Who is John Saul

Blackstone Chronicles is one of those games that I have mixed feelings about, overall. It takes place in an old, evil mental institution, that is soon to be turned into a museum. You play Oliver Metcalf, the son of the last institution superintendent, who must explore the Blackstone Asylum in search of your son, whom the spirit of your dead father has taken out of spite. Oliver is forced to play his dead father's twisted game in order to get his son back, before he is lost to evil forever. You will need to talk to the spirits of inmates who were tortured at Blackstone, who will give you help along the way. As in typical adventure games, there are many objects you will have to pick up and puzzles you will have to solve. The game has a few challenging moments, but overall isn't too difficult.

What few "real" characters there are in the game, they are played by real actors. The acting is decent, especially by the man who plays Oliver's disturbed father. The inmates, though only voice-overs, are convincing, and tell some interesting stories about their lives in the asylum. The game is a psychological horror game, where you won't see a lot of violence, but instead is told to you in detail. Blackstone Chronicles is very disturbing, and not for everyone. Unlike other games that involve institutions and "crazy people", this one is definitely the most bothersome, because it's quite realistic. Unfortunately, back before modern science, there were institutions that did questionable "cures" for the mentally ill. I don't know if it was as extreme as described in this game, but it still makes for horrifying visuals. This game almost plays out more like a movie, than a typical game, since, like I already said, it is a psychological thriller and not your typical "Let's kill some monsters" horror game. The monsters in this game are human.

The reason I have mixed feelings about this game is because the plot is clever and well-developed, the characters have alot of depth, the graphics and scenery are full of detail, and the acting is above par. The subject matter is just very intense, disturbing, and a little hard to take in, in all the storyline details. For the average adventure fan, I think this might be a bit much to handle. I actually do enjoy this game, and I have played it a couple times, but this is no walk in the park. I think it could have been improved by sparing a few spoken details. I think in some ways games are becoming almost too mature, and they just hardly seem like games. This is an example of that. Since Blackstone Chronicles is based on a series of 6 mini-novels, I think the story would've been better as a movie. It was difficult for me, (and probably others), to be so involved in a story like this. Blackstone Chronicles is definitely not for the faint of heart, and there are similar games out there that I would definitely recommend over this one. Horror games need some sort of comic relief, and there is none in Blackstone Chronicles. It's one of those games that I kind of enjoy at the time, but then I thinking back on it, it leaves me with sort of a troubled feeling. So, all in all, this game is a mixed bag for me. If you're not easily disturbed, then try it out and see how you like it. If you're not a big fan of horror, torture, and medical references, I would strongly advise playing something else.

Laura Pfalz, Pinellas Park, FL, USA