MOTAS

An established member of the hierarchy, the Mystery Of Time And Space (MOTAS) came first to my attention on FHM’s 100 greatest games page. Surprising, to say the least, as said page is usually populated with games involving football, cricket or Arkanoid-clones where the chief aim is to remove blocks to reveal a picture of a scantily-clad lady. And I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, by the way.

Anyhoo, I digress. MOTAS is the brainchild of Jan Albartus, and sees us desperately trying to escape all manner of rooms, laboratories and space stations via the usual route of put-key-in-door or put-star-shaped-block-into-star-shaped-hole etc. When I originally played the game a few years ago, there were some 12 or 13 levels, but the game was unfinished. At the time, I was sceptical that any further levels would be written, but in fact a few extra levels sprung up 6 months ago to take the total up to 19.

These later levels begin to take the game away from its indoor environs and into the game’s outside world, wherever it may be. For me, the earlier levels are superior and the later levels seem tacked-on to a certain extent.

The graphics are not bad – think Commodore Amiga, which is ironic as one of the recurring themes in the earlier levels is a Commodore logo – and the intermittent sound adds atmosphere. Some of the puzzles are a little bizarre, but with persistence you should be able to solve them (a knowledge of how a knight moves at chess is handy). The English translation leaves something to be desired and does jar a little at time, but you should generally be able to get the gist.

As the game is played online, and not downloaded, there is a save game facility and also a forum where you can look for hints, tips and walkthroughs. Definitely worth a go, but don’t expect to be whizzing through- this is a game that’s going to test you for a while.