Zork Zero: The Revenge of Megaboz is an interactive fiction video game, written by Steve Meretzky over nearly 18 months and published by Infocom in 1988. Zork Zeros parser has some innovative features. If it notices if a player is having trouble with it, it offers helpful suggestions, such as sample commands. Dave Howell has created a physical deck of "Deluxe" Fanucci cards along with some other (playable) games to go with them.

Reception

Dave Arneson gave Zork Zero a favorable review in Computer Gaming World, calling it the best of the series to date. He praised the in-game map and help system, and later described the game as superior to Infocom's James Clavell's Shōgun.

James V. Trunzo reviewed Zork Zero in White Wolf #17 (1989) and stated that "Zork Zero, even though graphically quite pleasing, remains at heart an interactive story in which you make the choices and determine the course of action."

Reviews

  • Games #97

See also

  • Return to Zork (1993), the next Zork game by Activision

Notes

Zork Zero was also included in the 1991 collection The Lost Treasures of Infocom, and in the 1996 collection Classic Text Adventure Masterpieces of Infocom, released by Activision under the Infocom brand.

The jester in Zork Zero will sometimes say So long, and thanks for all the fish, a reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which was also adapted as an eponymous Infocom video game.

References

  • Zork Zero information and overview (archived)
  • Infocom Cabinet: Zork Zero