Private Moon Studios, the talent behind the successful Agon series, has recently announced a new adventure game. Yoomurjak’s Ring promises an engaging story, interesting environments, and an intriguing mystery. If you are looking for a solid dose of pure adventure gaming, Yoomurjak’s Ring could be the answer.
The hero of our tale is Jonathan Hunt, a young American journalist. Upon reading the famous Hungarian novel, Eclipse of the Crescent Moon, Jonathan decides to visit the city depicted in the book. However, his would-be vacation quickly turns into an investigation when Jonathan happens upon two letters.
To Jonathan’s surprise, the letters clearly show that Samuel Hunt, Jonathan’s great-grandfather and the protagonist from the Agon series, knew a Hungarian inventor by the name of Pal Ábray. In honor of his great-grandfather’s old friendship, Jonathan decides to look for a descendant of Pal Ábray. While he fails to find a member of the family, Jonathan accidentally meets “a strange old man who tells him an unbelievable story” involving an ancient ring (Valéria Papp from Private Moon Studios).
The details of the old man’s story are yet to be revealed. However, we do know that he speaks of Géza Gárdonyi, the author of Eclipse of the Crescent Moon, Yoomurjak, one of the characters from the novel, and his grandfather Zsigmond Jámbor. It turns out that Zsigmond was Pal Ábray’s assistant. Two letters from Ábray to Samuel Hunt do seem to back up the old man’s story. However, before he can complete the investigation, verify the truth of his tale, and discover the mystery behind the ring, the old man dies.
It is now up to Jonathan to uncover the secrets buried in history. He will travel through many real historical sites in his quest to find the truth. Jonathan’s adventure will take the players to “a medieval castle, citizen houses from the baroque age, a bath from the Turkish era, and parks from the last century” (Private Moon Studios December 2005 Press Release). As Jonathan continues the investigation, he will encounter many colorful characters and face a dangerous gangster. However, Jonathan will not have to face all of his challenges alone. A young woman from the local travel agency will prove to be an invaluable ally.
Yoomurjak’s Ring is designed as a pure adventure game. The game will feature an extended version of the Agon engine. Adventure gamers will recognize the “360° panorama view and node-to-node movement” (Valéria Papp). Jonathan will encounter the obstacles typical of adventure games as he continues his investigation. The game will feature inventory-based challenges as well as other types of puzzles. Jonathan will also engage in a good deal of character interaction. To help him in his quest, he will have access to several tools including his trusty “mobile phone, notebook, map, and the Encyclopedia” (Valéria Papp).
Yoomurjak’s Ring is gearing up for a release in Hungary during the spring of 2006. Judging by the available information, Private Moon Studios could deliver another solid adventure game with Yoomurjak’s Ring. Gamers can expect to explore fascinating historical sites and uncover an intriguing plotline that ties history with fiction. Here’s hoping that an international release will quickly follow the initial release in Hungary.
 
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