Adventure Gamers - Forums

It’s amazing that the Hintkeeper tells you what is an inventory item when you click it on him (“A fireplace pocker!”), but someone should have notified Sierra programmers that already in 1995 there were some great achievements in game design like the hotspot names (not to mention subtitles). Still, this is one of a kind experience, and adds to the gothic atmosphere when the skull informs you of the thing you hold. A box of match-es!

diego - 23 November 2016 04:55 PM

Can someone tell me what were they thinking with an option to choose the chapter right from the beginning?!! Madness!!

i think i remember it had to do sumthing with selling 7 separate (or divided) hint books

So, laptops haven’t changed their design for 20 years. Sweet.

diego - 23 November 2016 05:21 PM

It’s amazing that the Hintkeeper tells you what is an inventory item when you click it on him

I didn’t know that!

Day One: Sunday

That’s right.

Later. But we start with the breakfast scene with lots of kisses and the lovely little snowman.

Sappy cliches. Don even takes little snowman with him to remind him of that fateful night he proposed. Sorry Roberta, I understand why you wanted to establish the picture of a loving couple, but when it comes to writing you’re no Jane Jensen.

And then we explore… and explore some more… boy, this is a huge mansion for a couple with no kids. Boring exploring… look in every mirror, rearrange the hair, touch the face, talk to the cat, sit in every chair and on every bed. I hadn’t expected the exploring to be so uneventful. Except fot the “grabbing bed”. So let’s go bug hubby.

Don is working on a drain and Adrienne is striking a seductive pose in the doorway? Preposterous. It gets worse.

There he is, in plain sight, under the sink. And what does blonde Adrienne do? Turn on the tap. Oopsie! Pretty bad.

I’ve had enough cliches for today, but no. We go into town.

Well, hello there, little lady, what can I do you for?

I remembered the real estate guy was a sleazebag, but I didn’t remember his exact words. I was kind of shocked. Nobody in his right mind talks like that to a potential customer. It’s like Roberta wanted to put all the male/female cliches into the game.

- My husband bought a house from you.
- Too bad you got a husband, honey.

I don’t care for Adrienne’s rather passive-aggresive response either. Her pose is belligerent and she says “asshole” under her breath.

- And you, little lady, you are a writer?
- Yes, I’m a novelist.
- Oh! A novelist! So what have you noveled?
- Have you heard of the novel Blue Moon Rising?
- Can’t say I have
- I’m not surprised.

Hm.

Okay, so Roberta said in an interview once that she was not a feminist. I agree. It’s one cliche after another.

Let’s hope it gets better tomorrow.

diego - 23 November 2016 06:20 PM

So, laptops haven’t changed their design for 20 years. Sweet.

i have no vision for this link (doesnt open i mean) and/but if was to me, forget about it

I have to say I enjoyed the first chapter. I thought the game wouldn’t age well, because mystery/spooky house theme has been beaten to death, and because of all the corniness (even for the time it was released) but screw everything - the atmosphere is there! Sierra mastered this “walk on the thin line between a game and an interactive movie” with GK2, but even Phantasmagoria is enough of a “game”, though yes, the exploration is a bit shallow at first. Still, the mansion is great (really, can a photographer and a novelist award this castle?) and it’s fun right from the start especially if you’re playing it for the first time.

I can’t find Don in Chapter 2. Useless Hintkeeper: “Find Don!” Yeah, right!

Karlok - 23 November 2016 07:37 PM

Chapter One

That’s right.

More like “fly once more”.  

Also, what do they do with those messages when the machine runs out of it? The repairman comes and fills it up again?! I can see him trolling Adrienne. “Orange sweater will be bloody once more”.

Day 2: Monday

And our heroine is writing a new book! But Don seems possessed… maybe a stranger dwells in his mind. 

- Adrienne, where are you?
- In here.
- Where?
- In here, in the bedroom.
- What are you doing?
- I’m starting my new book.
- So what? Did you go buy the drain cleaner like I asked you to?
- What?? Drain cleaner?
- Don’t be coy with me. I asked you several times to go buy me drain cleaner, now did you do it?
- Well, I know you said the sink was clogged in your dark room, but you never asked me to get you any drain cleaner, I would have remembered something like that!
- You know, this is just like you. I bust my ass for you all the time and you don’t do anything but sit on your butt, like you’re doing right now.
- WHAT? What is wrong with you? I don’t understand.
- Fine. The next time you want something, don’t come crawling to me.
- Fine, I’ll go to the store and get your goddamned drain cleaner

Carno clearly has the traditional view of women, taken to extremes. The man is lord and master. Women are here to take care of men, at their beck-and-call.

Off to town.

At least some people on the island are normal. Like Harv.

And helpful Lou. A good source of information.

Barn scene. Adrienne being kind, pleading, touching, trying to help.

Again upstairs. She doesn’t give up easily.

The second day was slightly better than the first one, I guess. Some info but not much happening. If my memory serves me well, tomorrow will be better. 

Karlok - 24 November 2016 07:05 PM

- Adrienne, where are you?
- In here.
- Where?
- In here, in the bedroom.
- What are you doing?
- I’m starting my new book.
- So what? Did you go buy the drain cleaner like I asked you to?
- What?? Drain cleaner?
- Don’t be coy with me. I asked you several times to go buy me drain cleaner, now did you do it?
- Well, I know you said the sink was clogged in your dark room, but you never asked me to get you any drain cleaner, I would have remembered something like that!
- You know, this is just like you. I bust my ass for you all the time and you don’t do anything but sit on your butt, like you’re doing right now.
- WHAT? What is wrong with you? I don’t understand.
- Fine. The next time you want something, don’t come crawling to me.
- Fine, I’ll go to the store and get your goddamned drain cleaner

Hahaha!   Thanks for the transcript! Some of the dialog in this part are hilarious!!! Also, it was quite odd when speaking to Lou, you have to literally click on her for every new topic, and every time she was like: “Ohhhhh, hi Adrienne!” Hellloooo!! I never left, I’m standing here all the time!!

wilco - 24 November 2016 07:15 PM

Edit: Oh wait, I’m wrong, he only said he needed drain cleaner and ask if she had any

Why can’t he buy his own drain cleaner? It’s his dark room.

Which reminds me, Adrienne is working in their bedroom. The only cozy place in this creepy house or too lazy to arrange something better? Plenty of rooms.