Plundered Hearts
Encyclopedia
Plundered Hearts is an interactive fiction
computer game created by Amy Briggs
and published by Infocom
in 1987. It was released simultaneously for several popular computer platforms of the time, such as the PC
and Commodore 64
. Plundered Hearts was Infocom's first (and only) game in the "romance
" genre. It is Infocom's twenty-eighth game.
, Plundered Hearts casts the player in a well-defined role. The lead character is a young female in the late 17th century who has received a letter. Jean Lafond, the governor
of the small West Indies island of St. Sinistra, says that the player's father has contracted a "wasting tropical disease". Lafond suggests that his recovery would be greatly helped by the loving presence of his daughter, and sends his ship (the Lafond Deux) to transport her.
As the game begins, the ship is attacked by pirates and the player's character is kidnapped. Eventually the player's character finds that two men are striving for her affections: dashing pirate Nicholas Jamison, and the conniving Jean Lafond. As the intrigue plays out, the lady does not sit idly by and watch the men duel over her; she must help Jamison overcome the evil plans of Lafond so they have a chance to live happily ever after.
#128 (1987), citing its "gripping prose, challenging predicaments, and scenes of derring-do".
Interactive fiction
Interactive fiction, often abbreviated IF, describes software simulating environments in which players use text commands to control characters and influence the environment. Works in this form can be understood as literary narratives and as video games. In common usage, the term refers to text...
computer game created by Amy Briggs
Amy Briggs
Amy R. Briggs is known for creating Plundered Hearts, an interactive fiction computer game published by Infocom in 1987. A Minnesota native, she graduated from Macalester College in 1984 with a B.A. in English, specializing in British literature. Already a fan of Infocom's games, Briggs joined the...
and published by Infocom
Infocom
Infocom was a software company, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that produced numerous works of interactive fiction. They also produced one notable business application, a relational database called Cornerstone....
in 1987. It was released simultaneously for several popular computer platforms of the time, such as the PC
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
and Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
. Plundered Hearts was Infocom's first (and only) game in the "romance
Romance novel
The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Through the late...
" genre. It is Infocom's twenty-eighth game.
Plot
In a move that was formerly unusual for Infocom but increasingly common after its acquisition by ActivisionActivision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
, Plundered Hearts casts the player in a well-defined role. The lead character is a young female in the late 17th century who has received a letter. Jean Lafond, the governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the small West Indies island of St. Sinistra, says that the player's father has contracted a "wasting tropical disease". Lafond suggests that his recovery would be greatly helped by the loving presence of his daughter, and sends his ship (the Lafond Deux) to transport her.
As the game begins, the ship is attacked by pirates and the player's character is kidnapped. Eventually the player's character finds that two men are striving for her affections: dashing pirate Nicholas Jamison, and the conniving Jean Lafond. As the intrigue plays out, the lady does not sit idly by and watch the men duel over her; she must help Jamison overcome the evil plans of Lafond so they have a chance to live happily ever after.
Feelies
Infocom had a reputation for not only creating involving stories, but also for feelies, which were extra items included with each game. The Plundered Hearts package held:- an "elegant velvet reticule" (pouch) containing the following items:
- a 50 guinea banknote from St. Sinistra
- a letter from Jean Lafond reporting the illness of the player character's father
Reception
Game reviewers Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser complimented the game in their "The Role of Computers" column in DragonDragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#128 (1987), citing its "gripping prose, challenging predicaments, and scenes of derring-do".