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My In-Depth CUR Review
Plot:
Nancy's neighbor pleads her to travel to England to check on her daughter, Linda, who has been acting out of sorts. Linda had recently married the heir of Blackmoor Manor, an English mansion with a mysteriously terrible past. Sorting things out, however, is difficult because Linda will not allow anyone to see her and remains hidden behind bed sheets. Now that Nancy has awoken the beast of Blackmoor, will she be able to break the curse?
I played this game when I was in elementary school and I remember being terrified. Playing it now, I was not scared once. I wish I had gotten to speak to Linda more instead of her constant silence. I felt myself frequently referring to the Hints & Tips for what to do next because it wasn't always clear. Overall, I felt that the plot was very confusing and all over the place.
Score: 6/10
Characters:
Linda Penvellyn: Nancy's neighbor's daughter. Recently married Hugh, Blackmoor's owner. Frequently flies off the handle and has had a complete personality change since arriving at Blackmoor. Won't let anyone see her and rarely wants to talk. How much is she hiding behind those sheets?
Jane Penvellyn: Hugh's daughter and Linda's step-daughter. Loves to play board games. Gets home-schooled and knows a lot about her family history. Could Jane's naive and curious attitude be just an act?
Mrs. Drake: Hugh's aunt. Spends most of her time in the conservatory tending to plants. Has a very curt attitude and doesn't like to spend time discussing silly superstitions. Next heir to the manor if Linda does not remain for a long enough period of time. Is Mrs. Drake trying to run Linda out of the manor?
Nigel Mookerjee: A historian/author invited to the manor by Mrs. Drake to write about the history of Blackmoor Manor and the Penvellyn name. Could he be using the book deal to tarnish the family name rather than glorify it?
Ethel Bosinny: Jane's tutor/home-school teacher. Her family name has long been associated with the Penvellyns. Very focused on making sure Jane knows everything necessary to carry on the family tradition. Does she know more about the manor's history than she lets on?
I felt that the characters in this game were weak. Linda and Ethel barely speak. Nigel is always willing to talk, but never has anything good to say. Mrs. Drake is very snooty. Jane was definitely the best character, as she always wants to play and has interesting things to talk about.
Score: 7/10
Graphics:
The graphics were numerous. All of the family crests were lined up in the Great Hall. The tons of books throughout the house. I thought the castle was very ancient looking with Gothic architecture. Even the writing look very old-fashioned. At times, I almost thought there were too many graphics.
Score: 9/10
Puzzles:
I couldn't figure out the mold or library statue puzzle so I used a cheat. I figured out all the others just fine. Some were very simple (the card game in the Great Hall), some very time consuming (LouLou's words and the alchemy mixtures), some difficult (the plant organizing), and some extremely fun (the ghosts).
Score: 8/10
Music:
I didn't really notice the music. When I just went back to listen to it, I'm not sure that it was the best music selection for the game. Not terrible, just not great.
Score: 6/10
Ending:
The ending was such a let down. The treasure was also a big let down. It was way too easy to guess why things had been happening. As for the culprit, I was surprised. I felt it was too easy to figure out the final puzzle. In Nancy's letter, it seemed like there were no repercussions for the culprit which bothered me and made me feel as though Nancy wasted her time.
Score: 5/10
Overall score: 41/60 = 6.83/10
Nancy's neighbor pleads her to travel to England to check on her daughter, Linda, who has been acting out of sorts. Linda had recently married the heir of Blackmoor Manor, an English mansion with a mysteriously terrible past. Sorting things out, however, is difficult because Linda will not allow anyone to see her and remains hidden behind bed sheets. Now that Nancy has awoken the beast of Blackmoor, will she be able to break the curse?
I played this game when I was in elementary school and I remember being terrified. Playing it now, I was not scared once. I wish I had gotten to speak to Linda more instead of her constant silence. I felt myself frequently referring to the Hints & Tips for what to do next because it wasn't always clear. Overall, I felt that the plot was very confusing and all over the place.
Score: 6/10
Characters:
Linda Penvellyn: Nancy's neighbor's daughter. Recently married Hugh, Blackmoor's owner. Frequently flies off the handle and has had a complete personality change since arriving at Blackmoor. Won't let anyone see her and rarely wants to talk. How much is she hiding behind those sheets?
Jane Penvellyn: Hugh's daughter and Linda's step-daughter. Loves to play board games. Gets home-schooled and knows a lot about her family history. Could Jane's naive and curious attitude be just an act?
Mrs. Drake: Hugh's aunt. Spends most of her time in the conservatory tending to plants. Has a very curt attitude and doesn't like to spend time discussing silly superstitions. Next heir to the manor if Linda does not remain for a long enough period of time. Is Mrs. Drake trying to run Linda out of the manor?
Nigel Mookerjee: A historian/author invited to the manor by Mrs. Drake to write about the history of Blackmoor Manor and the Penvellyn name. Could he be using the book deal to tarnish the family name rather than glorify it?
Ethel Bosinny: Jane's tutor/home-school teacher. Her family name has long been associated with the Penvellyns. Very focused on making sure Jane knows everything necessary to carry on the family tradition. Does she know more about the manor's history than she lets on?
I felt that the characters in this game were weak. Linda and Ethel barely speak. Nigel is always willing to talk, but never has anything good to say. Mrs. Drake is very snooty. Jane was definitely the best character, as she always wants to play and has interesting things to talk about.
Score: 7/10
Graphics:
The graphics were numerous. All of the family crests were lined up in the Great Hall. The tons of books throughout the house. I thought the castle was very ancient looking with Gothic architecture. Even the writing look very old-fashioned. At times, I almost thought there were too many graphics.
Score: 9/10
Puzzles:
I couldn't figure out the mold or library statue puzzle so I used a cheat. I figured out all the others just fine. Some were very simple (the card game in the Great Hall), some very time consuming (LouLou's words and the alchemy mixtures), some difficult (the plant organizing), and some extremely fun (the ghosts).
Score: 8/10
Music:
I didn't really notice the music. When I just went back to listen to it, I'm not sure that it was the best music selection for the game. Not terrible, just not great.
Score: 6/10
Ending:
The ending was such a let down. The treasure was also a big let down. It was way too easy to guess why things had been happening. As for the culprit, I was surprised. I felt it was too easy to figure out the final puzzle. In Nancy's letter, it seemed like there were no repercussions for the culprit which bothered me and made me feel as though Nancy wasted her time.
Score: 5/10
Overall score: 41/60 = 6.83/10