La Geste d'Artillac
Description
La Geste d'Artillac is a French adventure game that incorporates elements of a single-player role-playing game. You are Hénerim d'Artillac, the only son of master-at-arms Urtan d'Artillac. A former adventurer, your father retired from the wandering life by taking a wife and settling as an armourer in the peaceful village of d'Edincourt. Your mother unfortunately died giving birth to you. After living for nearly twenty years at your father's side you are now alone, for he was kidnapped by brigands who burned and pillaged your home. In the still-warm ashes, you found your father's bedside book, the Breviary, which must only be read when the Voice of the Gesture invites you to do so. Clad in your faithful armour, you must follow the brigands' trail and attempt to find your father.
At the beginning of the game, you can choose between pre-made identities for Hénerim (out of four) or create your own character by distributing sixty-four points between eight characteristics, each varying from 1 to 15: Strength, Dexterity, Luck, Intelligence, Willpower, Charisma, Skill, and Defense. You can also choose the difficulty level (Expert or Novice) or resume the game where you left off.
The game screen is divided into several distinct parts: the "TEXT" window contains the description of what you see or feel, and can be replaced at any time by an image, while the "DECISIONS" window allows you to choose among the different possible actions. The cursor up and down keys allow you to scroll through these decisions. At the top right of the screen sometimes appears a number that corresponds to an "ENGRAVE" (a chapter) of the Breviary. You must then open the color booklet, provided with the software, to obtain additional information or instructions on how to proceed.
The "HENERIM" window displays the Artillac coat of arms. It reminds you that a simple press of the [H] key offers you, at any time, a range of additional actions like: saving/reloading the state of his adventure, parting with some of the items in your equipment, leaving them in the location where you are, take others from the same location, displaying the genetic heritage you gave Henerim when you selected his traits, health check, and to feed yourself and thus maintain your health points at a reasonable level.
In the "FIGURINE" window appears an image that illustrates an important element of the current situation, while the needle in the "COMPASS" window indicates, after validating a decision, the direction in which you are heading. For easier reading, the [B] key allows, as with a real compass, to make the north indication on the dial coincide with the direction taken by the needle.
