Free Open-Source Point-and-Click Adventure Game Review: OpenQuest

I converted Michael Sheail's tutorial game to Wintermute from Adventure Game Studio, so I could learn how to use the engine, in 2016. However, I have decided to do a regular review rather than a retrospective. I had no hand in the actual game design, which was released in 2007, almost a full decade before I even laid eyes on it.

OpenQuest is a two-room adventure game about aliens searching an office for an artifact. There is only one person in the vicinity with which to communicate, the cleaning woman Carol, as well as Zif, your commanding officer.

The game was created by Michael Sheail as a tutorial on creating an adventure game. It accomplishes its goal so well that it was converted from Adventure Game Studio two times. It was converted to SCUMM with ScummC in 2008, and then to the aforementioned Wintermute Engine eight years later.

It contains all of the traditional aspects of graphical point-and-click adventure games. There are objects that can be found by opening a storage container, combining objects in inventory, talking to the cleaner to get access to somewhere you weren't previously allowed, objectives that are only available if an event is accomplished, a door puzzle to get in the other room, and finally, a jigsaw-style triangle puzzle.

All of the conversions of the game contain these aspects, except for the SCUMM version which contains everything except the triangle puzzle. In that version, once you access the monitor, the game goes straight to the point in the game after the triangle puzzle would normally be found.

The game also has three music tracks that work well for the game's atmosphere, suitable sci-fi sound effects, and one instance of a vocal track when one of the aliens laughs. The SCUMM version includes the sound effects but doesn't include the music.

OpenQuest is short and bittersweet, as it contains only two rooms, however, it works well in its purpose as a tutorial game. The music and sound effects work well with the game, and the puzzles are well done, and, depending on your skill level with adventure games, can even be a bit challenging. It is a fantastic look into how to make games for all three platforms to which it has been converted. However, if you just choose to play the game, go for the Adventure Game Studio or Wintermute versions as those are the most feature-complete.

Final Verdict:

3½ out of 5