Part 1

Alright. Let’s get started on Episode One: The Discovery!




SKULL JESTER






Silhouette of a trenchoated man. You can jump straight into the game with New Game, but let’s get some background on Blackstar with the Intro…






Listen to the intro:











...my pastel-tinted hell. Nice bandana btw, makes you look only slightly less like a disgruntled, middle aged woman.




Welcome to Blackstar’s apartment. Or hell. Let’s get cracking.




If you mouse over the eyes on the portrait of Blackstar in the bottom corner and click, Blackstar will offer his thoughts on the room you’re in, sometimes providing a vague semblance of a clue on how to proceed.

A man’s home is his castle… and most castles have a great view.

OK, so not this time.




Jesus, Blackstar. Go paint your face and write a poem already.

The text in blue is what you see when you just mouse over objects. Text in purple is Blackstar’s comments when you click on them, but I’ll mostly be transcribing those to avoid posting too many big images.




Ah-huhuhuhuh.

Sure… I’ll just grab my tool…




Alright, thanks for the innuendo. Mousing over Blackstar’s coat makes it light up, and when you click it, you get to check out your inventory.




Don’t get excited, Blackstar’s tool is a Swiss army knife… which he uses to pick locks.




Sure, I’ll sit down for a few.




On Blackstar’s coffee table you find the phone, answering machine, and his black book of phone numbers. I’ll snag that bracelet just in case.

It was a gift from my mother. May she rest in peace…




Yeah, check my messages. Pay attention because this machine automatically erases when it’s done.

Oh that’s a great gameplay mechanic. People on the answering machine don’t always mention who they are, though you’ll later find the color of their dialogue matches when you speak with them in person.






Case in point. This is Jisel, Blackstar’s prostitute neighbor.






Cam Grissel is a police detective and friend of Blackstar’s. Cam seems to call in Blackstar when police procedure fails in catching bad guys.






Dark Wolf owns the Lone Wolf Bar and is a member of Blackstar’s tribe. He knew Blackstar’s parents, but won’t tell what happened to them.






Finally, Prey is a hustler who Blackstar contacts when he needs something not street legal.

Hmm, I guess I might be busy tonight afterall.




Check out the notebook to call someone.

We don’t use the telephone directly.




Sure let’s check my little black book…




Here’s Blackstar’s available numbers. I’ve no idea what the notes on the right might say (I can just make out “check out the… people?”), but having played the rest of the game I expect it’s an advertisement for the company’s other game. More on that later. Let’s call Cam first.

I guess I should call Cam back.




Police. Cam Grissel speaking. Ya want somethin’?

Hey Cam, it’s Blackstar. You called?

Yeah, thanks for calling back. I’ve got somethin’ for you… if you’re interested, of course.

Depends on what this somethin’ is…

Man, it’s bad… real bad. I’d rather not talk over the phone, y’know.

We can meet…

Not yet. You know the locker room at the station house? With the entrance on the side?

Yeah, what about it.

Get in there as soon as you can. One locker will have a padlock on it. Bust in and take what’s there.

Hold on, Cam. You expect me to break into a cop shop? You’re crazy, pal.

Listen, I can’t leave the door unlocked and I don’t want anyone seeing what’s in the locker.

Can’t you give me this somethin’ in person?

I don’t want to be caught with it on me. Just do it, ok?

Allright, if it’s that important, I’ll do it tonight.

Be careful, man. Make sure the coast is clear before you break in. Call me right away if successful.

No problem, but you’ll owe me for this.

When you find out what’s in the locker, you’ll thank me for the work.

Sure thing, pal. Later.


Guess that’s our objective for this episode spelled out. Undoubtedly, this won’t be easy.




No need for him… yet.

Alright, if I need something special I can always call him later.








On second thought, we can just walk over since the lovely rose lives next door.




Just walk over there instead.

Why do I have this book?






* * * ADVERTISEMENT * * *

Oh by the way, you spelled the name of your own game wrong in the red text. Great job. Mel Odious goes Six String Searchin’ is a text interface adventure a la early Space/Police/King’s Quest. This will definitely not be the last time we get slapped around the ears with this. Alright, let’s get out of here.




Yeah… my ass was hurtin’ anyway.




Blackstar is agoraphobic, I guess.

Don’t forget to lock the door.




Blackstar muses on the hallway:

At times your morals must be broken to reach your goals.

Oh yeah, that's raw.




Even Blackstar’s doormat spells angst with a capital A.




The cheek of this man!




Just some old lady livin’ there, so don’t bother the hag.




Oh, classy.

I wouldn’t want to stop by empty handed…

Apartment 69 (get it) is home to Jisel, a prostitute and good friend of Blackstar’s. But we’ll need to bring her something… nice.




OK, let’s hit those mean ol' streets.




I’d ask who Blackstar’s natural enemies are, but I’d probably get a tough-ass answer like “the fools dumb enough to cross my path” or “empty cans of hair spray”.




Heh! Enjoy your skywizard, sheeple.




Oh, speaking of spray cans:

Hey… it’s a full can of that poison spray.

This might come in handy.




I been places, man. You don't even know.




2/2 whore count. Let’s probe her for info.




Damn whores, always demanding something for something…




Guess I’ll fob off these made-in-Taiwan beads on her.




And thus we enter the conversation screen!




Conversations are very simple. Each option can only be clicked once, and there’s no choice of replies.

Her name

Sugar, my name ain’t important.

The cops

Ha… my best customers, if y’know what I mean.

Your friend, Jisel

She the call girl that lives up in those apartments?

Yeah, she’s the one.

Stay away from her, Sugar. That’s all I’ve got to say.

Why should I stay away?

Look, I’ve got customers waiting. She can’t be trusted is the word on the street. Now leave.

I’ll leave when I’m ready. No sooner… no later.


Well well. I think blondie touched a nerve.


The streets

What am I? An information booth?

A good time

Sugar, even if you had money, and you look like you don’t, I wouldn’t show you a good time.

Believe me, I wouldn’t waste my time or my cash.

Good… then get lost.


Sounds like a plan. By the way, this was a totally pointless conversation - blondie never has anything useful to say.




I’ve no reason to go into the music store right now. Click the map icon below to enter… the map screen!




There’s a total of 10 locations to visit on the map. Next time we'll hit the police station and see what Cam left for Blackstar...


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