ECOQUEST II: THE LOST SECRET OF THE RAINFOREST

 

Only you can save the rainforest from destruction

Lost Secret of the Rainforest is a trek through lush jungles, mysterious caverns, and ancient ruins atop craggy, mist-covered peaks. This Sierra adventure requires that you defeat the real-life dangers threatening the rainforests of South America.

As you explore this exotic ecosystem, you will encounter endangered animal species, rare flora, and remote native cultures. Your challenge is to prevent their extinction by poachers and other outlaws who would destroy the environment to satisfy their greed. If you're successful, you will learn the amazing truth that lies behind the enigmatic face of the rainforest.

Lost Secret of the Rainforest is based on scientifically accurate information. It takes you to one of the most exciting worlds ever presented in an educational game. As in EcoQuest I: The Search for Cetus, you will once again be adventuring with Adam.

PARENTS!

• An entertaining, educational science learning adventure for kids 10 and up.
• Created with assistance of leading environmental organizations.
• Extensive educational value covering botany, zoology, and anthropology.
• On-screen "Encoder" reveals, records, and prints out information about the plants, animals, and native peoples you discover.

~ from the back of the box

Sierra's unloved Quest series is back with EcoQuest II: Lost Secrets of the Rainforest. Considering the popularity of their other Quest adventures, these games really got the short shrift from the prolific development house, so much so that some territories even dropped the EcoQuest II moniker entirely. It's a shame, really, as these are far more than the 'Edutainment' kiss of death would imply.

More so than The Search for Cetus, The Lost Secrets of the Rainforest is a full-bore point-and-click adventure. You do learn about ecology and biology, and the subjects are crucial to some of the puzzle solving, but they never feel forced or preachy. I felt the first game handled the educational angle well if a little heavy-handed at times, but it's much more subtle here.

The story sees our little blonde-haired hippy kid get kidnapped by some otters and taken to the Amazon Rainforest. Here, he'll thwart the habitat-destroying antics of the villainous Maxim Slaughter who will leave no tree standing in his search for the City of Gold. Along with his sidekick named Gonzales, these two provide something the previous game didn't; a tangible villain. This is to the detriment of the overall theme, implying that the acts of a few evil men are the cause of such wanton destruction. It trivialises their actions a little compared to the more nebulous antagonist of man's pollution whose effects are found all over The Search for Cetus. As a result, the tone is much more Hollywood with a more confused and disjointed plotline. This difference could be down to the writers. Jane Jensen, who wrote the first game, was off creating Gabriel Knight, leaving the chair open for Gano Haine to take the helm. While far from a failure, the definite drop in focus is noticeable.

 

Thankfully, this is made up in the puzzles. Most are inventory-based, with a newfangled high-tech gadget called the Ecorder proving very useful. This can scan your surroundings and add them to an in-built encyclopaedia of sorts. Some of the puzzles require this useful tool. In one entertaining sequence, various species of bat hang out in a cave as if it were an immigration office. A single pencil-pusher stops them from passing, so it's up to you to match the leaf Visas with their Latin name. You can find the answers in the Ecorder (although I must admit, some of the species do not exist which could confuse kids. I really wanted a Punk Bat to exist). 

For a kid's game, some of the puzzles did keep me guessing for a few moments, and I did enjoy trying to solve them. The fact that there are no sliding puzzles should also be commendable. I do bemoan the lack of voice acting compared to the first, which the sequel relegates to a few choice lines here and there, but that doesn't diminish how good The Lost Secrets of the Rainforest is as a whole. The EcoQuest duology should be held up alongside the Police, Space and King's Quest games as top-tier examples of the point-and-click adventure. A true classic, just ike the others.

To download the game, follow the link below. This custom installer exclusive to The Collection Chamber uses ScummVM to allow the game to run on modern PCs. Manual, Hint Book, Knowledge Test and Eco News Supplement included. Tested on Windows 10.

File Size: 65.3 Mb.  Install Size: 108 Mb.  Need help? Consult the Collection Chamber FAQ

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EcoQuest II: The Lost Secret of the Rainforest is © Sierra On-Line
Review, Cover Design and Installer created by me

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