User Reviews (1 - 11 of 16)

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Good up until the end

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: August 01, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I adore cinematic adventure games with real people to talk to instead of polygon models and real locations to explore, and that's exactly what Black Dahlia was. It was a real hoot to play with some great puzzles and interesting people to meet.

Although there was a certain level of gore involved, Black Dahlia takes place in a unique time period and has some interesting twists that I'd not seen in other adventure games. You start out, innocently enough, exploring a potential Nazi originization and soon fond your case growing larger and larger as you delve deeper and deeper into it.

The game has a certain atmosphere to it that was really neat to wade through. At one moment I might be hobnobbing in a secret nightclub and rubbing elbows with Elliot Ness and another moment I could be dodging traps in an ancient germanic crypt with poison dart traps and treasures to discover. Although the game was very linear (I could not progress until I had done a certain thing in a certain order)it still held my attention.

But halfway through the game the mystery aspect was lost and it became more of a horror movie. I won't give away the ending, but when It was all over I felt frustrated and somewhat betrayed by the fact that a lot of the 'evil' things that happen in the game I was relatively helpless to stop. The people who were predetermined to die I could not save. By the end of everything it seemed as though I was the only person left, and all my friends were gone. Even my satisfaction of thwarting the evil baddie was taken from me as the 'hero' left in shame.

But not everyone demands a perfectly happy ending, and some folks like their grit. I still will not deny that this was a very well done game even if it wasn't up to my tastes.

"Dahlia's" World Satisfyingly Noir

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: January 06, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I'm relatively new to the computer gaming world, and picked this up while looking for something to get me past the sorrow of finishing Riven. As a crime fiction writer and reader, I thought the plot was reasonably well-designed and interesting. I confess to cheating on some of the puzzles, usually because I was in a hurry to see what happened next. There's a pretty good mix of harder and easier puzzles, and the best fit neatly into the plotline. There are a number of easier puzzles, however, that don't really serve to advance the plot. I found this only mildly annoying, though, because most were out of my way pretty quickly. The graphics are great, very "immersible," and even the acting isn't bad. (There are some entertaining easter eggs here and there that enliven the main character's role.) The villain is satisfyingly vile, and acted with disturbing enthusiasm. In short, I enjoyed the whole thing up to the end, which I found predictable and somewhat disappointing. Nonetheless, I'd definitely recommend Dahlia, because even though I found the end unsurprising I wouldn't have missed the villain's endgame bloodthirsty exuberance for anything.

Not for everyone

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: May 05, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Beautifully crafted, but dark, grim, and ultimately depressing (there's a quote from Macbeth in the endgame. How appropriate). In the film noir vein, I preferred Grim Fandango, which had at least a little comic relief. Also, I experienced occasional "unable to open file" errors on restoring games. Not fatal, the game would resume upon pressing enter, but mildly annoying.

Film Noir at its best (well almost)

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: December 29, 2000
Author: Amazon User

BD is a perfect example of how well film noir translates in a video game. While devoid of the comic relief that we get in other film noir games like Grim Fandango, this game is great. Many of the "gorrific" cut scenes make it inappropriate for children but a must for adults. Many of the logic puzzles are quite difficult and require a lot of thought (and an occasional glance at a walkthrough) but they do not detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

The mixture of history and horror adds to the reality of the game. Who doesn't remember Hoover and the infamous "black list". This game speaks to a dark period in U.S. history, and does it well.

Definitely a must have for the serious gamer.

Addictive

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 16 / 18
Date: November 23, 1999
Author: Amazon User

This game was addictived from the word start. There are several hard puzzles but the outcome is worth the work. I had to use tips from the internet on occasion but it did not take away the thril of the game. It is set back in the 4o's and it like watching a movie unravel before your eyes. The graphics were great and very quick to go from one play to another. A very good "who done it" with a unbelievable ending.

Great Film Noir atmosphere

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 11
Date: February 23, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Black Dahlia is a lot of fun to play.You can really immerse yourself in the mysterious-40's atmosphere. I have always been partial to film noir, and BD captures the feeling nicely. The puzzles are medium to difficult, but not so frustrating that you tear your hair out before you solve them.And they are not pointless puzzles, either, which is appreciated. The entire ambience is dark, brooding, and at times, frightening.This kind of game is my favorite...good story,good puzzles,logical progression. The graphics are properly moody,as well.I think you will have a lot of fun playing BD.

Incredible!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 10
Date: February 19, 2000
Author: Amazon User

This was a fantastic computer game! I'd been bored for quite a while, and this was exactly what I needed to pick me up. "Black Dahlia" was an amazing mystery thriller with fantastic graphics. The actors were actually quite good, a rarity in most computer games. I was so addicted to this game that I spent my whole day on it instead of an essay I should have been working on! Some of the puzzles are difficult (I'll confess to using the cheat sheet on most of it), but it was all so beautifully done that I really didn't mind. You must try this game, it's incredible!

Absolutely mysterious

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: December 08, 1999
Author: Amazon User

Finally a adventure game with true story of crime and intrigue behind it taking place in the early 40's. Wonderful graphics and story compose a perfect adventure game for quite everybody as the mazority of the puzzles are really challenging. Despite all the dangers and the people chasing you you have to find the "torso killer" after all this incredible and unbelieveable things that happen to you. Now better switch off the lights , turn the speakers on and enjoy....!

Great and super creepy game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: February 10, 2001
Author: Amazon User

This game is super creepy! I totally loved it! There are only a few problems. 1. It was kind of not understandable. I totally didn't understand the end. I mean, aren't ends supposed to be happy? The end was really freaky, too, but I liked it. 2.Bugs. Maybe it was just my game, but especially on disc six, it would shut down withan error message every 20 seconds! I'm not exagerrating either. 3. Um, why is this game rated everyone? Ages 6 and up, I mean, this is a scary game with dead bodies and parts of bodies, swearing, lots of violence, blood and gore, ext. It should be at least rated teen. 4. Hard puzzles. I used the walkthrough a lot, probably because I am stupic. Advice: Use a walkthrough. Or hints! Other then that, this game is fantastic! It has a great storyline, terrific acting, fabulous graphics, and lots of other great stuff too! Yeah, this game is sort of depressing, but there are lot of things you could do to get a laugh, like spin around really fast and you will get a funny video clip, or click on yourself when you are on the phone at the sunset arms hotel, or click shift and leave the santini house. My advice: definitly buy this game!!!!

Pilgrim-A Perfect and True Adventure Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: April 23, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Well here goes. I have never written a review before. Black Dahlia is a must for Adventure gamers. It takes place during the second world war. Our hero is trying to find clues to what is happening in the game. It is very linear, but not difficult to follow. I did, however, need a walkthrough. The first puzzle of difficulty is a stained glass window that has been broken. It is one of the best in the game. I loved it. As you go through the game it will prove very intriguing to you and it is also very scarry. The game is six discs of pure adventure gaming with puzzles that are very original and very satisfying when you complete them. Towards the end you find yourself in a tomb underground looking for the Black Dahlia, which I am told, was a real object in the second world war. The game moves very quickly and I found that the dialogue was not overly done. For the most part, situations are presented to you and you must use your knowledge and basic intelligence to get to the end. I believe it deserves five stars and I must admit that it was the first adventure game I played when I got my new computer. Since then I have another computer with the highest possible attributes. So for what it is worth, the game will play on almost any system and it is very good exerience for adventure game lovers to get in so deep, you will not want to come out even for you dinner. Everyone is looking for a good adventure game that will play on their new machines. Black Dahlia could be the ticket. If you have not had the pleasure of playing the game, try to get your hands on it. You will not be sorry for one minute.

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