User Reviews (1 - 11 of 71)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

Riddle of the Sphinx

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 26 / 27
Date: December 29, 2000
Author: Amazon User

This is a well developed, 1st person adventure game. Graphics are fantastic and transitions between 'movies' and real-time action are very well done, almost seamless.

The initial video is outstanding and sets the tone well for the opening puzzles of the game.

Be sure to have plenty of note paper and a sharp pencil as I found myself taking many notes to retrace my steps and solve puzzles. From the very beginning (the search for the scroll) the search for the pad lock on the sea chest is a multi step puzzle.

Have fun and enjoy the view.

another dreamcatcher failure

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 3 / 9
Date: January 08, 2001
Author: Amazon User

this is another failure by dreamcatcher. the only company worse than them seems to be cryo. i worried when i heard dreamcatcher had taken over this game, since their games are generally poorly designed and executed. however, i decided to give it a shot, since the game was mostly designed before they took over. BIG MISTAKE. the game crashed and reset system settings more than once. the game controls are primitive -- they are similar to games 2-3 years old. the graphics are a joke. check the sky -- heavily banded. there is more wrong, but suffice it to say: don't waste your money.

It might be fun, but I never found out.

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: January 14, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I read all the reviews and system requirements. It sounded as if it would work well with my Apple G3 (beige) with Mac OS 8.5.

Unfortunately, when it arrived, it didn't work. I had QuickTime 5.0 beta 2 on my system. I installed the game with QuickTime 4 translation. It never worked with QuickTime 5 beta 2, so I uninstalled QuickTime 5 and downgraded to QuickTime 4.1.2. It didn't work then, either! It kept wanting missing game files and QuickTime 3, for some reason.

After I uninstalled and reinstalled the game and QuickTime ten times or more, I decided to send the Dreamcatcher (the game's maker) Tech Support department an e-mail.

All in all, this would have been a fun game if it had worked with my newer software. Just be careful when buying this game and your computer has newer hardware and/or software on it because you may have a hard time getting it to work.

One of the best adventure games for unbelievable low price

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 23 / 25
Date: January 15, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Perfect adventure game! Had no trouble loading or playing this game. Beautiful graphics, multiple fascintating sites to explore. Puzzles totally related to storyline. Retracing steps toward solutions were neither tedious or tiresome. Have played many many adventure games since Myst and would definitly place this game in the top 10 (if not 5) adventure games. Easily worth $40 or $50. Read the praise adventure gamers give this game on intetnet sites such as Game Boomers.

Not what we hoped

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 20 / 21
Date: January 16, 2001
Author: Amazon User

We bought this Dreamcatcher game after having a blast with Faust: Seven Games of the Soul. We enjoy a challenging game, but this game is too non-linear for the number of puzzles it features. The enormity of the game and the complexity of the puzzles led to days of wandering around, wondering if we were finished with areas (and disks!) or if we would soon find ourselves stuck there again.

The scenery and animation were indeed beautiful, and many of the tasks are quite exciting. However, the frustration of deciphering which puzzles are doors to others, compounded by terrible navigation tools, often spoiled the fun. At times, it truly seemed more work than play. And just when you think you've finally gotten somewhere, it's all over.

First-person adventure gamers must-have

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 16 / 17
Date: January 18, 2001
Author: Amazon User

The puzzles, environments, and eye candy visuals were great! I highly recommend this one!

This is definitely a keeper. The puzzles were logical and not overwhelmingly hard. The environment was immersive: I found myself rushing to get home and re-enter this world. The number of places to explore and items to add to inventory were incredible--you can spend a good deal of time just enjoying the surroundings while you puzzle through another task. I encourage you to try this one out if you enjoy first-person adventure games like Myst, Riven, the Crystal Key, etc.

Just Good and Okay, but not Excellent

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 34 / 36
Date: January 19, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I enjoyed playing this immersive adventure to Egypt--I am always fond of adventure games that incorporates mysticism and ancient artifacts.

The puzzles presented in the game are indeed logical and can be accomplished without consulting a walkthrough. I loved the puzzles and walking around the Giza and the Cheops pyramids.

My dissatisfactory comments goes to the graphics--something Dreamcatcher is notorious for. The sky graphics are inadequately designed with bands and the helicopter needs work to display the the realistic texture. The immersive experience of "Riddle of the Spinx" is 3 from a scale of 1 to 5. "3" because of the helicopter and the skies strips the immersive factors away from the game.

If you can't wait for Myst 3: Exile, purchase this title to alleviate your impatience for Myst 3. I am certain that Myst 3 is what we adventure fanatics have been waiting for since Riven came out in 1997.

Riddle of the Sphinx is One of the Best!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 11
Date: February 25, 2001
Author: Amazon User

After reading the reviews, I really expected this to be a hohum game. I have played all of the Myst games and have to say that this game is better in theme, puzzles, gaming and difficulty. The only downfall is the navigation was a little deceptive in some critical areas. Although, this is common in all software games of this kind. It took a week and a half of about 3 hrs each night. It was a truly enjoyable experience! This game is worth double its cost. If you don't buy this one your missing a great classic.

Dreamcatcher has done it again!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: March 11, 2001
Author: Amazon User

In the true style of a Dreamcatcher game, comes Riddle of The Sphinx. The graphics and storyline are mystifying. It is a "can't stop playing" type of game. I have almost all of the Dreamcatcher games and I am not disappointed by this game either. Thank You Dreamcatcher for being so entertaining.

Almost a Success

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 39 / 40
Date: March 12, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Riddle of the Sphinx is a classic puzzle game that draws its theme from many of the New Age, Atlantean and alien invasion versions of human history. Sort of a blend of Indiana Jones and the X Files. It is set at the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx in contemporary Egypt. As indicated this is, like many Dreamcatcher games, a puzzle game, not a true adventure. As such the action is limited to running back and forth in order to find clues and complete puzzles.

It is a difficult game to evaluate fairly. It is the product of a small team (two to be exact) that literally worked out of their house. As such it represents a remarkable effort. Unfortunately, like many games from Dreamcatcher, there is little cause for excitement. When compared to a game developed by a full team - such as Ultima IX or The Longest Journey, these efforts come off very badly.

One has to keep in mind that Dreamcatcher sells these games for considerably less than its bigger brothers. The truth is that ROTS is almost a very good game. It does have several flaws. First of all, it is not clear what your real object is until the end of the game. It turns out that this is intentional, but it leaves you feeling a bit at a loss when you are trying to make sense of the clues. Another problem is the somewhat unorthodox user interface. I was perpetually hitting the wrong key. This will take a bit of getting used to.

The scenery is very pseudo-Egyptian, but doesn't really ring true. It is the source of several of the irritating inconsistencies in the game as well. Finally, there is a hint book for sale. It seems that every time game designers market a hint book as well as the game, they view this as a license to create puzzles that are hard to virtually impossible (It sells hint books, after all). This turns a reasonable priced game into a purchase of questionable value.

This is really a 3.5 star game, but I cannot in all conscience give it the benefit of the doubt and round up to a four. Even so, the designers display a good bit of talent. Hopefully future efforts will benefit from there initial experiences.

Review Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next 

Actions