Nice '30s or so atmosphere with fitting music. Quite crazy idea of a matryoshka-populated world and of the way to go around, using other dolls in series to obtain the goals. But that's it: the story is just a pretext to explore nice places and to repeat the same actions over and over. The puzzles are weak: either too easy or with too abstruse a solution. A big part of the game is just an end to itself: collect all unique dolls and perform many times the same funny (?) actions to get achievements, with no relation to the rest of the game. So, all in all relaxing and charming, but not worth spending too much time (or money) on it. More a pastime than a game.
Well, I have to say that I purchased this game "accidentally", without having ever heard of it (so I had really no expectations), but enjoyed it really a lot. In general, I like the puzzle/graphic adventure genre. This in particular stands out for being at the same time a light-hearted adventure with very mature and fascinating themes, and, most importantly, rooted in the real world. It's also refreshing to see something that spans outside the usual limits of US or Western culture, and this without being trivial; here we have a mixture of religions, spiritual beliefs, languages, countries, mysteries, all tied together in a decidedly captivating way. I think that the game structure, subdivided in days and organized in locations on a map, is genial and greatly helps the immersion in the story. This remake clearly makes gameplay easier (e.g., interactive objects can be highlighted). Overall, I also found the puzzles to be quite easy and straightforward, but this might have been a characteristic of the original version, too. I just found the mime scene rather absurd and too difficult to get: had I been in the developers, I would have changed it. On the other hand, the infamous clock's enigma might be baffling, but has its logic, and in hindsight I appreciated it very much. Don't let you be discouraged by these difficulties. My critics are mostly of two kinds: - the graphics are great, but I found the original sceneries (especially interiors) to be nicer or more appropriate. 3D environments can be lackluster at times, and they are too light and coloured in contrast with the progressively gloomier atmosphere. - The hint systems spoils too much and is bugged. Two levels are too few. The "behind the scenes" also needs to be limited, as it contains too many spoilers. So, a highly, highly recommended game that, despite its occasional naiveté, provides a truly unique and alluring story with a nice gameplay and pleasant puzzles. I can't wait to play the next episodes!!!
