The Black Mirror
$14.95		(Win98/Me/2000/XP) (Jewel Box) (BLACKMIRPR)

Publisher: The Adventure Company

Blood Gore, Violence

Ratings:

B+ from Just Adventure

Asleep For A Hundred Years.....It Has Now Awakened

After a twelve-year absence, a self-imposed exile, British nobleman, Samuel Gordon returns to his ancestral home of Black Mirror Castle to attend the funeral of his grandfather, William, who died in mysterious circumstances. Samuel doesn't believe that William's death was accidental, or a suicide, so he aims to find out just what happened. Why was William strangely preoccupied, even obsessive, in the months leading up to his fall from the tower and his gruesome impalement on the railings below?

Samuel himself is troubled by headaches and, increasingly, by nightmares that warn of further violent deaths. Has the curse of the Gordon's that haunted the family's past, and seems as deep-rooted as the Castle's foundations, returned to exact its malevolent revenge? Samuel only knows that he must continue William's investigations into the family's dark past if he is to understand why William died. Samuel reads William’s private diary and quickly discovers that there have been a number of mysterious deaths, and as he gets closer to these crimes, he realizes that he is very much at the center of the mystery. Samuel must do all he can to solve the mystery and keep himself alive.

Features:

A rich and interesting storyline to capture the imagination

Third-person graphical adventure

Six comprehensive chapters

Features 23 individual characters

More than 100 different locations, including: a medieval underground temple, a mental hospital and a cemetery)

Atmospheric effects such as rain, fog and storms

Hundreds of realistic animations

Many logical, inventory, environmental and tactile puzzles

Requirements:

Win98/Me/2000/XP: Pentium III 400 MHz (Or Equivalent) 64 MB RAM 8MB DirectX(r) 7.1 Compatible Video Card

Reviews:

Just Adventure by Eric Arevalo

"The Black Mirror is an excellent adventure game wrapped in mystery, suspense and excitement. As you play through the game you can clearly see the many special touches that the developer, Unknown Identity, has put into the game. What I appreciated the most is seeing the care that went into all areas of the games creation, from the intense and suspenseful story, to the beautiful graphics and exciting gameplay."

"...The developers of The Black Mirror are to be complemented for understanding that setting the right atmosphere through these special touches is just as important as any other aspect in the game. Sound effects are just as impressive such as when it is raining. There will be a time when it is raining and as you go inside a garden house you will hear the patter of rain falling on the roof sound different inside than it did outside. Every line in the game is also voiced appropriately and with professional quality. That the developers took the time to give us these special touches in graphics and sound helps to demonstrate the excellence that they were aiming for."

Quandary Review by Gordon Alpin

"As well as an unnerving story this game has a murky, sinister atmosphere helped by the strange and vaguely unsettling dislocation of the setting. It seems that time and the modern world have bypassed Black Mirror Castle and its surrounds. For the Gordon family the past is reluctant to loosen its grip. The story isn't set in the present but takes place in 1981 according to William's gravestone, yet the advertising signs in the tiny nearby village of Willow Creek are more reminiscent of the 1930s. Overlaid on this is an undoubted Victorian-Gothic veneer. All of this adds to the mystique and intrigue of the game.

"As do the excellent graphics, especially the outdoor locations lit by a muted golden twilight or, at other times, lashed by incessant rain, punctuated by flashes of lightning and the low rumble of distant thunder. Attention to detail showcases the talents of the developers. Moths drawn to the light and dark birds circling distantly above the tower; the effects of rain, not just raindrops on water but the smearing of a chalked menu outside the pub and a small dinghy slowly sinking as it fills with water. I only wish Samuel had a raincoat,..."

"Despite my few criticisms I enjoyed The Black Mirror. I always looked forward to returning to the game for a few hours to try to move on and open new locations. The story is suitably intriguing and there is a twist, but one that most players will see coming. As I said earlier, the game has a great atmosphere, not to mention inclement weather. The beautifully detailed graphics make exploration a sheer pleasure and the music and ambient sounds combine well to heighten the sense of something evil waiting, patiently, watching your every move. I certainly hope we see more adventure games from the enigmatically named developers, Unknown Identity."

Programmer in Black

"This game does have good puzzles, interesting storyline and moves along fairly well. It also has some "hunt the pixel" times when the object you need is quite small, some gore/gruesome scenes and sudden death does lurk around some corners."

"Highly recommended for experienced adventurers, not recommended for the faint of heart or impatient players. The end of the game wasn't what I expected at all."

Copyright © 1993-2000 CDAccess.com, Inc.
Questions: info@cdaccess.com