<!--
	Title: Beyond Zork
	Author: William Carte
	Source: QuestBusters, v5(1)
	Date: January 1988
	Transcription by Steve Derby
-->

"The wind blows from a new direction" now and then in the land of Quendor,
author Brian Moriarty's subtle way of reminding us that the title *Beyond Zork*
alludes to more than just a *Zork* sequel—it also hints this is a completely new kind
of game, one that transcends the very nature of the text adventure. Skillfully
blending logical puzzles with role-playing elements such as hit points and combat,
Moriarty has crafted a trailblazing form of adventure game that will intrigue fans of
*Ultima*-style games and enthrall devoted Infocom fans who never even heard of
Minax or Werdna.

This sequel to *Zork* (no experience in the first three is required to play it) is set
in the kingdom of Quendor, where things are not going well. The wizards have
disappeared, the Enchanter's Guild lies in ruins and monsters roam the land. Though
you are but a lowly peasant, it's up to you to search the countryside and unravel the
mystery.

The quest carries you from village to village, from a peaceful town to a frozen
volcano on the ethereal plane. Along the way you'll meet several colorful characters
who may help or impede your progress. A cook sends you into the wine
cellar to retrieve a particular bottle of vino [invoking memories of the trip into the
wine cellar of *Bard's Tale*], then locks the door on you when you try to climb out
[stirring up memories of the first time you climbed down the steps inside *Zork I*'s
little white house]. And how about that mother hungus, whose baby is stuck in the
quicksand? Mess with that baby and you'd better run quick!

In the towns you'll find three kinds of shoppes that serve the same purpose as
shops in games like *Ultima*. The Boutique carries the latest in armor, and the
Weapons Shoppe sells (you guessed it) armor. Perhaps the most important is the
Magick Shoppe, which sells vital potions. You can also show things to the old
woman behind the counter, who will identify potions, magic rods and other
discoveries and describe their use. You can also sell items that are no longer
needed, an excellent way of earning more zorkmids. (But be sure not to sell something
you will need later on, for the proprietor doubles the price when you buy
it back.)

A plethora of amusing yet deadly beasts lurks behind every tree and rock: Dust
Bunnies, Dorn Beasts, a Monkey Grinder, and even a Cruel Puppet who attacks by
mimicking you and "reciting your nightly personal habits in excruciating detail." In
the frozen fields of Frotzen you'll face a group of vicious birds that would do
Alfred Hitchcock proud. Can you get past them? (Wonder what scares them?) My
favorite fiend? The Christmas Tree Monsters, who throw ornaments at you.
Then there's the magical town of Froon, famous for its little people, who can be
most appreciative at times. And can you find the fabled Coconut of Quendor, the
long-range goal of this quest? Even if you do, can you manage to get hold of it?
These questions and more will be answered in *Beyond Zork*, where in addition
to all the logical puzzles, you'll find two tough riddles to figure out. The riddle of
the tines has stumped many a veteran adventurer. (Hint Come up with the
answer nkijvpkpi-quick and see what happens.)

## *Role-playing the Infocom Way*

Author Brian Moriarty, who wrote
*Trinity* and *Wishbringer*, wove many role-playing elements into the fabric of
*Beyond Zork*. Your character has attributes such as strength, dexterity,
intelligence and luck. These are more than mere window dressing, for the
attribute ratings serve as your score—and you can't solve certain logical puzzles
unless your rating in a related attribute is high enough.

For example, if your intelligence level is low and you try to read a scroll, you'll
learn that "Perhaps you could understand it if you had studied harder in school."
This is a first in a text adventure. Of course, you can find ways to boost these
ratings during the game, by drinking a potion or performing the proper action.
Because your ability to solve some of the logical puzzles depends on your attribute
levels (which are also your score) the score becomes more than just numbers.

Several options let you determine your character's attributes before embarking on
the quest. The program will randomly select a character for you, you can choose
a pre-rolled one, or you may roll one up from scratch by distributing points among
the various attributes (the way you would in an early *Ultima*). As you earn unseen
experience points in combat, your Level 0 character is promoted to higher levels
and your ratings in endurance and otherattributes are simultaneously boosted.

<figure class="float-right">
<img src="/public/img/articles/questbusters-beyond-zork-review/beyond-zork-screen-shot.jpg" alt="Beyond Zork screen shot">
<figcaption class="center">Macintosh version</figcaption>
</figure>

After playing it through twice and starting new games, I found the pre-set
character "The Genius" the best to use. After choosing or creating a character, you
can pick the name and sex. Otherwise you'll be known as Buck Palace. (Where
have I seen that name before?)

If Buck were writing this review, he'd be the first to point out that *Beyond Zork*
is rife with names and locations and creatures from other Infocom titles [which
the designers refer to as cross-references]. You'll see a platypus, a horseshoe and a
whistle (*Trinity*), a compass rose and an outcropping (*Spellbreaker*), get to jump
from the heights while holding an open umbrella (*Trinity*) and experience numerous
other Info-flashbacks while exploring Quendor. (How many can you find? The
person who sends in the most verfiable examples will win the Infocom game of their
choice. Deadline: April 7, 1988.) These contribute greatly to the atmosphere.

And if you don't like the names of creatures and things, you can rename
them, a feature introduced in *Spellbreaker*. Imagine referring to a pterodactyl as
"George" or calling the Giant Bloodworm "Mr. Rogers." This can be as much fun as
it is convenient

## *Macros, Auto-mapping & More*

Another handy feature consists of ten user-definable macros. A list of frequently
used actions such as "look" or "attack creature" reduces them to one-key
commands. Any or all may be redefined at any time in the game. I set number nine
to "push onion" and number eight to "pterodactyl," which spared me a great
deal of typing in pertinent situations—a tremendously useful feature. Another
marvel is the "undo" command (not found in all versions), which does exactly what
the name implies. If you just pointed the rod of annihilation at the Cruel Puppet to
no avail, you can "undo" and try something else. In some cases you can even
"undo" an act that led to your death. This cuts down on the number of times you'll
have to restore a saved game.

Auto-mapping is probably the most important new feature. Depending on
your computer type, you'll see a map composed of boxes or alphanumeric
characters on the right side of the screen. Your current location is marked, and lines
indicate the room's exits. After visiting an adjacent room, it appears and remains on
the map. Arrows tell you if an up or down exit is in the room, and a "?" means you'll
need a light source. The "zoom" commands lets you see more of the map or
focus in on your immediate surroundings.

On some computers you can move to an adjacent location by clicking on its box or
an exit line. Function keys may also be used from directional commands, or you
can fall back on the usual text abbreviations. It's still helpful to draw your own
map-but auto-mapping makes it easier.

## *Mode in Massachusetts*

The rest of the display has been graced with a new presentation scheme called
"enhanced mode." A four-color window on top of the screen holds the current
room's description, and at the bottom another one provides other information,
combat reports and room to type in commands. You can decide what appears
in the top window, for at times you may want to pay more attention to your
inventory or attribute levels, which on some computers are shown in a bar chart.
During combat, your all-important endurance level appears in the top window
on these machines.

Even more significant than all these radical changes is the fact that no two
games are exactly alike: Major puzzles and solutions remain the same, but items
are found in different locations, artifacts and potions have varying names and
effects, and even parts of the map shift around from game to game.

<img class="float-right" src="/public/img/articles/questbusters-beyond-zork-review/beyond-zork-feature-chart.jpg" alt="Beyond Zork features table">

I must confess I'm not a fan of the *Zork* series. My first text adventure was
*Wishbringer*, so *Zork* was before my time. I bought all three but could never
really get into them. So *Beyond Zork* doesn't really remind me of *Zork*. In fact,
it reminds me most of *Spellbreaker*, for the two are similar in complexity and
difficulty. *Spellbreaker* was probably a little easier for me, since I was a real *Enchanter*
and *Sorcerer* fanatic.

Don't let this scare you off. While *Beyond Zork* is an expert level game, I
feel that even novices will get a great deal of enjoyment out of it. One major hint:
Read the *Lore and Legends of Quendor* carefully and recheck it when you have
trouble with a new creature.

This book apparently contains information needed to complete the game, so it
also serves as a form of copy-protection—the program itself can be copied to a hard
disk or backed up on floppy (Apple owners, see news item for more on this).
The rest of the package consists of a large map of Quendor and an expanded manual
that covers all the new features.<br>
**Conclusions:** Moriarty has certainly spoiled us for other text adventures, and
this is the one by which others will be judged for some time to come. *Beyond
Zork* is a must-on a scale of one to ten, I give it an eleven.

<hr style="border-top: 4px double;">

**System:** C-128, Apple II (128K), IIGS, ST, Amiga, IBM (192K), Mac<br>
**Skill Level:** Expert<br>
**Protection:** In Manual<br>
**Price:** C-128, $44.95; others, $49.95<br>
**Company:** Infocom
