This game has an amazing "vibe" to it, with atmospheric soundtrack and visuals that still look alright 30 years later. Some parts of it are really good, and the story is above average, even if there are some plot holes. But the gameplay ... it's very easy to miss picking something up somewhere because things are a tiny pixel hunt, and often the game won't give you any clue what you are missing. It just feels a disjointed in places too. I don't think I'd have had the patience to play this without internet hints when I got stuck.
This is a really good example of a classic point-and-click adventure. The backgrounds are gorgeous, and the plot is excellent. But to enjoy it, you need to relax and play it slowly, and not be too quick to reach for a walkthrough, otherwise it becomes an exercise in frustration. A couple of days off sick on the sofa is best as it only needs a mouse to use, and is far more fun than watching daytime TV. However, it also has the worst problems of pixel hunting and hard-to-spot objects I've seen for a long time. I had to resort to two walkthroughs to find a book on a table that I was meant to be able to see. Perhaps playing it on a bigger screen would help, but it could also be solved by clickable things being a bit more highlighted. If you only play one game from this era, play The Longest Journey instead. But this is also worth your time.
This game is not for everyone. It's calm, pointless, but beautiful and logical. I just about completed the whole thing without any hints, but with constant challenge. It truly is an amazing experience. Yes, it's a little pretentious, and the ending is a bit weak, but the journey is so so good. If you like spending your spare time doing sudoku, slitherlinks, nonograms, etc, then this is probably right up your alley.
I played this game once a few years back. All I remember of it was endless walking between places, it was rather dull. Shame, because the screenshots look like it got more interesting later on in the game.
I bought this game in the 24 hour sale on friends' recommendations. It turns out my PC isn't even close to minimum spec. Be warned, this is not an OLD game, even though it might be a GOOD one. Check the specs before purchase.
