German version of this pageBazooka Sue
All's well that ends well - Klaus T. thinks while working on his journalistic virtues for years. Quite unsuccessfully, unfortunately. People at Starbyte Software were thinking the same, developing a comic-adventure for years. Quite successfully, fortunately. Although Bazooka Sue breaks some rules of telling structure, a very amusing, often surprising und first of all worth playing game came out. In the following paragraphs you can learn why.
A piggy named...Sue!
Apart from the pink-purple nose and a descreet convolute tail actually nothing let you
suggest Sue to be a pig. Thanks to mega-bosoms, mini skirt and high heels you can rather
imagine the pig... pardon, erotic fantasies of the graphics artist Carsten Wieland. The
man who already invented "Chewy" and is just completing the erotic economic
simulation game "Wet" is also responsible for Bazooka Sue. A fact,
which creates positive results from the beginning, because Wieland's graphics are the
attraction in the first playing phase.
Chased by a blockheaded sheriff and the obstinate FBI, Sue appears in Swamp Rock.
This apparently sleepy small town in the midst of the American Southern States quickly
became her new home - by force.
Because unfortunately Sue neither possesses any more gazoline to drive on nor she's
got any money for refueling. At this time there is no clearly defined game object,
so you begin to explore the village and try to obtain some money.
Actually one could fear that many players would have difficulties with such a vague
beginning. But thanks to the really beautiful graphics however, the first sightseeing tour
through Swamp Rock already turns into a true adventure. Additionally the ominous lntro and
dialogues with different village inhabitants will keep you interested what comes next.
Then you discover behind the high walls of an old mansion a threat for mankind: the mad
Dr. Bruth! If there is someone who can stop him, it's Sue!
Bazooka Sue wouldn't be an adventure, if there weren't puzzles to solve. There are yet
plenty of them, with different degrees of difficulty. Some are easy, some are nearly
unfair. Some puzzles can only be solved if you have read the manual - there are no leads
in the game. But on the other side you are confronted with many surprises besides well
known paths. You will find yourself in the rooms of the developer "Starbyte" or
you will take part in several movie scenes. You meet historic persons as Tex Avery or
Albert Einstein. You will even meet an older Amiga-graphic, that wants to commit suicide,
because it was fired off the job. A lot of these funny ideas are just placed for
amusement. So if you got stuck in one or another puzzle, try to avoid using a walkthrough
- you might miss a lot...
Though Bazooka Sue was anounced two years ago, the play
does not need to hide itself behind more current titles. Graphics and gameplay can keep up
whensoever, the few weaknesses are not the result of age. It's a pity that the
inventory quickly gets most complex and that control programming wasn't quite correct at
some hot-spots. Also some difficult puzzles in the very beginning could discourage novices
to the genre. Perhaps a USK-recommendation age 16 and up would have been more fair than
the actual of age 12 and up. In this case the game could have been a bit more spicy, as
someone could presume by the cover.
But this are neglactable odds and ends compared to what is presented to you with Bazooka
Sue. It's worth the money at any rate. It's a must for everyone who likes classical
lucas-arts-style comic-adventures.
Alternative products:
Leisure Suit Larry 7 - Sierra - ca. 100 Mark
Chewy - Escape from F5 - Blue Byte - ca. 70 Mark
Normality Inc. - Gremlin - ca. 100 Mark
Developer: Starbyte
Price: 99 Mark
Pro
Phantastic graphics
Many hidden innuendos
Long gameplay, large amount of puzzles
...and of course Sue!
contra
Complex inventory
PC Power April 1997 81%