Oregon Trail II keeps me coming back for more!

When I purchased the original Oregon Trail on Amazon, my curiosity was piqued at learning that there were other versions of this game available. Oregon Trail II seemed to get the highest number of positive ratings, so I ordered it as well. I loved the original version, but I was curious as to what had been added to the mix.

I wasn't disappointed! From start to finish, there are so many things you can do with this game. When you make out your personal profile, you have a choice of what year you want to travel in (a 20-year span!), and the month (February-August), which will have an impact on your trip. There are 2-4 different destinations and jumping off places to choose from, depending on which year you are using. Consult the available map to decide how long a trip you want to take.

You can decide whether you want to lead the way or leave the driving to someone else. If you are the leader, you will receive extra money, which is essential if your occupation doesn't yield a lot of money to spend. You can choose different skills that will help get you out of rough spots. There is an extensive list of occupations to choose from; the less money you start out with, the higher your score will be at the end. You can travel with 2-5 other passengers, this will also affect your score. There are 3 wagons to choose from, too, with recommendations for which is suitable for your trip.

After your profile is filled out, you are whisked away to your jumping off town, where you will buy supplies. One of the big improvements from OT I is that there are more characters to speak to, and they don't say the same thing every single time. When you get to town, wander around first, and converse with the locals; they will give valuable advice on getting started. Then, hit the stores! One thing that startled me the first time was that I actually had to make decisions as to what food I wanted, what clothes to buy, what tools I may need. I like it though, b/c I got a sense of just what was needed for a trip of this magnitude at that time in history.

Shopping takes some time until you figure out what essentials you need and can ignore the other things on the lists. Watch your money and weight limit; you'll need cash later on, and you won't be able to leave town if your wagon is too heavy. A heavy wagon is also more prone to tipping over during river crossings, and getting stuck in deep sand or mud.Before leaving town, you will choose from 3 different wagon teams; choose one with more people, since there will be more opportunities to trade for supplies if needed.

Wagons ho! As you travel, you will stop at many landmarks along the way. Using the glossary option, you can get information on the landmarks, towns and trading posts you'll visit on the way. Which towns and forts exist will depend on the year; check the itinerary in the guidebook, which will tell you which landmarks are in your trail. If you're leading the trip, the itinerary list is essential when you come to a fork in the road, at least until you get to know the trails by heart. You can talk to people at the stopping places; they may be able to give you valuable info on what to do next. If you need something, you can trade with them if they have the needed supply.

Some of the people you encounter may also resent your being there, like some of the Native Americans, or other travellers who also want to stake a claim. They don't do any harm except try to sap your morale, though. One tip, if you will be crossing land held by Mexico, choose Spanish as one of your skills, or you may not understand what is being said to you. The translation will be shown in print when the person speaks. I found this out the hard way, even after reading the User's Guide! The map available on the Profile page will indicate Mexican land.

The books are my favorite features of this game. There is a glossary that contains many terms, definitions of supplies that may be unfamiliar, and descriptions of all the landmarks on the trail. The guidebook also contains trail info, listing the landmarks on a given trail in the order in which you'll encounter them. The guide also contains valuable pre-journey advice. The diary option gives you a chance to record your own thoughts and feelings about the trip at any time along the way. In addition to these, there is a map provided that shows where you are at any given time. While not part of the game per se, OT II is blessed with an extensive User's guide that walks you through every feature in the game, from start to finish.

Like any trip, there are many hazards thrown in your way. Rivers can be treacherous, b/c tipping over will make you lose needed supplies. People or animals get lost, and are not always found. Sickness abounds, but you have choices as to how to remedy the sickness at hand; that is, IF you bought medicine at some point. One difference with OT II is that your entire party doesn't have to die first before bad things start happening to you, too. Extreme cold or heat can sap strength or even kill, as can starvation. The great thing about this game is that they throw in so many maladies that plagued the real pioneers; I'm glad it's only a game to me, and not the real thing.

When and if you reach your destination, you will be given the choice to stake a land claim, or maybe prospect for gold. You will be provided a synopsis of what happened to your character after reaching the end of the trip. A chart is available that shows your final score. This is based upon your year of travel, money and supplies left over, condition of living people in your party, and how long it took for your journey to end. You receive bonus points for certain occupations. You can save your diary and print it out later, if you wish. When you choose END GAME, the List of Legends screen shows the high point winners of the game, with your name added if you've scored high enough. Now, you can travel again, if you wish!