The Shadow of the Bear

Hints by Alex Dijkstra for the MSX

This game has many random elements and therefore is very hard to solve. It is im
possible to write an exact walkthrough for this game, but with these hints you s
hould be able to solve the game with lots of patience and luck.
*Object of the game
You are the pilot of a spy plane which has been shot down over the USSR. The gam
e begins in Siberia in the middle of winter, and you must get overland to the sa
fety of the Chinese border. The road to the frontier is a hazardous journey.
*screen
You can swap between the picture screen and the input screen by pressing respect
ivelyR or I.
*Your stats
-Energy.
You start with an energy of 50. When your energy reaches 0 you die. You can incr
ease your energy by eating (see below).
-Heat.
When you walk around your heat increases or decreases depending on the location
you enter (the change ranges from -3 to +3). If your heat reaches 30 you die of
thirst. If your heat lowers to -40 you freeze to death.
-Weight:
You can carry four objects. If you have the sack you can carry 8 objects. Each o
bject weighs 1. Type LIST to see your inventory.
-Miles:
This is just an indication of the distance you've walked. Every movement increme
nts the distance with 13 miles.

-Matches:
You can find matches at the beginning of the game and one in the huts..
*Huts, caves and encounters. If you reach a certain location there is a random c
hance of encountering a hut, cave or something else. On the map I've marked all
the possible locations of random encounters and huts with a question mark.
*Objects
The rope, wire, gun, matches and axe have a fixed location. The other 21 objects
are randomly located in the huts you encounter along your path. You find these
objects by typing SEARCH HUT when you are inside the hut (ENTER HUT). It is als
o possible to re-enter the same hut to find the next object. Use the command GET
to take an object.
Usefull objects you find in a hut:
-Parka. If you WEAR PARKA your heat is incremented with 25 points. LEAVE PARKA l
owers your heat again with.
-Matches. You get 8 extra matches
-Rifle. you need this to kill the bull.
-Handgrenade. Needed to escape accross the border.
-Sack. You can carry 4 more objects.
-Canoe. Needed in some locations.
-Icepick. Needed in one location.
-Binoculars. Needed in one location.
-Lamp. Needed inside the caves.
-Honeypot. To get rid of the bear.
-Coin. To get rid of the guard.
Useless objects you encounter in the huts:
-Knife
-Watch
-Sticks
-Map
-Compass
-Mirror
-Spade
-Fish
-Sickle
-Elk
*Random encounters:
Along the way you can have several random encounters:
-Snowstorm (Each location from the beginning until location 55 you have a 10% ch
ance of encountering one): Go to the nearest location with a hut.
-Sandstorm (From location 73 until location 90 you have a 10% chance of encounte
ring one): Go to the nearest location with a hut.
-Troops: If you encounter some enemy troops, walk 2 locations back until you get
the notice "it's now safe".
-Wolves: USE GUN to kill the wolves. You only have six bullets.
-Hares: MAKE SNARE (with wire), USE SNARE to catch it, CHOP WOOD (with axe), GET
WOOD (you get a random amount of wood), enter a hut, LIGHT FIRE (with match and
wood. Your temperture increases with a random number between 10 and 30. You can
also do this without having a hare, but beware you don't get too hot.), COOK HA
RE (your energy increases with a random number between 10 and 30).
-Caves. You can get warmer inside the caves. ENTER CAVE, USE LAMP. If you encoun
ter the bear then GIVE HONEY.
*Some hints to finish the game:
-At the start location GET GUN (6 bullets), GET MATCHES (10), GET WIRE
-Walk to the dead end. ENTER HUT, GET ROPE.
-In location 11 take the AXE.
-In location 18 USE ROPE to climb down.
-In location 19 CLIMB ROCK to return to location 18.
-If you want to go north in location 34,35 or 36 you need a raft. MAKE RAFT (wit
h rope and axe).
-In location 37 EAT FOOD. Your energy increases with a random number between 20
and 40.
-Avoid location 38 as you have a random chance of being captured.
-In location 40 you die without a canoe.
-In location 42 you need the ICEPICK to climb the slope.
-In location 55 USE BINOCULARS. You now can see if there are troops ahead (this
is random). If there are retreat as usual.
-In location 61 USE RIFLE to kill the bull. Your energy increases with 15.
-In location 66 USE ROPE to climb down.
-In location 67 CLIMB ROCK to return to location 18.
-IN location 70 to get rid of the guard BRIBE HIM (with coin).
-In location 71 you die without a canoe.
-In location 71 CATCH FISH to increase you energy with a random number between 1
0 and 20.
-In location 76 or 77 don't drink the water because it is poisoned.
-In location 82 DRINK WATER decreases your heat with a random number between 10
and 25.
In location 90 USE HANDGRENADE. You can get across the border.
Success you've made it to China and freedom.