Part 25 - The Fastest Gun in the East
Thanks to @BitterlyIndifferent , we’ve realised that the glowing numbers on our wristwatch are close enough to the glowing numbers on the floating metal balls to fool the attendant! Unfortunately, we realised this just after 08:00, which means that we resume our story after waiting around outside the Lucky Dip area for a whole day, as our watch shows 01:00 …
>SAY 105 TO WOMAN
“Okay. You’re up,” says the attendant. “Dive in the pool, pick a ball. Show me the one numbered 105 and you’re a winner.”
>U
You climb the ladder, lift your feet over the edge of the vat, and lower yourself into the muddy water.
Lucky Dip (in the vat of dirty water)
The water is so clogged with mud you can barely see your hands, and you’re constantly colliding into metal balls. What little light there is comes from a single, covered bulb at the tank’s base.
The casino attendant watches through the glass – you can hardly see her.
>TAKE BALL
You select a ball at random.
>PUT BALL ON BULB
(the black metal ball on the covered lightbulb)
You place the metal ball onto the bulb. Aside from a tiny ring around the edge, it completely covers the plastic, leaving you in near total darkness.
Your wristwatch display glows blue, a colour that casts the room in a whole different light – ocean, azure and cyan amongst others. Still, you shouldn’t complain; it’s ample enough illumination to see what you’re doing.
You can hold your breath for a long time, but you’ll have to come up for air soon.
It’s actually still only 01:04, but we have a turn to spare in the pool anyway before our air runs out.
>WAIT
Time passes.
>SHOW WATCH TO WOMAN
You press your illuminated wristwatch against the glass, hoping to fool the attendant. The African woman climbs the ladder, opens the top of the vat, and helps you out.
Lucky Dip
That’s the official title, but you’d call it the unlucky dunk. In this casino, you don’t reach into a pile of balls – no, you’re expected to submerge yourself in a see through vat of dirty water to claim your prize. Well, look on the bright side; the attendant will be the only one watching. You can avoid taking the plunge by heading northeast or east.
The “game” is being supervised by another female casino employee.
You can also see a carrier bag (in which are a datastick, a camera pen, a fake antiviral inhaler (which is closed), a Waterline Club member’s pass, a painted steel rose, this year’s calendar and a Tania Rourke subbuteo piece) and a Natalia subbuteo piece here.
The attendant waits for your bodysuit to dry out before speaking.
“Well, you wanted ball number 105,” she says. “And you found it! That wristwatch trick’s an old one. I saw the colon, and that’s a total giveaway. But the manager likes to hear about people who cheat, because they make the most out of limited resources. I’ll be sure to tell him about you.”
No longer required as a light source, your wristwatch display fades until only the time remains.
[Your score has just gone up by three points.]
Ah, so our subterfuge wasn’t actually all that convincing after all, but since the whole thing is a test, it doesn’t matter.
>TAKE ALL
carrier bag: Taken.
Natalia subbuteo piece: Taken.
casino attendant: The holstered plasma pistol she carries makes you reconsider.
vat of dirty water: That’s hardly portable.
>E
Wheel Of Fate
The attendant in charge of the Wheel of Fate is a Japanese woman.
We solved the lottery puzzle quite happily, and the Lucky Dip was a clever puzzle which was just slightly underclued for me to have figured it out by myself. The wheel, I’m less convinced by, because having eventually peeked at the hints, what we need to do is:
>SPIN WHEEL
With no real strategy, you grab the disc with both hands and give it a hefty tug. The Wheel of Fate spins before your eyes, so fast its segments become a blur of gold and black. The pointer clunks repeatedly as it collides with the rods.
>LISTEN
You close your eyes, listening to the clunking of rubber against plastic. Counting the sounds over a period of ten seconds, you estimate the turn rate of the wheel.
The wheel comes to a stop with the pointer indicating one of the many black segments.
“No win for you this time lady,” the attendant says. “You rely too much on luck.”
Out previous attempt to spin the wheel so that it lands on gold was a failure, but having gauged the rotation speed of the wheel by listening to it, we can now:
>SPIN WHEEL TO GOLD
Bearing your mental calculations in mind, you look at where the gold segment is and spin the wheel accordingly. Once again, its colours become a blur.
>Z
Time passes.
The wheel comes to a stop with the pointer indicating the solitary gold segment.
“We got a winner!” proclaims the Japanese woman. “I saw you, closing your eyes and listening in. That’s the sort of awareness the manager likes to see in his employees. I’ll be sure to pass on my recommendation.”
[Your score has just gone up by two points.]
>N
Fame And Fortune
A female Hispanic attendant stands by the north entrance, keeping a close eye on the front door and the spiral stairs that lead up to the manager’s office.
“My colleagues have told me about you,” the woman says. “You’ve got some skill. You’re smart, attentive, ambitious. But can you hold your own in a firefight? You look like you could, but looking and doing are two different things. Tell you what – take this licence for the gaming zone one level down. Score two thousand points or more on ‘Fastest Gun in the East’ and I’ll let you in to see the manager.”
When the attendant’s finished talking, she hands you the licence she mentioned.
Man, I should have been a passcard manufacturer. With the amount of business those guys do in the Arcology, I’d have been sunning it up on the sands of New Cairo by now.
[Your score has just gone up by three points.]
We’ve not been to the Game Zone yet, but it looks like if we did we’d probably have found it a dead end without this license anyway, so time to go check it out!
>X LICENSE
The card’s clear plastic, roughly six centimetres by four. Nothing to identify you personally – no name, citizen number or photograph. All that’s on it are a few words: GAMING ZONE LICENCE - ADMIT ONE ADULT. Apparently playing games in the Utopia Arcology is a privilege, not a right.
>FOCUS IT
You’re on a vitally important mission, and you want to play games?
Nanci has not yet cottoned on to the subquest-heavy nature of our assignment here.
>N
Transporter Ring
In case you get lost – a strong possibility in such a mammoth construction – information points are located every hundred metres.
>D
As you approach the access tunnel for level 28, a USF guard scans you with an electronic handheld device. After a series of beeps, an LED on the scanner turns green, and the trooper waves you through into the elevator tube. A short and exhilerating ride later, you arrive at your destination.
>S
Showing your licence to the USF trooper on duty, you proceed into the…
Game Zone
This air conditioned glass pyramid is where the Arcology’s citizens come to play. There are many games on offer, from the purely physical (squash courts, playing fields) to displays of skill (firing ranges, dancing mats). And then you’ve got your virtual reality machines, whole other worlds to conquer. Stunning visuals – you’re above the smog clouds, and can see the sky through the roof – but hardly tranquil with all the sounds of exertion and sound effects.
The “Fastest Gun in the East” is the latest virtual reality import from Japan. You’d think a sleek, black motorcycle would be a crowd puller, but when other games let you control spaceships, time machines and plasma turrets, it’s not such a big deal.
There’s very little doubt about what we’re here for, but let’s just check:
>X SQUASH
The other games aren’t important to your mission.
>X MATS
The other games aren’t important to your mission.
Ok, having been thoroughly steered towards this one game, let’s take a look at what we’re dealing with.
>X FASTEST GUN
You get to be an Asian superspy! So what if you’re one already? You don’t have an outlandish, gleaming black motorcycle in your garage. Being an import, the videogame’s on trial so there’s no fee. To get started, just jump on the bike and start the engine.
Given that Utopia is meant to be the epitome of unrestrained capitalism, we’re getting to do a lot of stuff for free lately!
>GET ON BIKE
You sit down on the black motorcycle.
>START ENGINE
You switch on the motorcycle’s engine. Blue electricity bolts conduct along the black metal, converging on the rider’s seat. The lightning passes through your supposedly insulated bodysuit. There’s a flash of blinding light, and then you’re in cyberspace.
This is a special effect, right? There isn’t literally electricity arcing over the bike while we’re sitting on it?
Motorcycle Showroom (on the superbike)
This is first class cyberspace architecture. Forget basic, coloured shapes and lazy programming; this is a virtual, fully textured world that looks just like the real deal. You’re surrounded by motorbikes – naturally, yours is the best – on the top floor of a towering skyscraper. There are no walls, only windows that provide a panoramic view of downtown Tokyo by night.
With no backstory provided by the developers, you have no idea how you got here. But whatever you did ticked someone off – alarm bells are ringing and there’s a goon squad gunning for you.
>X ME
You’re this young, supersexy Japanese woman wearing a tight fitting, shiny black leather catsuit to match your motorcycle. It goes without saying you’re also strong, athletic, and a crack shot with a plasma pistol. Last part aside, player and avatar are a good fit.
I put a game about being a sexy, black-clad Asian spy in your game about being a sexy, black-clad Asian spy!
>I
All you have is your trusty plasma pistol.
Plasma bolts fly past, way off target.
Pretty clear what’s expected of us here, I think:
>SHOOT GOONS
(with the plasma pistol)
You open fire, taking out a dozen guards before the rest take cover.
Enemies continue to spawn.
[ You earned 100 points. ]
Ok, let’s get moving!
>RIDE BIKE
(the superbike)
But you’re already on the superbike.
The guards fire at you, but these guys are hopeless shots.
>SHOOT GUARDS
(with the plasma pistol)
The guards duck to avoid your plasma bolts.
Plasma bolts fly past, way off target.
>N
You have no idea which direction is which, but you could ride towards specific areas.
Enemies continue to spawn.
Well, the only landmark mentioned is those huge panoramic windows, and since we’re inside a computer game where we can’t really be hurt, let’s do this!
>RIDE TOWARDS WINDOWS
Revving up the engine, you ride your motorcycle through the enemy, knocking half the guards over and shooting the rest as you gather speed. You press the accelerator pedal and head straight for the window facing the next highest building. Glass shatters, raining down on your head. The effect is cosmetic – none of the shards harm you in the slightest. After a gravity defying, five hundred metre flight, you land on the…
Yamitsi Corporation Roof (on the superbike)
You’ve heard of them, the second largest company in the world after you know who. Yamitsi must be desperate if they’ve shelled out credits to promote themselves in a cyberspace game. Onto more important matters: the roof is one treacherous, slippery layer of ice (it’s winter in Tokyo, didn’t you know?) and the only way down’s a padlocked metal door up ahead.
You’ve attracted the attention of the big guns – four huge chain cannons mounted on a hovering jetcopter. This must be the boss.
The jetcopter targets you with a searchlight. Trying to outrun it, you accelerate towards the door. You need to buy some time!
[ You earned 300 points. ]
If it’s the boss of a shoot-em-up, we should be able to take out its individual weapons, right?
>SHOOT CANNONS
(with the plasma pistol)
You can’t see for the searchlight!
This game has a steep difficulty curve all right. You’ve gone from battling incompetent guards who couldn’t hit you in a million years to taking on a heavily armed jetcopter that can kill you with one shot – which the pilot ably demonstrates.
*** Game Over ***
Game Zone (on the superbike)
This air conditioned glass pyramid is where the Arcology’s citizens come to play. There are many games on offer, from the purely physical (squash courts, playing fields) to displays of skill (firing ranges, dancing mats). And then you’ve got your virtual reality machines, whole other worlds to conquer. Stunning visuals – you’re above the smog clouds, and can see the sky through the roof – but hardly tranquil with all the sounds of exertion and sound effects.
You’ve beaten your previous high score! When prompted, you enter your name. The score table reads:
LUCY SONG -- 3900
IVORY W RULZ -- 3500
MTHR NATURE -- 2425
MEAGAN UFFAN -- 1500
SLOW WEST -- 500
Although we were prompted to enter our name, our score of 400 doesn’t actually get us onto the table. We were told that we need to score at least 2000 to be allowed to meet with the casino boss, so we’ll try again in a moment. But first, who are these other players?
- SLOW WEST is just a pun on the name of the game itself, “Fastest Gun in the East”
- MEAGAN UFFAN is the gaming obsessive we met in the arcade on the casino level (UFFAN being “Utopia Freedom Fan”)
- MTHR NATURE is supposedly the leader of the Utopian resistance; presumably it isn’t really her who earned this high score, unless she’s taking a very relaxed approach to her secret identity
- IVORY W is cyberspace executive Ivory Worm, whose high score on this arcade game and use of the word “RULZ” still isn’t convincing me to take her as seriously as her torture-and-murder-loving sisters
- But who is LUCY SONG?
Anyway, let’s get back into the game for another go:
>SWITCH ON ENGINE
You switch on the motorcycle’s engine. Blue electricity bolts conduct along the black metal, converging on the rider’s seat. The lightning passes through your supposedly insulated bodysuit. There’s a flash of blinding light, and then you’re in cyberspace.
Motorcycle Showroom (on the superbike)
This is first class cyberspace architecture. Forget basic, coloured shapes and lazy programming; this is a virtual, fully textured world that looks just like the real deal. You’re surrounded by motorbikes – naturally, yours is the best – on the top floor of a towering skyscraper. There are no walls, only windows that provide a panoramic view of downtown Tokyo by night.
With no backstory provided by the developers, you have no idea how you got here. But whatever you did ticked someone off – alarm bells are ringing and there’s a goon squad gunning for you.
>SHOOT GOONS
(with the plasma pistol)
You open fire, taking out a dozen guards before the rest take cover.
[ You earned 100 points. ]
>RIDE TOWARDS WINDOWS
Revving up the engine, you ride your motorcycle through the enemy, knocking half the guards over and shooting the rest as you gather speed. You press the accelerator pedal and head straight for the window facing the next highest building. Glass shatters, raining down on your head. The effect is cosmetic – none of the shards harm you in the slightest. After a gravity defying, five hundred metre flight, you land on the…
Yamitsi Corporation Roof (on the superbike)
You’ve heard of them, the second largest company in the world after you know who. Yamitsi must be desperate if they’ve shelled out credits to promote themselves in a cyberspace game. Onto more important matters: the roof is one treacherous, slippery layer of ice (it’s winter in Tokyo, didn’t you know?) and the only way down’s a padlocked metal door up ahead.
You’ve attracted the attention of the big guns – four huge chain cannons mounted on a hovering jetcopter. This must be the boss.
The jetcopter targets you with a searchlight. Trying to outrun it, you accelerate towards the door. You need to buy some time!
[ You earned 300 points. ]
The lock on the door is mentioned pretty prominently, so maybe we’re supposed to …
>SHOOT PADLOCK
(with the plasma pistol)
You shoot off the padlock, which melts away on the ice. For some inexplicable, physics defying reason, the door swings outwards.
This game has a steep difficulty curve all right. You’ve gone from battling incompetent guards who couldn’t hit you in a million years to taking on a heavily armed jetcopter that can kill you with one shot – which the pilot ably demonstrates.
We’ll obviously need to shoot the lock open to progress, but I guess we were meant to do something to “buy some time” first. We get the same game over message and the same high score table (which I’ve cut, because otherwise we’d be seeing it a lot), but this time I remember that we can UNDO rather than replaying from the beginning every time:
>UNDO
Yamitsi Corporation Roof
[Previous turn undone.]
Maybe we should do something dramatic to distract the copter pilot?
>JUMP OFF BIKE
I only understood you as far as wanting to jump.
>JUMP
That action hasn’t been programmed. All you can do is look, ride and shoot.
This game has a steep difficulty curve all right. You’ve gone from battling incompetent guards who couldn’t hit you in a million years to taking on a heavily armed jetcopter that can kill you with one shot – which the pilot ably demonstrates.
Ah, ok. So we have confirmation that we’re playing a limited parser game here—in fact, we’re pretty much playing Gun Mute on a motorbike. What else can we shoot?
>UNDO
Yamitsi Corporation Roof
[Previous turn undone.]
>SHOOT ICE
That’s not important to your mission.
>SHOOT ROOF
That’s not important to your mission.
>SHOOT BIKE
(with the plasma pistol)
You should concentrate on dealing with threats.
This game has a steep difficulty curve all right. You’ve gone from battling incompetent guards who couldn’t hit you in a million years to taking on a heavily armed jetcopter that can kill you with one shot – which the pilot ably demonstrates.
Maybe we need to use our other verb?
>UNDO
Yamitsi Corporation Roof
[Previous turn undone.]
>RIDE OFF ROOF
You can’t see any such thing.
>RIDE TOWARDS DOOR
You’re already heading in that direction.
This game has a steep difficulty curve all right. You’ve gone from battling incompetent guards who couldn’t hit you in a million years to taking on a heavily armed jetcopter that can kill you with one shot – which the pilot ably demonstrates.
Did we try just shooting the copter?
>UNDO
Yamitsi Corporation Roof
[Previous turn undone.]
>SHOOT COPTER
(with the plasma pistol)
You can’t see for the searchlight!
This game has a steep difficulty curve all right. You’ve gone from battling incompetent guards who couldn’t hit you in a million years to taking on a heavily armed jetcopter that can kill you with one shot – which the pilot ably demonstrates.
Ok, no, wait, I get it:
>UNDO
Yamitsi Corporation Roof
[Previous turn undone.]
>SHOOT SEARCHLIGHT
(with the plasma pistol)
You target the jetcopter’s searchlight, taking it out with a single bolt from your plasma pistol. The pilot has trouble seeing you in the dark. You’ve earned a little breathing space, but not much.
You’re closing in on the padlocked door.
[ You earned 250 points. ]
>SHOOT DOOR
(with the plasma pistol)
The plasma bolt burns a hole in the metal door, but it’s nowhere near big enough to get a bike through.
Finally realising the door’s locked, you slam on the brakes. They do little on so slippery a surface, and you skid out of control. The motorcycle goes up in flames, taking you with it.
*** Game Over ***
Game Zone (on the superbike)
This air conditioned glass pyramid is where the Arcology’s citizens come to play. There are many games on offer, from the purely physical (squash courts, playing fields) to displays of skill (firing ranges, dancing mats). And then you’ve got your virtual reality machines, whole other worlds to conquer. Stunning visuals – you’re above the smog clouds, and can see the sky through the roof – but hardly tranquil with all the sounds of exertion and sound effects.
You’ve beaten your previous high score! When prompted, you enter your name. The score table reads:
LUCY SONG -- 3900
IVORY W RULZ -- 3500
MTHR NATURE -- 2425
MEAGAN UFFAN -- 1500
ALICE LING -- 650
Ok, we made it onto the scoreboard this time. Unfortunately, having realised earlier that we needed to shoot the padlock off to open the door, this time I forgot and just tried (ineffectively) to blast a hole in the door itself instead. Let’s rewind:
>UNDO
Yamitsi Corporation Roof
[Previous turn undone.]
>SHOOT LOCK
(with the plasma pistol)
You shoot off the padlock, which melts away on the ice. For some inexplicable, physics defying reason, the door swings outwards.
Before the helicopter can lock on again, you drive your motorcycle through the door.
Stairwell
Taking the elevator would be too easy. Instead, you’re forced to descend twenty five floors of concrete steps to street level, enduring a bumpy ride and control issues along the way. You needn’t worry about sparks blowing your superbike’s fuel tank – the game designers implemented fire extinguishers on every floor.
You hear footsteps below. Someone – no, make that many people – are on their way up to meet you.
[ You earned 50 points. ]
>RIDE DOWN
(the stairwell)
You drive down the steps, encountering a group of armed men in black. In such a confined space, even these poorly trained thugs can’t miss. You take a couple down before one shoots you in the head – an instant kill.
To be honest I’m impressed that we even survived riding a superbike down a steep staircase.
>UNDO
Stairwell
[Previous turn undone.]
>RIDE UP
You have no idea which direction is which, but you could ride towards specific areas.
Those footsteps are getting closer.
>LOOK
Stairwell
Taking the elevator would be too easy. Instead, you’re forced to descend twenty five floors of concrete steps to street level, enduring a bumpy ride and control issues along the way. You needn’t worry about sparks blowing your superbike’s fuel tank – the game designers implemented fire extinguishers on every floor.
“She’s up here!” yells a man. The footsteps are very close now, three floors down at most.
Looks like we need to get ourselves some cover, and there’s a prominent noun in the room description:
>SHOOT EXTINGUISHERS
(with the plasma pistol)
One well placed shot, and up they go in smoke – thick, white smoke that makes it very difficult to see.
You see shadows through the smoke: men carrying plasma pistols and primed fission grenades – explosives that pack quite a wallop.
[ You earned 100 points. ]
And the game sure wants us to make sure we’ve noticed those grenades:
>SHOOT GRENADES
(with the plasma pistol)
Using their own weapons against them, you target one of the goon’s fission grenades. Hit by a plasma bolt, it heats up then explodes in a mini mushroom cloud, taking out the whole squad. Being a game character and immune to radiation, you drive on down to the…
Streets of Tokyo (on the superbike)
They called it the Land of the Rising Sun, but with so many skyscapers the pedestrians would be lucky to see a sunrise. At present it’s night, and animated neon signs and holoboards are reflected in puddles, turning the roads a psychadelic mix of gold, bright blue and magenta. Market peddlers flog their wares from under awnings, the only cover from the falling snow.
These men sure are persistent. You’ve left the footsoldiers behind and now they’re coming after you in an armoured sedan. Navigating the late night traffic is a cinch on your motorycle, so outrunning the car shouldn’t be a problem.
[ You earned 250 points. ]
>SHOOT SEDAN
(with the plasma pistol)
Your plasma bolt is absorbed by the sedan’s shielding.
The sedan struggles to keep up.
I’ve seen enough chase scenes to know what we do here:
>SHOOT WHEELS
(with the plasma pistol)
Performing a 360 degree turn at high speed (as only a superspy can), you shoot the sedan’s two front tires. The car swerves, skids across a puddle, strikes the curb, and flips onto its roof. Continuing through the traffic, you leave the wreckage behind.
Having learned their lesson, the enemy has sent motorcycles after you. Their riders are the same goons in black – do these guys ever give up? And… Uh-oh, there’s a tanker truck slowing the traffic ahead.
[ You earned 300 points. ]
>RIDE TOWARDS TANKER
Crashing into a loaded oil tanker is not advised.
The bikers shoot at you with plasma pistols, but they’re too far away to be of concern.
>SHOOT TANKER
(with the plasma pistol)
You fire away at the oil tanker. Plasma bolts melt through, setting the fuel alight. The truck explodes in a massive fireball, which you and the pursuing bikers all circle to avoid. Despite not killing a single enemy, the game designers see fit to reward you.
The motorcycle riders give up the chase. One minute later the reason becomes apparent. There’s a roadblock ahead! Three enemy snipers stand on a truck parked side on under a holoboard.
[ You earned 100 points. ]
Can we take them all out at once by blowing up the truck that they’re standing on?
>SHOOT TRUCK
(with the plasma pistol)
Your plasma bolts do little damage against the truck.
The snipers target you and open fire. These guys are much better shots than the other enemies you’ve encountered. All three score direct hits on your head. Goodbye, Miss Superspy.
Guess not.
>UNDO
Streets of Tokyo
[Previous turn undone.]
>SHOOT SNIPERS
(with the plasma pistol)
These men aren’t the only expert shots on the streets of Tokyo tonight. Blam, blam, blam – and all three are dead.
With the snipers down, there’s the large problem of the parked truck. Seeing no other way to avoid it, you prepare to drive around.
[ You earned 100 points. ]
>DRIVE AROUND TRUCK
You can’t see any such thing.
Well, it said we were about to drive around anyway, so I guess we just let the scene play out.
>Z
Time passes in the game.
You drive round the parked truck and continue along Tokyo’s streets.
>Z
Time passes in the game.
Whirring rotors signal the return of the jetcopter. It hovers above the street, a half kilometre ahead. Even at this range, its cannons are deadly accurate. They begin to track you, preparing to fire.
The copter is no longer dazzling us with it’s searchlight, so let’s see if our original inclination to shoot its cannons off was correct:
>SHOOT CANNONS
(with the plasma pistol)
The jetcopter may have bigger guns, but against a superspy they’re just another target for her exceptional aim. Four blasts from your plasma pistol, and they’re all out of commission.
With its primary weapons disabled, the jetcopter prepares to launch visual tracking missiles. You need to get out of sight!
[ You earned 300 points. ]
In the thick of the action, I’ve entirely forgotten what there might be around us that we can use as cover.
>LOOK
Streets of Tokyo (on the superbike)
They called it the Land of the Rising Sun, but with so many skyscapers the pedestrians would be lucky to see a sunrise. At present it’s night, and animated neon signs and holoboards are reflected in puddles, turning the roads a psychadelic mix of gold, bright blue and magenta. Market peddlers flog their wares from under awnings, the only cover from the falling snow.
The boss jetcopter has returned to finish the job.
With a loud roar, the missile launches towards you. You have a split second to see it coming before it explodes, launching your already dead body into the air.
*** Game Over ***
Game Zone (on the superbike)
This air conditioned glass pyramid is where the Arcology’s citizens come to play. There are many games on offer, from the purely physical (squash courts, playing fields) to displays of skill (firing ranges, dancing mats). And then you’ve got your virtual reality machines, whole other worlds to conquer. Stunning visuals – you’re above the smog clouds, and can see the sky through the roof – but hardly tranquil with all the sounds of exertion and sound effects.
You’ve beaten your previous high score! When prompted, you enter your name. The score table reads:
LUCY SONG -- 3900
IVORY W RULZ -- 3500
MTHR NATURE -- 2425
ALICE LING -- 1850
MEAGAN UFFAN -- 1500
Sorry, Meagan, but we’ve got you outclassed in the high-octane superspy stakes.
>UNDO
Streets of Tokyo
[Previous turn undone.]
>DRIVE TOWARDS AWNINGS
You can’t ride on top of them.
With a loud roar, the missile launches towards you. You have a split second to see it coming before it explodes, launching your already dead body into the air.
Fortunately we’ve enough experience of this game by now to guess the phrasing it was looking for on the second try.
>UNDO
Streets of Tokyo
[Previous turn undone.]
>DRIVE UNDER AWNINGS
You drive your motorcycle under the awnings. The jetcopter loses visual, rendering its missile harmless. But it’s still up ahead waiting for you!
[ You earned 150 points. ]
>SHOOT COPTER
(with the plasma pistol)
You can’t see the jetcopter!
To your right, slap bang in the middle of the street, is an inclined metal ramp. There’s no logical reason for it being there, but this game is all about action and exciting stunts.
How can we possibly resist?
>RIDE RAMP
Braving the open streets, you drive out from under cover. It becomes a race: your motorcycle against the helicopter’s missile. Luckily (or by flawed game design) you reach the ramp first. Speeding up it, your launch your bike into the air. Behind you, the missile explodes, sending innocent bystanders flying in all directions. You emerge from the searing flames, heading straight for the hovering jetcopter. It waits for you, rotor blades spinning.
[ You earned 200 points. ]
>SHOOT BLADES
(with the plasma pistol)
The game goes into slow motion as you aim your plasma pistol. Firing a single shot, you melt through the base of the jetcopter’s rotor blades. With nothing to keep it up in the air, the chopper plummets to the street below, crashing and burning on the asphalt.
To signal your victory, the game’s cheesy theme tune plays in the background.
[ You earned 500 points. ]
We beat the boss! I’m pretty sure that by this point we’ve also beaten our target of 2000 points. Are we going to have to resist the temptation to carry on further through the arcade game chasing an even higher score?
>Z
Time passes in the game.
The credits roll, and then it’s…
*** Game Over ***
Game Zone (on the superbike)
This air conditioned glass pyramid is where the Arcology’s citizens come to play. There are many games on offer, from the purely physical (squash courts, playing fields) to displays of skill (firing ranges, dancing mats). And then you’ve got your virtual reality machines, whole other worlds to conquer. Stunning visuals – you’re above the smog clouds, and can see the sky through the roof – but hardly tranquil with all the sounds of exertion and sound effects.
You’ve beaten your previous high score! When prompted, you enter your name. The score table reads:
LUCY SONG -- 3900
IVORY W RULZ -- 3500
ALICE LING -- 2700
MTHR NATURE -- 2425
MEAGAN UFFAN -- 1500
[Your score has just gone up by two points.]
Looks like that’s it, then. I guess we didn’t have the shooting skills to take out as many enemies as Ivory Worm or the mysterious Lucy Song on our way through. Not that it matters, because we’ve met our objective for getting in to see the casino boss.
>GET OFF
You get off the superbike.
Game Zone
The “Fastest Gun in the East” is the latest virtual reality import from Japan. You’d think a sleek, black motorcycle would be a crowd puller, but when other games let you control spaceships, time machines and plasma turrets, it’s not such a big deal.
>N
Transporter Ring
In case you get lost – a strong possibility in such a mammoth construction – information points are located every hundred metres.
>U
As you approach the access tunnel for level 29, a USF guard scans you with an electronic handheld device. After a series of beeps, an LED on the scanner turns green, and the trooper waves you through into the elevator tube. A short and exhilerating ride later, you arrive at your destination.
>S
Fame And Fortune
A female Hispanic attendant stands by the north entrance, keeping a close eye on the front door and the spiral stairs that lead up to the manager’s office.
So now can we just waltz on up?
>U
“You’ve impressed the boss,” the woman says. “And he’d like to see you personally. I’ll hold onto your things. Security precaution, non negotiable. Go on up.”
Casino Manager’s Office
The boss man likes to keep abreast (to put it one way) of what’s going on in the Fame and Fortune. Surveillance equipment – so well hidden you never saw it below – broadcasts live 3D holofeeds of game tables, patrons and employees. From behind his oak desk, the manager can see everything. Over half the concealed cameras are focused on females, whether they be attendants he’s hired or potential recruits.
The manager’s interest in you is strictly personal. If a spider grinned when it caught a fly, it’d look like him.
“Ah, the new girl,” he says. “I’ve been watching you closely. You’re tough, assertive. I like that in my employees. Scoring so highly on my favourite game tells me you’re a woman of action who’s got the moves. But who wants to play with virtual men? You’ve got fifteen minutes to impress me.”
[Your score has just gone up by two points.]
Man, really? We solved all those puzzles, blew up a helicopter, and our reward is fifteen minutes with an ultra-skeevy guy who wants us to “impress him”? What have we let ourselves in for?
