If you search hard enough and long enough through the new games that are buried on the store shelves at your local Electronics Boutique, chances are that you will accidentally stumble across at least two copies of Treasure Hunt 2001. I say at least two copies because every store ordered at least two units, and I seriously doubt that even one single copy has been sold at any store coast-to-coast.

In what can only be described as a major marketing blunder, Treasure Hunt 2001 was unceremoniously released in North America with no fanfare, no advertising, and no marketing. To be sure, it is very successful overseas, and thousands of gamers are currently attempting to solve the riddle of the Mask of Nefar and win a treasure worth at least one million dollars. Just Adventure was supposed to run a banner ad meant to encourage gamers to sign on for the treasure hunt; if you see it anywhere please let me know as we have been waiting for it going on three months.

So what is this Treasure Hunt 2001? Well, first of all, it is a 100% online game, and you must pay a monthly fee to play. It is not an adventure game, but it is a game that most adventure gamers would probably love. The player must solve inscrutable word puzzles, riddles, anagrams, and literally any type of puzzle you can imagine. You must play and interact with other gamers from around the world in your quest to find the sumptuous chest of gold that holds a prize worth one million dollars. (But what do you do if you want to play with other gamers, but they can't stand to be around you and sign off? Not that I'm speaking from personal experience ...) The hunt is expected to last until the last month of this year. Those who have been playing for the past month or so actually do not have an advantage over those who have just joined the hunt, as answers to previous puzzles are readily available and there are already dozens of European websites offering clues and advice to other players.

The puzzles are of an undetermined number. Some may takes days to solve, while others may take weeks. Some can only be solved by collecting clues from other players. For this purpose, there is a common meeting ground, or Forum, within the game that allows gamers from around the world to meet and swap ideas in a real-time atmosphere. Private meeting rooms are also available so that you may exchange clues and ideas with select individuals. The Forum also serves as the launchpad to the puzzles. These puzzles have all been created by the world-famous author Max Valentin.

The hunt occurs in a 3D environment, but you actually will not need a special card to play, as the game is run from Cryonetwork's ingenious 3D SCOL engine. The SCOL engine, in combination with a high-speed Internet connection, will allow for a smooth playing experience similar to those you may have seen playing Quake or Half-Life online, only now this technology is being used not for speed and destruction, but for puzzle-solving and cooperation. I have seen the SCOL engine firsthand, and it is very impressive.

So what is the point of all this, besides the chance to meet and play with gamers from all over the world? Well, there is a grand prize for all of your efforts (and there may also be smaller prizes awarded to those who don't win)--a gold chest designed by world-famous designer Gina Bruzzi--and inside the chest is an authentic ancient Egyptian mask made around 400 BC; also tucked away in a secret drawer in the chest is the 22-carat Black Diamond of Soleb. The diamond is rumored to be cursed. The Mask of Nefer is molded from linen and papyrus and painted in gold. Now these are not the type of items I personally would want on display in my parlor, and I would soon have them for auction on Ebay!

TH2001 is the type of game that should have and could have been advertised in outlets like The New York Times and Games Magazine. Instead, it is fated to obscurity, and there are probably ingenious marketing plans afoot to run a two-page advertisement in Next Generation or Better Homes and Gardens. You know, the type of places where gamers who love brain-busting puzzles gather. If you are the type who loves the puzzles in games like The 7th Guest or Myst, then TH2001 will be right up your alley. Pay a visit to the website, and then if you are interested, pick up a copy of the game and give it a try. What have you got to lose, other than dozens of hours of time once spent playing adventure games now spent on your Treasure Hunt 2001 addiction?

It really would not be fair to award Treasure Hunt 2001 a letter grade since there is, at the moment, no conclusion to the game, nor is there a plot. It is, rather, the type of game that you will either immensely like or vociferously dislike. We would, though, like to present a failing grade of F to the Cryonetworks Marketing and PR Department's North American arm for their total and abysmal failure to even attempt to publicize this product. If you don't know what to do with a product, then don't foist it on the public.

For those who are interested, Electronic Boutique has a very generous ten-day return policy. Please at least give the game a try, if it is not your cup of tea, then you have lost nothing, and, who knows, you may just get hooked on playing with an online community and with a little luck you might also find yourself with a cool million in pocket change.

System Requirements:

PII 450 MHz
64 MB RAM
Windows 95/98/2000
Internet connection (preferably high-speed)