Adventures in Odyssey and the Sword of the Spirit - Review

Adventures in Odyssey and the Sword of the Spirit
Ages: Everyone 8+

When I finally decided to review the games offered by Digital Praise, I stated flatly that if there was heavy "Christian" message -- it would not make it on to our site. So after playing Adventures in Odyssey and the Sword of the Spirit, I would say, "Play the game, and ignore the copy on the box if you are not interested in the subtext."

If you manage to get through a maze full of hazards -- you have passed the "goodness" test. In another maze, underwater this time, "faithfulness" is the virtue acquired. Completing a fun puzzle by riding on air waves exercises the virtue of "patience", and so it goes. Am I making it clear here? The games are fun, the box copy is the Christian part. And anyway -- since when were, gentleness, patience, kindness, peace, goodness, faithfulness, joyfulness, self-control and love only Christian virtues?

Adventures in Odyssey is a long standing radio program, and what a good idea it is to make it visual. The game contains three characters and you play all of them -- Whit, the senior mentor at the discovery emporium and scanner extraordinaire; Eugene, the boy genius who takes the active role in exploring and Connie, computer wiz who searches out the necessary data. Working together is required to solve the mystery -- perhaps they should add cooperation as a virtue? The story, a mystery, involving the hunt for the so-named sword and treasure and the foiling of the greedy villain Gustave Schmidt.

The PC version will play down to Win 98 and the disk also plays on the Mac. The arcade type games are inventive and fun, however, there are far too many repetitions to get through to the next level -- ten in one that I counted. The feeling of success at finishing the puzzle turns to, "I've already solved this -- when will it ever end?" Perhaps this is the ultimate test of "Patience".

Reviewed by: Editor - 07/06

  • Adventures in Odyssey and the Sword of the Spirit
  • © Digital Praise
  • W98SE Me XP 2000 MAC OSX
  • To Order: Win http://www.amazon.com/ $14.99
  • To Order: Mac http://www.amazon.com/ $14.99