| MILO | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Crystalvision Software |
| Publisher(s) | Crystalvision Software |
| Composer(s) | Warren Dale |
| Platform(s) | PC |
| Release date(s) | Dec 31, 1996[1] |
| Genre(s) | adventure-puzzle |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Media/distribution | CD |
System requirements
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MILO is a first-person adventure-puzzle computer game that challenges the player to solve 14 puzzles based in the world of MILO, an artificially intelligent computer. The game was developed by Crystalvision Software and released in 1996. Released in the wake of such titles as Myst and Pandora's Box[2], MILO was billed as a multimedia game and as an early example of 3D gaming.[3] The 16-track ambient soundtrack is composed by noted progressive rock musician, Warren Dale.[4][5]
Contents |
The player is placed in the abandoned planet of an ancient and highly advanced civilization. This civilization had discovered the Keys to the Gateway of the Universe[6] and as a consequence they had abruptly left their planet in a state of enlightenment to travel and search the far corners of the universe for even greater mysteries. The one thing this civilization left behind was MILO - the sentient artificial intelligence designed to act as caretaker for their planet while they were gone and guard for the Keys to the Gateway.
MILO has existed now for centuries, patiently awaiting the return of his creators. The lack of interaction with life during the intervening centuries, however, has been difficult for MILO on a mental level. By the time of the player's arrival on the planet, MILO has unfortunately lost much of its normal function and is now quite mad. Your task as the player is to unlock the Library which holds the Keys to the Gateway. To do this, you must solve a series of 14 puzzles often taking the form of a 2-person logic game with MILO (acting remotely through the electronic world) as your opponent. Upon completion of the all 14 puzzles, the player meets MILO face to face, and escapes the planet.[7]
To alter the difficulty levels for the game's puzzles, the game's save file (in TXT format) must be edited. Each save file will contain a line that includes a long number with many 3's (e.g. Save Game File100000000000000003333333333333333). If all the 3's except the last are changed to 1's (e.g. Save Game File100000000000000001111111111111113), then the puzzles will be reduced to their easiest level.
If a player loads the game without the CD in the drive, after clicking OK and Continue, it will ask for the Director files. Several files can be selected that are not run by the game during normal game-play but that allow the player to access additional content.
The game was well-received by critics, earning praise especially for its graphics, sound, and replay value. The reliance on luck rather than logic in some of the puzzles, as well as the near-total lack of documentation accompanying the game, however, was criticized. The sound effects were also criticized (apart from the musical score) as lacking in quality and substance.[8]