A PILGRIM RETROSPECTIVE

'Never heard of it', said an Activision spokesperson when the Pilg rang to check the price of one of his favourite Infocom games. That just about sums up the treatment this little gem has had since its release. This is mainly because the game came out at the same time as Hitchhiker's and was rapidly eclipsed by its more famous companion.

That's a great pity, because it really is an excellent example of interactive character programming. Stuck in a large American country house, attending a fancy dress ball, you discover the corpse of your society hostess, strangled by the lariat from your costume. The police are on the way, the clock ticks remorselessly towards midnight and if you can't find out who did it then you're for the chop.

Almost all the many characters in the game can be addressed as you question them about each other, themselves, their love lives and their business affairs. You will spend time hiding in corners, listening for indiscreet conversations and rooting around in personal documents, as well as solving the usual locked-door and inaccessible-location puzzles.

The magic of this game lies in the complex movements and actions of the different characters, all of whom you must keep track of and check out during your investigation. A small map, lots of conversations, much brain work, and an excellent atmosphere make this one of the ail-time adventure classics, and deserving of a wider following. The Pilg has seen versions for all the usual Infocom formats, including Amstrad CPC but check with Activision for availability and pricing.