Could have been a really good game—one of the best of the year—despite some of its flaws. But the twitch requirements and the insult sword — errrr… sarsaparilla duels, combined to cast a deathly pallor over the entire experience.

A tightly integrated game, well thought out and brilliantly executed. An unbelievable effort for a single individual.

This would be a very good game, but it suffers from a fatal syndrome: it will inevitably be compared to the original source material.

The solution to this problem might be corrected by better choices, including more Star Trek-like non-violent solutions and away mission problems, and a less obnoxiously difficult equipment upgrade system, which might give captains the will to live in this world.

But this game does nothing more than remind the adventure game lover of the malaise our beloved genre currently finds itself in.

Yes, it is a quality game with high-end graphics and superb voice-acting, but it also seems to be pretty much 'by-the-numbers' let's get this finished and hope we get better distribution and make more money than we did with Dreamcatcher so we can move on to our next project type of game.

What adventure lovers will appreciate the most about this game, I think, is the fact that, with all its polish and rich production values, it's still at heart a completely traditional third-person point-and-click adventure.

You do eventually play as both the brothers and also their mysterious helper, but it is not a matter of choice as the game forces you into situations. There are also some timed puzzles and circumstances that can cause your capture and in one case even death, but fear not for the game is forgiving and you will automatically return to the point before the deadly mistake.

Compared to the lush screens, smooth animations and high-quality musical scores of the PC versions, MillionHeir feels more repetitive, and the gameplay simply wears out its welcome more quickly.

There is nothing in this game that you can point to and say that it was a breakthrough, but it is all consistent and consistently good. It is thoroughly enjoyable and doesn’t turn south on you half way through.

Not only is it a wonderful effort, but it is also one of those rare games where the sequel is better than the original.

I found Ariane to be a tad fidgety when standing in one place and while other characters are speaking to her. Her abundance of mannerisms proved rather distracting to me, particularly at first. Fewer would have been better.

For those looking for perky puzzles and an array of dazzling environments, look elsewhere. But for the player with the patience to explore a rich story and meet lots of shady characters, Daemonica can be a dark, creepy pleasure.

While Dracula 3: The Path of the Dragon is a step above some of Kheops latest efforts (Cleopatra, Destination Treasure Island) it has a minimalist look to it and still feels too much like a cookie-cutter project.

The best way to think of Time Hollow is to enjoy it as interactive storytelling. If you’re comfortable with that, you’ll probably have a great time with the game, as I did.

It's unlikely to win any awards, but it is fun and satisfying to play.

Murder in the Abbey is a classically-structured third-person adventure game with an intriguing setting, a strong story, quality music, and generally excellent graphical presentation. Unfortunately, it’s also got problems that undermine whatever potential fun there is to be had.

As adventure games go, it is almost a sci-fi opus and it is intriguing to think that only a miniscule portion of the Perryverse has been plumbed.

So if you like a fanciful game, with meaty puzzles, a fun cast of characters and a playing time that is easily 15+ hours - if you don’t cheat and consult a walkthrough - then Everlight of Magic and Power should be just your cup of tea.

The game itself is a delight. It is comparable to "Myst" in that it uses a sideshow technique to further movement.

In the end, we all play games because of the entertainment factor. Whether or not you’ll like this game depends on how important difficulty and challenge are to your enjoyment.

Streko Graphics put great care into developing this little graphical gem and I feel that even with the frustrations I had with a few of its puzzles and the occasional cursor issue, I found Aura to be a thoroughly entertaining escape from the day to day humdrum of work and classes.

I don’t want to oversell this low-budget PS2 action/adventure. However, it does have a lot going for it: putting the player in a dangerous yet unusually real situation, meaningful story choices, and lots of replay value. You might be surprised how much you end up enjoying Raw Danger.

Even if the game is a bit frustrating due to the controls, it is still a great homage to Hans Christian Andersen.

You won’t find horror that creeps under your skin here, like you would in "Fatal Frame 2" or "Kuon" for example, but you will find a game with great and spooky atmosphere and a disturbing story.

The puzzles are a monotonous nightmare accompanied by hordes of zombies that make your finger numb by the repeated clicking on the left mouse button to kill them. Almost 85% of the puzzles involve finding a key to unlock a door, chest, or anything that could be locked.

In the final analysis though, Mata Hari the game is something that Mata Hari the person never was: boring and pedestrian.

It is truly a work of Art which stimulates the senses, evokes your emotions and leaves you thinking. But it has that one fatal flaw which mars the whole experience.