The Phoenix is back and he wants to play...again.
In the sequel to Missing: Since January, one of the most innovative PC games ever, Evidence: The Final Ritual has the sadistic psycho on the loose with more intricate puzzles for you to solve and exasperating taunts for you to endure.
For those unfamiliar with the original, the game blurs the separation between the virtual world and the real world making for a very intense and creepy experience. Once you sign up as part of a global organization determined to bring The Phoenix to justice, you will begin receiving real email from fictitious individuals assisting with the case and the certifiable nut job himself as he tracks your progress in solving his clever puzzles. Each brainteaser you overcome brings you closer to the killer and his victims.
While in the game's interface, the Phoenix, who has kidnapped and tortured a woman searching for her missing brother, will "live chat" with you and present one series of mind-bending puzzles after another. For instance, the first is a video of the missing woman staring right at you. She is dishevelled, shaking and isn’t uttering a sound except for her laboured breathing. If you are observant enough, you will see that she is using her eyes to blink a numerical code to you. Enter the correct combination and you will move on.
Some of the puzzles are as simple feats in observation, some require you to gather clues from Internet sites and some are complex riddles within riddles. While all of them are mercilessly challenging in their own right, Evidence differs from it predecessor in the fact that the game does offer some assistance for those who get stumped. You are never given the exact answer but the clues should at least point you in the right direction. Some are real head scratchers though and I couldn’t solve them without the walkthrough provided. You have been warned.
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As you complete each puzzle level, The Phoenix will reward you with video segments furthering the plotline as well as your search for the missing woman. There is however a second storyline involving a detective’s search for another serial killer. The meandering storylines only get interesting though when the two plotlines intersect, as you probably knew they would. Before that point though, the videos aren’t as enthralling as they should be although all of the performances are quite solid and credible.
As a sequel, Evidence is as eerie and mentally taxing as the original even if the plot is just not up to snuff. Those who consider themselves puzzle game connoisseurs or armchair detectives will have their skills severely tested and unlike the finale of ‘Missing: Since January’, the conclusion is worth all the time and effort.
WHAM! Rating: |
8 out of 10 |
ESRB Rating: |
M (Mature) |
Official Web Site: |
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