The Omega Stone: Riddle of the Sphinx II
Description official descriptions
The Omega Stone extends the adventure experienced in its predecessor, Riddle of the Sphinx, in which players were left with the question, "Did Sir Geoffreys actually find the illusive Ark of the Covenant?"
The quest leads beyond Egypt to some of the world's most famous locations. Search and explore Chichen Itza, Stonehenge, Easter Island, and Bimini in the Devil's Triangle, all of which are reproduced with pre-rendered graphics or still photographic images.
The adventure is played from first-person perspective, in Myst style. The game features a point-and-click interface, atmospheric effects (rain, wind etc.), cutscenes with live actors and in-game animations, and many mysterious puzzles to solve.
Spellings
- Портал Времён. Загадка Сфинкса 2 - Russian spelling
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Reviews
Critics
Average score: 61% (based on 25 ratings)
Players
Average score: 3.4 out of 5 (based on 9 ratings with 1 reviews)
Slightly better than the previous game ... but
The Good
The year is 2012. As the game starts, Sir Geoffreys' face is the first thing you see. You passed out after seeing the Ark of the Covenant! In the beginning video, he brings you up to speed. This quest will tie together ancient and mysterious civilizations from around the globe. They prophesied a cataclysmic event which is almost here. By finding key pieces to the final puzzle (The Omega Stone) and putting them in their proper places, you will stop the event and save the world!
The story unfolds as you explore the different locations and read books, journals and notes left for you to find. I liked the story, but it didn't keep me really enthralled to the point that I couldn't stop playing. The puzzles were mostly hard (with a few medium ones thrown in for good measure). I'd say 90% of them were well integrated into the plot. In fact, I can't think of even one that seemed out of place.
Graphics are fairly good although no new ground is broken here. Each of the locations is depicted as lifelike as one would imagine. Screens can be quite dark though, especially in underground areas. (This may depend upon your monitor's gamma setting.) The video cut-scenes are better than the static graphics. Transition between screens is smooth and you are able to look all around without getting dizzy. A nice design option offers you variations on how the cursor movement is handled depending upon your own preference.
There is lovely orchestrated music forming a background while you're playing. When you are approaching an important area, the music changes and intensifies. You are also rewarded with accomplishment music or a sound effect when you solve the puzzles. Also, the voice acting is excellent. "Hump", your driver, has many humorous ways to say "Let's go!".
One of the worst aspects of the previous game (Riddle of the Sphinx) involved the use of inventory items and many other interface mechanics. Although still not perfect, those in The Omega Stone are <u>much</u> better. You carry everything with you at all times in one big inventory which is accessed by right clicking and selecting the backpack. The objects can be rearranged and scrolls left-to-right. Point to an object and a larger picture appears in the main view area. Click on it to use it on something else.
You are provided with a camera and snapshots can be taken of almost everything. This helps when a reference book is across the continent and you need to read it again. Your in-game photos can be deleted outside of the game without affecting gameplay at all.
The only limit to the number of saved games is your storage space and you name them as you wish. Because this game comes on 4 CDs, naturally it is expected that there will be disc swapping. But, the discs are divided into locations so there's none of that within one area. (Tip: To forego disc swapping altogether, and to avoid a possible bug in the game, select the full installation. You'll need to reapply the Patch if you reinstall the game over a partial install. All of your saved games will remain intact.)
The game takes quite a long time to finish even if you use a walkthrough. You can explore the different locations in any order although there is a bit of backtracking between them. The ending is satisfying and gives the impression that there will be another sequel.
The Bad
I liked The Omega Stone, but it still has its irritations.
- Very long installation (especially in Full mode)
- Long "load game" time
- You can die without warning and there's no auto-save. (Save often!)
- Huge inventory without the ability to drop anything. Causes long scrolling as you look for something. Items don't automatically disappear after use. There are quite a few "red herrings" which compound the confusion.
- "Hot" spots for interaction were sometimes missing, so you have to guess.
- Hard puzzles with objects and clues scattered all over the place. (AND, one of my pet peeves ... complicated mazes!)
- The designers have obviously never been scuba diving. Diving in Bimini (called the Devil's Triangle in the game) was totally uninteresting. Mostly sandy bottom .. no reefs .. no fish. And, they forgot the all-important scuba vest (buoyancy compensator for those of us in the know).
- Too few actual people to meet and talk to.
The Bottom Line
If you played Riddle of the Sphinx, you'll immediately notice many improvements in this game's interface. They are much easier to use and cleaner overall. The puzzle difficulty in both games is about equal and you'll probably need help with the majority of them.
Graphics and music are good and the story moves along at a decent pace although I didn't think it was as immersive as the first game. Play it if you're a puzzle lover or an experienced adventure gamer.
Windows · by Jeanne (75935) · 2004
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Related Sites +
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Hints for The Omega Stone
If you need a nudge or two to solve the puzzles on your own, use these hints instead of a walkthrough to get you through the game. -
The Omega Stone Stars You, the Intrepid Adventurer
An Apple Games article about the Macintosh version of The Omega Stone (March, 2004). -
TheOmegaStone.com
Official Web Site for The Omega Stone -
Walkthrough
Full solution for The Omega Stone -
Walkthrough by Graham
Another excellent guide for The Omega Stone
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Contributors to this Entry
Game added by Jeanne.
Macintosh added by Zeppin.
Additional contributors: Zeppin, Klaster_1, cireja.
Game added March 19, 2003. Last modified January 19, 2024.