If you're anything like me, then you're probably limited to travelling on a budget. And by travel I mean "don't travel", and by budget I mean "what budget?" Fortunately, there's a cheaper alternative to global sightseeing in the form of adventure gaming. Without the jet lag, we can be transported instantly to exotic locales to experience foreign cultures and roam famous landmarks. In fact, some developers are beginning to see the potential for games to actually work hand in hand with the tourism industry — although presumably they hope to entice visitors, not replace the need to ever get off one's couch, but let's not quibble over details.

Much like last year's A Quiet Weekend in Capri did for the scenic Italian island, this year it's the lovely little Hungarian town of Eger that's getting the adventure spotlight, courtesy of Yoomurjak's Ring by Private Moon Studios. The municipality of Eger was looking for new and perhaps unconventional ways to promote the town, so they launched a contest for creative ideas. Private Moon's proposal of an FMV adventure set in the heart of the town was chosen the winner, and a new game project was born… and better yet, funded.

But lest people think this is nothing more than product placement writ large, rest assured that the Hungarian studio better known for its AGON series has set out to make a full-fledged adventure in which Eger is merely the backdrop, albeit a culturally fascinating one. So while exploring the town whose history dates back to the 10th century, and admiring its predominantly Baroque-style buildings built in the 18th century, you'll quickly be caught up in an engaging mystery that may just point to the existence of time travel.

Of course, the letters "FMV" may cause some to run screaming from the room without waiting to hear more, but long before cheap clones and oversaturation turned all but the diehards against it, full motion video was a viable adventure format that produced some real gems like the later Tex Murphy games and Gabriel Knight: The Beast Within. In the right hands, FMV can provide a far more realistic experience, and key members of Private Moon's staff have prior experience in film as well game development, so the combination seems ideally suited to their talents. We were able to meet with Private Moon at E3 to discuss this interesting project, and better yet, walk away with a playable demo from the beginning of the game to see for ourselves.

The story of Yoomurjak's Ring revolves around an American journalist name Jonathan Hunt. If the name sounds familiar, Jonathan is the grandson of AGON's protagonist, Samuel Hunt. The elder Hunt makes no appearance in this modern-day adventure, but two intriguing letters written to him near the turn of the 20th century provide the foundation for the game. Jonathan is on his way to Hungary after his mother's death, seeking to discover his cultural roots and make a break from his former life in New York. His destination is Eger, the setting of a real historical novel by Géza Gárdonyi called The Eclipse of the Crescent Moon. Eger is also the hometown of Professor Pál Ábray, who wrote the letters now in Jonathan's possession. These letters passionately defend the possibility of travelling through time, and hint at the existence of a device to prove it. While Jonathan is entirely skeptical of the contents, he nevertheless decides to seek out the descendents of Ábray.

Once in Eger, Jonathan meets up with an old man whose own grandfather had been an apprentice for Ábray until he disappeared suddenly long ago. Though presumed dead, the old man contends that his grandfather had in fact triggered the time machine and transported himself back to the 16th century, where he left clues of his presence — clues later discovered and recorded as the "fictional" character of Yoomurjak in Gárdonyi's famous book. Unfortunately, the old man dies before having a chance to fully tell Jonathan his story, leaving behind only some vague clues and a note imploring Jonathan to finish his research.



Yoomurjak's Ring is a purely point and click affair played from a first-person perspective, with each node offering 360-degree panning. The backgrounds are all photographic, and the game's 600 panoramic views cover more than thirty locations, from Eger's historic fort to a minaret from the town's Turkish period to an immense basilica, to name just a few. These settings are integral to the plot, and once visited the first time, you can easily move between them by a simple click on the game's map, though you'll probably want to simply wander for a while on a leisurely storefront sightseeing tour on the stone streets of Eger. The game definitely works as a tourism vehicle, doing such a nice job of showcasing the town that you'll wish you could interact more with the scenery around you.

But of course there's a game to be played, and Jonathan soon finds himself in pursuit of the titular ring that has a special significance to the time device. Unfortunately, he's not the only one seeking it, as a local gangster is also on its trail. As you explore, you'll have to search for clues, collect and use items, and solve a variety of puzzles. Whether decoding ciphers, creating a coat of arms from various descriptions, preparing a 16th century bomb, or even working on an unfinished symphony by Schubert, there should be plenty to keep players busy throughout the course of the game's expected twenty hours of play time.

Included in that timeframe is more than an hour and a half of filmed footage, as we return again to the game's FMV element. In many ways, this is the greatest strength of Yoomurjak's Ring, but it also presents its inherent limitation. The game features over thirty professional actors, including some well-known stars… or at least, well-known in Hungary. Since bad acting is the biggest complaint against FMV, the use of experienced professionals ensures high quality performances. However, as the only language spoken is Hungarian, localized versions of the game will need to rely on voice dubbing and subtitles, so some of the more nuanced benefits may be lost. As the game is still a work in progress, the demo version I played didn't include English voiceovers, and the subtitles had a few rough edges, but the actors seem comfortable in their roles, and the performances flow naturally. If you're the sort of person that can easily immerse yourself in a quality foreign film, you'll have no problem adjusting to and appreciating Yoomurjak's Ring.



A few other noteworthy aspects of the game are its in-game encyclopedia, a notebook that records all relevant information, and a mobile phone that allows Jonathan to call and send text messages to people. The game also includes a nice touch for reading letters. As the handwritten fonts used in some games make documents difficult to read, Private Moon has incorporated a feature where rolling your cursor over segments of text creates a pop-up box with more legible print. I didn't find the letters themselves to be unmanageable, but it's a thoughtful idea for those that may.

Yoomurjak's Ring is scheduled for release in Hungary in September, which will be supported by a large national promotion campaign, including movie trailers, posters, magazine ads, and more. Localized versions of the game are planned for international release shortly after that (though certainly with much less fanfare), but no publishing details have yet been announced.

FMV games may not be to everyone's taste, but if you've been pining for a decent live-action adventure since the classics of the mid-'90s, Yoomurjak's Ring may prove to be just what you're looking for. And if the next visit to your travel agent has you looking up local bus routes for affordable destinations, then a virtual trip to Eger, Hungary will be right at your fingertips. If the quality of the complete game can fulfill the promise of the early demo, it will be well worth the trip.