A Gumshoe Sci-Fi Adventure

Call the genre computer noir --the stylized blending of ‘40s private-eye movies with ‘90s home computers. That’s what Access Software has come up with in its periodic trials of San Francisco shamus Tex Murphy.

The latest role-playing, adventure chapter is called “Martian Memorandum.” It’s the search for the kidnaped daughter of the richest man in the solar system. Let’s just put it this way: This dame’s no angel, and Daddy’s got a few secrets that you won’t learn without a fight. (Or without the game’s nifty built-in “Help” system that does away with the need of buying a hint book.)

We last saw Murphy a couple of years ago, when he wisecracked his way through the technical breakthrough “Mean Streets.” That game introduced Access’ startling photo-realism and innovative storytelling.

Real characters portrayed by real people carried on real conversations as they propelled a story that was centuries removed from your standard mock-medieval adventure game.

The tradition continues. “Martian Memorandum” begins in 2039 in Murphy’s seedy gumshoe’s office and proceeds through some of the high and low points of the Bay Area and beyond. The various high-lifes and lowlifes deliver predictable lines: “What brings you down here, Murphy,” queries fedora-topped Detective Mac Malden, “looking for a client?” The case takes Murphy to the Central American jungle and to the Mars colony before he solves the mystery. Along with the cop, stock characters include the has-been movie star, the strung-out model, the ever eager Girl Friday and, of course, the persuadable secretary.

“Martian Memorandum” has a bad case of sequel-itis. While “Mean Streets” was a critical and popular success, this game’s talking photographs seem more gimmick than innovation.

Martian Memorandum

Rating: ***IBM and compatibles. 640K with 530K free memory; hard disk with 7.2 megabytes free. List: $59.95.

Computer games are rated on a five-star system, from one star for poor to five for excellent.