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Timescape: Journey to Pompeii (aka Pompei: The Legend of Vesuvius)

Adrian Blake has been cursed by the goddess Ishtar because he refused her advances.  The goddess has taken Adrian’s betrothed, Sophia, back in time to ancient Pompeii, and he must go there to win her love all over again and save her life in the four days before Mount Vesuvius erupts.

The gameplay is first person, although you see your character often in cut scenes when interacting with others.  As you explore the city trying to find and rescue Sophia, you will have to solve many puzzles, several of which are timed.  They are not onerous, but a couple of them took me several tries to complete.

One of the things that struck me as strange in the game was the awkward movement of the characters, especially when they were walking.  They tended to bend in weird ways, which was comical at times but also distracting. 

The path through the game is fairly linear, although the player does have some choice as to what to do next.  For instance, the old woman, Locasta, pictured in the screenshot above, asks you to find certain items for her in exchange for her help, and you have freedom in the order you gather them.  There is also a map to help you get around, although I never found the need to use it.

All in all, I liked the game despite its flaws.  It gave me a peek at the ordinary people of the time as they went about their daily lives before the tragedy struck.

I remember trying to rescue others but I forget who finally made it out.