Plundered Hearts

Infobox VG| title = Plundered Hearts


developer = Infocom
publisher = Infocom
designer = Amy Briggs
engine = ZIL
released = July 30, 1987
genre = Interactive fiction
modes = Single player
ratings = n/a
platforms = Amiga, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, Macintosh
media = 3½" or 5¼" disk
requirements = No special requirements
input = Keyboard

"Plundered Hearts" is an interactive fiction computer game created by Amy Briggs and published by Infocom in 1987. It was released simultaneously for several popular computer platforms of the time, such as the PC and Commodore 64. "Plundered Hearts" was Infocom's first (and only) game in the "romance" genre. It is Infocom's twenty-eighth game.

Plot

In a move that was formerly unusual for Infocom but increasingly common after its acquisition by Activision, "Plundered Hearts" casts the player in a well-defined role. The lead character is a young female in the late 17th century who has received a letter. Jean Lafond, the governor of the small West Indies island of St. Sinistra, says that the player's father has contracted a "wasting tropical disease". Lafond suggests that his recovery would be greatly helped by the loving presence of his daughter, and sends his ship (the "Lafond Deux") to transport her.

As the game begins, the ship is attacked by pirates and the player's character is kidnapped. Eventually the player's character finds that two men are striving for her affections: dashing pirate Nicholas Jamison, and the conniving Jean Lafond. As the intrigue plays out, the lady does not sit idly by and watch the men duel over her; she must help Jamison overcome the evil plans of Lafond so they have a chance to live happily ever after.

Feelies

Infocom had a reputation for not only creating involving stories, but also for feelies, which were extra items included with each game. The "Plundered Hearts" package held:
*an "elegant velvet reticule" (pouch) containing the following items:
**a 50 guinea banknote from St. Sinistra
**a letter from Jean Lafond reporting the illness of the player character's father

Notes

By 1987, the year of "Plundered Hearts"'s release, Infocom no longer rated its games on difficulty level. Some fans consider the game to be equivalent to the company's "Standard" level.

Although this was not the only Infocom game designed in an effort to attract female players (see also "Moonmist"), it is the only game in which the lead character is always female. (In some of Infocom's other works, the gender of the player's character is either unimportant and/or unaddressed, or could be chosen as either female or male, as in "Bureaucracy", "Beyond Zork", "Ballyhoo", "Moonmist" and the "Leather Goddesses of Phobos" games.)

Like several other implementors, Amy Briggs began working at Infocom as a game tester before designing games.

"Plundered Hearts" was the last release for the Atari 8-bit family.

The game has 54 locations. [ [http://www.infocom-if.org/games/plunderedh/plunderedspecs.html Infocom Games - Plundered Hearts - Specifications ] ] Tech spec lists 57 rooms.

Tagline

"Spine-tingling peril, romance and adventure on the high seas!"

External links

*moby game|id=/plundered-hearts
* [http://www.csd.uwo.ca/Infocom/plundered.html "Plundered Hearts" information and overview]
* [http://gallery.guetech.org/plundered/plundered.html Scans of "Plundered Hearts" package, documentation and feelies]
* [http://www.infocom-if.org/games/plunderedh/plunderedh.html Infocom-if.org's entry for "Plundered Hearts"]
* [http://hometown.aol.com/graemecree/infobugs/plundere.htm The Infocom Bugs List entry for "Plundered Hearts"]