EcoQuest 2 - Lost Secret of the Rainforest
After releasing EcoQuest: The Search for Cetus in 1991, Sierra followed up with this bright, fun sequel.
In EcoQuest 2: Lost Secret of the Rainforest, you play young Adam Greene who, with his father Noah, an ecologist, arrives in a third-world country to study the rainforest. After becoming separated from his father Adam ventures alone into the rainforest, to discover the secret of the mysterious Forest Heart, find the lost City of Gold and attempt to help the endangered Grove People.
The game is targeted mostly at the younger end of the market, but adults would also enjoy the lush graphics and the interesting information about ecology and rainforests revealed by your e-corder. The game seemed a little tedious at first, with a little too much help popping up, but when Adam reaches the rainforest and climbs the giant tree smothered in exotic flowers, birds and creatures, it becomes rather fun... like a tropical version of the Faraway Tree series by Enid Blyton.
If you like wandering around lush forests and interacting with wee beasties, and performing heroic deeds while being presented with educational tit-bits along the way, as I do, then you'll enjoy this game. However, if you prefer your action to come fast and furious, then this gentle, thoughtful game might not appeal. But you do get to play around with an e-corder.
Using Windows 98 and DOSBox, I received a 'Your Hardware Has Not Been Initialised' error message at the start of the game. I tried opening the game in pure DOS but received the same message. I went back to using DOSBox, but this time when the error screen appeared, I clicked 'Esc' and the screen closed and the game introduction started. By the way, the music and sound effects proceeded to work fine. However, a warning to those using Windows XP: I found this message on another abandonware games site: A slowdown utility *must* be used to run the game -- otherwise you will get a faulty "888.pal not found" error.
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw9s5KNdWNw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1fNsAdk1Fg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lAS8apqUKU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmgQx7O-Rw4
Download:
You can download EcoQuest 2 - Lost Secret of the Rainforest HERE