CD-i website The World of CD-i recently added a review of the CD-i game 'Labyrinth of Crete' to their database. This was the swansong of creator Cliff Johnson full of creative puzzles in the same genre as he showed us in the 1994 CD-i classic Merlin's Apprentice. Made by Philips FunHouse, which was the department that Cliff was working these years. For some reason, Labyrinth of Crete was only released two years after the game was actually finished. To this end, a CD-i release in USA never happened as by the time the CD-i version left the building, it was 1997 and CD-i in USA was already declared 'dead' by Philips.
The game begins with a prologue, establishing the story. You are plucked from certain death and thrust into the midst of a feud between the king and queen of the gods. Zeus has commanded you to find a secret exit that Hera has included in his newly built labyrinth on the isle of Crete. You are the first mortal to enter this dread maze of madness.
Exploring the labyrinth reveals a total of 47 mind boggling puzzles. Each puzzle, when solved, opens a secret passageway that allows you further access to the depths of the mysterious labyrinth.
The Minotaur, half man half bull, guards the entrance. Other mythological creatures roam the corridors. When one attacks you, a god intervenes and spares your life. In return, you must prove yourself worthy and solve a puzzle of his/her devising. When the puzzle is solved, a brief animation awards you with one symbol from the zodiac.
In the first level of play, you encounter the gods Poseidon, Ares, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Hades. They provide you with clues to discover one possible means of escape. However Hestia, goddess of the hearth, advises you not to pursue this. It will offend Hera.
In the second level of play, you encounter the goddesses Athena, Aphrodite, Artemis, Demeter, and Eos. They provide you with clues to discover another possible means of escape. However Apollo, god of the sun, advises you not to pursue this either. It will offend Zeus.
In the end, it is the secret of the zodiac that provides you with a clever solution to your diplomatic dilemma. When all is solved, a finale brings the story to its surprising conclusion.
The game is replayable, for each puzzle has multiple solutions.
Do you know this game is 100% compatible with the current CD-i Emulator 0.53 beta 4? You can download the emulator and the game itself from Gametronik.com!
