Amerzone: The Explorer’s Legacy Review: A good remake, still stuck in the past

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The Amerzone game stands out as one of the most unusual titles I’ve encountered. Its content and gameplay are both distinctive, as neither evoke any sense of nostalgia from the 1999 original nor resemble any other game I’ve played with a similar control system. To describe it succinctly, Amerzone is a 3D point-and-click adventure game, where you navigate through various points in a 3D space rather than moving freely. You can observe your surroundings, interact with nearby objects, or choose to advance to other areas. It took me quite some time to adapt to this control scheme, even after several hours of playing the game, I occasionally found myself trying to maneuver using both joysticks as if it were a traditional 3D space exploration game.

The game, Amerzone, is set in a fictional land that mirrors the Amazon, yet it stands out with its unique inhabitants such as a swimming giraffe, a horned hippo, and creatures reminiscent of dinosaurs. In this story, you assume the role of a journalist who becomes embroiled in a dying man’s final request to restore a valuable artifact, an egg, to its proper home within Amerzone. To accomplish this task, you must decipher instructions, navigate, and solve challenges as you journey across the Atlantic and delve into a perilous jungle.

To clarify, what I’ve been saying is that this game has been thoroughly updated since its release in 1999. Although I haven’t played the original myself, it’s clear from side-by-side comparisons that the graphics in this new version have seen a significant upgrade. The surroundings are richer with detail, and the characters look more contemporary. It’s undeniable that this revamped game offers the best way to immerse oneself in its storyline. I’ll strive to avoid spoilers as much as possible, but let me emphasize that there’s a substantial amount of fresh content added to this version, amounting to several hours of additional playtime. Even if you’re familiar with the original, there’s plenty more to discover here.

Learning the Ropes

In Amerzone: The Explorer’s Legacy, though it may seem so, you aren’t actually free to wander around at will. This is an aspect I had to get accustomed to, especially since I’m not familiar with this type of gaming experience. Throughout the game, I found myself moving back and forth to specific spots, waiting for my character to finish moving before I could turn and go somewhere new. This design choice probably aids in managing the intricate storyline and puzzles typical of first-person adventure games, but personally, it wasn’t something I enjoyed.

In this narrative, you play as a main character who is mostly quiet and eagerly cooperative. The story offers limited dialogue options and some optional areas to investigate, yet it seldom feels like there are multiple paths to navigate a situation. The puzzles are often logical and inventive, but there were instances where I found myself stuck. To assist in these challenging moments, the game provides various tools for players. For example, you can press and hold a button to view interactive objects nearby. If that’s not sufficient, you can also refer to your journal for suggestions. However, you will only receive hints when you reach a specific level of advancement, typically when you start understanding what the hint is trying to convey.

In this game, you’re navigated through magical realms, where you’ll encounter various challenges. The initial lighthouse is intricate and complex in itself, but further along, you’ll swim in a serene lagoon, dodge military pursuits, and drive an absurdly entertaining shape-shifting vehicle. Although the controls may not be versatile enough to suit other games, their straightforwardness serves as a useful means of guiding players through the narrative.

PROS:

  1. vastly improved visuals and added content;
  2. weird but fascinating story, with an engaging message;
  3. helpful hints and enjoyable puzzles.

CONS:

  1. movement often feels outdated and awkward;
  2. hard to recommend for a modern audience;
  3. even with hints, the player can still get stuck sometimes.

Globe Trotting Adventure

As I stepped foot in Brittany, France, I found myself standing before Alexandre Valembois, an eccentric scientist and explorer residing in a lighthouse. Intriguingly, he implores me to restore a stolen egg – one from a unique species of white bird – back to its rightful home in the Amerzone. This task has been on his agenda for years, but his advanced age has made it impossible for him to embark on this journey himself. The sacred ritual alone can bring forth the egg’s hatching, and since Valembois took it away, the land has slipped into a repressive regime, orchestrated by one of his former companions during their expedition through the Amerzone.

In this tale, the journalist hero embarks on a mission to discover the mysterious egg, which involves constructing a vintage steam-powered aircraft to traverse the Atlantic Ocean and navigate through dense jungles upstream. His ultimate goal is to restore the egg to its original location. As you follow his adventures, you can contrast the accounts of Valembois in his journal with the devastation he leaves behind, suggesting themes of guilt, deceit, and the potentially harmful impacts of colonialism. In essence, this narrative delves into the complexities of guilt, treachery, and the perilous consequences of colonization. Each character you encounter during your journey serves to reinforce these ideas in various ways.

Despite the game’s mechanics being straightforward, linear, and simplistic, the narrative weaves a compelling tale where the journey seems predestined. The game doesn’t allow for failure in the traditional sense; instead, it slows you down. You won’t accidentally fall off a cliff, crash a boat into rocks, or become a crocodile’s meal. The jungle may present challenges, but it appears to guide the protagonist towards their goal, ensuring they can restore balance.

Amerzone’s Legacy

Quite a transformation has occurred in video games and our world since 1999, as evident by the fact that I’ve never encountered such gameplay style before – it resembles a first-person point-and-click adventure game from back then. Modern audiences might find this challenging initially when playing Amerzone. However, if the creators of this remake hadn’t taken care to breathe life into the world, it would be even harder for us today.

Although I didn’t play the 1999 version of the game, watching video clips reveals that the progress made in game development enabled this remake to excel where its original fell short. The environments, ranging from France’s coastline to the swamps of Amerzone, are richly detailed, although not every aspect can be examined up close. Additional content includes the fantastical animals found in Valembois’ journal, which may have been challenging to create realistically during that time period.

As a gamer, I’ve found myself immersed in the revamped world of Amerzone, a relic from the past that somehow manages to shine with a fresh coat of polish. Despite its vintage feel, it maintains an intriguing narrative that continues to captivate me even after twenty-six years. In certain aspects, this remake serves as a model for what a successful update should look like. However, I believe there are other areas where it may struggle to perfectly fit into the modern gaming landscape.

Final Thoughts

As I mentioned earlier, this game is quite unusual for someone such as myself to engage with. At moments, it seemed reminiscent of an Indiana Jones tale with deeper thought-provoking elements, while at others, it felt similar to navigating Google Maps Street View. Now, I don’t intend to be unkind, but the disjointed movement of that particular segment was difficult to acclimate to, even after spending over five and a half hours playing it.

As a devoted fan, let me share my experience: This intriguing game isn’t something you can breeze through casually. It’s divided into six captivating chapters, with each chapter requiring an hour or more to fully explore and unravel its mysteries. If you decide to forgo any tips or guidance, you might encounter roadblocks here and there. However, with a bit of patience and perseverance, you should be able to finish it comfortably within a few leisurely gaming sessions.

As a gamer, I had a blast delving into the world of Amerzone: The Explorer’s Legacy. However, I must admit that it’s not a game I’d easily recommend to everyone, unless they’re specifically seeking a short and straightforward puzzle-adventure title. Even then, I’d have to warn them about its quirks, like its unique controls and the fact that it can be quite peculiar. It’s not uncommon for players to give up after a few hours, realizing it might not be their cup of tea.

However, if someone is willing to look past its idiosyncrasies, they might discover an endearingly charming first-person puzzle-adventure game with a unique narrative to offer.

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2025-04-22 18:03