Usurper, The: The Mines of Qyntarr
Sir-Tech Software 
1985
- Language:
- English
- Authors:
- Scott Thoman
- Platforms:
- Apple II, PC
- Genres:
- Fantasy, misc.
- Entered by:
- Amby, Gunness
- Added:
- 12-04-2011
- Edited:
- 02-08-2018
Synopsis
The Mines of Qyntarr is an adventure into a bizarre underground realm where nearly anything can happen. You have volunteered to be the hero. You must recover the lost Orb of Qyntarr, then locate the invisible castle of the evil King Aken and kill the king.
Notes
The publishing history of the game is a bit unclear, but it is certain that it was intended to be part of a series.
Most likely the Apple II version was released in 1985 - this is corroborated by the fact that the game is mentioned in 1984 Sir-tech catalogue and that the Apple II disk label reads 1985 [more at MOCAGH].
The same catalogue bills this as "Book Three of the six-part USURPER Saga" and adds, "So why did we release it first? Ah-h... that's the first riddle".
In 1988, the game was published for the PC, this time as "Book one". Presumably Sir-tech had skipped the plans for two prequels at that point and simply released it as the first in a series.
But as the game was released at the end of the commercial text adventure era, no further games were ever released in the Usurper series.
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This game must have one of the most contrived parser conceits in the history of text adventures; the fact that it comes very near to the start of the game merely exacerbates the problem. I make no apologies in informing you that to light the lantern you must "ignite lighter with thumb" and then "light lamp with lighter." This is made even worse by the fact that it appears to never work the first time and you need to repeat the command. More obvious options to light the lighter all appear to be rejected.
I should perhaps have tempered my above criticism with the observation that, once the aforementioned light puzzle vexation is overcome the game settles down into a rather good slice of traditional puzzle fest. It is large and complex but not unfair with an above average (lighter puzzle not withstanding) parser.
A stream of consciousness cheese dream may best describe this game. An acrobat's medallion is found inside a giant refrigerator; fish food is located inside a uranium mine and an enormous steel scorpion lies beyond a passage full of talking angels. It's certainly more incident packed than a walk to the local supermarket.
I have finished a new traversal of this game after nineteen years and uploaded a better map then my old, old one. It is as ludicrously difficult and non-intuitive as I had remembered it. This is a shame as it had real promise as a large but tough old fashioned puzzlefest; it unfortunately lapses into obfuscation and illogicality towards the end. Every single object bar gur yrnq fhvg, gur beo naq gur clenzvq (rot 13) seem to count as points when deposited in one of the correct receptacles found within the game. The end also provides a teaser into what would have been the second part but this was never written. I was so shattered at this point that I didn't even have the energy to feel disappointed. There are several apparent puzzles that aren't, and there is no way of knowing which of these are red herrings and which are vital to completion. I might try a hint sheet one day, although it will probably make the Domesday Book look like a pamphlet in comparison.