Schizm: Mysterious Journey
| Schizm: Mysterious Journey | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Developer(s) |
LK Avalon Detalion |
| Publisher(s) |
EU: LK Avalon NA: The Adventure Company |
| Series | Schizm |
| Engine | V-Cruise engine |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows (95/98/ME/XP) |
| Release |
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| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Schizm: Mysterious Journey is an adventure-genre computer game created by Detalion and LK Avalon and published by DreamCatcher Games. It was authored by acclaimed Australian science fiction writer Terry Dowling.
The game's environment is rendered very realistically and in exceptionally high detail. The background sounds are realistic and dynamic (for example, footsteps change as a character walks over different surfaces such as metal and stone, and echo when inside tunnels). The background music is very atmospheric and highly evocative.
A major distinguishing feature of Schizm is that the player can switch control between the two characters at any time. There are puzzles which require both characters to be performing actions at the same time before they can be solved.
The game is available on 5 CDs or as a single DVD. The CD version does not include all the puzzles that appear in the DVD release and was also missing some of the background story.
A sequel, Mysterious Journey II (also known as Schizm II: Chameleon), was released. It was also authored by Terry Dowling.
Sam and Hannah are piloting a spaceship carrying supplies to a scientific expedition on the planet Argilus. Arriving at the planet they lose control of the ship and are forced to abandon it in escape pods.
The two become separated at this point and find themselves on an apparently uninhabited planet - Sam lands in an aerial "city" made up of tethered balloons or airships. Hannah finds herself in a town built on a large, free-floating island. The two characters are at first unable to communicate but this becomes possible later when they arrive in the same area.
The objective is to get both characters to Matia's Zone, which is achieved by solving (sometimes very difficult) puzzles to get the alien Argilan technology working. Once in Matia's Zone, the characters must work together to solve the final puzzle and escape the planet - and find the answer to the riddle of the missing Argilans.
Living Ships
This is where Hannah Grant starts her journey of Schizm. Her starting locations differ between the CD and DVD version. On the CD, she starts on a narrow catwalk leading up, but on the DVD version, Hannah begins on a wide island with benches and walkways, leading to the catwalk. From what the player can see, it is quite evident that these organic structures form a village for most, if not all, the Argilans. Gazebos, tentacles, elevators, benches, curly stone formations, and plants are all over the place, and some of the villagers' houses bear things outside of them such as pools of greenish liquid, gourds in boxes (which seem to also grow on the living island walls), pillows and pottery, or bee-like insects swarming around odd, tuber-like structures. (a picture of said insect can be seen in one of their locations) And in the DVD version, an adult version of this insect can be seen sweeping through the player's view with a whooshing sound, and several of them hover in certain areas.
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Wikipedia