Zork III

Up to now in adventure games, you were brave but totally illiterate. The character you commanded had an IQ lower than the average shoe size, because he could only handle two words in a row. Now that problem has been dealt with by the Zork series by Infocom. These games can understand complete sentences and have vocabularies of well over 500 words. That's probably more than three times the number of different terms in the BASIC programming language.
The three Zorks are part of a series. Zork I puts you at the beginning of the great dungeon. You have to get in the house and explore the higher levels of the dungeon. Then, if you are ready or willing to continue your exploration, you can get Zork II, in which you get to explore the middle of the dungeon. And if you want to finish off the dungeon, get Zork III which allows you to explore the bottom and meet the dreaded Dungeon Master.
The Zork games are an adventure game purist's dream. They have absolutely no graphics and all the action is described in words. It reads pretty much like a good pulp fiction paperback, with some fascinating riddles thrown in. But you still have to get the phrasing almost perfect in order to achieve an above average understanding with the computer.
Speaking of understanding, another thing that sets the Zorks apart from most other games is that they are definitely not easy. As a matter of fact, the Zorks are excruciatingly difficult. You can go over the same thing time and time again without even realizing that you should do something with it. For example, kicking the dragon in order to get him to follow you (Zork II) doesn't sound like the most obvious solution. But if you are willing to spend the time to puzzle it out, this game will provide you with lots of fun.
These games are not for the short-tempered or the weak-brained. But if you are a stout individual with a lot of common sense and a warped imagination, these games are probably the best software buy for your dollar.
Unlike other companies, Infocom doesn't leave you all alone when it comes to dealing with their games. Just call (617) 492-1031 and ask for the hints department. The people over there are extremely nice and helpful, and though they probably won't give you a straight answer, they will give you an extremely helpful hint. Or, if you don't wont to keep calling them, you can buy the complete map to all three games and some hints for about $10.

Zork III completes the classic all-text adventure originally written in 1979 on the DEC PDP-11. Like its predecessors, there is a considerable amount of "new" material incorporated not present in the mainframe version, all written in the graphically imaginative style with which even the Atari's Hi-Res pages cannot compete.
When Zork III begins, you are at the bottom of a long staircase (which should strike a responsive chord to those who have completed Zork II), equipped only with your lamp and your imagination. At the end, you are in the Treasure Room with all of the treasures of Zork at your disposal, including a controlling interest in FrobozzCo International. In between, you may hear, or see and hear, the fabled Dimwit Flathead, glimpse into a ritualistic scene from a to-be-hoped-for Zork IV, and speak with - or even command - the omniscient Dungeon Master himself. All along the way, you will enjoy the excellent save-game implementation, command parser, and vocabulary characteristic of Infocom programs.
Zork III, with its 58 mappable locations (excluding the 8 by 8 matrix "Royal Puzzle"), is slightly smaller than its predecessors, but it is rich in subtle detail. It is perhaps the most entertaining of the three, with very logical, highly interactive puzzles. It is possible to successfully complete the game and still miss much of this detail. You may never find that peculiar set of conditions which can cause a sign to change in its inscription, hinting gently that you may have gone astray. There are numerous, amusingly tongue-in-cheek responses to inputs that otherwise get you nowhere. Overall, the game is somewhat more difficult than Zork II, due to several individually difficult puzzles, and also because of their high degree of interaction. You can easily find yourself in a no-win situation, a condition you may not realize until the game is replayed, making alternate life-and-death decisions which are available only once.
The conclusion provides an unexpected and novel twist, but to get that far requires an equally unusual approach as far as most adventures are concerned. Don't count on the seven point score system giving you any real guidance as to your true progress. It is relatively easy to have all seven points and yet find yourself in another no-win situation. The points, like other elements of the game, only prove that things are not always what they seem. Indeed, the toughest puzzles award no points, and several toughies remain unsolved even once all the points have been awarded.
Zork III represents a highwater mark for subtlety and logic, and is a Four Star must, not only for previous Zorkers but also for anyone who enjoys adventure games or pleasurable mental stimulation. The game is a separate and complete game unto itself, requiring no knowledge of Zork I and Zork II. However, for maximum enjoyment and imaginative continuity, it is recommended that they be played in sequence.

Overall rating :	A+	Difficulty:	A-	Originality:	A
Puzzle quality :	A	Ease of use:	A	Documentation:	A
Text quality:	A	Vocabulary:	A+	Holds interest ?:	A
Graphics quality :	N/A	Save/restore:	A+	Value for money:	A