Posted February 11, 2010
I bought this game at the height of the "multimedia" and "interactive movie" craze. There was a glut of these games for a while which made it difficult to know how Phantasmagoria stood out against the crowd. Replaying it in recent years reveals what a gem this game really is.
First and foremost, the technology is astounding. The art and film direction are truly superb. This was obviously a very meticulous production, and the inclusion of minute details, ancillary scenes, and additional animations reveals that the designer (Roberta Williams, the most prolific adventure designer in history) wanted this to mimic real life, not just a movie. The fusion of film and CGI are very good and the world has a very heavy and self-substantiating feel to it.
Most of the acting is quite superb, and is highlighted by a wonderful female protagonist who is strong, inquisitive, and assertive, yet feminine and vulnerable. Her husband, the antagonist, also performs very well and is a convincing foil who becomes more and more detestable as he gradually falls from grace. Supporting characters range from great to cringe-worthy, but all-in-all the main and supporting cast are very complimentary and fit in well with this world.
This game is a little on the easy side compared with Sierra's other games, making this an outstanding choice for first-time adventure gamers. There is much to love about this game for horror and detective fans alike, and I would highly recommend this for married couples looking for an immersive fiction to dive into and solve together as a team.
It's a true tragedy that live action games didn't proliferate beyond the 90's. Other projects (like the excellent Casebook series by Areo Cinematic Games) rekindle this spirit but serve as little more than McNuggets of interactive fiction as compared to this work of genius by Roberta Williams. It has become one of my most beloved Sierra adventures and I very highly recommend playing this, alone or with a friend, with the lights out on a spooky evening!
First and foremost, the technology is astounding. The art and film direction are truly superb. This was obviously a very meticulous production, and the inclusion of minute details, ancillary scenes, and additional animations reveals that the designer (Roberta Williams, the most prolific adventure designer in history) wanted this to mimic real life, not just a movie. The fusion of film and CGI are very good and the world has a very heavy and self-substantiating feel to it.
Most of the acting is quite superb, and is highlighted by a wonderful female protagonist who is strong, inquisitive, and assertive, yet feminine and vulnerable. Her husband, the antagonist, also performs very well and is a convincing foil who becomes more and more detestable as he gradually falls from grace. Supporting characters range from great to cringe-worthy, but all-in-all the main and supporting cast are very complimentary and fit in well with this world.
This game is a little on the easy side compared with Sierra's other games, making this an outstanding choice for first-time adventure gamers. There is much to love about this game for horror and detective fans alike, and I would highly recommend this for married couples looking for an immersive fiction to dive into and solve together as a team.
It's a true tragedy that live action games didn't proliferate beyond the 90's. Other projects (like the excellent Casebook series by Areo Cinematic Games) rekindle this spirit but serve as little more than McNuggets of interactive fiction as compared to this work of genius by Roberta Williams. It has become one of my most beloved Sierra adventures and I very highly recommend playing this, alone or with a friend, with the lights out on a spooky evening!