GOTD – Deja Vu
Deja Vu – Adventure / Mystery (NES/GBC)
Kemco / Icom Simulations
Honestly, I have been pressured into including this one by multiple people – I am not terribly fond of the mystery / adventure genres myself, but I have to admit that this game is very well done for what it is intended to be, and as a current translator of a game that is similar (if much more forgiving), this game offers more open-endedness.
You wake up in a bathroom with no memory whatsoever. All you know is that you are in the bathroom of a bar, and that you have a gun. Go. So you need to go through the process of figuring out what happened, why you don’t have your memory – and, once you get it back, figure out how to get out of the mess you’re in.
Unfortunately, there are hazards – lots of hazards – and there are several ways to die or get arrested (both of which are a “Game over”. So it’s a good thing there’s a save function included that is relatively quick.
Yet again unfortunately, there is also a de facto time limit (there is an intersection where you can only go by a set amount of times before you either a) lose all your money [essentially a game over – I don’t recall a way to get more] or b) get arrested. So you have to be quite careful.
That said, there are a lot of redeeming factors to the game – a good story, a well-done atmosphere, and a non-linearity that is hard to beat (something along the lines of good Interactive Fiction games).
Other games in this genre include The Uninvited and Shadowgate, both of which have a very similar look-and-feel. If you enjoyed one of them, chances are you’ll enjoy the others. If you like adventure, mystery, or puzzle games they’re a good set to go with for the NES.
Note: I have not played the Game Boy Color edition of this game, although I’ve heard it’s a more or less direct port. It’s probably a bit easier to find and play than the NES edition. There may also have been another version before this (C64 or some such).
Screenshots:
