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	Title: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
	Authors: Jack Powell and Michael Ciraolo
	Source: Antic, v4(1)
	Date: May 1985
	Transcription by Steve Derby
-->

<img style="display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%;" src="/public/img/articles/antic-hhgttg-review/article-banner.png" alt="A cartoon drawing of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy images">

We know how to get the Babel Fish. But don't ask us. We won't tell you.
And Don't Panic, the clue is right there in the game.

We're talking about Infocom's new text adventure, **The Hitchhiker's
Guide to the Galaxy**, based upon the first of that insanely funny series
of books by British author and ex-bodyguard Douglas Adams. If you
haven't read the book, please do. It will definitely help you in the game.

For those culturally deprived members of our audience, the game generally
follows the cult-classic book although Adams did write extensive
(and very funny) new material for the adventure.

The excitement opens as you awake to a hangover in your bed in Cottington,
England. Playing the part of Arthur Dent, hapless earthling, you
must quickly come to terms with existence ...

Your house is about to be demolished to make way for a highway
bypass. No matter, really. The earth is about to be destroyed by a Vogon
Constructor Fleet to make way for a hyperspace bypass.

But wait! There's more! Infocom takes YOU, the feckless adventurer, to
worlds beyond imagination: "Welfare planets ruled by dry-cleaning establishments,
where even the most basic of huma necessities are provided a
day late and with too much starch." And so on.

Face it -- this is not your run-of-the-mill text adventure. If you're going to
survive, you'll need your trusty Hitchhikers Guide (built into the game) and
a towel! Be warned: Despite its "standard level" rating, this is the most
challenging game we've seen from Infocom. (Have YOU gotten the Babel
Fish or bested the Ravenous Bug-Blatter Beast of Traal?)

The puzzles are tough, but they follow a certain capricious, twisted internal
logic. As we played, we encountered repeated dead ends. When
we finally discovered the answers, we found the solution was logical and
often accompanied by previous clues.

In fact, if you stumble around enough in certain problem areas, the
computer will eventually throw in a hint.

The best way to understand this British whimsy is to read and enjoy
Adams' books or possibly the works of Lewis Carroll.

This extraordinary game is the result of an unusual partnership.
Adams, who is a long-time fan of Infocom games, approached the company
with the possibility of doing a game based on his book. He teamed up
with Steven Meretzky, the award-winning author of Infocom's
**Sorcerer** and **Planetfall**.

The result is a step forward from Infocom's safe, established approach
to game design. It is a break from the tradition of event-specific mysteries
and plotless underground dungeons. The style of writing is distinct and
tangible -- really the first stylistic departure since the classic Zork
trilogy.

Tips for novices: play the game with a grizzled Infocom adventurer
OR a crazed Hitchhiker fan.

And now, we now have a confession to make. We had planned on getting
this review into print at least a month ago, but we hoped to finish the
game first. Alas, we simply haven't been able to get past the Screening
Door. So, if anyone out there has a clue. . .

This text adventure is available form Infocom, Inc. 55 Wheeler Street,
Cambridge, MA 02138, phone (617) 492-1031. $34.95. 48K-disk.
