Yellow Brick Road
(1996, Synergy)

By Alexander Tait
25 April 2001

This is a rare (nearly legendary) adventure game released by Synergy, the
Japanese company that released Gadget, L-Zone, Zeddas: Servants of Sheol, and
Alice: Interactive Museum, and, in my opinion, the best of all of the three I
have played (I've also played Gadget and Zeddas). In hearing of this game, I
could not find a single reference to its existence other than a listing on Mr.
Bill's adventure page. After several weeks of searching, I was able to find a
mention of it on a Japanese Playstation page, which merely had a picture of the
cover. Knowing a little Japanese, I was able to determine it was an adventure
game so I took a chance and bought it. The game most resembles another
Quicktime-
based game called Grackon's Curse with a more interesting premise. It is a
traditional first-person adventure (with some action utilizing tactical
strategy), although it involves an almost RPG-like set up when it comes to
combat. As the game progresses, others join you on your quest: Tin Man, the
Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow. This is a simplified form of combat where each
combatant selects another to battle. The game was designed with family gaming in
mind, so you won't find any controversial topics here, although you can be
killed. None of the people you attack are ever killed, though. They merely run
away. The puzzles are all inventory-based and quite easy, but the game was a
nice
departure from the serious adventures I usually play.

Start

Yellow Brick Road
You begin on the shore of a body of water just off the Yellow Brick Road. Turn
around and "follow the Yellow Brick Road." At a junction, turn left. Follow the
road to a hut.

Tin Man's Hut
One of the Radish Brothers sits at the entrance to the hut. Click on him to wake
him up. He was sitting on a pedal. Click on the pedal to open the door. After
almost being killed by Tin Man, he apologizes and asks where you are from. An
interactive flashback involving a house (in Kansas?) and shoes (not ruby
slippers?) follows. Approach the fireplace and collect the shoes. You return to
the present. Tin Man agrees to join your party first to free Lion and then to
defeat the Gnome Empire. Collect the saw (blade) and the sprayer from Tin Man's
hut before departing on the Yellow Brick Road again.

Yellow Brick Road
Turn left at the junction. You will come across Lion chained to a boulder. Two
gnomes leap out, and a battle ensues. A brief statistics sheet is displayed
showing strengths and weaknesses of the combatants. The game turns to a third-
person perspective as you are required to line them up in the battle. Use the
weapons in inventory by dragging them to the desired character (at this stage,
only Tin Man). There are multiple ways to win the battle, but I found the
sprayer
and saw blade most successful. Pick up the crown. Open the stocks to free Lion.
Lion informs you (through the C3P0-like interpreter, Tin Man) that Scarecrow is
on his way to the Emerald City. Return to the shore where you started at the
other end of the Yellow Brick Road.

End of the (Yellow Brick) Road
Lion and Tin Man get the gondola. Click on the gondola for a trip to the Emerald
City.

Emerald City

Outside
Speak with the guards. They leave you no other alternative but to fight. My
strategy here was to keep knocking out one guard with the sprayer and then
gradually defeat the other guard. Then, when the first guard was defeated, to
turn the attacks to the second guard. The most successful weapons were: the
crown
for Lion and ax for Tin Man. Enter the foyer.

Foyer
A huge fountain sits in the center of the foyer disallowing access to the upper
level. There are two verandahs (left and right) with doors off them. Take the
first door on the left.

Dining Room
There are three guards in this room eating at the table. After speaking with
them, you have another battle. My strategy here was to knock two of the guards
out using the sprayer and then have Lion attack with his claws and Tin Man with
his ax. Exit the room.

Foyer
The second door on the left is locked and padlocked but has a peephole in the
top, which allows you to see that Scarecrow is inside. Take the first door on
the
right side.

Dressing Room
Approach the large wardrobe. Open all the doors and drawers and speak with
several of the Radish Brothers. The most important are the third drawer on the
left (you are told Oz is on the second floor) and the lower door on left (you
receive the key to the storage room). Exit the room.

Foyer
The second door to the right is locked and cannot be opened. Return to the
second
door on the left. Use the key in the padlock. Enter the storage room.

Storage Room
Enter the room to find Scarecrow tied up on a bench. Talk with Scarecrow. Lion
will chew the ropes to free him. Scarecrow tells you to turn the valve to clear
the foyer of water and allow access to upstairs. He also asks that you search
for
his flute (on the stairs). Move the bench. Click on the valve to turn it, and a
sound of water rushing out begins. Return to the foyer.

Foyer
A video sequence plays of the water draining away. Approach the stairs. Click on
the flute to pick it up. Go up the stairs. The large double doors in front of
you
are locked. Head over to the left verandah upstairs. Neither of these doors
opens. Try the right verandah. The second door on the right opens into a
bedroom.

Bedroom (Second Door on Right)
Click on the Radish Brother. It flees revealing a switch. Pull the switch. The
four-poster bed descends, and you can approach a crystal ball. You are
teleported
to another room.

Teleportation Room 1 (First Door on Left)
Click on the crystal ball opposite the first. Three guards appear. Prepare to
fight. This is how I defeated them: Tin Man and Scarecrow attacked Guard 3 while
Lion kept the others in check. Then Tin Man and Lion attacked Guard 1 while
Scarecrow kept Guard 2 in check. Then Tin Man and Scarecrow fought Guard 2. This
allowed access to the crystal ball. Again, you are teleported to another room.

Teleportation Room 2 (First Door on Right)
In this room are three crystal balls. The first will return you to Teleportation
Room 1. The second returns you to the Bedroom. The third sends you to a new
room.

Teleportation Room 3 (Second Door on Left)
Talk to the guards (one of which has a pumpkin for a head). Once again, you are
required to fight. This is how I defeated them (easily the hardest fight in the
game): Tin Man and Lion attacked the pumpkin-headed guard (Tin Man used the
sprayer, Lion his claws). Next, Tin Man and Scarecrow both used the flute to
attack the guard on the right. They then did the same with the left guard. When
defeated, you find a table in the corner with a bottle of magic water and a key
to the Royal Chamber. Return to the large double doors.

Double Doors
Use the key on the door to enter the Royal Chamber.

Royal Chamber
When you approach the throne, suddenly a giant head and two giant hands appear.
They belong to Oz. They were easily defeated by Tin Man and Scarecrow using the
magic water. I attacked the left hand first, then the right, and then the head.
You have a conversation with Oz when his figures are defeated. He informs you
Princess Glinda is missing. He asks that Tin Man, Lion, and Scarecrow stay until
her return. However, for some strange reason you wish to leave (just when it's
getting interesting ...). Lucky for you, Oz has your golden slippers. You return
to your home.

Kansas

Home
You are shown the end video, replete with a teaser of Yellow Brick Road 2,
wherein Princess Glinda makes a plea that you return to Oz to "help me." Game
over.

I searched everywhere on the disk for a possible part two. There was an icon for
part two but no game. I felt cheated by this incomplete game. Anyway, I enjoyed
what I played!

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