Blackwell Epiphany is the final game in the Blackwell series of games, and it effectively realizes the entire series' full potential. It takes everything introduced in the previous four and makes it the biggest and best of the bunch. It ends on a bittersweet note, though it gives everything proper closure. The Blackwell series has never been about the gameplay or the puzzles. At its core, it's truly been about the characters. Rosa Blackwell, Joey Mallone, and the rest felt real and believable. The dialogue reflected this wonderfully, and it was their personalities intertwined with the narrative that made the games a true delight. Though, I personally can't shake the feeling that there could have been more done with these characters, perhaps more focus on their behavior outside of matters concerning the plot. But, with what it is, it's executed masterfully. The Blackwell series had me entirely engrossed in each and every installment with its genuine characters, interesting narrative, and shining quality and passion. It stands out as a definitive example of a modern point-and-click series definitely done right.
My review consists of addressing each game individually. Blackwell Legacy is a well-done point-and-click adventure game. It's short, sweet, straightforward, and it sets off a very good start for what is to be the rest of the great games in the series. The writing quality is superb, and the overall quality of the story is excellent. The only thing that can be a bit disappointing is the somewhat shoddy character portraits and occasionally sub-par voice acting. However, the interesting narrative more than well make up for it. Blackwell Unbound is the second game in the Blackwell series, and it’s a very considerable improvement over its predecessor. It takes all the concepts introduced in the first game and explores them far more thoroughly, creating a perfect blend of gameplay, story, and puzzle difficulty. The writing and characters are absolutely wonderful, and the jazz-noir atmosphere is thoroughly soothing. And the puzzles, as mentioned, are a bunch of fun to solve. After playing it, it's suitably become one of my favorites in the genre. Convergance is an extreme upgrade graphically, but unfortunately a step-down everywhere else. The story and plot aren't as interesting as the previous installments, and the puzzles aren't nearly as fulfilling to solve. However, it's still a good entry into the series, and one that effectively keeps the ball rolling. Blackwell Deception is the fourth game of the series. It has a bit of a slow start, but when it picks up, boy does it. The graphics have relegated a little bit since Convergence, but the story and gameplay's picked up, going straight back on-track. Thankfully, the game feels far more fleshed-out and proper in terms of its length and accompanying puzzles. By the extremely effective cliffhanger of an ending, it's likely straight to buying the final game of the series, Blackwell Epiphany. Something is to be said for a game that has that power, and it's almost entirely due to its fantastic narrative and writing.
