Ark of Time

Ark of Time is a 1997 adventure game. Originally created and distributed across Europe, it was later published by Koei Corporation and developed by Trecision S.p.A. in the United States.^[1]

Plot

Mobygames explains:^[2]

You play the sports journalist Richard Kendall. In the summer of 1997, an expedition of four explorers have set out into the abysses of the Atlantic Ocean to find any traces of the mythical sunken city of Atlantis. They are the archeologist Professor Caldwell, the scientist Helen, the sponsor of the journey Mr. Blower and his nephew Simon.

When they suddenly stop communicating Richard is the one whose task it is to find them. He would much rather stay in London and cover football matches but his editor insists and he complies. His search takes him to several locations around the world including the Caribbean, Stonehenge, Easter Island and Atlantis itself.

Gameplay

Ark of Time is a "third-person point-and-click adventure game", where "the puzzles are mostly inventory based".^[2]

Critical reception

Giving the game 80/100, Tap-Repeatedly/Four Fat Chicks wrote "There's a sly humor running through Ark of Time. In a time capsule recording, one of the Atlanteans identifies himself as Bizze-R. Two mobbed-up bad guys banter hilariously in some of the most over-the-top voice acting of the game. A shaman dives into a lake and emerges with the sought-after sacred items and a rusted beer can. The magic words to open a locked door turn out to be taken directly from a bad Arabian Nights movie. Nothing overt or scene-stealing, but time and time again I found myself smiling at a remark or reaction."^[3] AdventureGamers rated the game 70/100, saying "This is the worst game that I've totally enjoyed. It's a traditional third-person point-and-click adventure in which our hero, a dippy journalist named Richard, is chasing all over the globe to find a scientist who went missing in his search for Atlantis. The game starts with a wonderfully retro-cheesy cutscene of the scientist and his obviously evil sidekicks searching underwater for Atlantis."^[4] GameSpot game it 63, writing "Ark of Time is definitely a traditional graphic adventure. There's nothing revolutionary or groundbreaking here: The graphics are excellent, but certainly not unique, and the interface is based almost entirely on the tried and true system found in LucasArts' adventures. In fact, Ark of Time is actually a throwback in at least one regard: It has some of the worst voice acting I can remember hearing in a game."^[5]

Quandary game the game 60/100, writing "As far as I can recall the first computer game that had a story based around the fabled lost city, Atlantis, was Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (that was a few years back now). Now there seems to be a rush of titles centred around this general theme with the release of Timelapse, Atlantis: The Lost Tales and also this game, Ark of Time."^[5]

References