[AndreaDraco83]

In another thread, some of you guys told me to play Under a killing moon, stating that it's much, much better than the two previous incarnations of Tex Murphy (that, in my opinion, were ugly and terrible respectively).

Yesterday, I began playing Under a killing moon and... it's fantastic! Great story, great atmosphere, grim mood, easy but not simplistic... And I'm just halfway through the Second Day

Today I've also ordered a copy of The Pandora Directive and Overseer, that maybe can retell the story of Mean Streets and making it enjoyable without the horrible flying sequences and the inane investigative segments.

So, finally: thanks for the suggestion, hoping that the end will confirm my initial opinion!

[Phod]

UAKM through Overseer remain one of the best adventure game trilogies to this day. I've also recently played through UAKM again and it holds up pretty well. I mean some of the 2D sprites in the 3D world aren't too attractive, but I still think it works and it's not so bad to take you out of the experience.

With that said, UAKM is great but Pandora Directive is exponentially better. It's one of my top 10 of all-time. It takes UAKM and enhances everything: story is better, acting is way better... it's one of the near perfect games in my opinion.

Overseer is also good but Pandora Directive is the pinnacle. I'm looking forward to playing it again soon.

[BerserkerTails]

Originally Posted by Phod

With that said, UAKM is great but Pandora Directive is exponentially better. It's one of my top 10 of all-time. It takes UAKM and enhances everything: story is better, acting is way better... it's one of the near perfect games in my opinion.

Agreed. Pandora Directive is one of the best Adventure Games ever made. Period. The only bad thing I'd have to say about it would be the final puzzle, which I've never been able to figure out except for through trial and error (Is there even a way to figure it out?).

...Damn, I have to dig these out now!

[AndreaDraco83]

I've just begun the Day Four, "A code, a tode and a cigarette load".

The plot continue to grow, and the subplots do an excellent job shaping up the background and characters (I love the Italian-American Francesca, who owns the pizzeria near Tex's office ): usually I don't like the sci-fi (or cyberpunk) setting, but the atmosphere here is great and sometimes reminds me of the great Blade Runner, which is a very good think.

I can't wait to see where the case will bring Tex

[marshal99]

Under a killing Moon was good but it was much less polished than the sequels that followed.

After that , it's Pandora Directive which was great.

And lastly Overseer - which annoyingly ended on a cliff hanger ending

[AndreaDraco83]

I'm halfway through the Day 4, and finally it's a challenging chapter.

Spoiler:

I'm in the offices of G.R.S. and, here, the investigation has a sense of urgency that thrills me: when I discovered the hidden documents on Dubois' PC, I read them very quickly, fearing that the security could find me.

The story has some elements that I find a bit tacky* (see Spoiler below), but overall my impression is still very, very good: and if it's true that The Pandora Directive is so much better than this, I'm totally looking forward to play it.

*

Spoiler:

Some characters, like Melahn, are too out of line for my taste, and I find ridiculous that the Colonel gave such a speech with a knife in his chest

[marshal99]

I think you should just concentrate on Under a killing moon first , try not to rush through it. Take your time , explore .

[AndreaDraco83]

I've just begun the sixth Day, and I'm intrigued but also a bit confused.

Spoiler:

The name of Lowell Percival popped out: I recollect something vaguely about Martian Memorandum, but since I played it ages ago - and hated it - I don't remember very well. Who exactly was the guy?

Probably, I'll finish it tonight or tomorrow, also 'cause I really want to see how it ends. It's an almost incredibly great improvement from the first two chapters of the series, which I never liked: it has an enriching story, and a character you couldn't help yourself but love. Also the sci-fi/cyberpunk setting is stylized without being simplistic, but with a good taste of retrò, which I like a lot not being a fond fan of sci-fi/cyberpunk.

[AndreaDraco83]

I've just finished Under a Killing Moon and the only thing I can think of is: why my fresh-online-ordered copy of The Pandora Directive isn't arrived yet?

A great game, one of the best in his genre (detective/noir adventures) I've ever played: an intriguing plot, very well developed, mixes with a very enjoyable character, wonderful dialogues very hard-boiled-ish and a final chapter with one of the most fun puzzles I've ever confronted with.

Surely the game has some flaws: sometimes it's tacky, and sometimes it's very predictable. Some characters haven't a personality at all and all the female characters are, in my opinion, acted way out of the line. Even Tex doesn't seem such a complex character, like for example Gabriel Knight, but tends to be a little stereotypical.

Although, the atmosphere is great, and so is the soundtrack and some voice acting (especially the Great P.I. in the Sky, the Chameleon and Tex himself).
I really can barely wait to play Pandora Directive, especially after what you guys told me, about that game being the best in the series. In the meantime, thankfully, Under a killing moon moves safely into my Top 10

[Bobske]

I have to say, I'm kinda jealous! Experiencing all those great adventures for the first time! Man, I would give an arm, a leg and my mother for a chance to be in your position

Anyway, everybody is right, TPD is the best game in the series and good news, the game has several plot branches and six(?) different endings so enjoy!

[Fien]

Originally Posted by AndreaDraco83

I really can barely wait to play Pandora Directive, especially after what you guys told me, about that game being the best in the series.

All this talk about Tex and the Pandora Directive and is making me want to replay the game. I haven't seen everything there is to see and I was unable to finish the game in the Game Player mode, which proved too difficult for me.

Andrea, this is one game where you want to read the manual. Two levels of difficulty, three paths, six endings. If your dialogue choices are consistent, you will be rewarded not just with a unique ending, but some situations may also have different outcomes, depending on your chosen path.

Tex rules!

[Phod]

Heh, you definitely can't compare the complexity of character between UAKM and Gabriel Knight ... Gabriel Knight will shatter it everytime. You gotta treat UAKM and series more as pulp fiction type, not classic literature which Gabriel Knight would better fit.

Several of your complaints, primarily depth of character and overacting does get vastly improved in Pandora Directive.

If UAKM made your top ten, I can't even imagine what Pandora Directive will do.

[AndreaDraco83]

Originally Posted by Phod

If UAKM made your top ten, I can't even imagine what Pandora Directive will do.

UAKM made my Top 10 primary because of the atmosphere, which is very dense and deep, and also 'cause I like noir/hard-boiled fiction, although not as much as I like mystery literature. Also, I love game with plenty of characters, spanned through several days and with charming protagonists.

Originally Posted by Fienepien

Andrea, this is one game where you want to read the manual. Two levels of difficulty, three paths, six endings. If your dialogue choices are consistent, you will be rewarded not just with a unique ending, but some situations may also have different outcomes, depending on your chosen path.

I've read of this peculiarity, and it's one of the things that intrigues me the most

[marshal99]

One good thing , over the 3 games , it was nice to see the relationship between Tex & Chelsee grow. How Tex treat her (via conversation tree) will actually decide one of the various endings in the pandora directive.

The Tex Murphy games are supposed to be somewhat tacky. The Pandora directive is a longer game than UAKM with more discs. The acting and voice acting are improved.

[stepurhan]

This thread had definitely left UAKM behind so I've split out the posts discussing Gabriel Knight as literature to a new thread here.

[heodox]

Just got a copy of Under a killing Moon. I finished the first day, and i have to say that this is going to be close to the top of my best adventure game list. The atmosphere is simply incredible.

[Bobske]

Check out this really cool IGN "UAKM out of Retirement" review:

http://pc.ign.com/articles/851/851255p1.html

[AndreaDraco83]

My copy of The Pandora Directive arrived this morning!

I'm dying to play it, but I'm busy with LSL7 and Amber... What do I do? I start it anyway?

[Fien]

Originally Posted by AndreaDraco83

My copy of The Pandora Directive arrived this morning!

I'm dying to play it, but I'm busy with LSL7 and Amber... What do I do? I start it anyway?

It's better to play something else in between UAKM and PD. You'll appreciate Tex even more.

Imo, imo, imo...

[AndreaDraco83]

OK, I'll take your suggestion...

I'll finish LSL7 and Amber and then I'll dedicate to Tex