor Erasmus Sartorius, and
• General Thaddeus Kaine.

Additionally, the player is to investigate the rumor of a curse put on the Forbidden Lands by a being known only as "Nemesis," which has already claimed as a victim the player's predecessor, Agent Karlok Bivotar.

Upon entering the Forbidden Lands, the player finds a message left by the spirit of Alexandria Wolfe. The player enters the Temple of Agrippa to find the four citizens mentioned above, deceased and in coffins. Nevertheless, they are able to speak to the player. The "Nemesis" has killed them, and two of their children - Kaine's son Lucien and Malveaux's daughter Alexandria.

Determined to learn the truth, the player travels to each of these characters' (known as "The Alchemists") private dwellings to find the four lost elements and bring the world back into balance. In the game players visit:

• The Conservatory (Hamilton, Water)
• The Monastery (Malveaux, Fire)
• The Asylum (Sartorius, Air)
• Castle Irondune (Kaine, Earth)

In these places, the player learns of a sinister past surrounding the six characters and the so-called "Nemesis".

It is warned that some elements of the plot, and certain scenes in the game may not be suitable for children.

Technology

Zork: Nemesis employed technology Activision dubbed "Z-Vision Surround Technology." This gave users a simulated 360-degree view of each location visited.

Nemesis was one of the first games to employ such technology. As such, although it added new depth to the gameplay, it appears dated and pixellated by today's standards. Nemesis only allows panning either horizontally or vertically at any position, not both at the same time as with later games, such as The Journeyman Project 3 or Myst III: Exile. Details were far more difficult to make out in the panoramic scenes in Nemesis than in the still screens. The sequel Zork Grand Inquisitor made significant improvements to the Z-Vision system.

Zork: Nemesis, like many good adventure games of its time, made excellent use of live actors. Each of the six major characters, plus several additional characters, were played by actors. The game features a significant amount of screen-time for the actors, thanks to its use of flashbacks (a technique also seen in more modern games such as Myst IV: Revelation). Unfortunately, the quality of this video is so poor that it is often difficult to make out the actors' faces.

Zork: Nemesis was one of the largest games of its time, occupying three CD-ROMs. This was due to the large amount of full-motion video and panoramic scenes.

A Mixed Reception

Zork: Nemesis was a significant departure from the rest of the Zork series. Many long-time fans of the series criticized Nemesis for its dark, sober atmosphere, which was in stark contrast to the playful, light-hearted spirit of the previous entries. Those for whom Nemesis was their first exposure to the Zork series, on the other hand, generally approved of the game's realism and found it to be a game that could stand on its own merits.

Regardless, Activision seemed to ultimately side with the long-time fans: the next game in the series, Zork Grand Inquisitor, is more in keeping with the light, jovial atmosphere established by the earlier entries in the series.