Merlina McGovern
Staff BioWhen I’m not copy editing high-tech research (yes, that’s about as exciting as it sounds) or relaxing with my wonderful family, I love whiling away a rainy afternoon playing adventure games (the spookier, the better). Now that my daughter is a toddler and possessed with an all-consuming desire to rearrange Tupperware and pots and pans, my life has essentially become one big adventure game. Let’s see, what combination of items will best soothe a crying baby? Hm…there’s a Curious George here, but he’s missing his hat. And, the logical place for that hat would be, ah ha, right here inside the sauce pot under the counter. Click hat on monkey, click monkey with hat on baby, and voila . . . happy baby!
Articles by Merlina McGovern:
The Cat Lady review
The claws come out in this grisly but brilliant independent adventure that will toy with your emotions in a profound way.
Nancy Drew: The Deadly Device review
Nancy's 27th adventure starts out fairly static, but soon amps up to become another compelling mystery.
Gothic Fiction: Dark Saga review
This eerie lite adventure is so lushly designed it never really has a chance to grow on you.
Anna’s Quest: Vol. 1 - Winfriede’s Tower review
This charmingly offbeat fairytale trilogy kicks off with plenty to wrap your mind around.
Azada: In Libro review
Despite its paper-thin story, it's worth booking passage to Azada for its beautiful worlds and plethora of puzzles,
Dark Alleys: Penumbra Motel review
You may not want to check into the abandoned titular motel, but you'll definitely want to check out this haunting (and hidden object-free) lite adventure.
Nancy Drew: Tomb of the Lost Queen review
Nancy's 26th adventure unearths plenty of ancient Egyptian intrigue, but it starts to unravel due to its increasingly aged presentation.
Amber’s Blood review
The eighth Carol Reed mystery has a modest presentation, but spins a bloody good yarn full of twists and turns.
The Shine of a Star review
This Samorost-style lite adventure sometimes twinkles with surreal charm, but it falls short of shining in its perpetual darkness.
Cardboard Castle review
It's easy to be drawn into this creative cardboard fantasy world, but its flimsy story and repetitive puzzles aren't all they're cut out to be.
Nancy Drew: Alibi in Ashes review
Nancy's 25th PC adventure should spark plenty of interest, as her dreams of a welcome homecoming disappear in an entertaining puff of smoke.
Drawn: Trail of Shadows review
Plenty of highlights shine in this artsy, shadowy prequel, as the third Drawn installment is another short but sweet casual excursion.
The Count of Monte Cristo review
The latest Enter the Story adaptation tackles Alexandre Dumas's classic with a vengeance, but ultimately falls victim to a lack of gameplay.
Age of Enigma: The Secret of the Sixth Ghost review
This entertaining lite adventure rises above its haunted house premise with a wide array of ghostly past lives to explore.
Nancy Drew: The Captive Curse review
Monster folklore and puzzles abound in a remote Bavarian castle, but the hopes for a compelling mystery are rather grim.