Maupiti Island

Pipeline is the only game I know that had completely different graphics depending whether it was run in 16 or 256 colors or more in Windows. And Maupiti Island is the only game I know that has completely different graphics for the Amiga and Atari ST on the one hand and the PC on the other hand, even though the two version were released in short sequence.

A possible reason for this (expensive) decision is that the original graphics, which would have looked good enough in VGA, would not have translated well to EGA and (monochrome) CGA, which were also supported. If you look at the screenshot comparison, you will find that the PC graphics have stronger contrasts and fewer fine details.

Links

• Download Maupiti Island for DOS
• Maupiti Island DOSBox screenshots
• Screenshot Comparison between the two versions.
• The Ending.

French Links

• Lankhor.net has lots of information.
• Interview with Stéphane Polard, who created the PC graphics.

Reviews

• Maupiti Island has been unjustly forgotten or rather not known well enough, Augustín Cordes believes:

  It doesn’t quite achieve the grandiosity of other contemporary titles but it’s a little world you won’t regret visiting for sure. Maupiti Island remains in my humble opinion one of the most intriguing adventures ever created and certainly one that earned an eternal install in my hard drive. Even long after finishing it, unveiling all its secrets and knowing the twists and turns of the story, there’s still an aura of mystery surrounding the game. I’m convinced that there are some things, be it character reactions or alternative paths, I might never learn about and, while this might unacceptable to some people, to me it’s invaluable because it means the game continues to live on. I’d rather not find about any of them and remember it this way, like an impenetrable fortress. After all, Maupiti Island is supposed to be a mysterious place.

• In general, I like this game a lot, Strobe confesses:

  It contains an appealing criminal story—although it might not be extremely innovative—and it has really lovely graphics and neat sound. The controls are logically built and the game's difficulty is not too hard, even if you've got to prove patient in some parts. In my view, Lankhor's crew has done great work and brought us an outmost solid and entertaining adventure, which is guaranteeing many hours of pleasurable gameplay, if you're willing to trade them for some minor problems.

• An excellent game that's marred only by a poor interface, Home of the Underdogs thinks:

  One of the hardest and most intriguing adventure games ever produced, Maupiti Island is also sadly one of the most overlooked despite attracting a loyal following in Europe. As private eye Jerome Lange, you are hired to investigate the abduction of Marie on isolated Maupiti Island. Conduct interviews, gather clues, and solve almost impossible puzzles that require insight as well as intuition.