Chains is a point-n-click adventure game that in many ways is quite unremarkable. The gameplay isn't particularly polished. The puzzles aren't particularly satisfying. The voice acting isn't particularly engaging. etc. etc. Yet there's an enjoyable game under all this if, like me, you can get behind the main characters. Geron is a very reluctant hero, even being a bit of a doomer, but I think that serves to make the story a bit more grounded, even in the fantasy setting of The Dark Eye. Geron's character is believable given his history even if it makes the first act of the game a bit insufferable due to his bad relationship with the rest of the town. Things pick up after his chance encounter with Nuri, a reclusive fairy, and the rest of the plot is essentially driven by the collision of their budding relationship and the dark prophecy that hangs over Geron. The story of Chains is very personal in scope - while there are larger ramifications to the world in the story, they're more a side-effect of events rather than the main driving force of the story. I'm normally a sucker for grand fantasy epics, but I found this small-scale tale strangely satisfying for the most part. It's no masterpiece, but if you like story-driven fantasy adventures, it's worth a look. If you find youself liking it, be sure to check out the (slightly superior in pretty much every way) sequel, Memoria.
Daedalic adventure games are acquired tastes at the best of times, that stand and fall on how the player connects with the characters, and their Dark Eye series is no exception. The good news is that Memoria does better in this regard than it's predecessor 'Chains of Satinav'. The bad news is that the driver of the plot comes directly from the events of the previous game and it loses a good chunk of the narrative impact if you haven't played it. However, most of the actual game time is spent following a new main character, Sadja, and her sentient staff. Whereas Geron's story in the previous game is very personal in scope, Sadja's story is closer to a classical fantasy epic, involving much larger world events and her role in them. There is also a B-plot, involving a member of the local town guard, Bryda, and her dissatisfaction with what she considers the dull current state of the world. All the new major characters have their charms, the star of the show being the staff, and like with Chains, I found myself forgiving the flaws in the games execution (of which there are many) due to my enjoyment of the story, which manages to simultaneously be grand in scope, yet ultimately intensely personal at the climax. This series is often criticised for poor voice acting, and it's a valid criticism, although I found it to be merely a missed opportunity, rather than an annoyance most of the time. There are some pretty bad moments though (the main one that springs to mind is the scene with young Sadja and the prince) In terms of gameplay and presentation, everything is functional, but nothing stands out or gives you the impression that you're playing a polished title. Again, this game stands or falls on how you enjoy the story. This game is probably for people who: - played (and liked) 'Chains of Satinav' - like adventure games for the story This game is probably not for people who: - like adventure games for the puzzles - are easily annoyed at pedestrian voice acting
