Mines of Titan
| Industry | Video game publishing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1979 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Mines of Titan is a single-player role-playing video game created by Westwood Associates (which later became Westwood Studios) and released by Infocom in 1989. It was made available for the Apple II, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS platforms.
Remake
As a remake of the Commodore 64 title Mars Saga, Mines of Titan expands on the original with lengthier gameplay, fresh narrative elements, new creatures, and enhanced color schemes. The game's environment transitions from Mars to Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, while retaining much of the original cities and map layouts.
Plot
Taking place in the year 2261 amid humanity’s expansion into the inner Solar System, the storyline unfolds on a partially terraformed Titan, located at the frontier of space near Saturn.
Players assume the role of Tom Jetland, a 22-year-old astronaut who becomes stranded after his spacecraft sustains damage from debris originating in the Rings of Saturn. With no means to leave Titan, Jetland must assemble and train a team proficient in exploration and combat. Character development involves improving attributes and mastering over twenty different skills to aid both the main quest and side objectives.
Progression depends on tactical battles against hostile creatures and human adversaries, exploring subterranean colonies and mining outposts, utilizing a variety of weapons and merchant goods effectively, and piecing together clues to unravel Titan’s secrets. The primary goal is to uncover a conspiracy related to the disappearance of the Proscenium Colony while earning sufficient credits to secure an escape.
Release
The release by Infocom included unique physical items known as feelies. The game disk was housed in packaging styled like secret agent gear and contained a 37-page manual, a command reference card, confidential military and scientific reports, weapon blueprints, illustrations of alien species, and concealed maps—all integrated into the game’s storyline. Special editions also featured collectible figurines. These boxed sets have since become sought-after collector’s items.
Reception
In 1990, Dragon issue #154 granted Mines of Titan a perfect 5-star rating, commending its overall quality. Conversely, in 2006, the abandonware website Abandonia criticized aspects such as its combat mechanics and absence of sound effects. Jim Trunzo reviewed it in White Wolf #21 (June/July 1990), awarding it 4 out of 5 stars and highlighting its combination of intellectual depth and visual presentation.
Reviews
- Info (January 1989)
- ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) (March 1989)
- The Games Machine (February 1990)
- Zzap! (January 1989)
- Power Play (December 1988)
- Joker Verlag präsentiert: Sonderheft (1992)
- ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) (January 1990)
- ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) (January 1989)
- Australian Commodore and Amiga Review (April 1989)
External links
- Mines of Titan at GameSpot