But at the same time it’s a horribly campy and not that well-acted B-movie horror, as was the original, and you’ll quickly realize it’s even more movie than game this time around. In its best moments, A Puzzle of Flesh owes to the deeply weird visions of filmmaker David Cronenberg. It’s definitely not the usual horror cliché.
All was going well until one of Curtis’ coworkers gets killed and crucified, leaving poor Curtis in a deranged state as the cops tie him to the murder (he remembers nothing of the event). As the story begins, Curtis has just ended his stay in an asylum, and he’s started working at Wyntech. The game casts you as Curtis Craig, a young man who remembers very little of his extremely troubled past. It's Sierra's second big-time video adventure and they learned from their mistakes.Phantasmagoria 2 has a more original and complex premise than any of Sierra’s previous forays into the horror genre. Otherwise try Gabriel Knight: The Beast Within. My recommendation: Phantasmagoria is only for the gaming-challenged. Unfortunately, the repetitive violence may turn the newcomers off just as quickly. The built-in hint system can turn this into a cakewalk and you'll be wowed by the occasional top notch production values. So why is Phantasmagoria so darned popular? It's accessible to newbies, it's a new genre, and Sierra has promoted the hell out of it. This is clear from the character interactions, the repetitive nature of some scenes, and the unrealistic puzzles-the telescope eyepiece "glints" in the sand only after you discover you need it, even though you've walked by that spot several times already. Somebody forgot to do some detailed planning and fine-tuning. Many of this title's problems come from complexities inherent in taking a huge concept and trying to wring a game out of it. On day two, she barely breaks a sweat over the fact that her hubby has transformed from a loving partner to a crazed lunatic. For instance, during day one Adrienne discovers a secret chapel full of bizarre items yet doesn't think it important enough to tell her husband. But problems arise in several areas: experienced adventurers will find Phantasmagoria generally unchallenging, the characters weak, the violence over-the-top, and the script just lame.
In addition, the graphics are excellent, the music is emotive, and there are many pleasant surprises. And on that level, the game is reasonably enjoyable. Much of Phantasmagoria is spent on typical adventure activities: exploring, grabbing items, and problem solving. A four-plus-million-dollar budget and over two years in production do not necessarily translate into high quality gaming. Phantasmagoria is Sierra's first attempt at a full-blown, live-action, interactive video adventure, and their ambition far outweighs the results.
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