Dracula Origin

Dracula Origin seems like a game made to capitalize on name recognition, rather than introduce anything new to the vampire genre. Right from the start we learn that the plot to this game is the plot to the book, only altered just enough to make it subpar. We're also shown visuals that are good enough, but don't seem to quite fit together - as if this game was made from leftover assets, at least in part. Some screens seem throwaway, while others seem incredibly detailed and carefully constructed. Yet half the game seems to take place in Egypt, another quarter in a boring apartment, and the last quarter seems to actually have something to do with Dracula, so I'm not sure if this is a cash grab or a genuine low budget attempt at a Dracula story. Not that it matters, since the plot isn't very good. The game is also mostly on the easy side, since the game's creators tried to fix every flaw they introduced into the gameplay - mainly this being a pixel-hunting collect-a-thon with weird viewing angles that hide large sections of a level. You can press a button and see everything you can interact with, and the intended interaction, making reaching hidden areas of a level easier, and makes collecting items a breeze. You can avoid using it, but it doesn't make the game more enjoyable. The main character also tells you when you "forgot" to do something that will allow you to advance further in the game. He even stops you from leaving a room until you've done everything there is to do there. There are some unintuitive puzzles, but they are either solved with trial and error, hints the character gives, or informed guesswork. The end to the game feels quick and underwhelming, and Dracula isn't really felt for most of it. His presence is best felt by reading the text you collect during the game. The Egypt portion of the game seems the most interesting. Horrendous dialogue and awkward line delivery make this into a laugh out loud comedy,which is both good and bad.Worth a watch.

So this was an average puzzle game at first, a bit weird atmosphic, some strange logic, but over all fun. Then we start getting lore about Dracula. And - nothing against the devs/writers - it is obvious they stole most of the "origin" from the book 'I, Strahd' (1993). They changed Irena to Irina and Sergi being Strahd's brother to Von his cousin. My friends and I laughed our heads off at the blatant knockoff.

NOTE: This review is based on having played the DVD-ROM version that is no longer compatible with Windows 10. You play entirely as Abraham Van Helsing in this game and while it initially seems like it is going to make some effort to follow the novel Dracula, it doesn't take long for it to go off the rails and be Dracula in name only. Having said that, the plot isn't the worst thing about the game. This is on the whole an adventure game. You're want to do adventure game stuff, like find stuff to pick up, possibly manipulate it by combining it with other items in your inventory. What you probably were not expecting was to have to do a bunch of math puzzles nor were you expecting to have to push a bunch of balls to form a specific pattern. If these do not sound fun, you are going to want to find yourself a walkthrough before purchasing. The game can be played entirely with the mouse where you navigate by clicking on screen, but there will be times where the camera angle shifts such that anyone who played Resident Evil will be having flash backs to RE tank controls due to odd camera angles. The worst of this occurs in the Cairo Museum, where you will find yourself wandering about looking for stuff and occasionally not finding it even though you're in the right area in general just due to the camera angle you currently have. Also as a side note, Dracula Love Kills is a direct sequel to this game where you play Dracula and still hot for Mina. Although it is a hidden object game with a rather campy plot, it is actually significantly more fun than Dracula Origin if you like the hidden object genre. I would give this game a solid 5/5 and because the copy of DLK that I have is marred with DRM, I will be repurchasing the GOG version... I wouldn't say the same about Dracula Origin.

Sometimes it's hard to recognize, which items can be interacted with but at least the puzzles are not Sierra-level cryptic

Not a bad little game at all if you like the vibe of those 2000s European point-and-click adventures (e.g. Secret Files: Tunguska et al). It's not exactly going to win game of the year but it's a fun diversion for fans of the genre. It does have that issue where it's very 'video-game-y' to an absurd degree i.e. no-one has a bloody normal lock on their door(!), only one that requires a series of riddles and jigsaw puzzles and whatnot. If you *need* a bit more realism in your point-and-clicks then maybe stay away.