The Black Cauldron

The Good
The Black Cauldron is a cleverly designed, well crafted adventure game in the Sierra tradition. The Black Cauldron is a "light" game aimed originally at kids, the usual parser has been replaced by an - easy to use - interface that enables the gamer to initiate an action immediately by pressing one of the function keys. So you don't spend a lot of time by searching for the right words.

Game design is very clever; there are different routes through the game, you can enter places in different ways and you're always able to get your self out off - what may look like - a dead end. My favourite section of the game was the Horned King's castle. To get in, you could swim past the crocodiles in the castle moat or sneak in via the henchman's carriage. You could roam the castle in non-linear fashion and there were different ways to get out as well. I enjoyed experimenting with the different items & locations. It's fun to play some parts of the game again just to try a different solution. The Black Cauldron uses the AGI graphics system that we know from King's Quest III and Larry 1 (among others) to create several interesting locations.

The Bad
Well, I could say that the game is a bit short & easy, but hey this game was aimed at kids and what is wrong with a game you can finish without a FAQ. I could mention that there are some - annoying - action sequences in the game, but you can avoid most of these sequences by taking a different path. I could say that the sound is bad, but what would one expect from a game that's made in 1986.

So is there nothing wrong with The Black Cauldron? Well, since it is a short game and there's not much dialogue, the characters that you meet in the game are not fleshed out very well. Fflewdurr Fflam, Dallben, Gurgi, they all make an appearance but people who haven't read the books or have not seen the movie will know very little about them once they've completed the game.

Finally, I can't understand why you can not see an object (read a description) or preselect an object (by pressing F3 you preselect an item, later you can perform a context-sensitive action with that object by pressing F4) from within the inventory screen.

The Bottom Line
A fun adventure which allows the player to take several different routes through the game. Innocent fun for all ages that's never frustrating. It runs fine on modern computers and is now available as freeware (see trivia section) so what are you waiting for?

The Good
I loved this game, it was the first sierra game the was ever purchased for me and actually the first Sierra game I ever owned. I was around 9 or 10 years old and I got it at Radio Shack for 49.99 as a gift when it first came out and I instantly fell in love with it. The atmosphere the game produced is that of a dark one in my opinion. You start out near your little cottage in the wilderness and the wilderness just seemed to have a dark and sinister kind of feel to it. Especially the farther you wander west in the woods! If I remember correctly, since it was designed for kids to play, it didn't have the typing interface as the other Adventure games had. You used the F keys to execute different actions. It was rather nice being a 10 year old not having to type commands over and over. The game was as entertaining as any of the other Sierra series. For 1986, the graphics were very impressive... the sound was industry standard for the time. just blips and beeps. An enjoyable Disney/Sierra Adventure game that should not be overlooked.

The Bad
Some of the "arcade" style sequences in the game were a bit tricky (e.g. climbing the rock faced wall.) Made you resort to the save n' load tactic to pass the sequence. Other than that, its an amazing piece of software from Sierra.

The Bottom Line
A classic. Definitely worth a play for classic adventure fans. Has a great atmosphere and environment that will keep this title in the minds of many for decades to come! Absolutely worth a try!

The Good
Black Cauldron brought the beloved Sierra 3D games of yesteryear to a more "kid friendly" audience. Ironically, those "kid friendly" features were so well implemented that they became a staple for later Sierra 3D adventure games.

The Black Cauldron eliminated the need for text commands. It gives the player a list of options to work within the scene, eliminating the need for guess work. That's not to say that one can't attempt to try things, but if the player would rather point and click, then that's your prerogative.

As with other Sierra games, the graphics were a great way to showcase one's computer. The game offered a full 16 color spectrum versus so many games that merely offered the white, green, purple, brown configuration, and being based off a Disney property with Al Lowe's (yes, of "Leisure Suit Larry" fame) full access to the film's backgrounds, the game still has some classic charm to it.

The music is accurate, being cheerful or moody as the scene requires, and the characters from the book and film all make an appearance, with wonderful animation. Some join along with you and help. Others hinder.

The game also allows the option to play exactly how the movie went, but there are also ways to achieve multiple endings, and do things that the story never intended. And with Al Lowe behind the game, there are some playfully silly moments added into the game.

The Bad
There are a few arcade style elements included in the game, which are great for gaming ideas, but clunky in execution. Action scenes in these kinds of games just don't work well, coupled with a slow character, and a strict adherence to precision. Climbing the rope is a test of nerves as several moments of hanging on look like the character is bound to fall off the rope at any second.

There are also moments where a guard or the Horned King grab at Taran, looking like they are well out of reach, and the character seems to teleport into their grip. Collision seems sketchy, and it's maddening to say the least.

Additionally, play this game on a color monitor. A well-detailed game such as this deserves more than a monochromatic green screen.

The Bottom Line
As with Sierra's other 3D games, the game is a charming and wonderfully fun title with a lot of personality, attention to detail, and great animation. Players have the option to play the obscure Disney classic as the book intended, or change the story for some interesting "What if?" conclusions.

It's a shame that these games are so hard to find, and aren't going to see a rerelease possibly ever. With Activision eradicating the remnants of the old Sierra last year, games like these look to be regulated to the history books or having to resort to buying an actual old computer at an auction.

Regardless of their fate, however, these games make for great memories....