Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy offers an exciting new interpretation of Benoît Sokal’s cherished classic. Let’s dive into our review of this captivating game!
In Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy, players are introduced to the captivating tale of Alexander Valembois, a French explorer who embarked on a fascinating journey to the fictional land of Amerzone, nestled in South America, during the 1930s. There, he uncovered astounding creatures, the most notable being the mystical White Birds threatened by extinction due to a friend-turned-dictator reigning as Amerzone’s supreme leader. Flash forward to the 2000s, as you’re thrust into the role of a journalist tasked with carrying forward Valembois’ mission. With his final breath, Valembois implores you to return a white egg to Amerzone, safeguarding the future of the White Birds.
Jumps into the current millennium have brought the game from its original PC release in 1999 to a revived format on PlayStation 5. Fortunately, it draws from Sokal’s 1986 Inspector Canardo comic strip L’Amerzone, retaining its essence while benefiting from the Unreal Engine 5’s capabilities. As the trailer highlights, visually, the transformation is monumental. The new iteration echoes the classic ‘point-and-click’ approach, where transitioning between screens now feels more fluid, allowing the vibrant world around you to gloriously unravel. The inclusion of voice acting adds depth, enhancing the immersive journey where you can choose between Performance for smooth gameplay or Resolution for superior visual quality.
Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy embraces both new and seasoned players with its dual modes: Traveler and Adventurer. Traveler Mode is perfect if you’re keen on enjoying the story without wrestling with complex puzzles. You’ll have access to more documents and guidance, and hints abound throughout your journal. Adventurer Mode siphons you back to the original challenge, curtailing aid and making every puzzle an enigma worth solving. If you’re daring, crank up the difficulty by disabling hints and objectives completely!
As you embark on this first-person odyssey, embrace the control scheme where the left stick guides and the X button facilitates interactions. The L2 button accelerates your movement, and the L1 manages zoom functions. The Triangle button unveils all available interactions in any zone, while your trusty journal, accessible via the DualSense’s Touchpad, is your repository for ongoing and past missions, a personal diary, inventory, and collected documents.
Interaction with your surroundings is key—inspect every item meticulously. Rotate objects with the left stick for clues when the cursor shifts to a magnifying glass or hand, indicating there’s more than meets the eye.
Throughout your adventure, you’ll stumble upon investigative material that enriches your report. While optional, these investigations unlock deeper story layers and help trophy hunters bag that coveted Platinum trophy. With a list bursting with 18 Bronze, 5 Silver, and 6 Gold trophies, each step brings you closer to completion, whether finding maps, making phone calls, or unlocking the Hydrofloat’s secrets.
In summary, Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy brilliantly reintegrates the magic of Benoît Sokal’s story. It invites players into a realm of wonder and nostalgia, revamping an iconic game with modern enhancements for a whole new generation. Mark your calendars for its PlayStation 5 release on April 24. At $39.99, it’s an adventure you wouldn’t want to miss.
Disclaimer: This review of Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy is informed by a PlayStation 5 copy provided by Microids.
