Amber: Journeys Beyond
A Myst-like ghost story with nonlinear gameplay and random events.
Amber: Journeys Beyond is a 1996 American computer game released for Apple Macintosh and Windows 95. It was the sole title from Hue Forest Entertainment, a studio founded by Frank and Susan Wimmer. The game is a first-person point-and-click adventure in the style of Myst, featuring nonlinear gameplay where events occur randomly based on the player's progress.
The story follows a friend of a mutual contact of paranormal researcher Dr. Roxanne "Roxy" Westbridge (voiced by Sandi Fix). A mutual contact asks the player character to check on Roxy, worried that her ghost-hunting equipment is not fully developed. While driving to Roxy's house in North Carolina, the player character crashes into a pond after seeing a ghostly apparition in the road. Emerging from the water, they explore the property and find Roxy unconscious in the garage with a device on her head. They also discover her equipment, including the unfinished Astral Mobility By Electromagnetic Resonance (AMBER) headset, which lets the user enter ghosts' minds. As the player explores the house, they learn Roxy's spirit is trapped between realms while using AMBER.
The house is inhabited by three ghosts unaware of their deaths: Margaret (Emily Andress/Susan Wimmer), a woman who killed herself after learning her husband Richard (Brendan Underhill) died in World War II; Brice (Michael Brocki), a gardener who murdered his employers and their daughter Mandy (Tommi Swinson) under the delusion of alien abduction, then hanged himself; and Edwin (Matt Andress/Lauren Andress), a young boy who drowned in the frozen pond while playing with his talking doll Chip (voiced by Greg Purdy) and teddy bear. Using AMBER, the player helps each ghost remember their death, allowing them to move on. Once the ghosts are gone, AMBER gains enough energy to bring Roxy's spirit back. While trying to restore power to the house, the player character is electrocuted and dies, but is revived by an astral figure who tells them to save Roxy. The player accesses Roxy's computer to recalibrate AMBER, then places the headset on Roxy, causing an explosion in the garage. Roxy emerges unharmed, remarks that AMBER needs more work, and asks where the player parked their car.
Upon release, the game received moderate to favorable reviews.
- Release year
- 1996
- Platforms
- Apple Macintosh, Windows 95
- Developer
- Hue Forest Entertainment
- Founders
- Frank Wimmer and Susan Wimmer
- Genre
- First-person point-and-click adventure
- Notable for
- Only game by Hue Forest Entertainment; supernatural Myst-like adventure
Lore & Background
Amber: Journeys Beyond follows a player character who, after a car crash caused by a ghostly apparition, explores a North Carolina house inhabited by three ghosts. The player discovers that paranormal researcher Dr. Roxanne 'Roxy' Westbridge (voiced by Sandi Fix) is unconscious in the garage, her spirit trapped between realms while using the unfinished Astral Mobility By Electromagnetic Resonance (AMBER) headset. Using AMBER, the player helps each ghost—Margaret, Brice, and Edwin—remember their deaths, allowing them to pass on. Edwin's doll is named Chip, not Chippy. Once the ghosts depart, AMBER gains enough energy to return Roxy's spirit.
Reader's Guide
Amber: Journeys Beyond received moderate to favorable reviews at release, with critics noting it fell among the many Myst clones but stood out due to its eerie storyline and presentation. Praise focused on its haunting environments and ambient soundtrack, while criticisms included its short length and anticlimactic final puzzle. The game won Macworld's 1996 'Best Adventure Game' award and was named the 70th-best adventure game by Adventure Gamers in 2011. It was a finalist for the Software Publishers Association Codie award for Best Debut of the Year and received a Stamp of Approval from Computer Games Strategy Plus. Despite these accolades, the Macintosh version had disappointing sales, attributed by publisher Changeling's president to retailer reluctance to stock Mac games not ported from high-profile PC titles. The game remains the sole release of Hue Forest Entertainment.
Did You Know?
- The game's AMBER headset stands for 'Astral Mobility By Electromagnetic Resonance'.
- The ghost Edwin drowned in a frozen pond while playing with his talking doll Chippy, voiced by Greg Purdy.
- The player character dies by electrocution but is revived by an astral figure.
- Macworld gave Amber its 1996 'Best Adventure Game' award.
More in Point-and-click adventure games 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced