Great review Pam...& thanks for the kind shout out! I'm going in this next week to spend a day recording with Tex as Chelsee on a new 6-Part Radio Theatre from The Pandora Directive for it's 25th Anniversary & for the fans. Hope this will prove fun for everyone!
Don't know if anyone will see this but... in March 2023 a video called "Talking Tex Murphy & More w/ Tex Murphy Dev" went up on the Adventure Game Hotspot channel. In it, the hosts have an interesting discussion with Mat Von Rhoon, who has been involved with this. Thanks Pam for bringing this game to my attention, I'm looking forward to it!
Pandora Directive is one of my all-time favorite games. Coming back from school when I was 15 and firing up the PC as soon as I could so that I could progress just a little bit further. Great memories! Really enjoyed your review, I think you showcase all the best aspects of the game!
Ah, I'm so happy there's someone else that appreciates this series so much. So well written, so well done. Got this on its release in 1996. It IS the best FMV series hands down. Great review. Such a game to return to. Pandora remake! We're so lucky :D
It's not a coincidence that Malloy stayed at the same place as Tex. Fitzpatrick knew Malloy stayed there and came to find him. When he didn't, he decided to have a drink at the nearby diner where he overheard that Tex is a P.I. So he hired him. Odds are that the detective in the diner is from the same area too.
This game hails from an entire genre of gaming that I really missed out on growing up, and I'm finding it's a lot of fun to watch folks play online. Thank you for sharing this gem of a game!
From a technical standpoint i preferthe 1998 fmv adventure"Black Dalhia". I like how they inserted animation loops when you are talking with people or during quicktime images examination. It was a very immersive
Damn it, I can't think of a single reviewer whose judgement I trust more so now I'm in the age old dilemma... Play right away or watch the amazing video
As soon as "Access" popped up I literally thought, "She should do an Under a Killing Moon review," 3 seconds later it's referenced. 👌🏻😂 I'm always amazed whenever I even hear someone mention it. Hardly anyone had CD-ROM drives, and the only multidisc game that had widespread play back then was Wing Commander 3.
@@Cannotbetamed1 I had to look it up, UaKM sold 400,000 copies. Not bad for 1994, though Doom II clocked 1.81m in a similar time period. Curious why it didn't register among my friends back then. Btw, my uncle ran a local cleaning service for the machines that manufactured semiconductors. He ran a BBS out of the shared space, got me into computers back. We built AMD machines, so pretty cheap, but not very fast. Had a 4X CD-ROM before my rich friends, though. 😎
I loved playing Mean Streets for my Amiga when I was a kid. Never finished it but I never really got bored either. Except for the driving parts. That game could have used some fast travel options for sure. Nice review Pam...
I really enjoy FMV games as well. It's great that you're documenting these classics. It looks like the remaster isn't coming out anytime soon though, unfortunately.
Great review! I just started streaming this game again last week, first time picking it up in about 20 years. It really is an FMV diamond in the rough.
Thanks for the review. This series had slipped me by. I've played 7th Guest and Gabriel Knight 2 several times. I've just bought this on your recommendation. You're probably aware that there's a new sequel to the T7G called the 13th Doll and it's quite good.
Terrific review! I remember first hearing about this game during lunch break at school where a buddy told me his parents had got him a game that came on six CDs. He was prone to hyperbole, so I thought he was exaggerating, especially after he described the ways in which you could explore and interact with the environment and characters, but I was thrilled to discover it was the real deal, haha.
UaKM and PD felt very cutting edge at the time, especially the UI -- from the built-in hint system, to the slick animated cursor icon (which was probably borrowed from The 7th Guest). The hourglass icon is not just a boring tiny Windows hourglass, but a one-inch-high animated grandfather clock, which blew my mind the first time I saw it.
Great news about the remaster. Always loved the Tex Murphy games. My 2 favs were Gabriel Knight 2 and Ripper. I'm probably the only person who remembers Ripper but insane puzzles and a amazing/awful Christopher Walken perfomance.
Ok I'm subscribing after I saw you talk about this game haha, I've never seen anyone who even knew what it was! I remember playing this on my PC back in high school and loving all the crazy characters.
Wonderful review, Pam, thanks luv...the remaster will be closer to the game as we originally intended, but without the technical limitations at the time we made TPD.
Tex Murphy for life! I have bought every Tex Murphy at launch since the very start :) Brilliant atmosphere, fun script, story that is really interesting..Yeahhh, I'm old! Have you played Tesla Effect? Great review!
This is one of my favourite games of all time! I was crazy about the Tex Murphy games back in the day, and I think I agree this is probably the best one. I didn't know they were working on a remaster, I'll definitely go take a look at that. Random Opinion: After seeing Hugh Laurie in House, I wish he would play Tex Murphy in a movie.
Great review! Well done! Just watching this makes me want to reinstall and replay it again. So many great quotes I used to swap with my brothers growing up. “I know he means well... but sooometiiimes...”. Never gets old 😆.
Never played this, but played Under the Killing Moon and enjoyed it. Looks like a remaster of this game is coming out, so I'll keep my eyes out for it.
I've played this game MANY times, especially during the early 2000s when the franchise was close to being abandoned and Tesla Effect was only a remote possibility. The other franchise Access was best known for were those golf games, which probably sold a lot better at the time and likely helped fund the Tex Murphy games. Chris Jones also partially funded Tesla Effect with the money he made from his golf simulator company. So we have golf to thank for these Tex Murphy games.
Being a console kid I can't help but feel seriously denied every time I learn of games like this. The old FMV games in particular had a charm all of their own. It really makes me nostalgic for the 90s. And this game looks absolutely awesome.
Yeah I’m a more console guy, I’ve got a pretty good PC. I just prefer the sofa and big screen. I bought mass effect andromeda twice, recently got it cheap for PS4. Finally finished it.
I've seen the actual Roswell alien autopsy footage, and it actually looks different from the one seen in Pandora Directive. Access must have made its own version of it for the game (must have been cheaper than licensing the actual film). Ironically, the actual footage was later revealed to be a re-created, staged event, i.e. a hoax. I first saw the alien autopsy footage on TV when it was discovered in 1995. It fooled many people then. Even some Hollywood special f/x people were "impressed." In 2015, someone found an old photo in New Mexico of what looked like a dead alien, but it turned out to be museum display of a mummified young human boy from the 19th century.
Hi Pam, thanks for the review. I had never played FMV games before but I’m excited to give this one a whirl. The game looks good by today’s standards and you did a great job on this video! I’m excited for the remaster.
I was NEVER aware of the remaster and LOVED these games! the Roswell section was genuinely scary and stressful for a 14 year old me! You've got me very excited for this! thanks - Subbed!
Ah Tex Murphy. Been a fan of the series since being inticed by the very Blade Runner-esk cover of Mean Streets back in the early 90s. Even then, Chris Jones has been posing as Tex... so young on the cover heh. I've been hoping for news of more Tex since throwing monies at them for Tesla Effect all those years ago. Very surprised to learn there is a remaster in the works for Pandora. Very exciting indeed. This is a series I've been meaning to binge (starting with Mean Streets) since it has been quite some time since I've last visited San Fran 2042...
@@Cannotbetamed1 They are at least worthy of a playthrough. Just to see where Tex started and some of the reacuring characters. And Chris Jones as A young Tex, mostly showing up when you get the snot beaten outta you heh. I donno, there is something about digitized pixilated VGA graphics that I like.
I had my fill of FMV games in the 90s (I bought a Panasonic 3DO with Christmas money after all) but recently, I have regained enthusiasm with some of the classics of the genre, as well as being interested in newer, modern, FMV games. It would be interesting to hear your take on the Tesla Effect and other, recently released FMV titles.
I really loved this game and all the Tex Murphy series. But back then, I did not see these games as "FMV games". I saw them as point'n click adventure games with a classic a gameplay but with a first person different presentation. Cinematics were in FMV but that was the case of many other games back then (like command and conquer, Falcon 3.0, even the first Resident Evil)
That "pre-green screen" effect reminds me of my boss at work adding a set background on a Microsoft Teams meeting, quite prescient by today's standards...
Great review! It makes me wonder if you have played another PC game relatively from that time frame, Star Control 2? If not, it has space exploration, 2v2 ship combat, quirky aliens with memorable if not funny dialogue, and an engaging storyline.
Man I loved FMV games back in the 90s. Wing Commander 3 is still my favorite. I always wanted to try that one with a seriously young Clive Owen . I also liked the phantasmagoria games for shits and giggles.
An excellent video as usual. Somehow this one flew under my radar. So you say this one is better than Gabriel Knight, The Beast Within, then. Interesting. Those puzzles though... not sure about that.
I'm so hyped for this Pam! My only issue is that when this game came out I was 9, and I had a PC to play it on. Now I don't. I may have to rely on a let's play. This is legit my second favourite game of all time, only after Snatcher. I could talk forever about the branching narrative. Trying not to die whilst taking down Dag Horton on a Packard Bell.. that was fun at 2 FPS.
The branching narrative is so cool. The issue I had when I first played was that my discs 5 and 6 often didn’t work. Access sent me so many replacements.
When it actually gets recommended. I think she is in the naughty bin, I don’t know why. No swearing or copyright I can think of. It’s a bit weird, I’ve been un subbed 3 times this year.
The tex murphy games have always been good. I'm surprise this hasn't been hd ported to the switch. The switch has received many of these ports and this would be great to fish out the good and the bad.
You seem like your glowing, awesome charisma Ohhh, interestingly nostalgic kinda feel of sega cd . Fun recommendation. I'm curious how you find these rare games ?
never played this game, much less even heard of it, but i'm very surprised to find Kevin McCarthy appearing in this game. he was in one of my favorite episodes of the original black and white Twilight Zone.
I totally agree on The Pandora Directive being the best FMV game. It has branching storylines with different endings based on your behaviour, detailed environments, interesting characters and a great plot. I remember the Roswell chapter scaring the crap out of me as a 12 year old.
LOVE this review!!! but i'm hugely bias, lol. Your review touched on a lot of great points without giving anything away. I agree with your points regarding some of the puzzles. I'll definitely recommend your review to anyone who is interested in this game. Shameless Flex: Susan Barnes wished me happy birthday last year on Facebook! Everyone from Big Finish Games are amazing. I got lucky last year to get a copy of this game WITH strategy guide, sealed. I'm super excited for the remastered version of Pandora Directive.
Hi Pam, I've just recently came across your channel while looking into some adventure games I used to play. Very insightful reviews of some great games, kudos! I've never played The Pandora Directive, however, I was wondering if you played the 1996 Activision's Spycraft: The Great Game? This is for me one of the most entertaining and best FMV games of all times, possibly on par with Zork: Nemesis (also from Activision). I'm very curious about your opinion on these two games.
@@Cannotbetamed1 One of the very first, if not the first, adventure games I played was Mean Streets on my Commodore 64 years ago and it just happened to be Tex Murphy's debut to the world (I think). I thought it was pretty awesome back in the day. I should play this one per your recommendation.
Personally I believe Ripper and GK2 were the best FMV adventure games. The story, casting (especially in Ripper), puzzles and music were simply amazing. Might worth to give Black Dahlia a try as well. Take 2 Interactive were incredible back then.
