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(More customer reviews)THE DIG is a refreshing title that every PC user should seek out. Of all the point-and-click adventure games I've played, this one is probably the best.
The gameplay isn't drastically different from other LucasArts titles, but it's more refined. One thing that irks about some other (admittedly excellent) games like SAM & MAX, MANIAC MANSION, and INDIANA JONES is how cumbersome some of the controls could be. What's the difference between "using" an item and "grabbing" an item? Why do I have to "walk" somewhere when I could just click on where I want my character to go?
THE DIG eliminates these simple inconveniences. Even though I got used to some of the little quirks that plagued those other great LucasArts titles, THE DIG didn't require any getting used to. It plays great from the getgo, and stays easy to play for the duration of the game.
Sure, there are a couple "stupid puzzles", but THE DIG is the first point-and-click game that I didn't have to cheat on. I was able to use my character's observations and descriptions to solve the puzzles. And for the most part, the puzzles stay in context of the story.
And what a story it is...
After a remote radar station picks up an asteroid on a course-collision with Earth, five astronauts are sent into space. Led by Cmdr. Boston Low (voiced by the always-reliable Robert Patrick), the team prepares to place explosives onto the asteroid, thus saving the planet. Yes...this sounds a lot like the movie ARMAGEDDON, but the difference is that Michael Bay's movie was silly, and THE DIG only uses the asteroid as the tip of a wondrous iceberg of discovery.
Very early into our story, Cmdr. Low (along with reporter Maggie and archaeologist Brink) explore the insides of the asteroid, and are soon thrust to an unknown world. Is it another dimension? Is it Earth? Very early into the exploration, you'll soon get an idea of where Low, Maggie, and Brink are sent. But until you see it for yourself, I'll let you ponder just like THE DIG wants you to.
Our three heroes not only have to figure out how to get home, but what exactly transpired on the planet. To make matters worse, they encounter alien entities that may not want them to leave. THE DIG's plot sensibly allows you (as Cmdr. Low) to explore different areas, while Maggie and Brink deal with their discoveries. You're isolated when you need to be, and the game reunites the characters for a good reason. You truly feel like you're not just at the mercy of a videogame plot. Brink, Maggie, and Low all have their own motivations, and thansk to good writing and good voice-casting, you believe them.
THE DIG has a marvelous story, which is what makes it my favorite game. Sure, it lacks some of the offbeat humor that LucasArts is known for. But quite frankly, THE DIG needed to be serious. It's more in the spirit of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY rather than George Lucas' STAR WARS saga.
The story only starts running into a few small problems in its final stretch. Like other great story-driven titles like METAL GEAR SOLID 2 or INDIGO PROPHECY, I think most will be satisfied, but a tad underwhelemed. In fact, THE DIG is a lot like INDIGO PROPHECY --- you sense that the developers either ran out of time, or the writers didn't finish writing. THE DIG, quite frankly, needed a couple more scenes for proper closure.
I've typed so much about the story because point-and-click games count on them more than anything else. Once you solve a puzzle, there's no challenge. Characters, worlds, story, and spirit are what keep us coming back to these games. THE DIG is my favorite of this genre for this very reason: LucasArts was smart enough to know that its gameplay could only work the first time around.
Special mention must go to Michael Land, for his brilliant music score. His compositions will help inspire you to keep cracking away at THE DIG's mysteries, from his minimal tones in space to his haunting frantic organ in the presence of the supernatural. I guess the best compliment I can offer is that some of Land's music sounds similar to James Horner's awesome STAR TREK II score.
THE DIG is a wonderful game, and among the best of its genre. The characters are well-defined, the story is well-paced, the themes are worth exploring, the puzzles are solvable and rarely "cheap", the music is fantastic, the controls are easy to grasp, and best of all...THE DIG is the rare point-and-click title that is worth revisiting after finishing it. It's a more serious game than LucasArts' other adventure games of this kind, but that only makes it more unique.
THE DIG is a very special piece of entertainment. Buy It!
***FOOTNOTE FOR VISTA USERS***
Aside from the expected limiations for point-and-click games and rushed finale, the only other problem I had was that my DVD-ROM copy of THE DIG would occasionally stop working on my Vista computer. It was almost like I had a certain time limit or "double-click" limit before the program would stop. I encourage saving regularly because older titles like THE DIG don't always work 100% on Vista PCs. Please ask Amazon sellers questions so that you have an idea if your computer is compatible.
Otherwise, this game is currently available on Steam for 5 bucks. Please, get a free Steam account, and dish up the cash. You won't regret it.
Click Here to see more reviews about: The Dig (Windows XP)
The Dig tells the story of a hand-picked team who are set to an asteroid, which is headed for Earth. From the beginning, the intelligence of the writers is displayed by the use of nuclear charges to push the asteroid from its path. The team quickly discovers that this asteroid is more then they believed as they gradually uncover the compnents that lead to its activation. The team finds themself thrown through space aboard the Crystal Starship hidden within the asteroid, only to peacefully land on the surface of an alien world. They are then left with no option but to use what little they have to attempt to unravel the mysteries of this desolate set of islands and find a way home.
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