The classic adventure game returns

The beloved point-and-click game is making a comeback on modern computers. Blade Runner is an adventure game based on the popular Harrison Ford film of the same title. Originally released by Westwood Studios on four CDs, the new downloadable version weighs in at a meager 1.3GB. The new version remains a genuine classic that new gamers can experience.

From film to game

As mentioned, Blade Runner is a game based on the 1982 sci-fi film by Ridley Scott. However, the game is not a straight retelling of the movie. Harrison Ford’s character, Rick Deckard, is nowhere to be seen. Instead, you will play a detective named Ray McCoy, who is on the tail of replicants linked to vicious animal murders. 

Additionally, while the story of the game takes place at the same time as the movie, the game plays out in parallel without intersecting too strongly. With this, the game will evoke the movie without feeling predictable. The fans of the movie will still find something familiar as the game will have the same locations and characters. 

Become a detective

Detective Ray McCoy is the only playable character in the game. In the game, players will get to operate the Voight-Kampff machine and administer interviews to detect replicants. All this while other puzzles hinge around iconic Blade Runner inventions like the photo-enhancing ESPER computer.

However, unlike other detective games, Blade Runner does not force players to solve convoluted puzzles. The mystery is also not limited to a single solution. Instead, conversations shift based on your dialogue choices. There will also be several ways to track down a lead. 

To make the game even more challenging, random elements will be thrown into the already twisty storytelling. Most characters can either be a replicant or a human. Blade Runner is not particularly a difficult or long game. However, it has a high replay value. 

Technically movie-like

Blade Runner is highly inventive, which allowed Westwood Studios to capture the atmosphere of the movie. The game used a combination of pre-rendered animated backgrounds and motion-captured 3D characters made out of voxels. Note, however, that this means the game will need to use static camera angles, and the human models will look a little rough. But, the overall effect will be impressive, providing the game with a cinematic look without the use of an expensive graphics card. 

Not worse but could be better

The newest version of Blade Runner neither looks better nor worse than it did two decades ago. It still the same experience. However, the backgrounds could stand to be in higher resolution. But, if anything, the new release makes the blocky characters stand out less on a modern display.