Tex Murphy: Martian Memorandum

10x the game Mean Streets is but no where remotely in the same dimension as Under A Killing Moon. If you're thinking of going back and playing the original Tex Murphy games, don't. Watch a Lets Play instead. And I say that as someone that played plenty of DOS games when Win 3.1 was the newest os. That said, I did gain an appreciation for what came before UAKM and it's lore.

[b]TLDR[/b] An interesting cyberpunk detective premise buried under clunky mechanics, trial-and-error puzzles, and dated adventure design. [9/20⭐, 7h🏅, 2/5💡] [b]Context[/b] Martian Memorandum is a dystopian cyberpunk noir adventure in the style of the original [url=https://steamcommunity.com/id/macwh/recommended/302330/]Mean Streets[/url], though with a much more conventional approach to gameplay. Being a 1991 game, you may feel inclined to give it a pass, but bear in mind that Monkey Island 2 was released the same year. [b]Writing[/b] The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic future populated by radiation-induced mutants, Martian colonies, and the usual evil corporations. This time, Tex is hired to find the missing daughter of a corporate executive, only to discover that her disappearance is tied to an ancient Martian artefact coveted by... just about everyone. Although it is a sequel to Mean Streets, the connection is largely superficial. The plot is serviceable, but little more than an excuse to move between locations. Neither the characters nor the dialogue receive enough development to become particularly engaging. Like its predecessor, the game revolves around interro…

**Tex Murphy: Martian Memorandum (1991)** I started playing **Tex Murphy: Martian Memorandum (1991)** again — a truly hardcore point-and-click game, but with a great story. It’s a pure **DOS experience**, and honestly you’ll probably need a **walkthrough** at some point. Still, the way you can handle **conversations** makes up for a lot. The game also uses **FMV content**, which really adds to that classic Tex vibe. The conversations are what it’s all about. There’s even a **hint system** that can help you move forward step by step if you get stuck. I haven’t needed it yet, because I played the game in the past — just never finished it. Because of that, I still remember most things… up to a certain point in the game. One thing I definitely remembered: **save often**. Martian Memorandum can be ruthless. Sometimes you’re forced to reload an old save, and if you’ve been thinking “I’ll save later”… well, you’ll regret it. That happened to me right away: I hadn’t saved yet, I’d played for hours, and then suddenly I was stuck and had to reload — from the very beginning. Those are the less fun parts. Still, I’m going to try to push a bit further and see how far I can get this time. Ac…

Tex Murphy: Martian Memorandum is a fascinating old-school detective adventure that captures a period when computer games were beginning to experiment seriously with multimedia storytelling. Developed by Access Software and currently published on Steam by Nightdive Studios and Atari, it follows private investigator Tex Murphy through a futuristic mystery filled with noir influences, science fiction, eccentric characters, humor, and increasingly dangerous discoveries. Its technology is obviously dated today, but the ambition behind its presentation and storytelling remains easy to appreciate. Set in 2033, the story puts Tex in the familiar role of a struggling private investigator working in San Francisco. What begins as an investigation develops into a much broader mystery involving powerful individuals, corporate interests, Mars, and secrets with potentially enormous consequences. The narrative succeeds because it gradually expands its scope without abandoning the detective framework at its center. Tex spends much of the adventure pursuing leads, questioning people, searching locations, and attempting to understand how seemingly disconnected pieces of information relate to the ca…

It's a very old school point and click adventure game. You'll need to follow a walkthrough the entire time. It's far too easy to get stuck in a no-win situation.

The mouse cursor shoots to the right edge of the screen every time I barely touch the mouse. It's kind of hard to play a point & click game when the pointer instantly makes a run for it like a toddler with his overalls jam packed full of chocolate cake.