Kithara and I randomly stumbled upon this video game on a list of worst of all time.
Jurassic Park: Trespasser (1998)
I had never heard of the game but the descriptions begged a further analysis.
It was a totally overly ambitious attempt at a fully immersible open-world adventure that was rushed and ended up being a mess.
The game started development in 1995 and had several technical firsts but these are mostly forgotten due to the glitched game play.
What everyone remembers about the game other than the numerous technical problems is the protagonist's chest.
Not only was it surprisingly large but it also served as the only way to determine health levels via a changing tattoo.
Yes, to check your health you looked at your cleavage.In retrospect it is very tempting to see many parallels with Tomb Raider.
The "South Pacific" portion of Tomb Raider III, released late in 1998 is very similar but lacked the physics and first person play.
Interestingly the entire plot of Tomb Raider 2013 is almost lifted from Trespasser except with pirates in lieu of dinosaurs.
Included here is a few screen shots and interesting comparison images: (top to bottom and left to right they are)
1. This is a great view of the health level tattoo and it should be noted that she is laying prone on her back - talk about projection.
2. Full health (no red) and it should be noted that objects can be hidden out of view behind your chest in this game.
3. The rod is the end of a riffle almost out of view beneath your ample bosom.
4. You can control just her right arm in an awkward and often disproportionate manner - she has no lower left arm, or feet.
5. Almost dead so says the tattoo.
6. Your body also responds to the physics of the game and you can get stuck between fixed objects, due to your large breasts!.
7. Rare view looking over her right shoulder gained when stuck in the previous image.
8. Odd arm - hand - gun configurations.
9. There are times you must jump down into or onto spots that are hidden from view by your boobs. There is a pool down there.
10. This clue is on the floor and back in '98 at lower resolutions you had to stand closer to make out some text just as it **89** of view.
11. After dispatching a raptor you can manipulate it and even pet it.
12. After dispatching a raptor it can also become "messed up" and you can still shoot it as it oddly moves by itself.
13. With a modern machine running with maximum graphic textures reveals she has brown body hair and highlights on the heart tattoo.
14. Some game glitches actually cause her shirt to vanish briefly - alas she is not modeled past her shirt.
15. There are fans of the game (yes there are) and this is a modern take on Anne the gal from the game... who looks a lot like...
16. Lara Croft of Tomb Raider fame which is obviously the same digital model with adjustments.
17. Lara Croft of Tomb Raider 2013 which has an even closer similarity to the Anne of the game.There are even fan sites talking about and making pseudo-history about the character.
http://jpfanon.wikia.com/wiki/Anne_CarterShe is only ever called Anne in the game with no last name.
Anyway - for a game with such an emphasis on looking at boobs I am surprised it had not been mentioned previously.
They wanted to code for two arms but that was just too much at the time.Other interesting info:
Anne survives the plane crash that strands her on the island because she is air-sick and locked in the plane's toilet.
Anne is voiced by Minne Driver who was 28 at the time and also looks a tiny bit like Anne / Lara Croft, just without the bust.
The game was so rushed there are still several items just left scattered around that either do not work or relate to missing areas.
It is possible to shot yourself in the game.
I did find a game play video in which Anne falls through a skylight only to get stuck because her bust hits the framed opening.
For a game with only 8 levels and rather short overall there are several Easter eggs - more than you would expect.
Anne has an in-game flat mate named Jill.
There is a reference to the Simpsons episode about the monorail which was a parody of The Music Man.