Imogen (video game)

Imogen is a computer game released in 1986, originally only for the BBC Micro. It was written by Michael St Aubyn and published by Micro Power. It was reissued as the lead game of Superior Software / Acornsoft's "Play It Again Sam 5" compilation in 1987 when it was also converted for the Acorn Electron. It is a platform game featuring puzzles.

Gameplay

The player takes the role of a wizard named Imogen who, according to the backstory,Fact|date=May 2008 lost his mind and forgot his identity as a result of transforming himself into a dragon to save his town from another dragon. He is placed into a dungeon within a mountain and in order to escape he must utilize magic and puzzle-solving abilities he was previously aware of as his former self. The upshot is that he will only be free once he is back to his old, sane self and no longer a danger to the townsfolk.

The game features sixteen levels which are played in a random order. To complete a level, Imogen needs to obtain a crystal which will warp him to the next level or, after all sixteen have been completed, to the outside world, thus completing the game. The crystals are always placed somewhere inaccessible at the outset of the level, and obtaining the crystals requires some lateral thinking on behalf of the player.

Imogen himself is able to transform into three different forms, each with an ability unavailable to the other two;

* His natural form as a human wizard, which can use various objects he picks up along the way (which are as varied as a revolver, watering can and tulip bulb.)
* A cat, which can leap long distances
* A monkey, which can climb ropes

Each level requires transforming back and forth between the forms to complete it. While it is impossible for the player to actually die during the game, the number of transformations is limited to 150, and using them all before the game is complete renders it unwinnable.

Remake

'Ovine by Design' have created a freeware remake for PC which is highly faithful to the original.

External links

* [http://www.bbcmicrogames.com/micropower.html Micropower at bbcmicrogames.com]
*moby game|id=/imogen|name="Imogen"
* [http://imogen.ovine.net/index.php Ovine by Design]