Keepsake - The JAVE

Point-n-Click, Adventure/Fantasy

April 2006

Wicked Studios
The Adventure Company

Italian Title: Keepsake: Il mistero di Dragonvale
French Title: Keepsake: Aventures a Dragonvale

Third Person

"You are Lydia, a young woman destined for studies at the prestigious Dragonvale Academy...Her best friend from childhood Celeste, is attending the school as well.

"Instead of being greeted by Celeste upon her arrival, Lydia finds that she’s alone...After wandering a bit she finds Mustavio, a gypsy-like gentleman who sells his wares to the students, and eventually a dragon-in-wolf’s clothing named Zak who tags along with her. Through their explorations they find that the school is entirely empty, abandoned. And the reasons why will take them throughout a gorgeous castle and sunny fertile forests as they try to discover what’s happened to the students and staff of Dragonvale.

"I was stunned by the graphics in this game. Literally. The academy is in a mind-bogglingly large castle, set in the backdrop of a lush forest, and both are created with loving detail.

"The sounds in Keepsake are a sort of mixed bag. The music, the puzzle sounds, etc. are all fairly good...But I was disappointed with the character voices...often I stuck to the subtitles and turned the speakers off because Lydia’s voice sometimes got on my nerves.

"Some of the puzzles, such as the very first one you must solve in order to enter the school, are not too hard and can be a lot of fun...There were some though that I absolutely had to look at a walkthrough in order to complete.

"As for the ending? Well, I won’t ruin it by going into great detail. But I’ll say that it was sad and that after all of my searching, seeking, and wandering as Lydia, I was disappointed...Still, the ending was satisfying in its way, and the journey was more than enjoyable."