Codename: ICEMAN
Encyclopedia
Codename: ICEMAN is a graphical adventure game
made with the SCI
engine and published by the American computer game company Sierra On-Line
in 1989. The lead designer was Jim Walls
, who also created the Police Quest
games. Mention of a "Codename: PHOENIX" in Sierra promotional material suggests that ICEMAN was meant to be the first part of a Codename series, but disappointing sales ended the would-be franchise after one game.
One of ICEMANs most notable features is that a large portion of it takes place in a submarine
; a portion of the game also requires the player to navigate the sub using an extremely scaled-down model.
Designed in 1989, the game's setting is 2004. While much of the story (which features Cold War
and Soviet villains) is outdated in hindsight, the scenario is partially prophetic of the 2000s energy crisis which began in 2003.
is suddenly discovered to possess a surplus of high-grade oil. While the Soviet and American governments try to acquire as much of the oil as they can, Soviet-backed terrorists
kidnap
a US ambassador
in hopes of provoking an international incident.
Naval Officer Johnny Westland is informed about the situation during his leave
in Tahiti
and is called back for the rescue mission. The night before returning to duty, he has a one-night stand
with Stacy, a mysterious beautiful woman.
In the Pentagon
, Westland is briefed and learns that Stacy is also an agent whom he must meet as soon as he reaches his goal. To reach his target, Westland travels in a nuclear-powered
submarine, the USS Blackhawk. After fighting with Soviet vessels, navigating his way through an iceberg field and repairing some malfunctioning devices, he must penetrate the electronic harbor surveillance of Tunisia. A diving vehicle must be maneuvered through sensitive magnetic fields without being detected.
Finally Westland meets Stacy on the shores of Tunisia. Working together, the agents free the ambassador; Westland is promoted and proposes to Stacy.
Technologically, ICEMAN is more advanced than Sierra's earlier games. Westland can move in 8 directions instead of 4, the character's sprite goes though several changes of appearance depending on his clothing, and character animations are generally smooth (e.g. the movements while playing dice.)
Another innovation allows the player to optionally just stand in front of an object and type LOOK, instead of trying several nouns to match the object. Also, typing LOOK [OBJECT] causes Westland to turn towards the object in question.
On the other hand, the text parser
understands only certain syntaxes. For example while standing next to a ladder the program understands only CLIMB UP, while similar games would also understand GO UP or just CLIMB or UP. The feature of examining items with the right mouse button is implemented only for limited items on the screen. For the rest, the player must type LOOK.
Most puzzles in the game revolve around procedures, be they first aid
, military
or bureaucratic, that are usually outlined in the manual. Generally, if the player fails to follow a strict procedure (for instance, checking if a guard returned the player's ID card, rather than someone else's), the consequences will not surface until much later in the game. At some points, the game is unwinnable and the player must restore to a previously saved position.
Additionally, some portions of the game depend heavily on random factors, such as the effectiveness of torpedoes in submarine battles. At one point, the player must obtain a bottle from a crewman on the sub, but only if the player can beat him at a dice game. The crewman 'accuses' the player of cheating if the player repeatedly saves and restores in an effort to win at dice (he is allowed to do so only twice).
gave ICEMAN 1.5 stars out of 5, citing dead end situations and frustrating simulator sequences. Kleinberg however praised the game's "classic Sierra look and feel."
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
made with the SCI
Sierra's Creative Interpreter
Sierra's Creative Interpreter is the scripting language created by Jeff Stephenson of Sierra On-Line for its adventure games after the older AGI, and the runtime environment for such adventure games....
engine and published by the American computer game company Sierra On-Line
Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams...
in 1989. The lead designer was Jim Walls
Jim Walls
Jim Walls is a retired police officer, who in 1971 joined the California Highway Patrol. He retired after 15 years on the force after a shooting incident that left him traumatized....
, who also created the Police Quest
Police Quest
Police Quest is a series of computer games produced and published by Sierra On-Line between 1987 and 1993. The original series was composed of four adventure games, the first three of which were designed by former policeman Jim Walls, with the fourth title designed by former LAPD Chief Daryl F....
games. Mention of a "Codename: PHOENIX" in Sierra promotional material suggests that ICEMAN was meant to be the first part of a Codename series, but disappointing sales ended the would-be franchise after one game.
One of ICEMANs most notable features is that a large portion of it takes place in a submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
; a portion of the game also requires the player to navigate the sub using an extremely scaled-down model.
Designed in 1989, the game's setting is 2004. While much of the story (which features Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and Soviet villains) is outdated in hindsight, the scenario is partially prophetic of the 2000s energy crisis which began in 2003.
Plot
In the year 2004, during a global oil shortage TunisiaTunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
is suddenly discovered to possess a surplus of high-grade oil. While the Soviet and American governments try to acquire as much of the oil as they can, Soviet-backed terrorists
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
kidnap
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
a US ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
in hopes of provoking an international incident.
Naval Officer Johnny Westland is informed about the situation during his leave
Leave (military)
In military, leave is a permission to be away from one's unit, either for a specified or unspecified period of time.The term AWOL, standing for absent without leave, is a term for desertion used in armed forces of many English speaking countries....
in Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
and is called back for the rescue mission. The night before returning to duty, he has a one-night stand
One-night stand
Originally, a one-night stand was a single theatre performance, usually by a guest performer on tour, as opposed to an ongoing engagement. Today, however, the term is more commonly defined as a single sexual encounter, in which neither participant has any intention or expectation of a relationship...
with Stacy, a mysterious beautiful woman.
In the Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
, Westland is briefed and learns that Stacy is also an agent whom he must meet as soon as he reaches his goal. To reach his target, Westland travels in a nuclear-powered
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
submarine, the USS Blackhawk. After fighting with Soviet vessels, navigating his way through an iceberg field and repairing some malfunctioning devices, he must penetrate the electronic harbor surveillance of Tunisia. A diving vehicle must be maneuvered through sensitive magnetic fields without being detected.
Finally Westland meets Stacy on the shores of Tunisia. Working together, the agents free the ambassador; Westland is promoted and proposes to Stacy.
Gameplay and technical features
Another innovation allows the player to optionally just stand in front of an object and type LOOK, instead of trying several nouns to match the object. Also, typing LOOK [OBJECT] causes Westland to turn towards the object in question.
On the other hand, the text parser
Text parser
In an adventure game, a text parser takes typed input from the player and simplifies it to something the game can understand. Usually, words with the same meaning are turned into the same word and certain filler words are dropped .The parser makes it easier for the game's author to react on input...
understands only certain syntaxes. For example while standing next to a ladder the program understands only CLIMB UP, while similar games would also understand GO UP or just CLIMB or UP. The feature of examining items with the right mouse button is implemented only for limited items on the screen. For the rest, the player must type LOOK.
Most puzzles in the game revolve around procedures, be they first aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
, military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
or bureaucratic, that are usually outlined in the manual. Generally, if the player fails to follow a strict procedure (for instance, checking if a guard returned the player's ID card, rather than someone else's), the consequences will not surface until much later in the game. At some points, the game is unwinnable and the player must restore to a previously saved position.
Additionally, some portions of the game depend heavily on random factors, such as the effectiveness of torpedoes in submarine battles. At one point, the player must obtain a bottle from a crewman on the sub, but only if the player can beat him at a dice game. The crewman 'accuses' the player of cheating if the player repeatedly saves and restores in an effort to win at dice (he is allowed to do so only twice).
Reception
In a 2007 review, Dante Kleinberg of Adventure GamersAdventure Gamers
Adventure Gamers is a computer game website created in 1998 dedicated to the genre of adventure games. It publishes reviews and previews of adventure games, as well as opinion articles and interviews with game designers....
gave ICEMAN 1.5 stars out of 5, citing dead end situations and frustrating simulator sequences. Kleinberg however praised the game's "classic Sierra look and feel."