In a way, you could say that Myst was the original escape game. It had all of the major features we've come to expect: items hidden in bizarre locations, puzzles that seem completely opaque until you stumble upon the solution, and above all, no way to leave until you solve every single puzzle.
Myst also had two things that are often missing in escape games: Stunning graphics and a storyline that made all the puzzles fit. Vital clues were often hidden amongst story elements in books or drawings, and if you managed to figure them out yourself, solving the puzzles was very rewarding.
Keep that mindset at hand, because you'll need it for this game. Bianco-Bianco's Magical Sphere Escape has a central puzzle and story that, with some major polishing, would have fit perfectly in the original Myst.
The story of Magical Sphere Escape revolves around God's imprisonment of Enchaki in the Patio of Genesis, a sort of inverted version of the exile from the Garden of Eden. The story is told in the descriptions of items, people, and places, and gradually reading it as you encounter each element really adds to the experience.
Unfortunately, the story (and its hints) didn't make it into the game itself, so you'll need to open this page in another window and switch between them as you play. Without it, you'll be lost, as we at JIG discovered the hard way. (One reviewer said she was "completely baffled within three seconds of playing.")
Even more unfortunately, the story's English translation is quite rough, including one item that has the wrong description entirely. JIG to the rescue! Open up the spoilers for a more polished translation:
Worlds
Patio of Genesis
The main world of the game. As one of Enchaki's descendants, God has sent you here to take Enchaki's place and atone for your ancestor's sins. Can you solve the mystery and redeem your people?
The World of the Desert
God made this world as part of Enchaki's prison. The blistering sun punishes all who fall beneath its gaze.
The World of Wind and Sea
God forced Poseidon to make this part of Enchaki's prison, even though Poseidon was in Enchaki's debt.
Hell
Those who fall from the Patio of Genesis land in Hell, God's final trap for Enchaki. None have ever escaped from Hell.
Doors
The Door of Eden
In the ancient past, Enchaki tried to open the Door of Eden without permission, and so angered God. In response, God locked the door and sealed Enchaki in the Patio of Genesis. The people of Enchana, Enchaki's descendants, have been exiled from paradise ever since.
The Door of Silence
This door leads to the World of the Desert. A golem protects the way back, and will only allow those who are silent to take what they find in the desert.
The Door of Unrest
This door leads to the World of Wind and Sea. Poseidon himself protects the way back, and will only open out of gratitude to Enchaki.
Eye of the Fool
This door lies hidden between the Door of Silence and the Door of Unrest, and it is one of the mysteries God created for Enchaki. Only those who have made an offering to all three doors may pass this one freely.
Landmarks in the Patio of Genesis
Bed of Strength
One of God's mysteries, this broken hammer represents the strength that God took from Enchaki.
Healing Waterside
Poseidon created this tank of healing water, against God's wishes, to help repay the debt he owed Enchaki. The water is fresh, to keep God from noticing Poseidon's work.
Altar of Seal
This altar holds the seal that God placed on the Patio of Genesis to trap Enchaki. It must be broken before you can return to the blue planet, your home.
Items
Stick of Enchaki
Long before he was trapped, timid and foolish Enchaki used this stick to save Poseidon's life, putting Poseidon in his debt. Poseidon enchanted the stick with sea magic, but it has since been soaked with fresh water to hide it from God.
Goblin's Sand Plate
The goblins who live in Hell eat their favorite food, sand, off of woven plates like this. This one appears to be the real thing, made in Hell.
Glass of the Goddess
As part of his ongoing debt to Enchaki, Poseidon taught glassmaking to the people of Enchana. When God learned of this, he confiscated the Glass of the Goddess, one of Poseidon's artifacts, as punishment for Poseidon's actions.
Cloth of Orihalf
This mysterious bag is made of orihalf, made from a byproduct of producing orichalcum. It is said that orihalf is so finely woven, it can hold the elements themselves.
Hammer of Strength
This hammer, made of orichalcum, is material proof of the strength that God took from Enchaki.
Scoop of Silence
This scoop is given only to those who have become people of the desert. It proves that you have learned silence.
Base Material of the Sphere
This sphere of lapis (a semi-precious blue stone) is the base material for a magical sphere. It must be given the powers of wind and flame before it is complete.
Other
Blue planet
This unnamed planet is similar to Earth, but has only primitive civilization.
Enchaki
A legendary hero of the blue planet, said to have had incredible powers. It is also said that he was a foolish person who twice defied God.
People of Enchana
These carefree people of the sea live on the blue planet. Legend has it that they are the descendents of Enchaki.
Dolphin
A dolphin was the first friend Enchaki made after being cut off from the blue planet. Being people of the sea, the people of Enchana worship dolphins. It is said that they are messengers of Poseidon.
Got all that? Good. Despite its flaws, Magical Sphere Escape is one of the best escape games I have played. There are a couple places where you'll need your Veteran Escaper Sense™ to find a clue or item, but the major puzzles are astonishingly logical. Playing Magical Sphere Escape evokes that Myst-like sensation of not just solving puzzles, but solving history.
But don't just take my word for it; experience it yourself!
Walkthrough Guide
(Please allow page to fully load for spoiler tags to be functional.)
WALKTHROUGH
For those who have trouble seeing colors:
There are some colored dolphins in here. Note down where you found them instead of their colors. I'll tell you how to use them in the very last step.
Begin!
1.
There is a doorway with columns in front of you. Note that you can click on the oval near the top center of the door. Look behind the front left column. Find a woven plate.
2.
Go back to the first screen, then turn right. Click the rectangular pedestal to the left of the screen (the Bed of Strength). Note the cylinders there, namely the hole in the big one and the groove in the small one.
3.
Go back. To the right of the Bed of Strength is a large Door of Silence. Click the gold markings on it. You're now in a desert. Click left. Note the color and number of the dolphins. Also note the cup (but don't take it, or you won't be able to go back). Click left again, and note the blistering hot sun. Go left one more time. Click the column. You're now back where you started.
4.
From the Door of Silence, go right. You see an unreachable pedestal and the planet Earth. Click the bottom of the left column. Note the rubble there.
5.
From the view of Earth, go right. Now you see the Door of Unrest. Click the bottom of the column to the right of the door. Copy down the pattern there.
6.
Move back from the column and click on the gray box to the right of the blue Door of Unrest. Note that the box is full of water, and take the stick. Notice the stick is damp.
7.
Go back to the gold Door of Silence and enter the desert. Go to the view of the sun and double-click the stick in your inventory to bring it up. Wait for it to dry in the sun.
8.
Go back through the column, and enter the blue Door of Unrest. You are in an ocean. Go left, and note the number and color of dolphins that swim by. (If you miss them, you can always click away from and back to that screen to see them again.)
9.
Go left from the dolphins and notice the circle of light in the water. Use the dried stick on the circle of light. You now have a large stick soaked with seawater.
10.
Go left from the circle of light, and click the column to get back to the main room. Go to the Bed of Strength. Put the large stick in the hole in the large cylinder there.
11.
Go to the water basin. Take the silver hammer that is now somehow floating there.
12.
Go to the view of the planet and click the left column to see the pile of rubble. Use the hammer on the rubble to make sand. Then use the woven plate to pick up the sand.
13.
Go back to the golden Door of Silence. Give it the plate of sand as an offering. The door gives you a silver shovel in return.
14.
Enter the Door of Silence's desert and take the cup. Then use the shovel to dig up where the cup was sitting. You now have a pretty blue stone sphere.
15.
Go back to the main room. Fill the cup with holy water from the basin there. Then go back to the Bed of Strength where you left the stick. There's now dried salt on the stick. Use the cup of water to collect the salt. You now have salty holy water.
16.
Offer the salty water to the blue Door of Unrest. You get a strange container in return.
17.
Enter the Door of Unrest's ocean. Go left and see a tornado. Use the strange bowl on the tornado. Caught the wind!
18.
Go back to the main room. Go to the view of the planet. If you click the space under the pedestal, you go forward a bit. Throw your blue ball at the pedestal and watch the scene. There is now a step in front of you.
19.
Click on the step leading into space. Now use that wind you caught on the blue sphere. Another step appears.
20.
Go forward towards the second step that's just been added. You can't quite reach the pedestal, but there are blue arrows pointing down. Do NOT click those arrows unless you have already copied down the code from the column to the right of the ocean door. If you do have that code, then click the down arrows. Watch the scene.
21.
DON'T PANIC. You're not dead. You can even explore a little. Notice the dolphins in one of the lava scenes, and remember their color and number. Now click the woven plate in your inventory. Click the words "The enD" on it. This takes you back to where you first arrived in hell. Notice the two e's. These are repeated in the code you got from the column. Turn that code 90 degrees so that the e's are facing right-side-up. Moving upward from those e's, you have your code.
up, up, left, right, up, down
Use that code to navigate through the orange lava.
22.
After you've entered the code, you should still be seeing lava. However, in the bottom right section of the screen, there is a flame you can click. Use the strange bowl to capture the flame.
23.
Go left. You see another column. Give the column the flame you just caught. Then go back and catch another flame. Click the column and return to the main room.
24.
You're at the view of the planet again. Go forward towards the pedestal and offer up the second flame you gathered to the blue sphere. The final step appears.
25.
Go forward again and click on the glowing sphere. Watch the scene. You now have a magical sphere.
ENDING 1
Click the planet in front of you. Congratulations! You're a fisherman!
ENDING 2 (Good End)
You've got your magical sphere, right? Resist the urge to go to earth and move back from the pedestal. Click the left column where you got the rubble from. On one of the steps are dolphins. Note their number and color.
Go to the large gray doors. Use the sphere on the oval near the top center of those doors. Watch the scene and click next a few times. You are now prompted to enter a code. Enter the number of dolphins under each respective color. (For those who have color issues, the dolphins are in this order: desert, lava, step, ocean.)
The code is 3845.
And you're out!
Posted by: nerdypants
|
September 9, 2009 5:11 AM
Magical Sphere Escape Walkthrough
Before you do anything check out the background on the story: http://pi3141592c147.web.fc2.com/ISEKI_HINT.htm.
There are two (sort of three) endings (that I've found).
Patio of Genesis
When the game starts you are facing an imposing door (The Door of Eden) with two columns on the left and two on the right. Click on the base of the left front column.
Now that you have a close-up of the column click on the left side of the base.
You are now behind the column. Take the gold object (woven plate). Go back.
Turn to the left. There is a low marble cistern to the right and a large slab with a blue arrow to the left. Click on the cistern for a close-up.
Take the stick laying on the cistern. Back up.
Between the cistern and the slab is a column with something written on the base. Click on the base for a close up. Make note of the pattern. Back up.
Turn to the right twice. You should see a low marble pedestal on the left and a giant slab with a yellow arrow on the right. Click on the slab with the yellow arrow for a close-up.
This is the Door of Silence. Click on the arrow to enter the desert world.
Desert World
Turn left. You will see a cup on the left, half-buried in the sand (don't try to take it), and some dolphins to the right. Make note of the number of yellow dolphins (3).
Turn left. The sun is blistering hot. Double click on the stick in your inventory to bring it up on the screen. Close it to put it back in your inventory. Wait until the stick is dry, then turn left.
Click on the column to return to the Patio of Genesis.
Patio of Genesis
Back away from the door and turn left twice. Click on the slab with a blue arrow for a close-up.
This is the Door of Unrest. Click on the blue arrow to enter the world of wind and the sea.
World of Wind and the Sea
Turn left. Notice the number of blue dolphins (5).
Turn left. There is a circle of light on the water. Click on the stick in your inventory and then click on the circle. The stick has enlarged by soaking up the sea water. Put the stick back in your inventory.
Turn left. Click on the column to return to the Patio of Genesis.
Patio of Genesis
Back up from the door and turn right twice. Click on the marble pedestal for a close-up.
On the Bed of Strength is a cylinder with a hole in it. Click on the large stick in your inventory and place it in the hole. It now looks like a hammer.
Back up and turn left twice.
Click on the cistern for a close-up and notice the hammer floating in the water. Take the hammer.
Back up and turn left.
You are now facing an altar floating in space with a blue-green planet behind it, surrounded by two columns. Click on the base of the left column. Note: the hot-spot to click on the base is very close to the left turn control, so click carefully.
There are some small rocks that have crumbled off of the column. Use the hammer in your inventory on the rocks. This should pound them to sand.
Use the woven plate in your inventory to pick up the sand.
Back up and turn left. Click on the door of Silence for a close-up.
Click on the plate of sand in your inventory then click on the arrow. You have offered the sand to the door. A silver shovel will appear, take it.
Click on the yellow arrow to enter the Desert World.
Desert World
Turn left. Take the cup from the sand.
Use the silver shovel on the hole left by the cup. You now have a blue globe.
Turn left twice and click on the column to go back to the Patio.
Patio of Genesis
Back up from the door and turn left twice. Click on the cistern for a close-up.
Fill the cup with water from the cistern. You now have holy water.
Back up and turn right twice.
Click on the Bed of Strength for a close-up.
Notice that there is a white substance on the handle of the hammer.
Click on the holy water in your inventory and click on the handle of the hammer. You now have salty holy water.
Back up and turn left twice.
Click on the Door of Unrest for a close-up.
Offer the holy water to the blue arrow. You will receive a container.
Click on the arrow to enter the World of Wind and the Sea.
World of Wind and the Sea
Turn left. Gee, that looks like a tornado.
Click on the container in your inventory then click on the tornado. Congratulations, you have captured the wind.
Turn left twice and click on the column to go back to the Patio of Genesis.
Patio of Genesis
Back up from the door and turn left.
Click on the altar for a close-up.
Place the blue globe in the box on the altar. A stair will appear.
Click on the stair for a close-up of the altar.
Place the container with wind on the blue globe. Another stair will appear.
Click on the second stair for a close-up.
There is a gap between the second stair and the altar. Place the mouse pointer in the middle of that gap and click. Oops, you've fallen into hell. And no, this is not the end.
Hell
There are directional bars on the left, right, top, and bottom of your screen.
Now is the time to use the strange pattern from the column. Read the code from the "ee" going right to left.
Click on the directional bars in this pattern: left, left, down, up, left, right.
When you stop you should be facing some red dolphins. Note the number (8).
Double click the woven plate to bring it up from your inventory. Notice it says "the end".
Click on the words "the end" and you are back at your starting point in hell. Close down the plate.
Now imagine rotating the code 90 degrees to the right, so that the "ee" is at the bottom.
Click on the directional bars in this pattern: up, up, left, right, up, down.
Look closely at the screen. In the lower right area there is a flickering flame (hard to see with all the glowing red background).
Capture the flame in your container.
Turn left. Offer the container with flame to the arrow on the column.
Turn right and capture the flame again using the container.
Turn left and click on the column to go back to the Patio of Genesis.
Patio of Genesis
You should be facing the altar. Click on the second step for a close-up.
Put the container with flame on the blue globe. A third step will appear.
Click on the third step for a close-up then click on the globe.
A pathway will appear to the planet and the globe will go into your inventory (magical sphere).
This is one of the endings. You can follow the path to the planet and become a humble fisherman. The end.
If you don't follow the path back up from the altar.
Click on the base of the left column where you found the rocks. You will see some green dolphins on the steps (4).
Back up and turn right twice.
Click on the Door of Eden for a close-up.
At the middle top of the door is a double-circle. Put the magical sphere in this circle.
The door swings open.
Here is the final puzzle. Hope you kept track of all those dolphins!
Second ending (sort of): if you don't put the numbers in the dolphin puzzle (or put them in wrong) and just click next, you end up in the World of Wind and the Sea. Go right and you'll see "the end" on the column that leads back to the puzzle. Click on "the end" and you end up back in hell. Technically this is not an end, as you can use the code to get back to the column and get back to the Patio to try again.
Third ending: enter the following numbers: yellow 3, red 8, green 4, blue 5, then click next.
A new journey has begun. Good end.
Posted by: grinnyp
|
September 9, 2009 5:40 AM