Mission Critical

Hidden gem. The production value is very high and the FMV looks good which is unlike other games of its time. Some great puzzles that only have one solution but you're able to access most parts of the ship at your own choosing, so piecing the pieces together is hard and very satisfying. No hand cursor on interactable objects means I was walking around aimlessly at times when I hadn't noticed a small detail on something I'd already looked at several times, which was annoying. I really enjoyed the engineering tunnel, reactor and simulations but clearer instructions would have helped. But otherwise this is a breath of fresh air I'm glad to experience 30 years after it's release.

[h1] Recommended very highly for anyone who enjoys P&C adventures. Some very small performance issues. [/h1] Emulating successful formulas goes all the way back to the beginning of gaming... back to the beginning of any creative pursuit, really. Sometimes, the derivative work ends up being as good as or better than the inspiration. Mission Critical is an example of that phenomenon. Myst may have been the design inspiration, but Mission Critical did it at least as well, and in some ways better than, that grand old warhorse of gaming. [h2]Decide the fate of the future...[/h2] This game has reach, breadth, and depth. [h3]Immersive setting and storytelling [/h3] The game's environments, particularly the light cruiser USS Lexington, are immaculately and intricately detailed. They're believable environments, and even though it's barely mentioned, the design and structure of the ship is actually more fitting a hard sci-fi work than a game - the engineering is actually quite solid. Almost ...