Aside from the first arcade-ish “dot interception” programs being toyed with by students at MIT in the late seventies, adventure games are the oldest form of PC games.  Even the old Zork series was essentially a text based adventure game: a game where you observe and use objects to progress further toward the ending. Although most of these games require tedious trial and error, there is a certain thrill obtained when you succeed in solving a puzzle straight away, through your own ingenuity and intuition, without having tried everything else first.  That is what keeps these games engaging: puzzles that are not solely reliant on being solved due to the player’s pure determination and persistence to observe and click the use command on every single object in the game (not that you won’t do that anyways, but it’s nice thinking you didn’t have to).  That and a good story and likeable characters keep the adventure game genre alive.

     Alive, you say?  Yes the genre has been pronounced dead by many in and outside the industry for some time now, but these games must still be selling as a quick look through any PC gaming magazine over the past few years will have one noticing at least one adventure title in almost every single issue.  While the graphics in these games have progressed along with the rest of the genres, the core gameplay has stayed the same, and perhaps this is what keeps this genre in relative fiscal obscurity.  Those who know the genre may have bad memories of trying to figure out frustrating puzzles, backtracking through static backgrounds they’ve seen a hundred times, clicking on every odd looking pixel in sight.  Or perhaps you’ve never heard of, or simply never tried the genre because you were born after their golden age which would be anywhere after say, 1987.  Sure, the Myst series caused a brief relapse in popularity for the genre, if only for the series itself. But c’mon, who didn’t get just so sick of walking back and forth amidst brutal load times through a story so tiring it would have Faulkner snoozing in his easy chair that they picked up the hint book and trotted through the game just to see all the pretty pictures?  Yeah, nothing leaves a more bitter taste in one’s mouth than a boring and/or frustrating adventure game, and since they all carry the same staple gameplay, just one bad experience can sour you away from the genre forever.  But what if there was an adventure game that had humor, likeable characters, an interesting storyline and best of all, puzzles that make sense and won’t have you running for the Rogaine because you tore all your hair out?

    Enter Ben Jordan: Paranormal Investigator.  This is a series of games currently on its seventh title (soon to be eighth) created by indie developer, Grundislav Games.  The main man behind the operation is a fellow named Francisco Gonzales and he along with a handful of others, including talented composers, Andreas Slotte and Peter Gresser, have created one of the most charming and addictive adventure titles to hit in years.  And guess what?  They are all FREE.  No pop-ups, spyware, malware, forced donation or bullshit sign-ups of any kind.  You just head over to Grundislav games website(www.grundislavgames.com/benjordan)and download the zipped files (around 10-25 megs each, except for case 7, which is 90-some megs as it has voice acting) and play for nothing.  Have I got your attention now?

     Yes, the graphics are rough, especially in the first couple of cases as this is an indie game made with Chris Jones’ Adventure Game Studio, but Gonzales’ skill at graphic design definitely improves, along with the game’s interface as the series’ progresses.  But even in the first game, the visuals are adequate and it is obvious what is on screen.  At the very least, it’s a charming look.  The music too, starts off a little unimpressive but as soon as the third episode, it becomes atmospheric and quite powerful.  The writing is quality all the way through, and Gonzales definitely has a knack for timing jokes amidst serious and often dire situations, causing one to laugh out loud unexpectedly. 

      The storylines may be called cliché’ to some, but it is clear they are intended to pay homage to various horror, suspense and mystery films and literature.  The plots usually contain some unseen, delightful twist which is usually so bizarre, even if it is horrific, it may illicit a giggle from the player.  Continuity with characters and storyline is sparse in the first few titles, but this changes as time goes on as you begin to become attached to recurring characters and the in-jokes make you feel rewarded for playing through previous cases in the series.  The games are nice and short, and even the longest (the latest three titles) will be finished within 4 hours, making for a great Sunday evening experience.  And perhaps, most pleasant of all, the puzzles are solvable by anyone.  Though every game boasts maybe one doozy, with research or a little time away from playing, it shouldn’t pose too much a problem.  Not that these games are for dumb-asses:  they are just not unduly frustrating and don’t rely on dumb luck to clear.  Almost every puzzle, when finished, makes sense.  Although the majority of them are a little too easy; my only big gripe with these games.  But other than that, playing through these babies is a blast.  Well, a blast in a relaxing, Ben Jordan sort of way.

     The series protagonist, Ben Jordan, is a pretty low-key guy.  Although he clearly has quite a bit of dexterity about him, as well as a knack for detective work, he is just a twenty-two year old nerd who grew up loving the supernatural and decided to quit his sales job to pursue a career as a paranormal investigator.  The game is nice in that it doesn’t profess any hard or preachy beliefs about any of the supernatural elements, nor does it make fun of people who believe in that sort of thing, it is just telling interesting stories utilizing that genre of fiction.  And no, you don’t need to be a paranormal buff, who spends his time on the internet staring at pictures of sasquatch or reading U.F.O. abduction threads, you just need to be literate and to enjoy solving puzzles and be able to enjoy fiction.  If this sounds like you, then head on over to Grundislav games and check out the first case: In Search of the Skunk Ape.  No, it’s not the best one.  But, it is best to start at the beginning, and it will advance your appreciation for the rest of the series.  Also, though it isn’t the finest case, it’s the one, with its goofy characters and gruesome, yet silly ending that has hooked a ton of people, and like most games in the series, has won awards.

     Now, since this is a review, I am obligated to give some information regarding the details of each game as well as a general opinion as to their enjoyability.  Following is a mini-review for the first seven titles in the series.  I must avoid specifics about puzzles and plot for those would ruin the games.  I will begin each review with the title of the game and a simple star rating as how I enjoyed the game amongst other games of the series and in relation to the other titles.  As I have said though, I highly recommend playing them from start to finish.  Oh, and for the first one, do not download the Deluxe version.  Wait until you have completed them all to play that one as for various reasons, I believe it will ruin the experience of the rest of the games.  Trust me on this.  Here is an explanation of my five star rating system:

* Boring          ** Okay          *** Good          **** Great          ***** Phenomenal

Mini-Reviews

Case 1: In Search of the Skunk Ape, Rating: ***

      It starts slow but as you get used to the primitive interface and early AGS graphics, the humorous characters start to shine as well as the silliness of some of the puzzles.  The setting in the Florida Everglades is intriguing and the plot twist at the end is as funny as it is unexpected.  There is one clunky puzzle, but other than that, this is a perfect entry to the series.  It is also extremely short and only has few locations to explore. 

Case 2: The Lost Galleon of the Salton Sea, Rating: ***

     Taking place in California at the titular location, the setting isn’t as lush but the people are just as interesting as the first and there are more of them.  The frugal and wisely placed humor of the first is intact, especially in dealing with the finale. I think this entry is my favorite puzzle-wise, there are none too tough and there isn’t an overabundance of stupidly easy ones either.  More locales and a bigger area to explore help.  But it doesn’t have quite the charm or hilarity of the first case.  And there is a lot of backtracking.  The plot isn’t as strong, either.

Case 3: The Sorceress of Smailholm, Rating: ****

     The first journey overseas puts Ben in a small village in Scotland where witches are suspected of murdering children.  While many fans of the series consider this the best of the bunch, I disagree, for several reasons.  First, there are two endings.  While both are amusing, only one is the true ending and by having a shorter ending, it makes getting to the second one, much, much harder as it obscures what you need to do correctly in order to obtain it.  Also, there are some puzzles that require reflexes and timing, which are fine if they are not too difficult, but there is one that requires preparation and a quick mouse finger that may be difficult for some.  Having been a fan of shooters and fighting games I had no problem whatsoever but many people who play these types of games are those who would rather sit down to a good book than test their hand-eye coordination in the brutal tournaments of arcade gaming.  I have seen complaints on several forums where people have been unable to finish the game because they didn’t have the reflexes (not the point of these games).  That said, this is one damn fine game in the series with a good story and improved graphics and interface.  The plot is a little silly and the difficulty all over the place, but it is a huge storyline point in the series and we learn more about Ben.  Also, the first continuing characters are introduced.  Without the gripes above, it would surely be raised to my third favorite case.  P.S. DON’T forget to read the included Investigator’s Handbook before playing this one.

Case 4:  The Horror at Number 50, Rating: *****

     Yep, this is the one for me.  A pivotal point in the series where Ben first begins to work with other investigators and a sense of continuity is established with references to the older cases and the appearance of previous characters.  Plus, two of the series’ great characters are introduced here and an atmosphere of true terror is established early.  Although this case has been criticized for having too few areas to explore, for me, the idea of being trapped served to increase the presence of terror in the game, along with the spectacular musical score.  Add in some serious gore, drama and humor and you have my favorite game in the series.  The puzzles aren’t as strong as in the second case, but there aren’t an abundance of ass-dumb ones like in the lengthy, later games.  One severe possible nigglement though: the cell phone.  I think this thing is the reason why people haven’t warmed up to this one as much as the third case.  Warning: if you have trouble memorizing phone numbers and don’t know the layout of a phone’s keys, then this game will end you.

Case 5:  Land of the Rising Dead, Rating: **

     I have a fascination with Japan.  Perhaps it is because of that and my high hopes that toppled this case into grave disappointment for me.  Zombies in Osaka, I thought, this is going to be my favorite one.  Not so.  The atmosphere of contemporary Japanese culture just isn’t conveyed here and the plot and story are predictable and rather dull.  Not even the great outdoor landscapes and huge number of locales can improve my opinion here. In fact, they worsen it, as there is much backtracking and the addition of bridge areas that you walk through to get to meaningful areas just makes all the footwork that much more annoying.  And man, when an area is no longer of any use in a game this big, close it up.  It’s not that I hated the game; it’s just that after a while I grew bored with it. And in the end, I had a negative impression.  Still, it is a must play through because of character interactions and some of the humor is really strong.  My least favorite in the series though.

Case 6: Scourge of the Sea People, Rating: ****1/2

      Once again, there is something to be said for expectations: I thought I would hate this one, as a trip wandering Greece looking at broken or half broken architecture is on my need to do list right between getting raped by a gorilla and sucking Trump’s cock for a cool grand:  It’s low on the list is what I am saying; I am probably NEVER going to do it.  However, I used to have a thing for Greek mythology. And while you start the game en route to Athens instead you end up in a small seaside town with local color: sweet.  Bring on the ouzo and odd locals as well as an appearance by someone who will be much appreciated by anyone who has gotten this far in the series.  Also, bring in some of the best music in the series and what I think is the greatest art and interface.  Loads of awesome locales abound yet unlike case 5 there is little backtracking and lots of new stuff to see.  This is also the point where the sense of a “big picture” plot begins to develop and a milestone is pounded into the highway of Ben’s existence.  The only problems are an abundance of items and the ease of the puzzles.  My second favorite: easy.

Case 7: Sins of the Cardinals, Rating: ****

     Yay! Christians, devout Catholic clergy even, being naughty.  Always fun.  While possibly the easiest puzzles of the crew, except for one bruiser which will have you perhaps doing some research, this entry flies high on my list for one reason: the ending.  While the case is fun to roll through, it certainly isn’t spectacular, but the ending is.  The “big picture” plot really starts to unfold and ramp up here along with the production.  We have voice acting, people.  And it’s, as in many video games, a mixed bag.  Most are average, two are truly cringeworthy, and a couple stand out as exceptional, especially Matt Gardner as the accused murderer of a catholic priest.  But if the thought of hearing the dialogue instead of reading it makes you sick, don’t worry; you can turn it off on the fly.  Even included is a director commentary by our pal, Francisco Gonzales.  The humor here is overdone in some parts though, a first for the series, but as in the later cases, the graphics and music are exceptional.  Man, I can’t wait for case 8.

Summary of Mini Reviews (a.k.a my top case list)

  Preference   Cases                                                           Good                                                  Bad

1.The Horror at Number 50                     terror, music, characters, gore     cell phone interface

2.Scourge of the Sea People                   art, settings, plot                              easy puzzles, lacks terror

3.Sins of the Cardinals                              ending, art, can turn voices off      fancy interface, simple

4.Sorceress of Smailholm                         setting, story, graphics                   2 endings, need reflexes

5.In Search of the Skunk Ape                   humor, setting, charm                    interface, limited area

6.Galleon of the Salton Sea                      puzzle difficulty, humor                 graphics, backtracking

7.Land of the Rising Dead                        Japan, humor                                    story, easy puzzle

     So there you have it.  Now forget everything I wrote in the reviews and go download all the cases and start in with number 1. You won’t regret it.

jr