View source for Rex Nebular and the Cosmic Gender Bender

{{Short description|1992 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Rex Nebular<br />and the Cosmic Gender Bender
| image = Rex Nebular cover.jpg
| developer = [[MPS Labs]]
| publisher = [[MicroProse]]
| producer = Matt Gruson
| designer = Matt Gruson
| programmer = [[Brian Reynolds (game designer)|Brian Reynolds]]
| artist = Kenn Nishiuye
| composer = [[Jeffery L. Briggs]]
| engine = MicroProse Adventure Development System
| released = {{Video game release|NA|November 1992|EU|1992|NA|1993 (Mac)}}
| genre = [[Adventure game|Adventure]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
| platforms = [[DOS]], [[Mac OS]]
}}
'''''Rex Nebular and the Cosmic Gender Bender''''' is a [[point-and-click adventure game|point-and-click]] [[graphic adventure game]] developed and published by [[MicroProse]] in November of [[1992 in video gaming|1992]]. The game is the first graphical adventure game developed by MicroProse, ''[[Return of the Phantom]]'' and ''[[Dragonsphere]]'' being the other ones. It was developed using the ''MicroProse Adventure Development'' system, and made use of [[8-bit color|256-colour]] [[Computer graphics|graphics]].{{r|james199302}} [[Tommo]] purchased the rights to this game and digitally publishes it through its [[Retroism]] brand in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://docs.bmcgroup.com/Atari/nysb_1-13-bk-10176_313.pdf|title = Purchase Agreement between Atari, Inc. and Rebellion Developments, Stardock & Tommo|date = 2013-07-22|publisher = BMC Group}}</ref>

==Plot==
The bumbling bachelor, Rex Nebular, has been hired by Colonel Stone to retrieve a vase that holds some sentimental value for 75,000 galactars. Rex agrees and sets out for the last known location of the vase.

Rex discovers that the planet where the vase was last known to reside has vanished, but his ship's sensors still detect a planetary mass and [[gravitational field]], invisible to the naked eye. Suddenly a large warship [[Cloaking device|decloaks]] behind him, and fires. His ship is badly damaged and is sent crash landing on the strange planet, seemingly inhabited by women only.
[[File:Rex Nebular screenshot.png|thumb|left|Rex waking up after crash landing. Verb commands and inventory are at the bottom of the screen.]]
Decades ago, a vicious war between the sexes erupted on the planet. In the end, the females wiped out the male population with bio-weapons. As a result, the females were no longer able to become pregnant, so they had no way of continuing their species. They invented a machine that would allow them to [[Sequential hermaphroditism|alter their sex]] for short periods of time. This machine became known as the Cosmic Gender Bender (or the Gender Bender for short).

The populace of the planet is divided into two classes, Keepers and (breeding) Stock. The Keepers are technologically advanced and reside underground, where they monitor the Stock. The Stock reside above ground and have a primitive culture. Their only purpose is to be [[Fertilization|impregnated]] by a gender bent Keeper in order to repopulate the planet.

==Gameplay==
The game is divided into three [[Degree of difficulty#In video gaming|difficulty levels]]. Higher difficulties have more puzzles and more death encounters. The left [[Computer mouse|mouse]] button is used for selecting options and performing actions and the right mouse button is used to look at things (an alternative to selecting the 'look' option and selecting where). Some actions like sitting on a chair are automatically performed with just a left click. To get from one room to another the mouse pointer changes to a 'GO' icon where travel is possible. To get from one place to another, Rex will need to make use of teleporters correctly entering the code.

There are 10 different options, two of which are used to interact with people and seven of which are used to interact with objects. Items that are picked up have their own sub-options, most of which the [[protagonist]] Rex would not actually do (such as disassembling his binoculars). The player must also take care to prevent Rex getting killed which can happen in many places. Although Rex can die, the game has unlimited [[Life (gaming)|chances]] and the Rex's last safe position will be [[Saved game|restored]] after death.

For the artwork, MicroProse customised their own image processing tools for 3D-rendering allowing for smooth animation with lossless quality and minimal disk space usage.<ref>{{cite journal |date=August 1992 |title=Rex Nebular and the Cosmic Gender Bender manual |url=https://archive.org/stream/vgmuseum_miscgame_rexnebular-manual/rexnebular-manual#page/n7 |publisher=[[MicroProse]] |author=Matt Gruson |page=15 |access-date=September 26, 2017}}</ref>

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| AdvGamers = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="AdvGame18018">{{cite web | url=http://www.adventuregamers.com/articles/view/18018 | title=Rex Nebular and the Cosmic Gender Bender review - AdventureGamers.com | publisher=Johann Walter | date=16 February 2007 | access-date=25 March 2013}}</ref>
| rev1 = Adventure Classic Gaming
| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="ACG344">{{cite web| url=http://www.adventureclassicgaming.com/index.php/site/reviews/344/ |title=Rex Nebular and the Cosmic Gender Bender Review |date=15 March 2009 |publisher=David Tanguay |access-date=25 March 2013}}</ref>
| Dragon = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="Dragon194">{{cite journal| title=The Role of Computers|last1=Lesser|last2=Lesser|last3=Lesser|first1=Hartley|first2=Patricia|first3=Kirk|name-list-style=amp|journal=Dragon| issue=194|date=June 1993|pages=57–63}}</ref>
}}

''[[Computer Gaming World]]'' opined that ''Rex Nebular'' had "impressive" sound, graphics, and rotoscoped animation. While the magazine called the plot "nothing new", it described the game as "a solid move into the adventure gaming genre [with] the same attention to detail that has won MicroProse raves in other products", and a good first attempt at competing with [[LucasArts]] and [[Sierra On-Line]].<ref name="james199302">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1993&pub=2&id=103 | title=Rex Nebular and the Cosmic Gender Bender from MicroProse | magazine=Computer Gaming World | date=February 1993 | access-date=6 July 2014 | author=James, Jeff | pages=80}}</ref>

==Reviews==
* ''[[Pelit]]'' (June 1992)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pelit.fi/artikkelit/rex-nebular-and-the-cosmic-gender-bender/|title = Rex Nebular and the Cosmic Gender Bender – Naiseksi nappia painamalla| date=June 1992}}</ref>
* ''PC Joker'' (December 1992)<ref>{{Cite web | title=Kultboy.com - DIE Kult-Seite über die alten Spiele-Magazine und Retro-Games! | url=http://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=961 | access-date=2025-02-22 | website=www.kultboy.com}}</ref>
* ''Power Play'' (December 1992)<ref>{{Cite web | title=Kultboy.com - DIE Kult-Seite über die alten Spiele-Magazine und Retro-Games! | url=http://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=961 | access-date=2025-02-22 | website=www.kultboy.com}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{MobyGames|id=/rex-nebular-and-the-cosmic-gender-bender}}
* [http://www.thecomputershow.com/computershow/archives/rexnebular.htm The Computer Show information]

[[Category:1992 video games]]
[[Category:Adventure games]]
[[Category:Classic Mac OS games]]
[[Category:DOS games]]
[[Category:Games commercially released with DOSBox]]
[[Category:Linux games]]
[[Category:MicroProse games]]
[[Category:Point-and-click adventure games]]
[[Category:Science fiction comedy]]
[[Category:Science fiction video games]]
[[Category:ScummVM-supported games]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:Tommo games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Jeff Briggs]]
[[Category:Video games set in the future]]
[[Category:Windows games]]