My editor, one of those small, feisty, time-oriented, much too serious people you come across every now and then*, interrupted a perfectly fantastic, low -altitude aerial dog-fight the other day in order to inform me that a diskette bearing my next review subject had arrived and it was high time I took a good, long look at it. So, after I had slipped my badly shot-up P-38L behind and flamed the last Me-110f, I headed for the barn and went back to work.
The game I found myself inside shortly thereafter is entitled "Heartlight PC" and, frankly, I was pretty sure I wouldn't like it. The introduction to the game states that the hero of Heartlight is "a small, bearded, delightful elf named Percival" whose goal in life is "to collect all of the hearts on every level" before exiting through the door.
"Oh my," thought I, fighting the immediate urge to fire up a Spitfire XIII and take out after the Hun again.
But, dedicated reviewer that I am, I stiffened my back and actually began to play Heartlight. Much to my surprise I found that this is, indeed, a delightful little game that shouldn't be missed. The graphics are simple, yet pleasing and Percival's task can only be accomplished after a good amount of brain-straining trial and error. He can only get to the hearts by manipulating the objects he finds in the proper way. During the course of the game, these puzzles become harder and harder and the little chap will probably be crushed and/or blown to bits several times before successfully negotiating any given level.
Heartlight is a distant cousin to "Lemmings" but has a far more laid back atmosphere. At least, it's my guess that one is exercising the same brain cells during play. There is no time limit, however, and manual dexterity plays much less of a part in Percival's world. For the most part, it's your brain that must be in the "on" position.
Check out "Heartlight PC" if you get the chance. It certainly re-affirmed for me the notion that a computer-based game doesn't have to be complicated to be rewarding.
* I should like to add that my editor also possesses one of the finest senses of humor on the planet.
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