October 25, 1888. The Wyoming Territories. The scientist has returned from his first excursion through the Worldgate, and brought with him a strange hexagonal component. Apparently a fuel cell of some kind, its full function is but another entry in a growing list of mysteries. Still, there are gateways yet to be unlocked and further worlds to explore. Maybe this is the passage through which you'll find some answers. Worldgate 2: Contact continues the story of William Buchanan's well-received point-and-click adventure, and the twists are proving ever more intriguing.
At the start, as before, you may choose whether to navigate by mouse or by keyboard, and whether to display direction arrows on-screen. Using the [WASD] or [arrow] keys, or by clicking the arrows with the mouse, you'll turn left and right, and step forward and backward to navigate around the landscape. Click an object onscreen to examine, manipulate, or add it to your inventory. Once an object is in your inventory, you may examine it by clicking the small magnifying glass that appears when you mouse over its icon, or click to select it to use with an onscreen object. Some objects can be adjusted or combined once examined in greater detail. In general, it's best to visit the options menu to customize your experience.
Analysis: The first installment of Worldgate set the bar pretty high, but William Buchanan has cleared it, as Worldgate 2 delivers the same dose of satisfying puzzles, while effectively expanding the story's setting. Whereas the first game's exploration was set in the grays and browns of marble and rock, your second trip is dominated by the translucent blues of crystal. The presentation is sparkly and beautiful, but also cold, shard, and, above all, alien.
Buchanan definitely has a skill for the balancing act of presenting challenges that are comprehensible to the human eye, but still retain that otherworldly quality that is their greatest appeal. Little details like the three-fingered activator pads, or staircase steps with unsupported gaps between them, do a lot to convey the sense that you are trespassing in a place inhabited by beings quite different from us. It is not a completely unwelcoming world, but still one that is clearly not ours.
Play the entire Worldgate series:
There are a few nitpicks that can be made: while navigation is easy enough to pick up, there are the usual problems with attempting to convey circular-motion with only four directional keys. There are a few puzzles with obtuse solutions (though frankly, considering how Myst-like the Worldgate experience is, it'd almost be more disappointing if there weren't). And then there's that lighter, which won't be setting anything aflame unless it's examined and opened first. Yeah, that one's obvious in retrospect, but it would be a lie to say this reviewer didn't spend a couple of minutes of fruitless clicking at the start of his first playthrough. (Edit: An update has addressed this issue to make it more intuitive.) No matter, Worldgate 2 is a worthy sequel in a series many have found to be an instant classic. Not to give too much away, but the ending promises a new direction for the upcoming Worldgate 3, and frankly, we hope it isn't too long before we find out what it is.
Walkthrough Guide
(Please allow page to fully load for spoiler tags to be functional.)
Worldgate 2 Walkthrough
Rocky Mountain Nights
Examine the Lighter in your inventory. Click it to open and light it. Use the Lighter on the oil lamp.
Pick up your Research Kournal from the table. Examine and read through it for some hints and background information. Turn to the right and examine the chest. In it you will find the Water Repulsion Device and a Pickaxe. Pick both of them up.
Back away from the chest and turn to the right. Go down the passageway into the mountain until you have reached the circular gate. Pick up the Keywand on the left of the gate.
Turn to the right and examine the ornate cabinet. Pick up the Yellow Cubic Gemstone. Examine the Keywand in your inventory. Use the Yellow Cubic Gemstone on the cross-hairs of the Keywand. Click away and turn to face the Worldgate.
Place the Keywand in its holder. The Worldgate will now be activated. Enter the portal
Once More Into The Breach
Walk forward until you are are on the Central Platform. Turn left and walk forward twice, then turn right to face the central podium. There will be a staircase. Climb it onto the Central Podium.
In front of you will be a Blue Crystal. Use the pickaxe on it to take it. Turn to the left, and use the pickaxe on the Yellow Crystal you see to take it. Make a 180 degree turn. Pick up the Prism and use the Pickaxe on the Red Crystal to pick it up. Turn to the right and move forward down the stairs.
Turn to the left, move forward, then turn to the right and move forward onto the walkway. To your right will be an unactivated walkway, so turn to the left, walk forward, and turn to the left again to face a wall with various chromatic spectrums on it.
Place the Prism in the holster. Pick up the lit lighter from your inventory. The light from it will cast a rainbow through the Prism. Move the lighter so that the rainbow cast by the Prism matches up with each of the four spectrums on the wall: first the spectrum with one circle beside it, then the spectrum with two circles, and so forth. When you are finished, a panel will open. Take the Portable Laser from the compartment, and, once again, pick up the Prism.
Turn to the left and walk forward. Turn right and walk forward onto the central platform. Turn right and walk forward twice. Turn right and move forward onto the walkway. Turn left and you should be facing a stone dome with a deactivated walkway leading to it. Examine the bracket on the right walkway beam. Use the Portable Laser in the bracket. Back away, and the walkway will be activated.
Walk forward towards the stone dome. Press the button to open the door, and move forward into it. This is the Power Station. Each of the six colored hexagonal Power Couplers will power one of the various devices scattered about the setting, if it receives light of the appropriate color. The symbol on the coupler will inform you as to what device will be powered: said device will have the same symbol on it.
Start by placing the prism in the rectangular compartment closest to you. This will split the beam of light into three, and direct it towards the two coupler holders. Click the Purple Coupler (which powers the elevator) to place it in the left holder, and the Yellow Coupler (which powers the elevator room door) to place it in the right holder.
Use the Red Crystal on the left part of the central rectangular compartment, and the blue crystal in the central part of the central rectangular compartment, combining to cast a purple beam of light onto the purple circle. Place the Yellow Crystal in the right part of the central rectangular compartment to cast a yellow beam of light onto the yellow circle. Back away from the power station and return to the central platform.
Once on the central platform, turn right, move forward, turn right again, and move forward in front of the elevator tower. The elevator room door should be powered, so press the button, and its touch panel will be activated. Click the touch panel to open the door.
Walk forward into the elevator. Press the inside elevator button, then, quickly, step forward before the elevator moves. There will be a button behind where the elevator car was. However its device is not yet powered...
Return to the Power Station. Click the purple and yellow power couplers to remove them from the coupler holders. Click the Green Power Coupler (which powers the e to place it in the left holder. Pick up the Red Crystal from the center rectangular compartment. In its place, put the Yellow Crystal, which will combine with the blue crystal to cast a green beam of light onto the green power coupler.
Back away and return to the button that was hidden behind the elevator car. Press the button. The panel will flip off to reveal a Terminal Plug. Pick up the plug.
Return to the power station. Click the green power coupler to remove it, and replace it with the purple power coupler. Remove the yellow crystal from the central rectangular compartment, and put the red crystal in its place, to cast the purple beam of light onto the purple coupler, powering the elevator.
Return to the elevator room. Click the elevator call button on the right side of the room to call the elevator. Enter the elevator, and press the inside elevator button to be taken to the second floor.
Going Up
Once you've reached the second floor, press the inside elevator button, then step forward and out quickly, before it moves. Turn around to face the elevator shaft, and you will see a Hilt that would've been hidden by the elevator. Take the hilt.
Turn to the right and walk forward. Pick up the Stone Cast. There's also a glass dome in front of you, but a quick look at its access panel confirms that the wiring is shot. Looks like we have a couple more puzzles to solve before we can get inside.
Turn to the left. Note the number written on the wall: 724.
Turn left again, walk forward twice, then turn to the right to see the elevator call button. Press the button to call the elevator, return to the elevator car, then press the inside button to return to the first floor.
Everyday Devices
One back on the first floor, return to the Power Station. Remove all the Power Couplers and Crystals from their places. Now click the Orange Power Coupler (which powers the laser melter) to place it on the left, and the Blue Power Coupler (which powers a walkway). Place the Red and Yellow Crystals in the left and center of the central rectuangular compartment (combining to send an orange beam of light to the Orange Coupler) and the Blue Crystal on the right of the center rectangular compartment (sending a blue beam of light to the Blue Coupler). Back away from the station and return to the Central Platform.
Once on the central platform, turn to the right and walk forward twice. Turn to the right and walk forward onto the walkway. Turn right to see the now-activated pathway. Walk forward twice and turn to the right to face the laser melter.
Place the Water Repulsion Device on the Melter's platform. Press the button, and it shall be melted into a pan full of molten metal. Pick up the pan. Turn away and return to the central platform.
Once on the platform, turn left, walk forward twice, and turn left again to face the pathway you take on the way towards the power station. Walk forward, but this time, turn right. Walk forward, then turn right to face the Forging Device.
Place the Stone Cast on the platter. Pour the Molten Metal into the funnel on top. Pick up the Stone Cast. Examine the Stone Cast in the inventory. Click the Stone Cast to open it, revealing the Forged Blade inside. It's too sharp to wield by hand, so use the Hilt on the Sword Blade to create a Sword.
Back away from the Forging Device, and return to the power station. Click the Orange Power Coupler to remove it from the Coupler holder, and click the Red Power Coupler (which powers the Safe) to take its place. Now remove the Yellow Crystal so that a red beam of light hits the Red Coupler. Back away and return to the Central Platform. Turn left, walk forward twice, turn left again and walk forward onto the walkway. Turn right to see the blue activated-walkway. Walk forward twice and turn left to face the Safe.
The Safe needs a three digit combination. Try 724, the code we saw on the wall on the second floor. The Safe will open, revealing a Red Lens. Take the Red Lens. Back away and return to the Central Platform. Turn right and walk forward. Turn right, and walk forward up to the portal, and travel through it.
Basic Repairs
Once through the portal, walk forward, turn left, and walk forward into the Receptacle Device room. Use the Sword on the Wire on the right of the device to add the Wire to add it to your inventory. Return to the Portal and go through it.
Once through, go to the Power Station. Click the Red Power Coupler to remove it from the holder, and click the Purple Power Coupler to replace it. Pick up the Blue Crystal from the right section of the center rectangular compartment, then put it in the center section of the center rectangular compartment, sending a beam of purple light to the Purple Power Coupler. The elevators are now powered again.
Leave the station, then turn back and examine the bracket on the walkway. Pick up the Portable Laser from the bracket. Now make your way to the elevator and go up to the second floor.
Step out of the elevator, turn left and walk forward so you can see the access panel. Click the access panel to examine it. It looks like some severed wiring needs fixing. Examine the Terminal Plug in your inventory, then use the wire on it, to make a Wired Plug. Use the Wired Plug on the severed wire. The indicator light should turn on, meaning that the device is powered.
Back away from the panel, turn around, then walk forward until you can see the other side of the glass dome. Examine the access panel on this side. Press the button and the panel will open.
Looks like that Purple Coupler in the upper-right of the panel needs some purple light. Place the Portable Laser in the Laser Holder, the Blue Sword along the bottom, and the Red Lens on the compartment on the right side. Now, the dome will open.
Three of Six
Back away from the panel. Examine the DT-Core Storage Capsule, revealed by the dome. Press the button on top, and a block of ice will be revealed.
Use the Lighter to melt the ice. Pick up the DT-Core
Return to the elevator car, and press the button to go to the first floor. Walk forward to the Central Platform. Walk around to the pathway leading to the Portal, then walk through the Portal.
Walk forward, turn right, and go into the Receptacle Device room. Click the receptacle covers to remove them, so you can place the new core inside...
Posted by: Tricky
|
December 18, 2012 10:21 AM