Making-of
Seven years of evenings
How a team of hobby developers built a complete adventure between 2002 and 2008, told by the people who were there.
Read the making-ofThe fan adventure since 2008
Zak McKracken: Between Time and Space
The unofficial sequel to the 1988 LucasArts classic. Made by fans over seven years, released in 2008 and remastered as a Director's Cut in 2015. Free for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Released
- April 19, 2008
- Director's Cut
- 2015
- Systems
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Languages
- English, German, French
- Price
- Free
- Engine
- Visionaire Studio
The story so far
After his victory over the Caponians in 1988, Zak McKracken has ended up right where he started: writing absurd headlines for the National Infiltrator, his own little tabloid with falling sales. The fame is gone, and so is the money from his bestseller. But the peace is deceptive.
A strange dream about a flight wakes Zak in a cold sweat, and soon strange things start happening all over the world. The aliens are back, and their plan to slowly dumb down humanity is more refined than ever.
Zak sets off on a global scavenger hunt: from San Francisco to Mexico, the beach of Waikiki, Paris and the Scottish Highlands. In the end it is no longer about a machine on Mars but about past and future themselves. And somehow a peanut plays a key role.
Read the full story and all locations
Evidence from the game
From the newsroom
Travel report
Meeting the creators
A party at Matthew Kane's home, brunch with David Fox and a visit to Lucasfilm in December 2006.
Read the report
Release
The party in Cologne
About 70 fans celebrated the release on April 19, 2008. The Director's Cut with English and French followed in 2015.
Read the release storyUnder the hood
Made with Visionaire Studio
Zak2 was made with Visionaire Studio, an engine built for point and click adventures. The engine programmers were part of the team, so whatever the game needed went straight into the engine.
Today Visionaire Studio powers more than 160 games, from the Deponia series to current indie adventures. If you want to build your own adventure, try the free version on Steam.
The next adventure
The Mystery of Oak Island
The project lead of Zak2 is working on a new adventure: The Mystery of Oak Island, inspired by the real treasure hunt on an island off Nova Scotia. Once again a journalist is the hero, joined by two more playable characters, over 100 hand drawn locations and full English and German voice acting.
The 1988 original
Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders was released by Lucasfilm Games in 1988, designed by David Fox and Matthew Kane. A tabloid reporter, an alien conspiracy run through the phone company and a trip from Seattle to Mars: everything about the original, its creators and its hidden jokes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zak McKracken: Between Time and Space free?
Yes. The game is a non-commercial fan project and has always been free. The Director's Cut is available for Windows, macOS and Linux at no cost.
Is this an official sequel by Lucasfilm?
No. Between Time and Space is an unofficial fan sequel, made between 2002 and 2008 by the Artificial Hair Bros., a team of hobby developers, artists, musicians and voice actors.
Which languages are included?
The 2015 Director's Cut contains English, German and French. The English and German versions are fully voiced.
Which engine was used?
Visionaire Studio, an engine built for point and click adventures. The engine programmers were part of the team, and Visionaire Studio is still developed today. A free version is available on Steam.
Is there a walkthrough?
Yes. Seth Paul, the English voice of Zak, wrote a complete step by step walkthrough. You can read it online or as a PDF.
Is the team working on a new game?
Yes. Thomas “Marvel” Dibke, project lead of Zak2, is making The Mystery of Oak Island with Visionaire Studio. It is coming to Steam, and a free demo is already available.