Das Stundenglas (DOS)

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100 point score based on reviews from various critics.
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Das Stundenglas (“The hourglass”) is the first of three interactive fiction games by German developer Weltenschmiede (the others being Die Kathedrale and Hexuma - Das Auge des Kal). It is entirely in German.

Upon jumping into a mysterious chest, you arrive in a beautiful fairy-tale world. Yet the serenity is spoiled: the enchanted hourglass that controls the flow of time is lost, and the world has been split into two realities. Both planes are the very same land, but certain buildings and people exist only in one of the two zones. On your quest to reclaim the missing artefact, you will have to travel between the two worlds and claim a magical coin from each of the twelve inhabitants; of course, all of them ask a little favor in return for their gift…

The game contains a (generous) time limit; you have to find the hourglass in 24 days. Consequently, there is a day-night-rhythm, and the characters will wander between certain locations in a daily routine. There are two graphics for most locations to reflect day and night.

You can download Das Stundenglas for free by now; check the links section.


Das Stundenglas DOS The prologue.
Das Stundenglas DOS The distant ice castle is important. And locked.
Das Stundenglas DOS A particularly idyllic valley.
Das Stundenglas DOS ...and the deepest chasms of the land.

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User Reviews

Simply charming. -Chris (7365) 3.2 Stars3.2 Stars3.2 Stars3.2 Stars3.2 Stars

The Press Says

Freegame.cz Aug 29, 2001 75 out of 100 75
Joker Verlag präsentiert: Sonderheft 1993 56 out of 100 56
Power Play Dec, 1990 48 out of 100 48


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Copy protection

For copy protection reasons, Das Stundenglas relied heavily on the additional material supplied with the box. The 40 page mini-novel Geheimnis der Zeiten ("Secret of the Times") contained several crucial clues without which the game was unsolvable. A code wheel was required to construct keywords 12 times throughout in the game. And the paper map made navigating through the world much easier.

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-Chris (7365) added Das Stundenglas (DOS) on Aug 15, 2001
Other platforms contributed by Xoleras (66309)