Nerung

The game gives you four protagonist to play. They start out being introduced one-by-one but later on you get to play them simultaneously. The story is the big strength, spiced with some interesting character interplay/dialogue and twists. The puzzles start out simple but get more complex as the plot evolves. Resonance introduces a memory system which enhances what you can talk about in dialogues, similar to what you have as an inventory - an inventory of the mind, if you will. Although the puzzles are overall very well done, there were a few frustrating ones relying on exactly the memory aspect that in my opinion spoiled this element which is so vital to the game. The story is pretty good with clever surprises and sometimes the development is influenced by your choices. In principal, I was satisfied with the ending although the cut-scenes to all different endings seem somewhat over-the-top and a little non-credible. Resonance is worth the money if you like adventures heavy with puzzles.

Although the graphics are really pixelated, enough atmosphere and immersion is created by the other elements in the game. It reminded me in some ways of the SNES Shadowrun visuals, especially due to the setting. It has a really enjoyable dark story in a gloomy dystopian world. The puzzles are easy to grasp but still make you think enough to not just click your way through the game and its dialogues. The mechanics overall are kept simple and rely heavily on the storytelling aspect of the game which indicates how you can overcome obstacles encountered. This is done in a pretty linear fashion that takes you through the story step-by-step. But with every puzzle solved, you learn more about the protagonist(s) and the people he meets as well as the dystopia all around him/them. The creation of tension is what drives the whole play-through and if you like a good story with a decent adventure element and some puzzles around it, give this a try. The only thing really spoiling the game are the mediocre graphics.

I really like this game. Yes, it is quite short and yes, you may want to wait until it is for sale and not pay the full price. Other than that, it has received a major makeover with a new optional hint-system that helps you out where the solution is too obscure. I find all solutions logical, especially since you have only a few items in your inventory and objects to interact with - so even try and error gets you progress easily. Sadly, the developers implemented an obligatory registration via email for the game to be started at all. The game manages to build up a lot of tension and atmosphere with only a few rooms to explore. The soundtrack and triggered events are well implemented into the game-play. The controls are smooth, the graphics beautiful and if you take your time to explore and recap what you have seen and found, you will find the solution on your own. I have only one issue with it and that is that there is a possible ending within 20 minutes of the game. If you do not know that this is a speed run alternative ending, you may get frustrated. Simply waiting a few minutes before unlocking the final step for the quick ending will solve this problem. There are three endings to unlock and I was encouraged enough by the game and the storytelling to find them all. In total, this will still be a quick play-through with about 3 to 4 hours if you take your time. For me, the experience was worth the price but I guess you really have to like this kind of puzzle game. If you are not a fan of both subtle horror and puzzle adventure and if you do not want to spend time just enjoying the ambiance, this game is probably not for you.

One of the best games around, Reckoning delivers a good story but its real strength is the fluent game-play. The hybrid skill trees allow you to combine the classic mage/warrior/rogue combat styles with one another to your liking. Although the mage seems somewhat too strong, the classes are well executed and each allows a different game-play. This is one of the strengths of Reckoning: the experience is flawlessly fluent whatever you want to do as the controls remain simple yet effective (e.g. dodging is easy when well timed). While the main game is vast but not overly complex as the Elder Scrolls series sometimes seems to be, allowing for lots of hours for a single play-through, the real strength lies with the DLCs. They add a new layer of humour to the game which is simply amazing and makes Reckoning the best of its kind for me, even considering Skyrim, Darksiders and the other high-rated titles it draws from. This is the only game where I have bothered to unlock all achievements as it is just that great to explore the whole world available. A must have if you like the genre.

One of the best presented action games there is, Alice creates a dark and gritty world with beautiful level design and an intense gaming experience. It creates a lot of mood and every level feels different with the story picking up pace and the final confrontation looming on the horizon. Outstanding in its diversity of levels and well executed elements (design of weapons; variation in enemies according to the respective level), this is a must-have title for actions fans (that also like some elements of horror) as it is really different from most competitors in the genre.

Not as good as the original American McGee's Alice, the sequel still manages to create a similarly fascinating world with very diverse level designs. The horror is more subtle in this one as all aspects tend to a brighter version than in the original game, somewhat lightening the otherwise dark mood of the story. This is a nice action game full of creative elements. Especially the levels are well designed and each has its distinct atmosphere. The game experience is intense and there are many threats as the story increases in its dramatic narration. Still, the original was slightly more inventive and dared to be darker, where the new Alice focuses more on surrealism. All in all a worthy sequel and a good game worth its money, being in the Alice franchise it delivers a great colourful contrast to the almost bland titles around it.

A somewhat unloving addition to the Penumbra series, Requiem does not add to the story of its prequels and is only recommendable for fans who want to see everything the franchise has to offer. The puzzles, as brilliant and diverse as they were in Overture and Black Plague, are lacking and repetitive. The game overall seems to be devoid of new ideas, especially a let down on suspense from the prequels. It is not a waste of time but cannot live up to the standards of the series.

My favourite part of the series, Black Plague really tops everything presented in Overture. The highlight for me were the surreal sequences, especially the one towards the end, which represents a dramatic turn of events and makes the story a lot better. The character now has to deal with a threat from inside himself: is he going insane? You should play Overture first, though, before Black Plague will take your breath away. Highly recommend the Penumbra series if you like horror survival with puzzle elements.

A great introduction into the Penumbra series, the game has very original puzzles to solve, especially the design of the various areas to explore was very diverse and well executed. To horror is mainly due to physical threats but the story unfolds mysteries as well and thus adds a new layer to the experience. Short but good game.

To me, this is the peak of the "Thief" series. It takes what was best from Dark Project and adds a new layer of surreal horror to it that results in one of the best games yet. The setting is similar to the first installment and the story becomes similarly weird and mysterious. The controls are way better than in Metal Age and enable a flawless exploration of the world. The story is what really tops the two previous titles. If you like the first two parts, this is a must-play.

Outstanding game with a new way of playing for action-based titles. The hide and sneak way of achieving one's goals are really adding to the great ambiance of this world and demands something completely new from the player. The story begins in what seems like an authentic historical setting and as the story unfolds, things take a turn for the weird. This game combines so many fascinating ideas and manages to tell its story flawlessly.

This game was somewhat of a disappointment to me after the great first installment of the series. It has an interesting and fascinating scenario and the story is well written. The problem is, that the introduction of the metal elements make this a somewhat sloppy steam-punk experience. The real issue for me was the second half of the game when it became really tedious to continue with the thief-style game-play in a high-tech environment. Other than that, the game is worth playing but I still consider it beneath the other parts of the series.

A unique experience and an experimental way to navigate make this an interesting game. You click through pictures, somewhat like the old Myst games, to unlock memories. You can use symbols to make special moves and the story becomes clearer with every item you find. The ambiance is simply amazing with great voice-acting and music as well as clear pictures that really let you feel the scenes. Sadly, even with the additional content to unlock besides beating the four levels, this will be done in an hour to one and a half. Would have liked a few more levels for the full price but I still really enjoyed playing this and would like a sequel. This is a very special kind of game so you may want to have a look at it before buying it yourself.

This is a ridiculous rip-off and not a game at all. You "play" for 3 minutes (you follow a person) and then watch a cut-scene of 5 minutes and that seems to be exactly the amount of time it has taken to program the game. The most linear "game" possible, as you cannot explore or interact with anything or change what happens. This is like buying a home-made video. How this could even manage to be SOLD is a mystery to me. This is in no way like the other games the studio has produced, so the comparison to games like The Path with hours of game-time is absurd and games like Esther or Fatale at least have a lot of atmosphere. This has none of those features.

One of my favourite games of all time, To the Moon features SNES-style graphics, a load of humour and a dramatic setting. The story has enough twists to keep it interesting, especially since it is spiced with awesome dialogues and a good interchange between fun and sad moments. It is a very round experience in every aspect. This is a definite must-have if you like the genre even a little bit and the dated graphics do not hinder your gaming experience. It is somewhat cheesy but that is also its strength.

This is a game that solely concentrates on storytelling and beautiful graphics. At first I felt like playing a tech-demo but the story is a puzzle in itself and unfolds as slowly as the pacing of the game is. It is a melancholic and isolated world and the player has to unravel its mystery. Although the publishers state that there is not one story here as the triggered story pieces are randomised, I have figured out a back-story that fits all pieces generated in the game. Still, the narration is not exactly reliable and the confusing bits you learn by and by will keep you thinking, long after your first play-through and the ones that will (probably) follow. I really enjoyed the ambiance of the island and the story becomes quite dramatic towards the end. For me, the experience is definitely worth the price and you should take a look at a trailer or the beginning of a let's play and see if it might be interesting to you. If you like good story-telling, you will not regret buying Dear Esther.