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Very good!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 23 / 26
Date: March 13, 2008
Author: Amazon User

= PREFACE =

If you have played DarkFall I: The Journal, or DarkFall II: Lights out, then you don't need to read this review, you have probably bought the game immediately anyway. Yes, the entire game is one mans' job, Jonathan Boakes', and its not just acceptable; it is magnificent!

= SCENARIO =

You are Nigel Danvers and you find yourself limited to an interesting treasure hunt session in a somewhat isolated town called Saxton. Very soon some weird things will begin to happen. Will you survive these horrible events? Will you find your way in hunting down the hidden treasure? You are abount to find out SOON!

= GRAPHICS =

This time it is a 3rd person view, better in my opinion. It is almost full screen, with some space down for inventory (i 'd like titles in inventory items) , and some space up for the "Control Panel" Icon (The author *could* put there some option to quick save/load/quit) The graphics are mostly gray/screen, something that enhances the games mystery
theme, with a few nice drawn color additions. The ghost drawing an animation is very good, PLUS, almost all screens include some very very nice animation. Especially nice is the movement with the night vision of a camera on. Thumbs up and the best animation I 've seen!

P.S. You will be looking for some items in the forest at some point of the game, do not assume that all these items are colored.

= SOUND =

Being a professional musicologist, I have to judge that section stricly, and sound in this game is really good. Mysterious, ghastly and evil sound effects and music will compose a great atmosphere. However I (almost) missed what it hit me in The Journal and Lights Out: The sound isn't actually a part of the game action, it is there for a nice background - you can get the same pleasure by turning the sound off, something that would ruin the Darkfall's atmosphere.
Voices are good and clear.

= CONTROL =

No keyboard. Yes, I don't like that. Everything is mouse-driven, and, although you have a map, you can' move with the map, you have to walk to the locations manually. Also, it is not clear the fact that you don't have entire access to the town at certain points of the game (for example, in night 1, you can't go to a specific location but you don't get a warning message).
Subtitles are provided :)
Go top left and you have a menu which opens Save/Load etc. Only 8 saves ! :(

= ATMOSPHERE =

When a game is a masterpiece, reviewers are cruel. The game's atmosphere is very very good, but I still think that DarkFall I and II (and Darkness Within) is better in that section. There is nothing wrong with Lost Crown, but .... how should I tell? DFs were more evil, more frightening, whereas Lost Crown is more like a mystery than a horror game. This is not bad at all; but when you have played the DFs, you are somewhat expecting to be terrified even more!
It seems that Nigel finds the entire adventure more exciting than frightening... Well perhaps I will change my mind after I replay it a few times, but If I knew that the place I wondered around was haunted and there were evil ghosts everywhere kidnapping cats, I 'd get my a$$ outta there ASAP, not stay and even sleep in it!

= PLOT and RIDDLES =

This is the area in which the battle between this game and DarkFall I and II ends. DFs were very good, but relatively short. This game has a big plot scene (and I MEAN big) and lots of (inventory based, with one or two exceptions) puzzles. Also, because the game limits your access, you don't have to consider wandering around the entire town if you are stuck, so this effectively reduces your frustration. There are no tough puzzles, just a common sense of logic. Yes, this is my small complain, DFs were a lot tougher to finish - but also a lot quicker to finish.

= Vote For =

* Big plot
* Animation in almost all screens
* Great graphics and sounds
* Will run even in lower-end PCs
* No bugs/crashes (Well, don't try to use the walkie talkie at the night after you have used it previously in the day, or suddently the sun will appear again !)
* Subtitles allowed

= Vote Against =

* Not scary. No match for DarkFall I, II, Darkness within, Shadow of the comet etc... Perhaps not being scary is an advantage, but I miss it nevertheless.
* Only 8 saves (No comments...)
* No method to bypass the text - very annoying when you make the mistake of asking something that you have already asked. This thing would prevent me to play the game again.
* I don't like the way that Nigel reacts to horror events; For example, I wouldn't be that 'cool' to simulate a call to the spirit as he is in first night; It seems to me that he was already aware to what would happen.
* No keyboard; yes I don't like the mouse. Especially when you have to click some times to save your game. At least, double click works :)

= OVERALL =

A piece of excellence. Get it, its really worth your $. It is a masterpiece, perhaps lacking the actual horror element, but a very fine job nevertheless.

==== [SPOILER] ====

I didn't like the ending. I don't know why, but I never like the endings in most games. Can't anyone ever create a magnificent ending like that in Monkey Island 2 or Laura Bow 1 ?

You Don't Want to Miss this One!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: March 16, 2008
Author: Amazon User

All I can say is, I want to go back to Saxton! I loved the game and everything about it. I don't need to go into details..someone already did that. But, this game is definitely a keeper. I want more!

Great Game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: March 17, 2008
Author: Amazon User

When I first heard about this game, I was so excited ~ a mystery/adventure/ghost hunting game with REAL equipment? What a great concept. And Mr. Boakes really pulled it off. You really do get to use the cameras and EMF detector and the recorder. What fun!

Others have given great descriptions of this game, so please check those out.

If you can only afford to buy one adeventure game this year, this is the one you should get. It was well worth the extra wait (was originally due in November - I don't know what caused delay, but this ran smoothly on my computer).

So for sheer entertainment, I give it 5 stars.
For ease of use, 5 stars.
For overall quality of production, including atmosphere (WOW), 5 stars.
For plot, and progression of game, 5 stars.

Overall, a great game, and I really wish more computer software companies would make the effort to put out more awesome games like this one.

I will definately be buying anything else Mr Boakes comes up with!

Pretty cool game but needs to be scarier.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: March 17, 2008
Author: Amazon User

The town of Saxton is interesting and well laid out. The ghosts and mysteries are both sad and interesting and I like the main story. But for a horror game it needs a few more moments that make you jump a bit. Somehow Dark Fall 1 which was a much smaller and somewhat simpiler game had more atmosphere. probably the sound track. That said its well worth playing, with solid programming and only one minor bug so far.

its another great jonathan boakes game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: March 17, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Hello Jonathan Boakes is a great writer i wish he would write a book
all the games he is involved with were great, dark fall and dark fall 2 and this one is no exception great story, scary great sound track

The best horror adventure game in years

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: March 17, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This is possibly the best horror adventure game I've played in years. If you like adventure games, its a no brainer - go and buy it this instant!! If you like horror games, be aware that this is an adventure - no violence or chopping off of zombie heads here. What you will get here is an incredibly complex story, great characters, and a long gamplay time of 30+ hours. This is one of the most engrossing, exciting, and well made adventures out there. Highly recommended!

Loved it.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: March 20, 2008
Author: Amazon User

It's been a long time since someone created a game that held my interest. I really enjoyed this playing this game, I even enjoyed the parts that made me jump out of my chair.

ubercreepy

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: March 20, 2008
Author: Amazon User

if you can stand puzzle games and like horror genre games then buy this, it is totally flippin awesome. the most creepy game i've ever played.

don't bother

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 2 / 11
Date: March 24, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Stupid, boring, boring, boring. I've been waiting for this game,esp. after all the 5 star reviews. What a waste. Looks cheap, you can't click past dialog you've already done and the character says the same thing in the same places every time. The worst offence is that it's not the least bit scary or atmospheric. Dark Fall was creepier. The main character is annoying to boot. A waste of 29.99. Going back to Loath Nolder which has much better sound effects, real options you can manipulate, and in first person, much creepier.

Decent Story and not much else:

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: March 27, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I agree with the guy who said that the game is boring and not scary. I also played Darkness Within last month and finished the game. My thoughts are that if you want a creepy - scary game play it instead. If you want a decent story with heavy British accents play Lost Crown. I however perfer DW over this title that is not the least bit scary nor exciting.

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