Harvester (PC, 1996) for sale online

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Had Harvester been released on the intended date and not two years after, it could have been a solid adventure that used full-motion video to tell it's horrific and violent tale. When it finally arrived on shelves, it was a dated adventure with sub-standard full-motion video, puzzles that had been used numerous times, trivial item collection and drab conversations with bizarre characters. Potential oozed from the box, but was never achieved.<br><br>A perfect example of missed opportunities comes with the plot. It regards a run-of-the-mill teen named Mike who wakes up one morning with amnesia to find the so-called love of his life is being held prisoner in her own bedroom, And that's not all: his children are glued catatonic to black and white television sets depicting violence, and a maniacal cult known as The Order of the Harvest Moon wants to make him a charter member. Schoolteachers walk around with baseball bats, neighbors aren't so nice, and the coroner is doing bizarre and brutal things with dead bodies. This isn't your average 1953 kind of town.<br><br>While this sounds interesting, conversations with characters are frustrating and often make little sense, plus the manner in which the plot develops is disappointing. As time goes on, there are things that are never explained, and the final third of the game is dull and pointless. Add to that the outdated full-motion video sequences, and you have a game that didn't live up to it's full potential. On the other hand, the point-and-click interface works well and some of the characters and locations are quite inspired. Though it's never realized, the plot does a fantastic job of immersing users in the town of Harvest. Yet the number of missed opportunities and outdated elements outweigh the few decent things Harvester does well.