IFReviewed by Tom Zuchowski on 2006-05-06 07:35
MAIN PGM Version: 5
Extra Commands: READ, FREE, BIND, GAG, DRINK, USE, OPEN
Deleted Commands: None
Special Features: None
Playing Time: 1-2 hours
Reviewer Rating: 7.0
Average Rating: 7.0/3
Description: "A very good friend of yours recently became violently ill. She ranted and raved like a person possessed. As a matter of fact, that was the exact diagnosis that the head of the church and the local doctor arrived at. They said that there was nothing they could do. But you finally managed to find a wise old Sage that told you of a powerful holy man that specialized in demonic possession.
"The man's name is Marron and he lives somewhere on Mount Sunis in the caves. They say he has lost his marbles and now lives in recluse with his strange friends. You do not know whether you can get Marron to come into the village to help Katharyn, your friend, so you decide to take Katharyn up to the holy man, instead.
"Katharyn is much too violent to take along so you must bind her and carry her. So, you chain her and wrap her in a canvas bag and head off for the caves of Mount Sunis"
Comment: This Eamon has the usual number of nifty features that are typical of Nelson's work. Katharyn is not pleasant company, even bound and wrapped in the bag. She offers more commentary on your progress and ancestry than you are likely to have asked for. <grin>
The gimmick here is to find all the little hidden bits that are needed for the exorcism. John has hidden them in various ways that were quite clever for their day. If you put all the pieces together, this isn't a particularly difficult Quest. But miss a piece, and you may find yourself possessed by the demon, which is definitely a no-good way to end the adventure!
Though the puzzling element is strong, it's not complex by modern standards. The combat is hot and heavy, making this Eamon a good one for the hack'n'slash crowd as well.
Here are some things to watch for while playing: even though it plays much like a more advanced version, you must keep in mind that it uses a very early version of the Eamon MAIN PGM, with some twists. EXAMINE is not exactly the same command as LOOK. The adventure usually accepts truncated commands, but some clue triggers are looking for full commands and won't reveal the clue for truncated commands; EXAMINE DRESSER may reveal a clue that EXA DRESS will not. The USE and OPEN commands are uneven in spots also.
This adventure gets an (8) difficulty rating because of these uneven spots. But if you bear the above pointers in mind, you should find the going to be rather easier.
Used with Matthew Clark's kind permition.
Original review available at Eamon Adventurer's Guild Online website.
