Rhiannon: Curse Of The Four Branches

by Got Game

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001B5BRZK
• Media: DVD-ROM
• Release Date: October 1, 2008
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,388 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Legends, myths, and magic spill into reality as an ancient battle for revenge envelopes a remote Welsh farmstead, threatening the very sanity of a lonely teenage girl. Are reports of unexplained noises and strange visions by fifteen year old Rhiannon Sullivan merely the figments of an overactive imagination? Or does the history of her family’s new home, Ty Pryderi, hold a terrible connection to a timeless struggle between man and magic? Her parents take Rhiannon away, leaving Ty Pryderi to your watch and exploration, but their absence can only postpone an ancient inevitability of revenge and death. Unless you can stop it!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rhiannon, October 23, 2008

By 

D. C. Petty "deepori" (Stockport, Cheshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Rhiannon: Curse Of The Four Branches (DVD-ROM)

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).

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches, December 17, 2008

By 

C. BRAZIL (San Jose, California United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rhiannon: Curse Of The Four Branches (DVD-ROM)

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

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully done!, January 7, 2009

By 

N. Carroll "Noelski" (Bakersfield, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Rhiannon: Curse Of The Four Branches (DVD-ROM)

For fans of Barrow Hill, here's another adventure steeped in ancient Celtic origins located in a creepy, lonely remote countryside. The graphics are beautiful and the story unfolds with a satisfying sense of anticipation. The story is about a series of females, all named Rhiannon, who have a connection with the house and property over the centuries and are seeking spiritual release.

I was happy to find no conversation in this game (who doesn't get impatient very quickly with endless chit-chat!). Occasionally you will need to read articles, journals, or letters, listen to phone messages, and there is a history book that requires reference, but overall not too tedious. There's a search for different types of tree branches that seem to blend with the countryside, so be prepared to pixel search. A few times I hit a wall and had to really backtrack through my inventory to figure out what to do next. Some of the actions were not readily obvious, but eventually I figured them out.

The solitude is enjoyably spooky, and there are a few times you even get to be startled. I want more of these kind of games, so bring it on!