Blackwell Bundle

Don't judge this game base on the first game. It was very short, just when you get acquainted with the game it ends, and the voice-over audio clipping, was very annoying so I didn't have high expectation for the rest of the series. Second game is where the meat is and gain traction of my interest. The introduction of switching between playing Rosangela or Joey adds another dimension to the characters, solving the puzzle, and the story line . As you move down the series the production value of the game goes up. It can be a bit disconcerting of the changes each game goes through but it's interesting to see different artist take on the characters. The only thing I did not like was the introduction of achievement. It spoils some of the story and puzzle, and it force player to play a certain way or having to replay the game to achieve it. Make sure to pick up Blackwell Epiphany, the thrilling conclusion.

The Blackwell games stand out as some of the best Point & Click Adventure games I've played, period. I encourage fans of the genre to dive in and enjoy these games without too much information. Chances you'll regret doing this are quite slim. These games are a shinning example of how great writing can make a huge difference in videogame narrative. Gameplay wise, there is nothing new here, but this shouldn't stop anyone from enjoying the adventures of Rosangela Blackwell, one of the most charismatic characters you'll encounter in interactive fiction, and her ghostly companion Joey Malone.

My review consists of addressing each game individually. Blackwell Legacy is a well-done point-and-click adventure game. It's short, sweet, straightforward, and it sets off a very good start for what is to be the rest of the great games in the series. The writing quality is superb, and the overall quality of the story is excellent. The only thing that can be a bit disappointing is the somewhat shoddy character portraits and occasionally sub-par voice acting. However, the interesting narrative more than well make up for it. Blackwell Unbound is the second game in the Blackwell series, and it’s a very considerable improvement over its predecessor. It takes all the concepts introduced in the first game and explores them far more thoroughly, creating a perfect blend of gameplay, story, and puzzle difficulty. The writing and characters are absolutely wonderful, and the jazz-noir atmosphere is thoroughly soothing. And the puzzles, as mentioned, are a bunch of fun to solve. After playing it, it's suitably become one of my favorites in the genre. Convergance is an extreme upgrade graphically, but unfortunately a step-down everywhere else. The story and plot aren't as interesting as the previous installments, and the puzzles aren't nearly as fulfilling to solve. However, it's still a good entry into the series, and one that effectively keeps the ball rolling. Blackwell Deception is the fourth game of the series. It has a bit of a slow start, but when it picks up, boy does it. The graphics have relegated a little bit since Convergence, but the story and gameplay's picked up, going straight back on-track. Thankfully, the game feels far more fleshed-out and proper in terms of its length and accompanying puzzles. By the extremely effective cliffhanger of an ending, it's likely straight to buying the final game of the series, Blackwell Epiphany. Something is to be said for a game that has that power, and it's almost entirely due to its fantastic narrative and writing.

The strong point of this series is definitely the story-telling and characters. I really enjoy all of the zippy dialogue between the characters and watching as the story unfolds. The puzzles can be quite interesting, too. There are some rough edges (voice acting/voice pops, odd puzzles, disappointing moments), but generally these are easily overlooked as the game is quite engaging. After all, they are indie games, so there are bound to be a few "indicators" of its origins. But I highly recommend this series (especially since it's frequently on sale now), and I hope Wadjet Eye Games comes out with another installment in the series. In the meantime, I look forward to checking out some of Wadjet's other games...

Really I'd give 3.5 stars. In terms of story and characters, I liked the first two best, after that the episodes got a little weaker. The riddles are for the most part logical, though in each episode there was at least one that had me looking up the solution. The solutions are also recycled a lot, so you'll find yourself going through a bit of a routine by the end. The story didn' t really impress me, and especially the fourth episode didn't develop in a direction I liked. The writing still has it's moments. Now for some positives. The voiceacting is pretty decent. You use a map to go to specific locations, so there is no time wasted on excessive walking, and the interface is clean and simple. So, overall, I found the games to be very decent, but they didn't leave me wanting to buy the final installment.