Remembering Sierra On-line

On journey of revisiting older retro games, I found myself re-exploring the Sierra On-line games series. Back in the 80s and 90s, Sierra On-line was my favourite game company. With their hit series such as Kings Quest, Space Quest, Quest for Glory, Police Quest and Leisure Suit Larry. As a child learning computer programming, I used to dream of working for them one day.

Back then playing computer games was a cult hobby. So not everyone had access to it. Most other kids weren’t computer savvy enough in how to install, setup and play a computer game. And vast majority would rely on using a console such as NES or SNES, if they wanted to play a game. Little did they know what they were missing out on. As most games moved from computer to console, got dumbed down. So it could be argued that Console games were more simplistic.

I remember the first Sierra game I played, I was in awe. It was the first in the Kings Quest series. Which was an adventure game, giving you control of a character and some awkward typing commands. As commands such as “OPEN DOOR” was valid a way to navigate through the game. Back then the graphics were pixilated and blotchy, but to me it was art.

I remember eagerly browsing through the Sierra Catalogue that came with every game purchased. And I would anticipate being able to get the next game in the series. However, as I youth I was always limited by the funds on how many games I could purchase at the time.

The Sierra games grew bigger and bigger with each project in terms of budget and scope. However, they maintained a personal element with each game. As the Kings Quest series always felt they were the hand crafted work of Roberta Williams. And they started to call them “Interactive Movies” instead of Video games.

Nowadays, Video games have been easily competing in budget size and scope with movies. Yet in my mind, they have lost so much becoming loose around the edges. As a good portion of games today feel mechanical and bland. Feeling as if they were put together in a rushed manner.

I started to play some of the old Sierra games again, which was an adventure in itself. As learning how to play old DOS games on a Windows 7 platform was no easy task. However, I discovered necessary tools like DOSBOX and D-Fend Reloaded. As well as the GOG.COM website, which packages retro games so they are Plug and Play.

The graphics still do look a little blotchy. And at times the sound can even be a little awkward. But I’m filled with memories of joy in playing the old Sierra games. And that personal touch which I don’t see in games today.

I really do miss the good old days of the Sierra games. And it’s too bad the original company owners Ken and Roberta Williams sold the company in the mid 90s. As the Sierra games were never the same after that point. However, I suppose their work was done and their legacy was established. With all the fancy bells and whistles that games have these days, if they could only have that SOUL that the Sierra games had.