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36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rhiannon, October 23, 2008
Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars
Rhiannon : Curse of the Four Branches
This is a traditional point-and-click adventure game. It is set in Wales.
You play as Chris (take this as male or female to your taste), a character drafted in to hold the fort in the absence of the owners and their daughter Rhiannon. The latter was having nightmares and hearing voices so her parents decided to holiday elsewhere.
Naturally you explore and dig around to see if you can help.
The game installs from DVD and does not require the disk in the drive for play. I played without any bugs (worth remarking on these days). I've an older computer and it is below the min spec required (regarding processor speed).
The story holds interest throughout. Puzzles are inventory based with perhaps only a couple of exceptions. Essentially this is series of scavenger hunts, so expect to visit and revisit locations to check if objects seen earlier have become available for picking up to help solve the current puzzle.
The graphics and animations are to a high standard. Controls work well. There is a little awkwardness regarding navigating. Presentation is Myst-like i.e. a succession of stills. Also in common with Myst, you play as first person, there are no conversations, so it is a lonely experience. The game engine is by Wintermute which is slow when saving. There are up to a hundred save slots. Incidental sounds are well done. Background music is sparse, not annoying when it does play.
I found the game relatively easy, not requiring a hint of any description. In fact, once the first couple of the five chapters were done the play seemed easier simply because I'd got more into the swing of the game. There is some pixel hunting, particularly above eye level and also below.
There is ogam (ancient script), homeopathy and ghosts in this game. None were overdone. You never do meet Rhiannon.
All in all this was worth playing. A solid adventure but not a ground-breaking one, suitable for the family (but not very young children). There's no violence and no cussing in this game. Expect roughly 30 hours play (shorter if you find all the objects required without delays).
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches, December 17, 2008
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
I normally do not write reviews. Mainly, because I am inept at doing such things. So, this will be very brief.
I enjoyed this game very much. The atmosphere was just spooky enough to keep my interest. After all, it's a ghost story of sorts. I found the puzzles quite challenging. I didn't think they particularly were always logical though. Perhaps, it was just me. I am not always logical :)
It's a lengthy game, but that's good for me. As long as it holds interest. This game held my interst. I like it very much. The player is the only person throughout the entire game. The only person the player corresponds with is using email a few times. That's it. The scenery is gorgeous. The player does a LOT of walking. The only drawback for me was going back and forth over and over again....mostly because I would get lost. Some objects you cannot pick up until you have done something to trigger it...allowing you to do so.
All in all, a nice game. I normally buy, then sell a game. This one I am keeping on my game shelf. I plan on playing it again one day.
Thank you
~CB
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15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Great Potential Game Destroyed by Primitive Interface & Graphics, November 28, 2008
Fun:1.0 out of 5 stars
From what I read online Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches was created by former amateur gamers who partnered as Arberth Studios and developed the game themselves. When people do something for love, you don't want to be critical. At the same time, the game has a hefty retail price and is being marketed as a professional effort, so I feel I have to warn potential buyers. First, the game designers have to be complimented for creating an interesting and compelling plot. I wish other adventure games had such well thought out plots. At the same time, the design and interface completely ruined the play experience for me. After playing beautifully designed games like The Lost Crown, Nikopol, Overclocked, & Sinking Island, Rhiannon looks and feels like an old, old game. I think its design is so primitive because the designers simply didn't have the resources to produce something up-to-date and visually compelling. There are so many better produced games currently available, I suggest you save your money on Rhiannon and find something that will give you better value for your dollar.
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