Review by Bethany L. Rogers

The Crime: CnnNancy is invited to Blackmoor Manor in merry old England to check on the new wife of a British diplomat. The woman has apparently become sick shortly after her new marriage. Rumors abound that the Beast of Blackmoor is creeping around, along with a family witch.

Suspects include Linda’s stepdaughter Jane Penvellyn, scholar Nigel Mookerjee, batty old Mrs. Drake, and Jane’s tutor Ethel Bosinny.

The villain and the Penvellyn treasure were both RIDICULOUS. All that threatening atmosphere and chilling spookiness wasted on such silly things.

Puzzles: CnnArgh! Just aargh! So many of them! And so tedious they were! The premise is that the Penvellyn family has a long and illustrious history of being geniuses of one kind or another. Each member of the family studied a certain subject, such as computers or astronomy. And they all left clues for future generations to a great hidden treasure (there it is again). The clues are all crazily scattered all over the manor, hidden in Latin crests and books and alchemical symbols.

You also have to talk to an 80-year-old parrot to solve one puzzle. The family trusted a huge and important secret partly to a parrot that could keel over at any moment. (Yes, they live a long time, but not every parrot lives so long.)nnOther silly details include a revolving room and a strange map that somehow tracks your progress through an area, even though GPS wasn’t invented way back when.

They could have left out the anacronistic map, sure, but then we would have been in serious trouble. The gamers needed all the help they could get in this game. The puzles just kept going and going. The game was long and involved.

Gameplay: CnnNancy is supposedly in England and we aren’t allowed to see a single bit of the English countryside. Why? Because Mrs. Drake doesn’t want us tracking mud through the house. If I came a thousand miles to another country, nobody would stop me from taking a look outside! This game didn’t even have to be set in England. It could have taken place in Salem, Mass. just as easily. (Of course, the Penvellyn family wouldn’t have been as old then.)nnI couldn’t trigger some events in the game no matter how carefully I played or what walkthrough I followed. I ended up downloading saved games from other people to get past these parts of the game. It lessened the quality of the gameplay for me, to say the least.

One thing I loved were Jane’s mini-games. Sometimes I open the game just to play Skull and Bones.

Time Changes: The alarm clock is back. Argh!nnVoice Acting: BnnJane is a cute, cultured little English girl. Ethel got on my nerves, appearing out of nowhere and looking down her nose at me. Linda irritated me, her voice and character. I mean, I realize you’re depressed, but I flew a thousand miles to help you, so I’d appreciate it if you’d just answer my questions instead of clamming up, okay, lady?nnThe cockney rhyming slang was extra cool, though.

Music: AnnVery restrained and classical. Chilling and spooky when it needed to be.

IGraphics/Video: AnnJane in particular was weirdly animated. All joints and long legs. I think she was too thin.

Other than that, the graphics were the best yet. Bonus points for the smooth animated sequences in between player-controlled action.

Technical: CnnAlong with the problem I had triggering events, I had another glitch in the game. When ordering food from the restaurant, it would appear on a silver platter in my room. But, after that, I could never get other food to be delivered, no matter how long I waited or how many times I asked for it. Every time I lifted the lid, it would always be the first thing I had ordered.

Overall, it was a good game, but it’s definitely not my favorite.