Missing
A Review by Aethereal
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Often times, you see OHRRPGCE games that are technically excellent but never reach that level of greatness only a select few games have because they aren't any different from the other games like them, or they aren't fun to play. An example of such a game, by the same author as this game I'm reviewing, is Motherland.

Well, Missing is certainly a game that sets itself apart from the rest of the crop and manages to be excellent in every area that matters. Of course, credit must be given to the engine developers, because this game may not have even been realized had it not been for the addition of mouse functions to plotscripting. Missing is the first game to make extensive use of these functions in a classic genre that demands it. The game itself is a point and click adventure, a long forgotten genre that produced such greats as the King's Quest series, Monkey Island series, and Kyrandia trilogy. I certainly think that, while Missing never reaches the level of the best the genre has to offer, it's an excellent addition to the genre and a game everyone should play, especially fans of the genre.

In Missing, you're searching for your missing wife and child in an English inn. The game's story (as in most games of the genre) is heavily supported by the wonderful and interesting cast of characters that you meet along the way. Orchard-L's writing really shows through here, as it gives life to the characters. That said, it's a real shame there aren't more than a handful of characters in the game. I really would've liked to see more people to interact with (and, as you'll see, the entire content aspect of the game is a recurring theme). Even the main character, Melvin, is interesting, as he isn't totally serious all the time. There are definitely some funny moments spread throughout the game, so make sure you pay attention to the story, as it's great. The best character award goes to the psychic you can call, who also has the best theme.

The gameplay itself is fairly typical for a point and click adventure; you can control your movement using compass directions on the GUI, and click on things or people to make something happen. Where it deviates from the traditional style is that you don't have a set of commands at your disposal, such as "Talk" or "Pick Up". Rather, you just click on something and you'll automatically perform the appropriate action. While this simplifies things quite a bit, it also makes the game, generally, pretty easy. Not that the game is free of puzzles or thinking, but the average player will not have a difficult time getting through it.

My biggest issue with the gameplay is that the game is simply not long enough. It's rather short, and can probably be completed in an afternoon. The surroundings given to you to explore are relatively small; the entire game takes place within the inn and a handful of screens outside of it. If another point and click OHRRPGCE game is ever made (perhaps a sequel to Missing?), I'd like to see it have more content and more things to do. It doesn't have to necessarily be on the scale of a game such as King's Quest VI, but more game content would have been nice.

Graphically, this game is gorgeous. Graphics have always been Orchard-L's strongest point and this game is a prime example as to why. The environments and locations are stunning, and the animations used (such as the stairs) are excellently put together. The characters look about as good as you can get in 256 colors and use Orchard-L's trademark style. Really, you can't ask for better graphics. The variety of locations is minimal at best, but what is there is excellent. Kudos.

Aurally, the game is fairly pleasing. The music is mostly original and is placed well, although I did eventually tire of the standard BGM used. However, all the music fits the scene or the mood quite well, especially the bar song (one of my favorites). The truly excellent part of the sound is the sound effects! You certainly don't see an OHR game with sound effects every day (the only one I can think of offhand is Time Flies). The sound effects are used very well and only serve to add to the atmosphere and creepiness factor of the game.

To conclude, Missing is an excellent game that you should play if you haven't already. Every aspect of the game is well above average, and in several cases exceeds expectations. Not only is it an excellent OHRRPGCE game, but it is an excellent game in general and worthy of comparison to the best the point and click genre has to offer. The only real flaw the game has is that it is rather short, but it's still worth it. Highly, highly recommended.