This sequel to the classic Apple ][ adventure game Transylvania has you returning to the same locations as the first game once again to fight the evil Vampire. The game is twice as big and is a bit more refined. I played the updated 1985 version of the game which runs on the Comprehend game engine which is probably the best implementation of a text/graphics hybrid adventure system. You can use a few prepositions and, in this game, you can command other characters to complete puzzles.

The game spans both sides of a 5.25″ floppy and offers around fifty locations to explore. There’s not much room for text on the screen, but the writing is generally pretty good within those three lines. You can always hit return and read the last six or so responses.

Unlike other games from this era, The Crimson Crown actually wants you to have fun and possibly win the game. During the early parts you will get visits from a sage who offers clues to puzzles you have not yet encountered. If that wasn’t enough, the game originally came packaged with a coded hint book too. As a copy protection there is a set of riddles to solve at the very start of the game that require the sealed letter from the game box. For the record, I could only get one of the three answers. But once you pass that challenge the game is more forgiving.

I think I managed to get about 85% of the way through without help. That seems pretty good, but that 15% came mostly from the very last set of puzzles. Feeling stupid is not a fun way to end a gaming experience.

Transylvania is a hybrid text/graphical adventure originally for the Apple ][. This was a big hit back in the day and was ported to just about every other 8-bit machine. I loved these types of adventure games but was really, really bad at them. In hindsight, most of them were brutally unfair and prone to the bad game design cliches of the era such as instant death and guess-the-verb puzzles. Still, I remember seeing screenshots of that menacing werewolf in issues of Softalk or A+ magazine and wanting to try this game.

Playing Transylvania for the first time after so many years, I was surprised by its fairness (for the most part). I played the slightly updated 1985 version which was recently clean cracked by 4am.

The first rule in attempting to beat an adventure game is to make a detailed map. This time I went all “pro-gear” by using Trizbort to digitally map the game world:

This map proved essential in evading the werewolf during the early phases of the game. Trying to escape through an exit that doesn’t exist will result in a quick death. With a basic knowledge of movie monster lore, you will eventually start to see what you need to do to get rid of this baddie. I only needed to turn to hints twice. The first time involved a darkened room. I was so preoccupied with finding a light source… must… get… lamp… I failed to try basic exploration within the darkened environment.

I required a second hint in, what I’d consider, the game’s only unfair puzzle. In order to get a crucial object you will need to perform an action that is described in one of the game’s “feelies”. So, if you plan to try to tackle this game (the 1985 version), seek out the original manual, etc. on the Web before playing.