This review is of the European version of Capri. Since this review was originally published, Got Game Entertainment - the North American publisher - has increased the save game slots from three to six you can now play the game three different ways:

In the original Italian
In English
Or in Italian with English subtitles

The Got Game Entertainment release has also included a separate soundtrack of the game's music.

I don’t usually write reviews of games that I haven’t finished but A Quiet Week-end in Capri (Italian title: Un Tranquilo Week-end a Capri) is one I am unlikely to finish in the near future. This game is part of an initiative of the Capri Tourist Board and as such, the game is quite difficult to complete. This game was, amazingly, the work of Silvio and Gey Savarese, a two-man team, who designed every aspect of the game. This is a banner biennium for independent developers.

It is a simple procedure to set up the game-one disk is for installation and the other is for play. The game requires a 1024x768 desktop resolution, which, unusually for games these days, does not change automatically. It is a minor hassle for someone like me who tends to favor the 800x600 resolution. Perhaps building this in to the game engine would have reduced my minor complaints about getting started with the game.

The game itself is a delight. It is comparable to Myst in that it uses a sideshow technique to further movement, but there were three games that it reminded me of while I played. Overall, the game is like CITY 2000 London, from the photorealism to the huge area of gameplay. This makes it very easy to get lost even with the built in map. A “jump-to” feature certainly would have meant less confusion for me. Second, the game’s story of mystery slowly revealed in an enchanting and seemingly straightforward environment reminded me of Golden Gate. Lastly, the photorealism and tourist potential of the product reminded me of The Sydney Mystery. All three of these games were enjoyable experiences so, in my opinion, they were on a winner with this title.

You play a tourist visiting Capri for the weekend but quickly it becomes apparent that someone is trying to stop you enjoying your weekend. You move around the island through a series of landscape and portrait oriented picture postcards that are simply breathtaking. Although I have never been to Capri, the impression I have after my cyberjourney is that I spent many a weekend there! Not since Byzantine the Betrayal have I felt this way. The game can be played in Italian with either English or Italian subtitles. This further increased my enjoyment because the people in it were neither English speaking actors (with awry accents) nor Italians struggling to speak a non-native language (as was the case in Byzantine the Betrayal). Admittedly, the actors were photographed only and not in FMV but I forgive the makers this one wrong step for having put so many feet right.

The game is clearly designed as a promotional exercise and even features a competition to win a weekend on Capri (excluding airfare). There are literally thousands of photographs, many of which serve no purpose in the game but to offer perspectives of the beauty that exists on the island. You can elect to take a tour of the island but the game has so many opportunities to see the views that while playing the game I often felt the need to stop and stare out over the sea or town in the distance. Scenes are numbered which allow easy record keeping of areas that need to be investigated at a later time in the game. A Quiet Week-end in Capri fact: over 4,500 photos were used. No, I did not type an extra 0! Such is the magnificent detail of this game…

Sound effects are lush but subtly add to the atmosphere. The game is primarily one of observation, searching, and discovery, which can make for a lonely experience. I thoroughly enjoyed almost aspect of this game. I haven’t completed the game yet and look forward to returning to it in the near future. It is quite a challenge to play (and rightly so, considering they are offering a substantial prize).

This game is great in almost every way. It enthuses me that such quality adventures are being marketed despite the so-called absence of a market. Perhaps the independent adventure creator is the way of our future? We can only hope with quality titles we see at the moment. This game deserves an award of excellence.

Final Grade: A

A demo and screenshot from A Quiet Weekend in Capri is available.

System Requirements:

• Windows 98, ME, XP, 2000 (95 and NT likely supported)
• Video card capable of resolution 1024x768, 32-bit color
• 700 MB free hard drive space
• CD-ROM
• 64 MB RAM
• SoundBlaster or equivalent sound card