The ClueFinders 4th Grade Adventures: Puzzle of the Pyramid
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| The ClueFinders 4th Grade Adventures | |
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 The kids arrive at the antique dealer's shop |
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| Developer(s) | The Learning Company |
| Publisher(s) | The Learning Company |
| Release date(s) | 1998 |
| Genre(s) | Educational/Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Everyone (E) |
| Platform(s) | PC (Windows, Macintosh) |
The ClueFinders 4th Grade Adventures: Puzzle of the Pyramid is a computer game in The Learning Company's ClueFinders series, where the ClueFinders embark on an Egyptian adventure to save the world from the forces of chaos.
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[edit] Voice cast
- Chrissie McCarron - Joni Savage
- Clayton Stroope - Santiago Rivera
- Keoni Asia Gist - Leslie Clark (credited as "Keoni Gist")
- Brian Gregory - Owen Lam
- Derek Sorentino - Socrates
- Roger L. Jackson - Professor Botch/Antique Dealer/Sphinx/The Artist Mouse/Rocko/The Artist Mouse Overseer/Stone Mason/Associate Mouse #1 (credited as "Roger Jackson")
- Charles Martinet - Sir Alistair Loveless III
- Les Hedger - LapTrap/Associate Mouse #2
- Sean O'Kane - Kaffi Coffee Shop Owner/Sami the Jeep Dealer
- Irene Trapp - Cat/Salima the Export Shop Owner
- Rebecca Wink - Sima the Fabric Store Owner/Bast
- Terry McGovern - Fixnupan
- Doug Boyd - The Map Mouse
- Ron Obregon - Set
- Michael Bartle - Sobek
- Jeff Kramer - Stone Crocodile
- Brett Abramson - Fieluca the Boat Dealer
- J.S. Gilbert - Horus
- Jena Logan - Isis
- Jon Olsen - Associate Mouse #3
[edit] Synopsis
The ClueFinders are on an adventure in Egypt with Professor Botch, Alistair Loveless, and their dog, Socrates. There, they uncover the tomb of Peribsen, a king from the second dynasty. Joni finds a mysterious ring and tries it on her finger, but it gets stuck. Fearing embarrassment, she fails to tell Professor Botch.
Later that night, Alistair Loveless arrives with his goons and they load all the artifacts and Professor Botch into the trucks. Loveless explains he wants to unleash the power of Set, whom it was believed Peribsen was aligned with.
The next day, the ClueFinders return to the dig to find it deserted. However, they find a mysterious scroll the thieves missed. The ClueFinders decide to take the scroll to Cairo so someone can translate it. There, they met an antique dealer who claims to be five thousand years old. He tells them that whoever kidnapped Professor Botch wants to unleash the power of Set.
He says to stop him, they must find a mysterious place of power. The scroll has five clues that guide them towards reaching this place of power. However, the clues are written in ancient code that the antique dealer cannot read without "Cairoglyphs", ancient pottery pieces with letters inscribed on them.
Meanwhile, Alistair Loveless interrogates Professor Botch for one piece of information, the location of the Ring. Professor Botch tries to feign ignorance, but Loveless manages to figure out the ClueFinders have the Ring, and sends his minions after them.
After collecting the Carioglyphs, the ClueFinders learn they need to take a boat south. This takes them to the mysterious Nile kingdom. The area is populated by mice who seemed to convinced they are ancient Egyptians and spend their time building pyramids, columns, and such structures. A cat who lives in an obelisk has had gems stolen from their doors by these mice. The ClueFinders agree to retrieve the gems, in exchange for being let in the palace.
Loveless' goons finally catch up with the ClueFinders, and take the Ring from them. Loveless returns to the tomb, where he will begin the Ceremony. His goons put ancient pistons and gears in place that will cause the pyramid, long buried underground, to rise to the surface, so that Loveless will be ready to conduct the Ceremony.
The ClueFinders reach the inside of the obelisk, only to discover that it is the residence of the remaining Egyptian Gods. The Gods are aware of the latest attempt to unleash Set, but are unable to act, as they exceed the height requirement to fight the forces of Chaos. This doesn't stop them from helping out, however, and each of the gods gives special powers to the ClueFinders: Horus gives Owen the power of flight; Bast grants Leslie heightened intelligence; Sobek gives Santiago extreme physical strength; and Isis grants Joni supernatural bravery (in the case of Leslie and Joni, these are simply amplifications of traits they already possessed). The powers also changes the appearance of the ClueFinders to resemble the Gods. They are transported back to the tomb, in time to see a pyramid rise out of the ground. They began to travel through it in order to rescue their professor and the world.
Meanwhile, Set rises out of the ground, but, like with so many villains, Loveless' overconfidence was his weakness. He never considered the possibility that he might not be able to "control chaos." Set flings Loveless and his minions down a chasm with one wave of his hand.
The ClueFinders show up and declare that they're there to stop Set. Leslie uses her intelligence to come up with a plan. Joni distracts Set, while Owen lifts Santiago into the air so he can push the pistons back in place. The pyramid collapses and Set disappears forever. The ClueFinders escape and they lose their new powers. All the artifacts are returned to their proper places.
[edit] Characters
The characters listed are characters that appear only in The ClueFinders 4th Grade Adventures; for information about other characters, see The ClueFinders.
[edit] Professor Botch
Professor Botch is described in the game's advertising as "eccentric, but lovable", which is rather accurate. Professor Botch is held hostage for the whole game, and the game regularly cuts back to show Loveless interrogating him for information. Botch tries to avoid helping Loveless by feigning ignorance. This does not fool Loveless in the least, but it is rather humorous for the user.
The characterization of Professor Botch may be based on Denholm Elliott's portrayal of Marcus Brody in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Both are generally bumbling, both are held hostage and rescued by the more capable heroes towards the end and both tell their captors that they're meddling with powers they cannot comprehend. (To botch mean to bungle or ruin through clumsiness.)
[edit] Alistair Loveless
Sir Alistair Loveless III grew up on the streets of London, and since then he's dreamed of ruling the planet. Loveless is now an archaeologist for the London Museum and has been trying to find Peribsen's tomb for a long time. Loveless is, in many ways, a parody of the stereotypical villain. For example, in one scene he cackled manically for a long time in the typical villain fashion, before coughing and explaining that he swallowed his mint. Loveless can mean either feeling no love, or the quality of being unloved, both of which fit the character (recall Loveless grew up in the streets).
Given that Loveless grew up in London, is stated to work for the London Museum, apparently holds the title of "Sir" and is named Alistair (an uncommon first name in the United States), one would assume that the character is British. However, Charles Martinet, for an unknown reason, does not attempt a British accent.
[edit] Egyptian Gods
Though certain liberties were taken with their personalities, the depictions of the gods remained true to their appearance in Egyptian art.
- Set: Loveless is bent on gaining Set's powers over Chaos for himself. What Set has to say about this, however, may not be to Loveless's liking.
- Isis: Though Set's nemesis in mythology, Isis's role in the game is simply to provide a moment of humor and grant Joni the power of bravery. She speaks with a Long Island accent.
- Horus: The falcon god grants Owen the power of flight, and explains the general situation to the ClueFinders when they reach the Palace.
- Bast: the Cat Goddess give Leslie heightened intelligence. Her voice is similar to that of Eartha Kitt.
- Sobek: the Crocodile God gives Santiago extreme physical strength.
- Thoth: the God of Wisom and the Written Word presides over the Chasm of Words in the pyramid. Despite the fact that the Chasm is in Set's pyramid, Thoth lets the ClueFinders pass if they solve the puzzle. Thoth is the most god-like of the deities shown in the game, with an impressive form and ominous voice.
[edit] Places visited
Like in The ClueFinders 3rd Grade Adventures, there are different areas that are visited, but unlike the first program, each area isn't limited to one skill.
[edit] Cairo
In Cairo, the goal is to collect "Cairoglyphs". Fortunately, collecting Cairoglyphs is a hobby of many store owners in the area and they agree to give them to the ClueFinders in exchange for help. The Cairoglyphs earn the ClueFinders clues, which lead to a secret chamber. After solving a puzzle in there, they find they need to go south in a boat. After constructing a boat in another activity, they head off to the Nile kingdom.
[edit] Nile Kingdom
The goal here is to collect gems from mice that live here who are convinced they are ancient Egyptians. To earn them, they have to help in building their pyramids and palaces. Once the gems are earned, they have places where they belong in a pattern.
[edit] The Pyramid
The goal in the pyramid is to reach the center and save Professor Botch and stop Loveless. To do this, the user must unlock doors and cross over giant chasms. In the door challenges, the puzzles are presented by a sphinx who speaks like Groucho Marx. The chasm challenges, similar to other "chasm of words" puzzles in the games, are regulated by Thoth.
[edit] Differences with other games in the series
The ClueFinders 4th Grade Adventures is very different, especially in terms of tone, to the other games in the series. These differences include:
- This game has a more irreverent style of humor than the other ClueFinders games, which is epitomized by the sphinx in the Pyramid. The sphinx character even breaks the fourth wall, for example telling the ClueFinders that he knows they will win since he has read the script.
- This game uses a different animation style than the other games, with the characters being outlined in a color darker than the color being outlined instead of with black lines.
- This is the only game in which Socrates accompanies the kids on an adventure as well as the only game in which he "thinks out loud." In fact, Socrates' only other appearance in the series is a cameo at the end of The ClueFinders Reading Adventures.
- The ClueFinders remain together for the entirety of the game. In all the other games, they are split into two teams and use a red videophone to make contact with each other. The videophone is used in the other programs to provide game hints, a role filled by Socrates in this game.
- Aside from The ClueFinders Math Adventures, this is the only game in which the ClueFinders appear wearing clothes other than their "regular" outfits. LapTrap's shape and appearance is also different, although his voice remains the same. In box art, the ClueFinders and LapTrap usually appear as they do in the other games.
- It is revealed who the villain is and what his intentions and motivations are at the start of the game. In all the other games, the villain's identity or some other crucial information that runs counter to what the user has been led to believe is revealed towards the end of the game.
[edit] Notes
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This program has a fair degree of historical accuracy. For example, it is true that Peribsen did indeed have an interest in Set, but there were many mistakes as well. For example, the ClueFinders find a secret chamber built in Cairo, but Cairo wasn't built until long after the second dynasty, or ancient Egypt for that matter. Note that the word God is never used in the program. Instead the word embodiment is always used. This is obviously to avoid religious issues. The actually tomb of Peribsen was discovered in the 19th century and is in far worse condition than portrayed in the game.
There are a lot of mistakes involving the Ring. Joni has the Ring on the ring finger of her right hand, but in several shots of her right hand, the Ring is missing. She couldn't have taken it off, because it was stuck. In the game, there are three individuals who wear the Ring; Joni, Loveless, and Set. How can one ring fit a twelve-year-old girl and a fifty-foot-tall Egyptian god? If the Ring fits on Set's finger, it should fit around Joni's waist.
[edit] External links
