The Sands of Mars
| The Sands of Mars | |
|---|---|
| ◄Eamon adventure #163► | |
 | |
| Author | Ted Swartz |
| Released | December 1988 |
| EAG number | 163 |
| EDX number | 16-07 |
| EDX set | Classic Eamon Adventures, Vol. 4 |
| Native format | Apple DOS 3.3 |
| File | Eamon 163 - The Sands of Mars.dsk |
The Sands of Mars is an Eamon adventure written by Ted Swartz.
Premise
From the introduction:
As you leave the Main Hall, you are challanged by a burly guard wearing armour made of overlapping dragon scales. From the size of the scales, you realize that they could only have come from the Red Planet.
He speaks—"The Martians are looking for a few good men. Be all that you can be. Join us."
You accept his challenge, and follow him to an odd shimmery area where your eyes waver and can't quite make out what lies beyond. Light seems to bend.
The Martian turns toward you and says—"Remember to pick your friends well. You'll meet two groups: the Green Meanies and the Rowdy Reds. You must choose between them. Your choice will guide your destiny through your stay."
He continues—"And whatever decisions you make, make them fast! Mars waits for no man."
He pushes you into the shimmering field. Your guts twist within you and then...
Walkthrough
Reviews
Tom Zuchowski gave The Sands of Mars a generally positive review, largely on the strength of the adventure's "100% unique" real-time combat system, a feature he enjoyed. Zuchowski described the adventure's puzzles as both difficult and not very sophisticated, but said that thoroughness and perseverance should be enough for players to find all the necessary pieces to complete it. He awarded Swartz's adventure an overall score of 8/10, with a 4 for difficulty.
Webmaster Fredrik Ekman in a 1996 post on Usenet called the adventure "absolutely horrible" and objected to its real-time element, saying that it gives an unfair advantage to fast typists.
External links
- Eamon Adventurer's Guild Library Master List
- The Interactive Fiction Database: The Sands of Mars
- Interactive Fiction Reviews: The Sands of Mars