Blade Runner 1.0

The classic adventure game returns

The belovedpoint-and-clickgame is making a comeback on modern computers.Blade Runneris anadventuregame based on the popular Harrison Ford film of the same title. Originally released by Westwood Studios on four CDs, the new downloadable version weighs in at a meager1.3GB. The new version remains agenuine classicthat new gamers can experience.

From film to game

As mentioned, Blade Runner is a game based on the1982 sci-fi filmby Ridley Scott. However, the game isnot a straight retellingof the movie. Harrison Ford's character, Rick Deckard, is nowhere to be seen. Instead, you will play a detective named Ray McCoy, who is on the tail of replicants linked to vicious animal murders.

Additionally, while the story of the game takes place at the same time as the movie, the gameplays out in parallelwithout intersecting too strongly. With this, the game will evoke the movie without feeling predictable. The fans of the movie will still find something familiar as the game will have thesame locations and characters.

Become a detective

DetectiveRay McCoyis the only playable character in the game. In the game, players will get to operate theVoight-Kampffmachine and administer interviews to detect replicants. All this while other puzzles hinge around iconic Blade Runner inventions like the photo-enhancingESPER computer.

However, unlike otherdetective games, Blade Runner does not force players to solve convoluted puzzles. The mystery is also not limited to a single solution. Instead,conversations shiftbased on your dialogue choices. There will also beseveral waysto track down a lead.

To make the game even more challenging,random elementswill be thrown into the already twisty storytelling. Most characters can either be a replicant or a human. Blade Runner is not particularly a difficult or long game. However, it has ahigh replayvalue.

Technically movie-like

Blade Runner ishighly inventive, which allowed Westwood Studios to capture the atmosphere of the movie. The game used a combination ofpre-rendered animated backgroundsandmotion-captured 3D charactersmade out of voxels. Note, however, that this means the game will need to use static camera angles, and the human models will look a little rough. But, the overall effect will be impressive, providing the game with acinematiclook without the use of an expensivegraphics card.

Not worse but could be better

The newest version of Blade Runnerneither looks better nor worsethan it did two decades ago. It still thesame experience. However, the backgrounds could stand to be in higher resolution. But, if anything, the new release makes the blocky characters stand out less on a modern display.