The Labyrinth of Time

Infobox VG| title = The Labyrinth of Time


developer = Terra Nova Development
publisher = Electronic Arts
designer = Bradley W. Schenck, Michal Todorovic
engine =
released = 1993
genre = Graphic adventure
modes = Single player
ratings = USK: 12+
platforms = DOS, AmigaOS, Mac OS, PC (re-release by Wyrmkeep Entertainment Co.)
media = 1 CD-Rom
requirements =
input =

"The Labyrinth of Time" is a graphic adventure computer game created by Bradley W. Schenck and Michal Todorovic of Terra Nova Development. The game was released on three platforms: DOS, Amiga, and Apple Macintosh. Intended to be the first in a series of games, "The Labyrinth of Time" was only a modest success (thanks mostly to being released at roughly the same time as the runaway successful graphic adventures the 7th Guest and Myst) and the sole game produced by Terra Nova Development.

Story

The story of "The Labyrinth of Time" is loosely based on Greek mythology. The game begins after the player is coming home from work. On the way home aboard a subway, the player and the subway car are suddenly sucked into an alternate dimension. Suddenly, an illusion appears in the form of the mythological character Daedalus. Daedalus divulges that King Minos has forced him to oversee the construction of a labyrinth that spans the space-time continuum, allowing him to invade and conquer all times and places with his supernatural powers. Daedalus pleads for the player to find a way to destroy the labyrinth before Minos can finalize his conquest.

Most of the areas in time that the labyrinth occupies are oddly interconnected in their relationship with one another. The general story of these areas revolves around Martin Garret, a professor intrigued with discovering the tomb of the Sorcerer-King Uxmal at a far-off ziggurat. Uxmal is somehow related to King Minos, though it is never explained. The one man who knew the location of Uxmal's burial site, the desperado Mad Dog Maddigan, was buried in the Western town of Revolver Springs. Mad Dog Maddigan was buried with a map to Uxmal's chamber in the ziggurat. Revolver Springs, however, was destroyed in a fire on May 1, 1882, leaving the location of his grave a mystery. Garret was about to begin his second expedition to the ziggurat, but suffered from anxiety, as he lost his lucky shirt in the previous expedition.

When the player enters the ziggurat, he is able to retrieve the shirt. He is also able to go back in time to Revolver Springs and pick up a newspaper that explains where the local graves were relocated to make way for a railroad extension project. The player leaves both for Garret to receive.

Upon returning the shirt and the newspaper, Garret's journal updates. Not only was the body of Mad Dog Maddigan located, allowing Garret to complete his expedition, but Garret's colleague Cornelius Lyon discovered the tomb of King Minos himself. To prevent graverobbers from looting it, the tomb is sealed by a combination lock set to Lyon's birthday.

Upon changing history to make Garrett's expedition a success, a museum on the moon now houses a talisman he discovered in the sorcerer-king's tomb that was used to destroy entire buildings. The player takes the talisman and (after escaping from jail for the theft) makes his way to the heart of the labyrinth. After dispelling an illusiory Minotaur, he reveals the labyrinth's keystone, which he blasts with Uxmal's talisman. With the keystone's destruction the labyrinth unfurls at the seams and is destroyed. The player is greeted by Daedalus in person. Daedalus thanks the player for freeing him and departs to make sure Minos attempts no further conquest. He then leaves the player floating in an area that does not exist in time or space.

Sequel

At the end of the game, a screen appears telling players to purchase the up-coming sequel to "The Labyrinth of Time", "The Labyrinth II: Lost in the Land of Dreams". The sequel was never produced.

Re-release

In 2004, "The Labyrinth of Time" was re-released by Wyrmkeep Entertainment Co. for the PC, Mac OS, AmigaOS, and Linux. The Amiga version was released as freeware and can be downloaded from Aminet and its mirrors.

External links

*moby game|id=/dos/labyrinth-of-time
* [http://www.webomator.com/bws/ Bradley W. Schenck's personal art site]
* [http://www.wyrmkeep.com/labyrinth/ Wyrmkeep Entertainment Co.'s Labyrinth of Time website]