Space Quest V: The Next Mutation

Space Quest V: The Next Mutation is a humorous graphic adventure released in 1993 for PC.

The game marked a significant shift in the beloved sci-fi parody series originally created by Mark Crowe and Scott Murphy — the “Two Guys from Andromeda.” By this point in the franchise, the creative duo had split ways: Crowe remained with Dynamix (a Sierra subsidiary), while Murphy moved on to other projects. As a result, this fifth entry was led solely by Crowe, giving the game a more personal and streamlined direction, though still rooted in the absurd humor and pop culture satire that fans loved.

Once again, the player takes control of Roger Wilco, the janitor-turned-space hero, who this time finds himself (through a hilarious bureaucratic mishap) promoted to starship captain. The game is a non-stop parody of Star Trek, filled with exaggerated characters, grotesque mutations, ridiculous enemies, and slapstick humor. Unlike earlier titles that focused more on standalone gags and time-hopping, Space Quest V features a more cohesive storyline, with character development and even a romantic subplot involving Roger and a female officer on his ship.

Technically, the game transitions from the earlier SCI0 engine to the improved SCI1.1, which supports VGA graphics with 256 colors and smoother animation. It ditches the text parser we have seen in Space Quest III: The Pirates of Pestulon for example, in favor of a fully point-and-click interface, which simplifies gameplay but retains the punishing difficulty Sierra games were known for — including instant deaths, obscure puzzles, and situations where you can get stuck with no way to proceed if you made the wrong choice earlier.

Unlike Space Quest 4, which featured full voice acting in its CD-ROM version, Space Quest V was released without spoken dialogue, which some fans found disappointing; however, the improved visuals, clever writing, and tighter plot made up for this shortcoming.

The game was well received by fans and is often praised for being one of the most focused and narratively consistent entries in the series. While some longtime players missed the creative balance that Murphy had brought to the earlier games, Crowe's solo effort resulted in a charming and highly entertaining space adventure. Space Quest V remains a fan favorite, especially for those who enjoy sci-fi humor with a heavy dose of incompetence and chaos.