Deja Vu: A Nightmare Comes True!!

Deja Vu: A Nightmare Comes True is a point-and-click mystery game developed by ICOM Simulations and published by Mindscape. The title was released initially for the Apple Macintosh in 1985, then released for Amiga in 1986, MS-DOS in 1987, NES in 1990, and other platforms later.

This was the first game developed by this company founded in Illinois that later on would be called Rabid entertainment, known by the saga of Beavis, Butt-head, and Sherlock Holmes. Deja Vu was also the first in the four-entry MacVenture adventure series, which later featured Uninvited, Shadowgate, and Deja Vu II: Lost in Las Vegas

The story is based on retired boxer Theodore "Ace" Harding. Now working as a detective, the hero wakes up in a bathroom with no memory of how he got there. Soon after, he discovers that the toilet belongs to a murder victim, and the police quickly blame Theodore for what happened. Therefore, the protagonist investigates the events, looking for clues to prove his innocence. Besides, he must find a cure for his lack of memory, which gradually affects his mind and sanity.

True to the point-and-click genre, the player must go through various maps, interact with other characters, and look for clues. The title has a multiple inventory system that allows you to see several menus simultaneously. Decision-making is also vital for developing the title, where the character must react differently when interacting with other characters.

The fact that Deja Vu originally came out as a black-and-white adventure does not mean that it has few notorious stylistic features. Firstly, some characters are surrounded by an aura of mystery or aggression. To accentuate this, the designers occupied most of their faces with black pixels, thus generating shadows that give them a sense of imposition. Next, the game is inclined to solve riddles, so the quest takes up only a tiny portion of the screen, and the rest is reserved for text and menus. As they all live together, they don't leave any part of the composition unused, filling the user with information and not letting the main picture breathe.

The critics gave mixed reviews, highlighting its resolution of puzzles but have yet to reach a consensus on whether the graphics and sound effects passed the test. In short, with all the retro components that are usually loved, Deja Vu: A Nightmare Comes True!! is an excellent choice for lovers of suspense and mystery.