Black Mirror 2

Introduction:
Like the members of the Gordon family, it seems that the curse will be shot on The Black Mirror was released in 2003. Coldly received by critics, the game was restored over time by the gaming community, which recognized him as a classic tempering Gabriel Knight. But it was already too late to motivate the Czech studio Future Games to develop a sequel. Seven years later, the Germans in Cranberry Production decide to take over and offer us a Black Mirror II that no one expected more. In the line of Gabriel Knight , they have delivered an adventure game still as dark and violent. But still classic. Does he know the same fate as his predecessor?

The team Cranberry Production, commanding the draft, we had already bestowed last year's controversial Mata Hari, an adventure game which had caused much ink. Its accessibility and simplicity of its riddles, who liked to casual players, had won a contrario the vengeance of fans of the genre. No doubt that question already burning lips of these: Black Mirror II has been developed with the aim of satisfying the same audience? The answer is yes. Its linearity and state planning have been cleverly designed to never "lose" the player, even if it means giving the impression of being caught by hand. His puzzles, simple and sometimes agreed, require little effort and research is never really blocking. Here, it is said. No one can argue that he was not warned. Also, if you're one of those lunatics who like to rack your brains for hours, do not even bother to read the rest Flee as fast as this, whose only real flaw is far too prohibitive for you. Please be aware that doing so will deprive you of a remarkable adventure game.

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About the game:
The facts narrated in Black Mirror II take place in 1993, 12 years after those of the first game. Follow Darren, a new young hero and explore superbly crafted recreations of idealistic Biddeford Maine, as well as the original English village of Willow Creek, which featured in the original Black Mirror in 2003. The authors of Black Mirror 2 have created a deep and thrilling story, with twists and turns that will keep you in suspense right up until the end.Developed by German-based Cranberry Production, Black Mirror 2 follows the original as a traditional point-and-click adventure title with one difference, the integration of a 2.5D engine, which allows the use of stunning 2D backgrounds and 3D characters.

Game Features:

• The rest of the classic adventure game! : The long awaited sequel to The Black Mirror: the classic adventure game released in 2003!
• A heavy and challenging environment!: Discover the ambiance and location of the first game for a new investigation even more terrifying!
• A scenario panting!: A complex and exciting scenario, in line with the first episode, with many reversals and unexpected revelations.
• A creation of quality! : A grip thanks to the intuitive point and click. Total immersion in history with many graphic effects: reflection, shadows and dynamic lighting ...
• An increase in the adventure fully mastered!: Integral supports to never be lost: the quest log, the emergence of interactive areas and much more!

Game Story:
Darren Michaels, a young student in physics, came to spend his summer vacation after her mother came s' installing, there is barely a year. And to be honest, it bored farm, Darren, in this godforsaken hole. Lonely boy never knew his father, who died in a tragic car accident when he was young, he's also forced to work in a photo studio shabby, under the orders of a tyrannical cowhide. Only the sublime Angelina British student and short-clad encountered at the store, seems to save these three weeks of holiday fiasco. Unfortunately for Darren, events will quickly turn sour: his mother, victim of an accident, finds himself in a coma, Fuller, his hateful innkeeper, engaged in obscure and Angelina traffic disappears under mysterious circumstances. Despite an obvious propensity to attract sh * Darren decides to conduct its own investigation until the English town of Willow Creek, wheedling made infamous by a series of bloody murders committed twelve years ago and well known players of the first game.

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So on the basis of this rather simplistic plot that the player is embedded in this new episode, far from revolutionizing the genre, merely reproduces faithfully the proven mechanisms of its predecessor. Sets in which we fixed walks around by clicking where you want, not some complicated puzzles and inventory can not be more simplified, Black Mirror 2 and foremost on his mood to take the player on their toes rather than proposing a cerebral challenge all times. Far from the puzzle of a convoluted Runaway or Monkey Island , we leave here gently guided by the many dialogues with NPCs , gleaning here and there many clues truffent decor without risking the breakdown of neuron.

Anyway, in case of big mess, it will be possible to display all the interactive elements of a simple gesture and use the old method of "I-clicked-on-everything-that-I- I can-and-see-what-is-happening, "unstoppable. Point and click hardcore, Black Mirror 2 fielding a cast of characters with whom it will be possible to address various themes represented, as in the previous album, with photos that will disappear once the substance of the matter has been discussed as it should, so Darren decided himself not to trim the fat end of his interlocutor. Similarly, the various objects that the player will pick up during his tour of the inventory disappear once used, so as not to mislead those who try, in desperation, to replace a fuse with one foot doe. A bargain, that being said, since the game, fully scripted, does not allow the player to move up before having solved some riddles. Mechanisms rather well known in the service of a scenario without ruffling friendly unfortunately saddled with a linearity bulletproof.

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Gameplay:
You play as Darren Michaels, a young American student managed to get a summer job in Biddeford, Maine small town where his mother resides. Darren spends his time doing menial tasks at the local photographer, a paunchy middle-aged particularly despotic. They receive one day visiting a charming client named Angelina. The English student tap straight into the eye of Darren. The problem is that a mysterious individual seems to follow continuously. His arrival also coincides with the beginning of a series of dramatic events: Darren's mother suffers a strange accident, then a first murder takes place.

After having unearthed some shameful secrets among the people of Biddeford, the investigation will lead to Darren Willow Creek, a small town well known English players of the first Black Mirror. The curse that affects the Gordon family does not seem to have ended, although the village has developed into a tourist attraction since the bloody events of 1981. But what is there between the curse and Darren Michaels? This is what you will discover. We will say no more, but know that the end of the game, deliberately open, will delight them (because it is the harbinger of a suite) but frustrate many others.

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Throughout the six chapters of the game, the storyline is rich and diabolically well tied up many surprises. Despite some falls in rhythm, it takes you on never let you go. The keystone of Black Mirror II is the character of Darren, who has received a lot of work. You go easily into the skin of this young man whose cynicism conceals a touching and naive idealism makes him more endearing. The themes related to it (love, death, origins) are classic but sufficiently well treated to enrich the plot and sometimes generate emotion. The other players are not left out, and if most people in Biddeford, particularly well chewed, are not immune to caricature those of Willow Creek are much more complex and elusive (special mention to Bobby!). .

The conversations, particularly frequent, have the advantage of never being boring to follow, as they have replicas remarkably well written and enable you to gradually penetrate the personality and motivations of your interlocutors. Moreover, although the version distributed by Micro Application offers only English dubbing with subtitles in French, you say quickly that it's not a bad thing as the actors show convincing and help to immerse ourselves in the atmosphere.

For the other major asset of Black Mirror II is a neat atmosphere, which gives mysticism and strangeness in realistic environments. The reconstruction of the port town of Maine surveyed in the first two chapters, typical buildings, be credible and successful. The various game screens, angles of view and well-researched design inspired, have a pronounced concern for detail, and some small animations to give them life. They are magnified by sumptuous lighting evolving with time of day and weather effects as very successful. The characters are less successful: they are modeled without particular genius and suffer from too rigid displacement.

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There is widespread cons of a wide range of contextual animations. When you arrive at Willow Creek, a heavier atmosphere and settles more distressing, but without reaching the level of the first Black Mirror. This reflects the transformation of place into a real park for tourists, resulting in many touches of humor (the sanatorium redeveloped into a hotel, the gallery of automata reconstructing crimes to support special effects). Added to this the pragmatism of Darren and his scathing remarks that often defuse the tension (which does not necessarily please everyone), not to mention the more lyrical musical themes oppression, like that proposed a Gabriel Knight II.

Seven years of misery:
For if Black Mirror 2 boasts strictly enforce the few interesting elements of his predecessor, he has not forgotten to repeat the failures of the latter. Note nevertheless a nice evolution in graphics, the designs were finely chiseled, classy lighting effects and weather effects pretty well screwed. All served by a discreet but careful soundscape. Still, hard not to wince at the characters again roughly modeled and little expressive gesturing and waddling like Sims to each dialogue or action. Rather long to relax, they will often several seconds before deigning to respond to the demands of the player, time to finish what they were doing. Annoying. Obviously not count on Darren, the hero, to meet some level, his approach is as stiff as justice. Cold comfort still, it is always possible to channel most of its tedious journey undertaken by a simple double-click.

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The interface is identical to that of the first episode, which drew to itself the Knights of Baphomet, a model of its kind. It allows you to use items or discuss topics by clicking on the icons in a bar dedicated action retractable. The grip is a disconcerting ease. Some features have been added in order to simplify your life: a newspaper (well damn funny) identifies your individual goals, map allows you to instantly win places already visited and you have the possibility (now inevitable) to view points of interest on the screen.

But that's not all like the first Black Mirror, elements of sets can be examined, often repeatedly, until they have nothing more to learn. You can 'exhaust' interactions as possible subjects for dialogue, until it remains only those helpful. A nightmare for any lover of challenge. In the same spirit, just too often view the content of its inventory to guess the nature of the next puzzle. Would it not be better, as do some recent productions, prevent you from picking up objects before they can be useful?

Perhaps, but it's not really a view of The Black Mirror II, which is simplicity. Besides very frequent puzzles agreed (developing photos, get into a place, restore a torn letter, open a safe little ...), applying your brainpower, you fall sometimes puzzles full-bodied and brilliantly designed whose intrinsic interest is unfortunately scuttled by guiding ubiquitous Darren, which at best puts you on the road, and at worst you details step by step what to do. If his suggestions are not clear enough, you can always refer to the quest journal to glean clues. But conversely if you understood early the trick, you can not go faster than the music because nothing happens without the approval of Darren.

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This interventionism is even more important irritant that was not essential to growth, including the realistic and logical merit badge to ignore the twisted riddles and associations of unlikely objects. We console ourselves by imagining that the realization of a game of this magnitude has become a price: that of its accessibility to a wide audience. Only departure from this rule are available game over. In sequences that we describe as intelligent QTY Darren must use an object in a panic situation, under penalty of death. A great idea well integrated (automatic backup before the action) and used sparingly.

It never rains but one, the other black spot of the game will dialogues and performances of "actors" in general. Situations flimsy, caricatured figures of which we know ultimately not much, it is rather unfortunate to note that many interactions with stakeholders, throughout history, most often give rise to projections of a worthy boulevard play at MJC Pontault-Combault, pompous speeches and rebuttals between the side of the plate, only genuine moments of anthology.

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With the irritating too talkative employee store, the doctor kindly simpleton, the taciturn security guard who plays cowboys or even a veteran of the embittered World War II who does not clearly young, do not stereotype will be saved to the player before so sorry in the interpretation of amateurism, in spite of votes in their original version. Only Darren seems to have been the subject of special care on the part of writers and his flair for repartee will fly most of the time. Still, for an adventure game that will form a large part in immersion and atmosphere, it wrong.

Conclusion:
All that we can tell you is that we have taken enormous pleasure in this experience alongside Darren Michaels, we would have liked to silence occasionally, but ultimately proves particularly endearing. We still recommend having played the first episode to capture all the subtleties of this series, but Micro Application has the right idea of a box set featuring two episodes for a very reasonable rate. Fans of challenges can go their way, others must throw it without hesitation.

Black Mirror II risk of spilling much ink and will oppose those who do a simple adventure game to those who can do their grieving of the challenge to enjoy an exciting plot, carried by a superb achievement. All that we can tell you is that we have taken enormous pleasure in this experience alongside Darren Michaels, we would have liked to silence occasionally, but ultimately proves particularly endearing. We still recommend having played the first episode to capture all the subtleties of this series, but Micro Application has the right idea of a box set featuring two episodes for a very reasonable rate. Fans of challenges can go their way, others must throw it without hesitation.

The simplicity of Black Mirror II has an advantage, however, already observed in Mata Hari: it gives a better growth rate and greater fluidity, even if you sometimes have the unpleasant impression of watching an interactive movie. As the plot, especially involved, based on a neat atmosphere and characters more substantial than usual, you are struck by the game and you do not see pass the twenty hours required to complete the adventure, which despite everything, is the sign of a game very successfully.

Visually the game is excellent, adventure game for the PNC first class, I certainly can not criticize. beautifully created a quiet little village on the coast of Maine USA, think of it as Cabbot Cove in Murder She Wrote television series, a road full of charm. developers certainly did a good job he does come to life, not just visually, but the sound is also a game for visual quality. ambient sounds to the people or rather, the play to life. in voice quality is also very strong in all areas with all the characters, even the voices of the protagonists, despite starting with a Whiney little, they become stronger and better than the play goes hand in hand and grows on you.

Visually the game is excellent, adventure game for the PNC first class, I certainly can not criticize. beautifully created a quiet little village on the coast of Maine USA, think of it as Cabbot Cove in Murder She Wrote television series, a road full of charm. developers certainly
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Ohh no! Cant beleve Poor quality, bad cut bad stream at the end .... i am disappointed. What you think about this one.