Yes, HOGs don't make a whole lot of sense on a good day, (to put out that raging fire, first I'll need to find a wrench!) but Black Isle has ZERO flow. Some of the tasks would be near impossible to figure out without checking the walkthrough, and I hate checking the walkthrough. Ohhhhh, so the tiny bell I collected a long, long time ago needs to be hung from the hook to get the chandelier off the suitcase, because now it's not so tiny? Blech. Still, some fun elements and the visuals are outstanding.
Challenge yourself in the role of the scientist-historian-scholar of ancient civilizations and mystical legends and save your friend from the Demon of Darkness!
Usually, I like the darker HOGs involving restless spirits or demons in abandoned asylums, so imagine my surprise when I loved this gentle fantasy. It doesn't have a mean bone anywhere in it, the music is relaxing, and there are a nice variety of puzzles.
The puzzles are very easy, but also quite relaxing. If you want a lovely little HOG game without the dark or the frustration, this is definitely for you. If you don't enjoy something that isn't as challenging, you shouldn't buy it.
Since most HOGs are along the lines of, "You crash your car in a haunted evil village of the damned and you must save your sister from the devil!!!" it's good to find a game aimed more towards kids.
It's the same games over and over, but they are all so fun, it doesn't matter. Some of the hidden objects are really, really hidden, like, hidden behind something with only a teensy corner of it sticking out. That was a little frustrating, but the addictiveness quality of it overwhelmed the unfairly hard parts.
I tried this game on a recommendation from another reviewer, and I truly loved it. The story was one of the better stories I've seen, although I'm not too picky. The graphics were wonderful, the exploration was unique and spooky, and the puzzles were just challenging enough without being frustrating.
I can absolutely see why so many people give this five stars!
This is the best HOG I have ever played. In fact, I didn't sleep, I just kept playing, and once it was over, I wanted to go back in time and experience it anew.
I can't even compare other games to Dire Grove, otherwise I'd stop enjoying HOGging.
This was a fantastic gaming experience! The graphics were fantastic, the storyline is unique, and the puzzles are fun.
My only complaint is the repetition of the word "eeevil" that shows up frequently as one of the sound effects. After a while, it drove me nuts and I had to turn the sound effects off.
The storyline is original and the gameplay is wonderful! If you can get past the whispery "Aaannnngggellll" everytime the angel appears, then you're good to go.
I love the Redemption Cemetery series. It's a fairly disturbing premise involving murdered parents trying to save their kidnapped children from an evil warlock. So it's a tiny bit darker than the usual HOG.
That being said, the graphics and storyline are fantastic and the gameplay is extremely fun.