This article originally appeared in Pyramid #23

Pyramid Pick

Afterlife, the Last Word in Sims

Publisher: LucasArts
Designer: Michael Stemmle
Lead Programmer: Julian Graham
Retail Price: $ 49.95 (Mac and PC CD-ROM)

Pop quiz, hotshot. You're running Heaven and Hell. The angels are rioting, the demons are about to, you don't have room for incoming SOULs, and you're so in debt the "Powers That Be" have sent the Four Surfers of the Apocalypso after you . . . where are you?

Welcome to Afterlife. You assume the role of a Demiurge, appointed to run Heaven and Hell for a planet inhabited by EMBOs (Ethically Mature Biological Organisms) with a culture similar to ours. Your job is to zone space for punishments and rewards. To this end you are given money, undeveloped astral territory, and advisors to assist you.

Great, huh? There's a catch.

First, each SOUL (Stuff Of Unending Life) is sent to Heaven, Hell, or both based on its' beliefs (unbelievers simply never show up), for which you get paid in cents per SOUL. If you don't have room at the appropriate fate, you lose both SOUL and money! To complicate matters, some SOULs believe in reincarnation and eventually have to be sent back to the planet.

There's more. Heaven gets blue, Hell freezes over, Birds of Paradise and Bats Out of Hell visit your realms and leave reminders of their passing. Pieces of Heaven can go to Hell in a Handbasket, and last but not least, the disco demon can boogie through Hell in a "Disco Inferno." If you go broke, the "Powers That Be" will fire you . . .

This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.



Article publication date: January 1, 1997

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