“The Blackwell Epiphany,†the thrilling conclusion to the successful long-running hit independent series by New York City based developer Wadjet Eye Games, is an incredibly satisfying experience that truly encapsulates the essence of private eye investigation, mixed with a morbid, supernatural tone that should keep players excited throughout the entirety of the journey. We only wish it wasn’t so damn frustrating.
Yes, a PI point-and-click puzzler is meant to be challenging, and in that aspect, “The Blackwell Epiphany†delivers time and time again; however, this franchise isn’t all about straining players’ minds, at the heart of it lies this remarkably pleasant, at times emotional, compelling narrative, that’s occasionally disrupted by the fact that you have to clear your mind of any story engagement and focus all your attention to solving the next puzzle.
This isn’t exactly a bad thing. For the most part, once solved, the puzzles’ complexity is reduced to a shear “I can’t believe I missed that.†The problem, though, is that we weren’t always happy with some of the tasks and were more interested in continuing on through the story. So much so that we played through the game once more after our initial completion and only then were we really able to appreciate the story Wadjet Eye intended to tell.
Spirits are being torn apart and our returning protagonists, Rosangela Blackwell and Joey Mallone haven’t a clue as to why, which is exactly what they aim to uncover so that they can put a stop to it and allow the “Spooks†to be at peace.
Players can freely switch between Rosangela and Joey to explore certain areas and handle certain tasks. The chemistry between the two is a bit strange, but also unique, and their conversations are some of the most interesting dialogue featured in the game.
Speaking of which, the game’s writing is great and, for the most part, well accommodated by its voice actors — though Rosangela’s character is sometimes a little too underwhelming.
The game once again takes place in New York City, this time during present day. It’s a smart move, since the addition of a smartphone is extremely useful. Need to cyber stalk someone or look up an address? Just Oogle it. That’s right, Oogle.
In the beginning, however, Oogle adds to the frustration. Wadjet Eye makes no effort to hold players’ hands throughout the adventure, leaving them to figure just about everything out on their own. And making an Oogle search was not something that always immediately popped into our heads, leaving us to search areas 10 times over before finally realizing the answer was in our pocket the whole time.
Another problem the game faces is its length. Minus the time spent pondering over puzzles and clues, “The Blackwell Epiphany†is rather short, about five or so hours.
“The Blackwell Epiphany†is an excellent conclusion to the series, with an ending that leaves no questions unanswered and also imprints somewhat of an emotional sting. The game works great as a standalone title, as well, so for those of you who missed out on the exhilarating adventure up until now, there’s still much excitement to be had. Unfortunately, it’s weighed down by its complexity. But even still, it’s one of the better narratives we’ve had the privilege of enjoying so far this year.
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