Jordan Mechner may best be known as the creator of Prince of Persia; however, his other games have won him much acclaim. One of the best, in my humble opinion, is The Last Express, an adventure game set on the Orient Express during its last run shortly before the beginning of World War II. The long-awaited IOS version finally has a release date; you may pick it up via the App Store on Thursday, September 27. The price is TBA.
The game’s dense narrative revolves around an American doctor named Robert Cath, whom you play as. Cath is suspected of slaying a police officer by the French police. A friend of Cath’s, Robert Whitney, insists the two of them meet aboard the Orient Express as he may have a way for him to leave his troubles behind. Once he’s on the train, as you might have expected, things don’t go as planned.
The Last Express, despite its many flaws, is a monumental achievement in game storytelling. The two biggest problems – the controls and important clues being easy to miss- will likely remain intact in the new version. My biggest worry is the control as IOS games can sometimes be lacking in that department. Here’s hoping they get it right and a new audience discovers the majesty of the title.
If IOS gaming isn’t your thing, both Good Old Games and DotEMU offer PC/Mac versions of the title for a mere $5.99.