At the end of part 1, I’d just got some new leads on Carl Linksy’s suicide case which I needed to chase up. In no particular order, I start with Ron Meat who witnessed the suicide. He doesn’t cooperate until I use a little force but it certainly sounds like suicide once he starts talking. This isn’t good for my case.

With that avenue exhausted I try Carl’s employer and interview Frank Schimming who is the head of Gideon Enterprises. I learn that the company is involved with surveillance equipment. MTC is apparently their management training centre where employees are sent to get corporate decision making abilities. Schimming denies all knowledge of Overlord, something which is a common theme among Gideon employees.

The next lead is Linsky’s ex colleague Cal Davis. When I get to his lab, I find police tape across the entry and a chalk outline on the floor. Things are definitely looking suspicious. I set off the alarm and have to find the switch hidden behind one of the lab rat cages to get out of here again before the police arrive. I don’t find much of use in truth although there is a cage with a box in it that I can’t get to because of the lethal looking gorilla in the way. I also find a book on control of primates through microchips which looks to have been the subject of research here. Odd line of enquiry for a surveillance company..

To confirm that I’m getting somewhere, I’m faxed a death threat when I return to my speeder. While I’m here I take my first look at the games inventory screen. Finding any particular item is a pain give just how much stuff you end up carrying. In truth the inventory can be entirely ignored if you like but it’s here that valuable items can be pawned off to provide the cash for bribes.

I need that cash as soon as I talk to Smiley Monroe who was investigating Cal Davis’ unfortunate demise as he doesn’t provide answers for free. Apparently Davis took a drink of cyanide instead of coke by accident. Aaron Sternwood who was the last person to see him alive isn’t buying this explanation.

The next person I seek out is Linsky’s ex business partner John Klaus who has gone into hiding but Delores Lightbody provides me with his location. He was put to work on Overlord but found it wasn’t actually to do with enhancing executive performance and starting asking questions. He doesn’t know what Overlord was about in particular but does give me his computer passcard before I leave.

I’m out of leads at this point so it’s time to stump up the cash to ask my informant Lee about all the people I’ve not tracked down so far.

I start with Linsky’s PI Sonny Fletcher. He won’t talk for free so I attempt strongarm tactics which fail miserably. I return with cash and he tells me how he was hired to investigate MTC and to go and see Wanda Peck if I want to learn more.

Before I do that I pay a quick visit to J. Saint Gideon, the former owner of Gideon Enterprises who was ousted in something of a coup by Schimming.  He clearly doesn’t trust the guy but doesn’t have much useful to tell me.

Wanda Peck on the other hand is the first person who will actually tell me about Project Overlord. It’s based on some research that was intended to boost IQ but as a side effect made subjects extremely susceptible to suggestion. She also tells me that MTC really stands for Management Through Control

Next up, I meet with Larry Hammond who was employed by the head of MTC to work on Overlord. He confirms that Linsky was working on controlling human behaviour for MTC and describes how to defeat Overlord I will need to gather 8 computer passcards and their passwords in order to access the satellite and destroy it. He recommends various people in the accounting department as a place to start. I’ve already been collecting some of these as I’ve been playing and it will turn out to be the overall goal of the game from here on out.

First things first, I have a chat with Tom Griffith, head of MTC, who claims that Overlord is actually just about being able to monitor anyone from anywhere. He hints at links to the ultra right-wing Law and Order party whose leader Robert Knox is partnering with them on the project.

Most of the accounting department prove to be dead ends but Arnold Dweeb agrees to meet with me in the football stadium. He doesn’t want to offer information for free and once again threats prove to be a bad idea.

Once I’ve reloaded he gives me an extremely long list of people who have received cheques from MTC.

Starting at the top I head for Ron Morgans apartment. He is yet another scientist working for MTC. I don’t find too much in his home but there is a lead to a second home where he stores his computer equipment where I’ll start out in part 3.

The plot has certainly thickened in part 2 with Tex being sent all over the San Francisco area chasing leads. The core gameplay of interviews and room searching is proving to be entertaining enough still, the flying sections less so. The longer I play the game, the further apart all of the locations I need to get to seem to be. I definitely suggest having a book to read or some other distraction while waiting to arrive at each location.