The Colonel's Bequest

The Good
The music was some of the most spooky music in a PC video game at the time. The graphics really helped set the mood. The addition of time to the game (time only passes when you trigger a certain event) adds a new dynamic, even though it's only a cosmetic aspect of the game.

The Bad
The classic Sierra problem of "you can't continue until you do X" problem might leave you totally stuck in the game. At back when this game came out 15 years ago, there was no Internet/AIM/IRC to turn to for help, you would HAVE to call for paid help or buy the hint book.

The Bottom Line
A classic for it's time, and it seems to have aged fairly well. Playing this game brings back memories.

The Good
I loved this game from the first 10 minutes after installing and playing it. The game was very different from the usual Roberta Williams designs. The game is set up like a drama play that you are actually participating in except that the choices you make during the game effect the outcome of it all. It was probably one of the first of it's kind. The atmosphere of the plantation is downright errie, scenes ranging from a creepy "Chucky-Like" doll house, an abandoned chapel, mucky swamps and of course the main attraction, the huge mansion! All around you and throughout the game, there are people conspiring and plotting with and against each other trying to rub each other out for the Colonel's inheritance. As you move through the game (or through acts), you must take notes, interrogate people, spy on people, eavesdrop on conversations and solve puzzles to find out who-dunnit. There are some pretty creepy scenes you sometimes stumble on to which adds to the suspense. Another great thing about this amazing game is that there are multiple endings! and a meter guide to tell you how well you did as a detective... this game is a one of a kind. Roberta Williams did it again!

The Bad
The copy protection was terrible. It was annoying having to distinguish between those blotchy finger prints.

Sometimes it was hard to know what to do to trigger the next event, sometimes leaving you aimlessly wandering for awhile.

The Bottom Line
A great one of a kind mystery adventure game that was the first of many detective adventure games that were soon to follow. A must play for all adventure game lovers..

The Good
| Mystery |
The game starts casually but immediately pulls you into the web of intrigues, danger, and suspense. You play Laura Bow, a young girl whose friend calls her to come at a spooky old mansion to keep her company with all the oldtimers that will be on the gathering. She doesn't know why they were all summited, but she convinces you it just might be more interesting than studying for biology exam. And indeed it does become, the moment you sit on the table with the rest of 'family', and plot starts ticking while suspects and 'victims of accidents' are piling.

| Meet Laura Bow, the Noise Detective |
The whole game starts kinda late, I believe it was 8pm or so, and consists of about eight acts. Each act lasts one full hour in the game, and is triggered as you witness specific elements. However, that is only to make the game easier. But if you wanna be a full-time detective, you must try to gather all the clues and to connect the strings eventually, since once you finish the game, you get to see a nice set of what all you did discover, and what all you missed. So don't play to end, like I did, but play to understand. However, being an outsider of the family ring, people will not run to your aid or likeness, so you'll basically have to do everything on your own. Just to be greeted by surprising twist in the plot, highly unexpected and well fitted, for whichever ending you choose, and there are more than just right one.

| Parse This You Sonovagun |
This was the first game to add to my collection that had something else than just mouse user-friendly interface. It has text-parsing, and I enjoyed using that even more than just clicking with a mouse up on a certain object of a person. And parsing was fairly well done, and overall entertaining. Not too hard even for newcommers like me (hey, don't blaim me for being too young in the time of text adventures). Combining your own wit with your sight is what makes a real detective out of you, and gives you all the answers.

The Bad
| I Wanna Play |
Well, one thing does make a trembling annoyance in the distance. You can collect clues, proofs, ideas, and what all not, but you cannot share them. I mean, you can, but it's just as talking into the wind. You can easily die in the game, yet you cannot try and stop any murder in particular. You cannot do any action that might even the odds.

The Bottom Line
| Technicality |
'Tis an outstanding mystery game with lots of adventuring on a rather small ground. I always found fascinating topics in "whodunnit" style, and this game really made a miracle out of it. It has great graphic, especially due to fact it uses 16 colors only. Uses either mouse or keyboard for character movement and interaction with objects and NPCs, and has neat sound effects and music samples whenever they appear. Plus, it offers intriguing story that will keep you guessing and probably second-guessing until the very end. Whatever more can you expect from a decade old game (duh, rethorical).