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Number of Ratings: 61
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Previous | << 1 2 3 >> | Next | Show All - k42write, October 28, 2023
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- penguincascadia (Puget Sound), December 28, 2019
1 of
1 people found the following review helpful:
I befriended a Dinosaur. His name is Hopper., December 12, 2019Aotearoa has an extremely cool premise: An excursion to a Maori island where Dinos still live. Two things that are smack-dab in the middle of my interest zone.
Unfortunately, my piping hot enthusiasm soon went to lukewarm appreciation. Yes, it's fun to name your dino-friends. The puzzles are good. The game has a great children's adventure story on an unknown island. The confrontation with the poachers is exciting.
A good game, a nice diversion for an hour or so, but not so memorable.
That being said, a ten-year-old me would have given this game a raving review, replayed it to give the dinos all different names, pulled out the books to look up Maori culture (which the now-me should do too!), and would have had dreams about this adventure for at least a week.
Given the target audience, I think ten-year-old me's opinion has more weight, so I'll push my rating up a star.
Play it with a kid, if one of those is available.
- Ry (Philippines), September 30, 2019
- Harry Coburn (Atlanta, GA), July 7, 2019
- Laney Berry, October 20, 2018
- FORN (Dublin, Ireland ), April 2, 2018
- Guenni (At home), February 12, 2018
- lkdc, March 30, 2017
- IFforL2 (Chiayi, Taiwan), December 9, 2016
- Sobol (Russia), August 13, 2016
2 of
2 people found the following review helpful:
Like Jurassic Park with nicer dinosaurs, set in Maori culture. Well-polished, February 3, 2016Aotearoa won first place both in the 2010 IFComp and later the XYZZY Awards, where it swept Best Game, Best Setting, Best Puzzles, Best NPCs, Best Individual Puzzle, Best Implementation, Best Use of Innovation.
Given all the awards, to me, it was just a very well-thought out mid-length scenario. It was a fun diversion, that gives the feel of a massive world but really being a ride-on-the-rails for the most part. It gives you the feel of having solved a very difficult puzzle on your own.
As you are immediately told, the game is set in an alternate world where dinosaurs survived in New Zealand and were instrumental in New Zealand resisting the British conquest. You are a young visitor to the island, and must explore it while working with and against others. There are numerous NPCs.
To me, the game is excellent, and would make a good introduction for someone new to IF or a good , well-crafted diversion for an experienced player.
But it doesn't have lasting power, in my opinion. For instance, it was voted in the 2012 Best IF of all Time, but not in the 2015. To me, the most memorable part is the exposure to Maori language and culture (although I don't know how much is real and how much is story, but it's beautiful in any case).
- Aryore, December 13, 2015
- Lanternpaw, May 18, 2015
- Thrax, March 11, 2015
- Matt W (San Diego, CA), March 9, 2015
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