Sarien.net is “the authorized portal for reliving classic Sierra On-Line adventure games,” according to the site’s tagline. It was created in 2009 by developer Martin Kool as a tribute to classic Sierra games like King’s Quest, Space Quest, and Police Quest.
The site uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to recreate the look and feel of these vintage point-and-click adventure games and allow them to be played right in the browser. The site even supports a unique form of multiplayer where players can see others playing in real time and pick up hints.
Initially, Sarien.net operated without explicit permission from Activision, which currently owns the rights to many Sierra properties. However, in 2011, Activision proposed officially authorizing the site to host the first games of the Sierra series, like Space Quest and Police Quest.
As part of the agreement, Sarien.net provides links to sites like Steam, where players can purchase the complete collections of these classic games. The site also removed iPad app versions that reproduced the games. Still, Sarien.net lives on as a tribute to the golden age of adventure gaming.
Even with some visual glitches here and there, Sarien.net is a blast from the past for retro gamers. Walking through these classic Sierra worlds truly transports you back to those early days of PC gaming. I highly recommend that all adventure game fans visit sarien.net and experience the magic firsthand.
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