This is the first text adventure I've played with the intention of completing. I'd played one or two very briefly at friends' places back in the early- to mid-1980s. I really wasn't in the mood to try to make it to the end without help, so I used the hint system included in the version I downloaded quite a bit, as well as a solution I looked up online. The version I played off of (I have no idea which version the 5.25" diskette is) is Release 31 / Serial number 871119 / Interpreter 6 Version E.
I really liked the Hitchhiker's Guide books, having read through all 5 in the trilogy several times. So, I always wanted to see what this game was like, but it being a text adventure kept me from playing for more than a few minutes over the years before losing all interest. This time, I was determined to complete it. I'd heard that this game is brutal with really obtuse puzzles, so I went in with a mixed outlook.
The beginning of the game follows the book (the first book, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), from what I remember -- it's been over 20 years since I last read the book. Once you escape the Earth's destruction, the game stops following the book, with some locations and events being familiar if you've read the book. I made it to the babel fish puzzle, which is right after leaving Earth. I thought I was hanging the gown on the hook (the first step in solving the puzzle), but it kept slipping off the hook. It was at that point when I looked up the solution and gave up on trying to figure everything out myself. I wasn't going to possibly spend hours on a puzzle because I didn't use the correct command. The hint system included in the version I played (which looks to be an abridged version of the InvisiClues hint booklet) will walk you through the entire game.
Douglas Adams did work on the game, so you'll get more of his type of humor found in the books. If you're a fan of the books and like text adventures, I'd say this is worth giving a try. The genre just isn't for me.
