space-quest posts

The classic Sierra Online-published Space Quest adventure games are no strangers to the DRM-free web site GoG.com. The site is already home to a bundle that collects the fourth, fifth and sixth installments of the humorous sci-fi game series. Now GoG.com has announced that the first three Space Quest games are available to purchase and download in a bundle.

The games, now owned by Activision, feature the space janitor Roger Wilco as he tries to fight for "truth, justice and really clean floors.' The first three games in the series were released in 1986, 1987, and 1989, respectively, and were very funny send-ups of sci-fi cliches as well as other events related to pop culture. You can download the Space Quest bundle from GoG.com now for $9.99.

GoG.com continues to add classic PC games from its new publisher Activision to its DRM-free line up. Today the site has added two more entries that come from Activision's library of games previously published by Sierra Online and Vivendi Games One is a collection of three of the terrifically funny Space Quest games. You can download and purchase Space Quest 4, 5 and 6 in one bundle for just $9.99. All three feature janitor turned space hero Roger Wilco in a variety of great point-and-click adventure games.

The other new entry is the 1995 released horror adventure game Phantasmagoria. Created by well known designer Roberta Williams, the very violent game used full motion video and human actors to tell its tale and was considered to be controversial when it was first released. It's also priced at $9.99.

Last week we reported that Rebellion had bought a number of former Vivendi Games properties from Activision Blizzard but it seems Activision has kept the rights to a number of those games as well. Today five former Sierra/Vivendi Games properties are available to download via Steam under the Activision publishing banner.

Among the games listed are the Space Quest Collection and the King's Quest Collection, each collecting the classic Sierra adventure game series. Also included are two more recent downloadable titles, Aces of the Galaxy and 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures. Finally the hardcore first person shooter Timeshift has also been added. All five titles are available for 25 percent off their normal Steam prices until June 30.

There is clearly a fanatical audience for the classic adventure games made by the now defunct Sierra Online publishing company. While many of the Sierra games are now technically the property of Activision Blizzard they don't seem to be interested in releasing new games.

Enter Sarien.net. This new web site created by programmer Martin Kool has adapted a number of the classic Sierra Online titles (Space Quest 1 and 2, Police Quest, The Black Cauldron and Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards) to play for free via the site. In addition there's cool a new twist; you can actually see other people playing online in their own games and even chat with them. We do hope this site is allowed to keep going (although it's certainly possible Activision Blizzard could shut them down).