I find there are two kinds of point n' click adventures out there. Games where you go somewhere *to* solve a puzzle, and games where you go somewhere *then* solve a puzzle. Think Myst with it's puzzles that involved exploration and interaction with the world itself vs. something like The 7th Guest, where the game is mostly a matter of moving from one self-contained logic puzzle to another. Shivers 2 is more the latter, but while the obviously contrived puzzles can be somewhat immersion-breaking, this game manages to provide a continuous sense of ominous mystery that motivated me to keep playing. The main story involves a quest to rescue your friends from a masked madman who stalks you throughout the abandoned Arizona town, often calling to taunt or threaten you. As you explore the town, reading letters and listening to answering machines, a much deeper story unfolds as you realize almost everyone in town was up to *something*. The way this is all carried out manages to keep you on edge even when you know that there is no threat in gameplay terms. However, damage does come into play with each "key" you find requiring you to locate its resting place while malicious spirits slowly drain your health. If you know what you are doing, this isn't a massive problem, and the way the spirits are contained to one area makes them considerably less annoying than those in the previous game, but it is still a tedious aspect of an otherwise enjoyable puzzle adventure. That said, fans of YouTuber MetalJesusRocks will find another motivator to see this game to the end. Multiple puzzle solutions in game tie to a series of music videos by the aforementioned in-universe band, Trip Cyclone. The tracks themselves are fun, 90's grunge fare, but the videos notably feature MJ himself (who was working Sierra QA at the time) as one of the band members. If you can't become The Warrior, a whole series of Hidden Gems videos goes unreleased. And we can't let that happen.
I was too young to play Deus Ex when it first came out, but I found it at a rummage sale a few years back, and it was the best money I ever spent. I had college applications to fill out, but I was so sucked in by the web of intrigue and action that I put them off for a dangerously long time. That's how good this game is. Even now, 11-12 years after release, the multiple choices and deep storyline can still drag you in.
