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Mystery Manor


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Mystery Manor

Mac/Windows

 

Author: Michael Slack

Rating:

Difficulty:

Version:

 

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Composite Score: 3.0/5.0

 

Best: 0.00% (0/6)

Good: 16.67% (1/6)

Average: 66.67% (4/6)

Substandard: 16.67% (1/6)

Poor: 0.00% (0/6)

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Keywords:

Edited by SylaeBot
Automated Sybot edit; worker IPB::csrThread/vanadium
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From Smoo on the CSR:

 

Hey now! I'm giving Mystery Manor the best score I've ever given to Mike Slack. It works the same way Amnesia does except MM takes place in a more marked off area which makes it more compact and interesting with the random wandering cut way back. In general, Mystery Manor is solid enough to enjoy.

 

The plot revolves around the player trying to discover what made a scientist/wizard and his family disappear in their manor. Excluding the ending, I liked the plot. The puzzle-solving was never bothersome although I did get stuck at one point. There are no NPCs to talk to and I can only say that this is a good thing. The manor itself is adequately designed, though I didn't much care for the rooms you couldn't enter or the ugly empty attic, however, I understand why they were made that way.

 

[rating]AVERAGE[/rating]

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From Nioca on the CSR:

 

You know, if Slack keeps up this constant rate of improvement, he'll be turning out best scenarios in no time. As for this scenario, I enjoyed it. Despite one sticky part (in one puzzle, there's a 90% chance of insta-death) and a bit of aimless wandering in the beginning, the scenario was fairly well made, and even included a nibble of combat.

 

[rating]AVERAGE[/rating]

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From TM on the CSR:

 

"Best scenarios in no time?" A bit presumptuous. I was still not particularly amused. Perhaps I'm biased against "mystery" scenarios, but there's little mystery, mostly head-bashing. Maybe that's the nature of the beast; maybe BoA sucks at making this kind of scenario; I didn't enjoy MM in either case.

 

[rating]SUBSTANDARD[/rating]

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  • 7 months later...

The introduction is good, rousing interest in the story. The story itself is quite simple and without dialogues, as the player eventually discovers, but the little amount of text it does contain is neat and very well written.

 

Not being able to open many of the doors (they remain stubbornly closed) and being presented with a constant can’t-enter message instead was slightly annoying (a random message would have added some variety). So also is the area where you must trial-and-error your way into one of several rooms. At least, I didn’t find any indication of the correct room number, if there is indeed one.

 

The journals are interesting (and so is the treasure hunt to find them), and I liked the idea of using mundane, everyday items to dispose of the magical entities. The lack of combat evokes suspense (it’s expected in most scenarios) and makes it unique; there aren’t any of the typical rats and spiders lurking in the corners, which is good and makes me like it all the more (and having the same difficulty irrespective of your party level doesn’t hurt either).

 

Considering everything, the scenario is good enough to make the few negative points unimportant. Anyway, I really enjoyed it.

 

[rating]GOOD[/rating]

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  • 6 months later...

It's hard to get a tense atmosphere in BoA, so Mystery Manor wasn't much of a mystery. However, this scenario comes the closer to that kind of feeling than any others.

 

The plot was good, though I was never quite sure whether it was based in the future or not. A few more details about the setting would have been nice.

 

Combat was one-sided if you knew what you were supposed to do, so not much of that.

 

I rate this scenario [rating]AVERAGE[/rating].

 

A good scenario to play if you like a somewhat interesting story in a few minutes.

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  • 11 months later...

There were some nice aspects to this scenario. Aesthetically is was decent. But what was with the random items scattered throughout the house? like cloaks, boots, pots, tools and other objects on bookshelves? Books go on bookshelves.

 

Aesthetics GOOD

It could have had some more work, but was sufficient.

 

Plot SUBSTANDARD

it was scrappy and reminded me of "Honey, I shrunk the kids" movie.

 

Gameplay AVERAGE

The scenario did not flow very well and I spent half the time trying to work out how to do what. Even when I knew what was suppose to be done, it was awkward at times completing simple tasks.

 

Scripting AVERAGE

Dialog was poor and had numerous mistakes. You should have gone over it.

It also seemed rushed.

 

Overall: [rating]AVERAGE[/rating]

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