Murder on the Mississippi (Adventure) Compatibility: 64 K Apple II series Requirements: One disk drive Everyone knows that when a famous detective takes a vacation there's sure to be a juicy murder. So when the reknown British sleuth, Sir Charles Foxworth, and his faithful sidekick Regis board the "Delta Princess" for New Orleans, it's a sure bet that somebody's ticket is going to be punched, permanently. In Activision's "Murder on the Mississippi" you are Sir Charles, challenged to discover the foul deed, gather evidence, and nail the culprit-- all on shipboard. With only three days to New Orleans every minute counts; so you best get cracking! Employing four-quadrant joystick controls for movement and a scrolling hires display, "Murder'" merges an arcade look and feel with the deliberate pace and puzzle-busting emphasis of an adventure. You and Regis actually walk along the four decks of the "Delta Princess", move about inside cabins searching for clues, and may even direct a passenger or crewman to accompany you. There turn out to be eight prime suspects including the straight-laced captain, an infamous judge, a flitatious southern belle, and five others just as colorful. While gathering clues is essential; it is the collected statements of your suspects, especially about each other, which ultimately spell the evil-doer's doom-- that is, if you are clever enough to see the pattern, but not too clever for your own good. Falling into a trap can have nasty consequences; and, of course, an unsubstantiated or mistaken accusation can get you tossed off the boat. "Murder on the Mississippi" is a well thought-out adventure mystery just slightly burdened by sluggish controls. Since the only real puzzle is 'who done it', menu-driven search and questioning options are more than adequate. Game save/restore functions work well; and a nifty scheme for in-program, on-screen note-taking frees you from most paper and pencil work. The game is a bit slow to start; but once the clues start rolling in, this is one you'll have trouble turning loose. Available from Activision: P.O. Box 7286, Mountain View, CA 94039. (415) 960-0410. $39.95 GRFX S.M. PLAY DIFF INTR GAME ---------------------------------- 07 06 07 06 07 07 ing in, thi