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Space Quest II: Vohaul’s Revenge

Last updated: January 16, 2026

Overview

Space Quest II: Chapter II – Vohaul’s Revenge is a graphic adventure game developed and published by Sierra On-Line, released on November 14, 1987 for MS-DOS with subsequent ports to Apple II, Apple IIgs, Amiga, Atari ST, and Macintosh12. Designed by Mark Crowe and Scott Murphy, the game is the sequel to Space Quest: The Sarien Encounter and continues the misadventures of Roger Wilco as he confronts Sludge Vohaul, the villain who was behind the original Sarien attack12. Space Quest II was the last game in the series to use Sierra’s AGI engine before the transition to SCI for future titles13. The game was a commercial success, selling over 100,000 copies and earning the SPA Gold Medal from the Software Publishers Association45.

Story Summary

Several months after saving his home world of Xenon from the dangers of the Sariens, Roger Wilco accepts a position as Head Janitor aboard Xenon Orbital Station 4 as his fame fades into obscurity1. Contacted by his superiors to clean up a mess on a recently arrived shuttle, Roger finds himself ambushed in the station’s hangar bay, where he is knocked out and abducted by unknown assailants1.

When Roger regains consciousness, he finds himself a prisoner on an asteroid base orbiting the jungle planet of Labion, run by Sludge Vohaul—a former scientist of Xenon1. Vohaul reveals he was the creator of the Star Generator, but was exiled by Xenon when he sought to have the technology used as a weapon rather than for peace2. Eager for revenge, he attempted to use the Sariens to steal the generator, but was infuriated when Roger thwarted his plan1. Despite the setback, Vohaul is now creating an army of genetically cloned insurance salesmen to help him eradicate life on Xenon12.

To punish Roger for his actions, Vohaul sends him to the mines on Labion as a slave1. However, during transport over the jungles, a malfunction on the transport craft causes it to crash, killing Roger’s guards1. Escaping detection by Vohaul’s goons, Roger makes his way through the jungle to a landing pad and steals a shuttle1. When Vohaul hijacks its controls, Roger is brought back to the asteroid base2.

With little choice, Roger sneaks around the base and enters Vohaul’s control room, where the scientist decides to keep him imprisoned more permanently—shrinking Roger down and trapping him in a glass jar2. Roger manages to break out and infiltrate a life-support machine that has helped keep Vohaul alive2. Disconnecting it, Roger kills Vohaul, restores himself to normal size, activates a self-destruct sequence, and escapes in a pod as the base is destroyed2. Finding the pod cannot keep him alive forever, Roger enters cryosleep to conserve oxygen while awaiting rescue2.

Gameplay

Space Quest II uses the same AGI engine as the original game, featuring 16-color graphics at 160×200 resolution15. The game supports EGA, CGA, VGA, Hercules Monochrome, MCGA, and Tandy graphics modes5.

Interface and Controls

  • The game uses a text parser interface where players type commands such as “LOOK AROUND” and “GET KEYCARD”5
  • Optional joystick support is available5
  • Sound is played through the PC’s internal speaker; Apple and Amiga users had improved sound with 3 simultaneous tones instead of 15
  • The game requires 256K of RAM5

Structure and Progression

  • The game takes place across multiple locations: Xenon Orbital Station 4, the jungle planet Labion, and Vohaul’s Asteroid Fortress12
  • Roger must survive the dangers of the Labion jungle, including various hostile creatures and environments1
  • The game continues the series tradition of numerous death scenes with sardonic humor2

Puzzles and Mechanics

  • Like its predecessor, the game features inventory-based puzzles requiring careful item collection and usage2
  • PC Magazine praised the challenge level but warned players “don’t kid yourself by thinking you’ll get by without the Hint Book”6
  • Computer Gaming World noted some objects’ unclear descriptions were particularly problematic with CGA graphics7
  • The hidden location of a gem was criticized as “ridiculously illogical” since the entrance to the underwater cave is not shown on screen7
  • The game contains two mazes: a single-screen maze with passages only 2-3 pixels wide (touching the sides kills Roger instantly, reminiscent of the board game “Operation”), and a multi-screen maze in near-total darkness requiring mapping to navigate8
  • Typical of Sierra games, numerous dead ends exist where missing an item or making wrong choices renders the game unwinnable—including an alien kiss that poisons Roger, killing him much later if not addressed8

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Space Quest II was a commercial success from launch, receiving significant praise from critics for improved puzzles and greater scope compared to the original6. PC Magazine wrote: “Lovers of challenge, come hither! Sierra On-Line has the game for you,” praising the “terrific” EGA graphics while noting many details were not visible with CGA graphics6.

Computer Gaming World stated: “Though the game is similar to the original Space Quest, the addition of more detailed animation, more difficult puzzles, an improved parser (hurrah!), and greater scope makes a good game even better”7. Antic warned of the difficulty, stating that the ST version “is trickier than the original and graphically superior”9. Macworld wrote that “as in the original game, Space Quest II succeeds with the humor of its animation and scripting”10.

Space Quest II was listed number four in Sierra’s Top 5 Bestsellers, indicating sales over 100,000 copies and earning the SPA Gold Medal from the Software Publishers Association45.

Modern Assessment

Adventure Gamers noted that while the text parser may frustrate modern gamers, “it can also yield very rewarding puzzles” and praised the game’s humor, including a memorable multi-species public restroom “designed to accommodate all possibilities”8. The game holds a MobyScore of 7.2/10 with 70% positive critic reviews and ratings from 111 players2. On GOG, the Space Quest 1+2+3 collection has a 4.3/5 rating from 577 users11. HowLongToBeat reports the main story takes approximately 2.8 hours to complete12.

  • MobyGames: 7.2/10 MobyScore, 70% critics (111 player ratings)2
  • GOG: 4.3/5 (577 ratings, collection)11
  • Steam: Very Positive (312 reviews, collection)13
  • GameFAQs: 3.68/5 (77 ratings), rated “Tough” difficulty14
  • HowLongToBeat: 2.8 hours main story12

Development

Origins

Space Quest II was developed by the same team that created the original—Mark Crowe handling art and Scott Murphy programming15216. The game was released approximately one year after the original, continuing the story of Roger Wilco and the villainous Sludge Vohaul117.

Designer Scott Murphy later clarified the relationship between the Vohauls: Sludge Vohaul and Slash Vohaul (mentioned in SQ1’s data cartridge) were intended to be brothers—while evil Sludge invented the Star Generator as a weapon of destruction, good-natured Slash planned to use it for the benefit of the universe, leading to their conflict8.

The original game came with: a box, two 3.5” game disks or three 5.25” disks (versions 2.0A through 2.0F), The Space Piston Magazine booklet with the game manual inserted in the middle, a reference card, an optional hint book for 49.995.

Technical Achievements

  • Used Sierra’s AGI (Adventure Game Interpreter) engine with 160×200 resolution and 16 colors15
  • Supported multiple graphics modes: EGA, CGA, VGA, Hercules Monochrome, MCGA, and Tandy5
  • Improved parser over the original game7
  • More detailed animation compared to Space Quest I7
  • Last Space Quest game to use the AGI engine13
  • Platform releases: November 14, 1987 MS-DOS, 1987 Atari ST and Apple II, 1988 Amiga, Apple IIgs, and Macintosh2
  • Enhanced audio: Running in DOSBox with machine=tandy enables 3-voice PCjr/Tandy music; alternatively, the AGI-MIDI patch allows all three voices through modern sound cards18

Debug Modes and Cut Content

  • Debug mode: Typing DBG or BACKSTAGE enables debug commands including teleport (TP), position setting (POS), and inventory manipulation (GET OBJECT); TESTER displays Roger’s coordinates; CLOCK shows game time19
  • Unused content: Data mining revealed unused graphics including walking animations for blonde technicians and Roger’s boss, a pink slug creature, an Atari 2600-style bird, and ruins of two spaceships intended for Labion19
  • Cut content: A death message reading “Too bad you’ve failed miserably and doomed all your people to a horrible death” was removed; a Stevie Wonder joke was replaced; toilet paper humor was cut “for matters of taste”19
  • Source code leak: Versions 2.0D and 2.0F accidentally shipped with ~70% of Sierra’s AGI interpreter source code left on disk 1 due to improper formatting of the master disk—the same mistake occurred with King’s Quest III v2.1419

Easter Eggs and Trivia

  • Easter eggs: When caught in a hunter’s snare, Roger dreams he’s Larry Laffer from Leisure Suit Larry; a hidden pit trap responds to “look at trap” with the narrator sarcastically replying “What trap? I don’t see any trap!”20; typing “cheat” displays an alternative ending screen with 255/250 points21; Scott Murphy secretly added a message mocking Mark Crowe that appears when players attempt an inappropriate action with a corpse21
  • Parser humor: One puzzle requires literally typing “the word” when told to “say the word”20
  • Notable deaths: A floor waxer squishes Roger into a pancake; lighting a lighter in the bathroom causes a methane explosion that destroys part of the asteroid20
  • Sci-fi parodies: Vohaul’s ape-like guards resemble Planet of the Apes; an alien’s kiss leads to a chestburster-style death parodying Alien; the escape pod ending mirrors Alien’s finale with Roger entering cryosleep hoping for rescue20
  • Printing error: The game’s original packaging advertised a “FREE Mating Whistle” mail-in offer, but Sierra never actually created the whistles—Mark Crowe took the blame for this oversight22
  • Pop culture note: Sludge Vohaul provides the page image for TVTropes’ “Dark Lord on Life Support” entry20

Legacy

According to Sierra On-Line, combined sales of the Space Quest series surpassed 1.2 million units by the end of March 199623. Space Quest II established Sludge Vohaul as the series’ recurring arch-nemesis, a role he would continue to play throughout the franchise1.

In 2011, Infamous Adventures released a fan remake of Space Quest II on December 31, featuring VGA-style graphics, a full voice cast, and extended content24. The project was announced on April 1, 2007 and took over five years to complete24. Version 2.0 was released on January 1, 2020 with bug fixes, graphical refinements, and new hidden content including a Space Quest III easter egg24. The remake is available for Windows, macOS (including Apple Silicon), and Linux as a free download24. The game was followed by Space Quest III: The Pirates of Pestulon in 1989, which transitioned the series to the SCI engine3.

Collections

This game has been included in the following collections:

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

Download / Preservation

Manuals & Extras

Series Continuity

References

Footnotes

  1. Sierra Fandom Wiki – Space Quest II – plot, technical details ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14 ↩15 ↩16 ↩17 ↩18 ↩19

  2. MobyGames – Space Quest II – developer, publisher, platforms, credits, ratings ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14 ↩15 ↩16 ↩17 ↩18 ↩19 ↩20

  3. Space Quest Fandom Wiki – Space Quest II – engine transition, series details ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  4. Wikipedia – Space Quest II – SPA Gold Medal, Top 5 Bestsellers ranking ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  5. SpaceQuest.net – Space Quest 2 Game Information – release details, original packaging ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13

  6. PC Magazine – June 28, 1988 – Stephanie K. Losee review, p.405: “Lovers of challenge, come hither!”, “terrific” EGA graphics, hint book warning ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  7. Computer Gaming World – July 1988 (Issue 49) – Douglas Seacat review: “improved parser (hurrah!)”, “greater scope”, CGA graphics issues, “ridiculously illogical” gem puzzle ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  8. Adventure Gamers – Space Quest II – review, Vohaul brothers backstory, maze descriptions, dead ends ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  9. Antic Magazine – July 1988 – Rick Teverbaugh review: “trickier than the original and graphically superior” ↩

  10. Macworld – March 1989 – “Animated Adventure Games” review, p.183: “succeeds with the humor of its animation and scripting” ↩

  11. GOG – Space Quest 1+2+3 – purchase, user reviews ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  12. HowLongToBeat – Space Quest II – completion times ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  13. Steam – Space Quest Collection – purchase, user reviews ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  14. GameFAQs – Space Quest II – user ratings, difficulty rating, guides ↩ ↩2

  15. Sierra Chest – Space Quest II – Sierra history, collections, platforms ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  16. WiW – Two Guys from Andromeda Interview – development history ↩

  17. Hardcore Gaming 101 – Space Quest – retrospective analysis ↩

  18. Sierra Help – Space Quest II – technical help, DOSBox configuration, known issues ↩ ↩2

  19. The Cutting Room Floor – Space Quest II – debug mode, unused graphics, cut content, source code leak ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  20. TVTropes – Space Quest II – parodies, easter eggs, notable deaths, parser humor ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  21. SpaceQuest.net – Space Quest II Easter Eggs – cheat code, hidden developer messages ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  22. Space Quest FAQ – FREE Mating Whistle error ↩

  23. SEC Filing – Sierra On-Line 10-K (March 1996) – “Space Quest… sold more than 1.2 million copies in this series” ↩

  24. Infamous Adventures – Space Quest II VGA Remake – fan remake with VGA graphics, voice acting, release history ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  25. Internet Archive – Space Quest II – preservation, historical versions ↩

  26. DOS.Zone – Space Quest II – play in browser ↩

  27. Sarien.net – Space Quest II – JavaScript AGI interpreter, browser-based gameplay ↩

  28. Virtual Broomcloset – Publications Archive – manuals, hint books ↩ ↩2

  29. SpaceQuest.net – Space Quest II Point List – complete 250-point scoring breakdown ↩

  30. PCGamingWiki – Space Quest II – technical specs, fixes ↩

  31. StrategyWiki – Space Quest II – game guide ↩

  32. AGI Wiki – Space Quest II – engine details ↩

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