Mean Streets - Access Software, 1989 - IBM/PC (4K)
6A playthrough of Access Software's first adventure title, Mean Streets, released in November of 1989.
Following the release of the 3D flight game Echelon in 1988, Access Software wanted to develop another 3D flight game, this time based on the homemade noir detective movie Plan 10 from Outer Space, which Chris Jones and other Access Software developers had created in their spare time. Eventually, the adventure elements eclipsed the flight sim aspects, which were employed traveling from location to location.
Mean Streets was an impressive title when released in late 1989. With 256-color VGA graphics and digitized actors and settings, it was at the forefront of home computer technology. Using the company's patented RealSound technology, 6-bit digitized sound and music could be played through the internal PC speaker with unheard fidelity. Several other companies, at the time, would license the audio technology, only years later would soundcards become widely accessible and render the technology obsolete.
Mean Streets, besides the core adventure game element and the 3D open-world flight simulator also came with 2D side-scrolling action sequences, all of this and countless hours of gameplay in under 3 Megabytes were clearly impressive but the multitude of genres mixed together made the game appear quite experimental.
The game plays out in a futuristic dystopian cyberpunk neo-noir world and became the first in a series of Tex Murphy adventure games released by Access Software.
Unfortunately, I had a few issues with the sound throughout.
Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.