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The Black Mirror is your basic point-and-click adventure game - not the best gaming expirience, but certainly far from the worse. Straightforward investigation and interaction with characters and environment. The lead character is somewhat wooden - could have more personality. I liked the virtual map, which adds new areas as the game progressed, and allows the player to jump back-and-forth between locations by clicking a site on the map. Not origional, but very usefull. The game is well rendered, and the detail is quite good. Unfortunately, it does not allow a lot of interaction with objects. However, this also is a plus when tying to figure out how to move to the next level. Once the key elements are discovered, it's relatively easy to move along. There are not a lot of puzzles in this game, and those which are encountered are not too difficult. The tile puzzle is one which may test the patience and skills of most average players. Patience IS the key though. Overall, I liked this game a lot. It delivers exactly the expirience which I believe that most players are looking for in an Adventure game, and I would definately reccommend it.Read full review
The Black Mirror was developed by Unknown Identity and published in the US by the Adventure Company in October 2003. Unknown Identity, a Czech company, joins a growing number of east European game developers who turn out games with superb graphics. The game is set sometime in 1980, in the Black Mirror Manor, situated somewhere in Great Britain. After twelve years, Samuel Gordon returns to his ancestral home of Black Mirror Castle to attend the funeral of his grandfather, William Gordon, who died in a suspicious circumstance. Samuel does not believe the death to be a suicide or accident as most people around him assume, and sets about to discover what really happened. Following William’s footsteps, as Samuel delves deeper into the family’s past, people around him start to die a mysterious, horrific death. Your task, as Samuel Gordon, is to uncover the secrets that have haunted your family for over seven centuries. As these secrets seem to be inexplicably linked to the present, you are going to get to the truth by investigating the current murders and deaths around you. The game is a third-person point and click, and you do not have the complete freedom of movement or viewing angle. Use of the mouse is pretty much intuitive and standard, except for the occasional right click. . Left click on the hot spot usually gives you a comment on the object or lets you pick it up as an inventory item, but there are cases where hot spots remain after a single left click. If that happens, you’d better click again for more info, OR right click to uncover more info or uncover what is hidden beneath the hot spot. The tempo of the game is rather slow and relaxed. The game does not require time-critical maneuver for the most part. There are only two instances in the whole game where you need to do something quick to prevent a catastrophic outcome, but other than those you can take as much time as you want, talking to people or going between places. It is actually a good idea to go back and forth, as certain events and clues won’t be triggered until after you do certain things. Word of caution: Save often, especially toward the end of each chapter (there are six). Although this game does not have multiple endings, there are multiple ways for Samuel Gordon to get killed; if that happens, that’s the end of the whole game for you. Puzzles you encounter in the game are not mind-bogglingly difficult by themselves. What I personally found most difficult in this game is that many puzzles can only be solved either by creative combination of inventory items or creative action. So if you are a simple-minded and honest person like me, try to think outside your mold.. Be cunning and resourceful. Voice acting is passable, not great but not bad enough to turn you off completely. It is clearly a translation of the original language, and I used the subtitle option. Graphics are very detailed and have a good, sinister ambience. Overall, this is a fun game for the inquiring mind. It is rated mature for some gore and violence (I was grossed out on some scenes, but not terrified - I am too old for that). I am looking forward to the next offering from this developer.Read full review
I was a bit surprised by this game. I'd read the reviews and wasn't sure I'd like it. An eBayer suggest it during conversation of another purchase. Think they bought one of mine, or vice versa. Anyway, I decided to buy and try. I have to tell you I got my money's worth. This was a very fun game. True there is a lot of conversation, but most of it was needed and it made the game enjoyable and understandable. These are the things that I liked. Easy to save - has 24 spots. Easy to get to what you're carrying. Push Tab and you can see all the exits from any screen, or an arrow to proceed to the next screen. I liked the fact that the cursor turned red on hot spots. Just get all the hot spots and you'll win. I couldn't proceed, so I went back and sure enough I'd missed two hot spots.
The Black Mirror does have some gorgeous graphics and an impressively Gothic atmosphere, but it's ruined by perpetual slowness and many, many scenes of long, long conversations. Samuel is the wayward heir to the Gordon Manor who returns to his rural England roots when his grandfather is killed in suspicious circumstances. It's up to you to guide him around the Manor and village, talking to people and investigating. Typical 'adventure' gameplay mechanics are involved in progressing through the chapters. Which is fine, but when the game makes you wait for other characters to do stuff for you, boy does it make you WAIT. I've had the game running for over 6 hours while other characters waste you're time doing stuff for you (or not doing it rather). And there's nothing else for YOU do to when this is going on. It's infuriating. The ending to the game is profoundly weak. A lame twist I should have seen coming is capped-off with dull, cut-scene and then the end credits. When I play a game for so long I expect more than that! It also leaves many questions unanswered. Who EXACTLY killed William Gordon? Where did Uncle Robert really go? What's the deal with Samuel's long-dead lover? How did the Priest not find the secret crypt halfway through the game? Why is it set in 1981? I was impressed with the game at first but in the last third it got pretty tiresome and the end is no real pay-off. For serious adventure gamers ONLY.Read full review
This is an awesome game. I just started it yesterday and I find it really hard to stop playing. It has good graphics and is very easy to use. I would recomend this game to anyone who likes mystery games.
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