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The Lost Crown: A Ghost-Hunting Adventure (PC DVD)
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3/5 |
Lost in more ways than one....
(September 25, 2008) |
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Well this is a troubling review i find myself having to write.
This is a very atmospheric game that draws you in despite its clear failings. Its like there are two forces. One is the awful stilting, clumsy dialogue (that doesnt let you fast forward through the exact same repetitive dialogue time and again), character models that look awkwardly cut and pasted onto the beautiful photo-realistic black and white backdrops. And the other force is the immense atmosphere, the genuinely creepy sounds, hunting ghosts with the ghost-hunting equipment. But primarily the MAIN draw that keeps you playing this game is *the mystery* that keeps unfolding, getting deeper the further you go in.
You see the story is the main element to an adventure game for me. This is a classic chilling ghost story. You are trying to solve this mystery.
And if this game could keep its promises (it tantalizes you with depth and intrique) then it would easily be adventure game of the decade. BUT it cannot. And unfortunately you will not realize this until the *end* of the game. There are so many threads that are left unanswered and remember it has drawn you in like a master fable so you are hooked but imagine that you are coming to the end of a brilliant mystery novel and find that the last few pages of the book have been ripped out.
That is how i felt at the end of this story. I'm sorry but even if i enjoyed all of a book up until the last few pages. If those last pages were ripped out then this undoes all the good work gone previously. The ending to this game did not give due credence and attention to the amount of strands that it or rather Jonathon Boakes attempts to weave.
Now if JB turns around and says.. these riddles and anomalies (lots of spoilers which is why i have not mentioned them specifically) are answered in "The Lost Crown 2" then i would say to him. No sorry m8 i dont buy a book to have the author sell me the remaining pages as a separate novel just so i can find out the answer. Furthermore my suspicion is that these anomalies are not deliberate but just massive plot-holes that JB has overlooked while he was so busy having his "big-picture" moments he forgets the details...and about tying everything together.
By all means be enthralled by it (as i was) but be prepared for a lot of unanswered questions and dissapointment at the thoroughly underwhelming ending. |
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3/5 |
Not Quite M.R.James
(September 09, 2008) |
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I have to confess I'm not much of a Game user, so it has to be a bit special for me to get a game.I thought this was such a game, however I can't pretend not to be a little disappointed.Don't get me wrong, the graphics and atmosphere are great and I sat down full of anticipation for a great game.Like other reviewers have already said. Its slow and there are no shortcuts and I have to confess, I got a little bored.However I will not give up and try again at a later date, I just wish that the makers had thought a little harder about the game.There is a lot right about it, but room for improvement.Aimed probably at the younger market rather that an "oldie" like me. |
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5/5 |
simply this:
(September 09, 2008) |
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I'm way past my 30's. I hadn't played a game for some years. This game disturbed me most of the time. Probably the best horror game ever. |
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4/5 |
Wonderful celebration of traditional eerie England
(September 08, 2008) |
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Excellent game. Makes you jump in the right places but not too scary that you have to stop playing. We played this on holiday in Cornwall on a laptop in a tent in the dark! Very atmospheric and thoroughly enjoyable, and the setting in Polperro is wonderful. I do, however, agree with others comments about slow movement and being unable to skip dialogue. |
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4/5 |
Good but flawed
(September 07, 2008) |
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I have read the reviewers comments and agree with both the good and bad ratings. The puzzle aspect is excellent and so are a lot of the characters, but the slowness of the game is dire. I wish the speed of progress was better, I found the slowness of walking from one scene takes far to long and the repetitive set dialogue pattern most irritating, why do you have to go through the same set peice every time, as only missed dialogue needs repeating. This is the first game that my wife has also "had a go", so from this aspect alone its worth the money. |
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