- Platform: IBM PC Compatible
- Release Date: 1996
- Genre: Adventure
- Style: Interactive Movie
- Similar Games: Ripper (IBM PC Compatible), Under A Killing Moon (IBM PC Compatible), Mean Streets (IBM PC Compatible), Martian Memorandum (IBM PC Compatible)
Game Description
This is anotherThe player navigates their way through a 3D virtual world and collect items that Tex needs to solve the case. There are a number of logic puzzles that need to be solved and plenty of chances to interact with other characters.
The game includes over two hours of video footage, several different possible endings and an extensive on-line help system.
~ Aidan Doyle, All Game Guide
Roots & Influences
The Pandora Directive is the fourth Tex Murphy interactive movie and follows on from Mean Streets, Martian Memorandum and Under A Killing Moon.~ Aidan Doyle, All Game Guide
Review: Overall
The Pandora Directive follows on from Under A Killing Moon in providing an entertaining and absorbing interactive movie.Unlike many interactive movies that have a lot of video footage, The Pandora Directive gives the player plenty of opportunity for interaction. Access Software's virtual world engine allows the player to explore the game world in all directions, and means that the player will have to search thoroughly - looking under desks and behind corners to find some hidden objects.
Access Software have always been innovators and their games have been at the cutting edge in terms of graphics and sound. However, The Pandora Directive is the first
The game seems to suffer greatly from the fact that it was originally designed for MS-DOS, but then had to changed to accommodate the release of Windows95. Although the game can be installed to run under either Windows95 or MS-DOS, Windows95 users are advised to stick to MS-DOS. Access Software have done their best to cope with problems in Windows95 with a utility that checks for potential conflicts in other programs that are running. However the game still frequently crashes and is very unstable.
The standard of the acting throughout is excellent for a computer game. This is an important consideration for a game that has more than two hours of video footage!
At the time of the game's release, the plot was one of the most complex to feature in an adventure game and if you take long breaks in between playing the game, you may be scratching your head trying to remember exactly how all the characters in the game are connected. There is plenty of humor in the game, and fans of The X-Files and alien conspiracies will get extra enjoyment out of the Roswell crash conspiracy in the game.
The Pandora Directive is a long game, much bigger than Under A Killing Moon and is a difficult one. Some of the puzzles are clever and challenging, others are merely frustrating and repetitive. Particularly annoying are the timed puzzles, where you have to race to collect a number of objects in a building before you get killed. These problems and the fact that the best way to play the game is to reboot in MS-DOS mode aside, The Pandora Directive is still an engaging and enjoyable adventure.
~ Aidan Doyle, All Game Guide
Review: Enjoyment
The game's enjoyment is greatly reduced by the buggy nature of the program and the frequency of crashes. Some of the fun is marred by the arbitrary and frustrating nature of some of the puzzles. Otherwise it is an involving and complex game.~ Aidan Doyle, All Game Guide
Review: Graphics
Goodt graphics and the fmv is very impressive, but the engine was not a great improvement of it's predecessor, Under A Killing Moon~ Aidan Doyle, All Game Guide
Review: Sound
Plenty of clear speech, sound effects and enjoyable music~ Aidan Doyle, All Game Guide
Review: Replay Value
There are several different endings and three main narrative paths you can follow depending on what action you take. However, by replaying the game and taking a different path, you still have to perform most of the same actions again, it's much more tempting to borrow someone's save games and look at the alternate endings.~ Aidan Doyle, All Game Guide
Review: Documentation
A reasonable manual and reference card.~ Aidan Doyle, All Game Guide
Production Credits
Role of Tex Murphy: Chris Jones; Actors: Barry Corbin, Kevin McCarthy, Tanya Roberts, John Agar, Nicole Tindall, Suzanne Barnes, Steve Barnes, William Bradshaw, Wayne Brennan, Sterling Brimley, Ralph Celli, Chris Conners, Marcia Dangerfield, Randall Edwards, Curly Green, Catherine Hammons, Kevin L. Jones, Pearl Leidy, John Timmons, Doug Vandegrift; Movie Sequences Editor: Adrian Carr; Movie Sequences Director: Adrian Carr; Interactive Movie Producer: Chris Jones; Designer: Chris Jones, Aaron Conners; Original Novel Writer: Aaron Conners; Art Direction: Neil Galloway, Nathan Larsen; SGI Computer Graphics Producer: Nathan Larsen; Artist: Brian Johnson, Brandon Wright, Allen Brockbank, David Wright; Storyboard Director: Neil Galloway; Technical Director: David Curtin; Cinematography: David F. Brown; Lighting Director: Jon Clark; Sound Design: Jon Clark; Production Consultant: Catrine McGregor; Casting: Catrine McGregor; Programming: Bruce Ward, Mark Snow, Linda Ward, Rich Moore, Jeff Harward; Virtual World Engine: Paul Johnston, Brian Stringham; Video/Sound Compression: Paul Johnston, Travis Driscoll; Windows Programming: Mark McArthur, Matt Dawson; Video Compositing: Mark Hulka, Jason Lutes; Video Editing: Laura Linton; Virtual World Construction: Les Oswald, Dave Wilson, Matt Dazley, Paul Johnson, Beau Anderson, Mike Yurth; Package Design: James H. Fedor, Darren Steele; Poster Design: James H. Fedor, Darren Steele; Photography: Zeke McCabe; Quality Control: Steve Wynn, George Manousakis, Parham Mohadjer; Research: Kevin L. Jones; Narration: Kevin L. Jones; Motion Picture Score: Third Ear Productions; "Tex's Lament" Performed by: Richie Havens; "Tex's Lament" Produced by: Bernard Fox; "Body and Soul" Performed by: Nicole Tindall; Additional Music: Dave Shelton; Screenplay: Aaron Conners, Scott Yagemann; Stunt Coordinator: Don Shanks; Stunts: Don Shanks, Chris Camilleri, Tom Proctor; Make-up: Pamela Johnson, Kay Toney; Wardrobe: Pamela Johnson, Kay Toney; Special Effects Make-up: Denver K. Robbins, DKR Industries; Carpentry: Brad Henry; Boom Operator: Brad Henry; Catering: Viking's Feast
~ Michael L. House, All Game Guide
