avatar_58Private Detective
Posts : 403
Joined: 27 MAY 2008
Status : Online | Thought I'd post my mini review of it -
It's an adventure game in the standard style. The main difference is the way in which it is presented.
The story is that you are a psychologist who is called in to examine five patients. You have to convince them to tell you about their past using different methods (mostly playing back voice recordings). You basically play the game backwards, starting from their most recent memories to how it all began. Interesting mechanic, but it's flawed.
See the problem is they don't challenge you at all. You must complete all tasks to end the sequence. A better method would have been making the memories "loose". In other words have YOU solve puzzles combining the efforts of all five patients. Leave items behind for others, maybe even allowing incorrect memories to mess with the puzzles. Instead they chose to just have each patient do one or two tasks and the memory ended.
The graphics are not bad, the backgrounds looked alive due to the swaying trees, rain and reflections in the puddles. Shame they spent none of that budget on the characters themselves. Character animation is terrible, very stiff and awkward.
Voice acting is okay in some parts, god awful in others. You can tell this is a localized game, as none of the original feel comes through. There are even occasions where characters will say "STOP YELLING" when you character calmly asked a question. The storyline regarding your past is hurt by this because it feels like you are in the twilight zone, everyone thinks you are nuts and angry and yet none of that is portrayed through his voice. In fact one scenario had my character verbally abuse a doctor and then say "Well cya tomorrow" in a clam collected happy voice.
The story is interesting until the climax. It could have been so much more but it's like they ran out of ideas. The ending just makes you shake your head.
The puzzles are mostly just guess work with the PDA voice recordings with one or two traditional inventory puzzles. Calling folks on your cellphone is maddening because there are only TWO locations that are allowed. You have to guess which one they expect you to use at which time, otherwise it won't work. This flaw had me stuck for about an hour until I realized I couldn't call the detective unless I was standing outside in the rain. Even though my character repeatedly said "I can't use my PDA here, it's raining".
Anyway overall it wasn't a terrible game, it just wasn't anything special. If you need an adventure to play go ahead as you will most likely enjoy it. Just don't expect GOTY material from this one, and be prepared for a subpar resolution to the story.
3 / 5
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