by Karen Kaye   Discis Entertainment made quite a splash last year with the release of their acclaimed puzzle game Jewels of the Oracle (JOTO). Embodying a unique concept, JOTO featured a minimalist story line, and focused the designers’ creative energies on a series of fiendishly perplexing logic puzzles. Stunning visuals and an excellent soundtrack rounded out what was universally acclaimed as a auspicious debut. As a result of their earlier work, the designers’ follow-on project was highly anticipated. Similar in general concept to Discis’ previous release, Karma is another non-violent adventure game that emphasizes puzzle solving and creative thinking. Set in the Caves of Dun-Huang, the game tasks the players to recover a series of artifacts that allows them entry to a sacred chamber, where an evil demon has imprisoned the healing waters of life. Boiled down to its essence, Karma starts as yet another foray into the predictable realm of destroying the big bad evil presence and recovering a precious artifact. The Zen of Spelunking I realized that the road to salvation in Karma would be a difficult one almost as soon as I popped the CD in the drive. I tried to follow Discis’ installation instructions faithfully, but the result was invariable some type of error statement or crash. Eventually I just gave up and started playing the game from the CD. As such, it performed well, and saved me the trouble of having to delete anything from hard drive after I was finished with the review. The players are guided in their quest by the apparition of Kuanyin, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, who seems to fancy traveling the plane of the living disguised as an old man. She(he?) is dressed in flowing white robes and appears holding a long stemmed lotus flower. Hmmm ... somewhat reminiscent of a scene form La Cage Aux Folles. The action in Karma — if I dare described it that way — revolves around a series of six caves that each consist of two chambers. It does not take very long to figure out that the player will eventually have to gather a dozen trinkets that unlock the final gate. In order to get the action going, the players are treated to two “bonus” puzzles that bar the entry way to the caves. Once the main level of the cave is reached, the adventurer is confronted by an imposing demonic statue and the seven doors that lead to the six caves and the final chamber, respectively. The puzzles in the first six caves can be solved in practically any order, although one or two require that the player already possess a pre-requisite item. The demon makes an occasional obnoxious appearance, but it is pretty harmless since all he ever does is taunt you for not having one of the artifacts.   A Slice of Heaven There is a pretty cool idea behind Karma that would have been more interesting if the plot for the story, and the details of the game itself, would have been developed better. Still, there is an enjoyable central concept that focuses on the non-violent resolution of conflict. Perhaps the best illustration of this is the fact that prior to the players attempt to free the mystic fountain, a similar journey was undertaken. Instead of the mighty band of warriors that one might expect, a perilous expedition was attempted by six local artisans who were intent on restoring the healing powers of the waters. Both the soundtrack and the graphics are interesting initially, but the ambiance does not last. The main hall leading to the Cryptic Gate is gorgeously rendered and contains several nooks and crannies that can be explored. However, later in the game, the detail is minimal. There is very little to explore and/or manipulate, and most rooms and passages are only rendered in a forward and backward aspect. The challenges themselves are a mixed bag, and range from the childishly simple to a puzzle worthy of Kasparov himself. They represent a good variety of logic exercises, motor skill tests, and games that test your ability to recall sequences. None of the puzzles are terribly original however, and players who have completed numerous adventure games will not be challenged at all. Well, at least until the get to The Last Pedestal of Buddha. This puzzle involves maneuvering a number of uniquely shaped tiles in order to position them in one particular order. The correct solution requires 60 some steps in the appropriate sequence at a level of difficulty that borders on the asinine. I spent two whole days in fruitless search for a solution, all the while hoping that the evil demon wold appear and turn me into to stone as well. At least then my torment would end. Takelamakan Somewhere between good intentions and good execution this game faltered badly. It appears to have been rushed to completion, with some areas left completely undeveloped. Discis’ second effort is not a worthy successor to Jewels of the Oracle and will do little to positively influence the reputation of the company. The game lacks many of the fine finishing touches that make the best adventure games such a pleasure to play. The into movie is a botched affair with poorly spliced video that frequently stops while the actor keeps talking and the music plays on. Even the cut-scenes in which Kuanyin appears are poorly thought out, and include little beyond a frontal shot of the goddess in the disguise of an old man. Even the final scene, when the waters of life are once again released, there is so little going on that the players will have abundant opportunity to get up and order pizza, without missing a beat. Sympathy for the Devil This game certainly started as a nice idea, and conceptually could have been a winner. Alas, it fell victim to a combination of poor design decisions and shoddy execution. It offers little that other adventure games don’t do, and it is slower to boot. Those who are fascinated by the orient, and are new to adventure gaming might enjoy the novelty of the title, especially if they are willing to put up with limited perspectives in the chambers and hallways. But as far as I am concerned, this is not enough. I did cross the threshold of the caves of Dun-Huang to a promised journey of discovery, knowledge and imagination. Sadly, all I found was a short trip into oblivion. Pros • Interesting idea Cons • Puzzles not very original • Very little to explore/manipulate • Poorly executed videos • Whimpy ending Publisher Info Discis 90 Sheppard Ave East Toronto, Ontario Canada, M2N 3A1 E-mail: discis@goodmedia.com Voice: (416) 250-6540 Tech Support: (416) 250-6537   http://www.goodmedia.com/discis/