Necronomicon: The Dawning of Darkness

I had too! I really like the story in this game. Lovecraftian horror is one of my favorite subgenres and Necronomicon checks all the boxes (even the less desirable ones). The gameplay is fun and progression feels somewhat fluid and sensical until the last 3rd of the game. I had to used a guide because some of the puzzles felt like they were just click-on-everything-until-something-happens solutions. Maybe the game just underestimated how many hints I needed. The editing at some sections is laugh-out-loud jarring and the cutscenes are hilariously jank. The final section of the game and the 2 endings feel very rushed and underbaked. There's almost no dialogue at the end so I found myself just clicking around in silence for an extended period. I'd give it a 2.5, but I played it with a friend and we had a good time laughing at some of the cutscenes, so I'll round up to 3 stars

Got this game for free from my internet provider at the time of release ( good and strange ol' time) I couldn't complete it without a guide, not sure if I was too young ( but an experienced adventurer) or if some puzzle were very obscure but I remember the atmosphere was really good. It's the game that started my interest in lovecraft's lore so it has a special place in my heart. Definetely not a master piece of the gender but worth the playthrough for half a dollar if you're into the lovecraftian's mythos. Just keep a walkthrough on hand to keep your sanity.

from the golden era of european horror point and clicks

If you're familiar with the developers of this, you probably already know exactly what you're in for gameplay wise. Very eerie and atmospheric, but at other times comedically jank. It feels like the development was maybe rushed toward the end, which is a shame because some of the more tense set pieces are top notch. Some story beats feel incomplete. Some puzzles are borderline nonsensical. Short, sweet, cheap, and in the end honestly worth the play if you enjoy first person point-and-clicks.

Some things aren't obvious, but it's all pretty interesting.