Return to Zork

Return to Zork is a 1993 adventure game developed by Activision. The game was the last to be published by Infocom for the Zork series, and was the first to use a point-and-click interface, rather than text-based interaction as in previous games. The game followed the release of Zork Zero in 1988. The story takes place in the Great Underground Empire, several hundred years after the previous Zork game, and sees players investigating a region that is slowly falling into decay due to a powerful demon-like entity that targets those who oppose it. The game features multiple ways to solve puzzles, as well as a variety of characters portrayed in live-action by recognizable character actors, with the cast including Sam J. Jones, Jason Hervey, and Robyn Lively. Return to Zork was released in September 1993 for Mac and MS-DOS. The game was ported to FM Towns in 1994, the PC-FX in 1995, and the PlayStation and the Sega Saturn in 1996, all of which were exclusively released in Japan. Plans for the game to be released on 3DO and Atari Jaguar were cancelled. Return to Zork proved a commercial success, with one million units sold by the end of 1995, stabilizing Activision following its acquisition by a new owner. Upon its release, the game received mixed reviews; critics praised the overall presentation and story, but criticized it for the cast's poor acting while some considered the game an unnecessary installment. The next game in the series, Zork Nemesis, was released in 1996.