Blackwell Epiphany

This is a review of the entire [b]Blackwell[/b] series of games. I recently marathoned the entire saga, and I discovered this to be a series held entirely by its rich dialogue and excellent voice-acting combined with light, fun adventure-game puzzles set in a pulpy, noir-laden New York setting. The first game is understandably more modest in scope as it establishes the world and its leads, but from the second game onward the series quickly settles into the identity that makes it special. I became a fan of Wadjet Eye Games after trying out Unavowed as my first, and that introduction turned out to have a powerful impact on my enjoyment of this game. If the rougher look of these games deters you from checking them out, I recommend actually playing Unavowed, and then Blackwell, as you may enjoy unraveling these games more, after that great experience. The stars of the game are Rosangela Blackwell and her spirit guide, Joey Mallone, and they absolutely carry the series. Their banter is palpable in a way that kept me glued and curious to learn more about them from beginning to end. There is a lot of ‘show, don’t tell’ in how they are presented, in the sense that you can glean a lot of …

A fantastic series that, in my opinion, is best experienced by playing all the games back2back, allowing the story to unfold as one cohesive and rewarding journey. I loved the characters, the central mystery, and the way each installment gradually reveals more of the bigger picture. The voice acting is excellent, the soundtrack is memorable, and the atmosphere is consistently immersive. Combined with topnotch storytelling, it makes for an unforgettable experience from beginning to end.

I do think the finale of the series might also be its peak. I'm not 100% confident in that, but I also have a few reasons for thinking so. I'll get the cons out of the way first, however. Visually I had a couple qualms. Some of the backgrounds seemed disproportionately low resolution, even as the technology advanced for this fifth and final game. The UI changes also felt generally negative, moving towards the generic. Onto the positives, this game had far better puzzle design than the last- I never had to tab out to look for a guide- the in game guidance was always enough if I ever felt stuck. I do think the sprites recovered from their hitch in appeal from the last game- as evidenced by the sprite lineup from the credits. The voice acting was the best it's ever been, with some performances (especially a certain part of Abe Goldfarb's Joey Mallone) evoking a strong emotional reaction in me. Curiously, this game did follow the plot hook the end of game 4 set up, but I didn't mind, as I didn't much care for that hook. It definitely feels like more could be done in the Blackwell setting, but this series is certainly at a close. [spoiler]But onto what really fascinated me- Is Joey g…

Listen I understand on paper that this is probably a fittingly bittersweet ending and they haven't directly touched this franchise in over ten years but I am genuinely dying for a continuation where [spoiler] Joey gets a spirit guide and becomes a medium himself, has to deal with his grief and failures from throughout the series, and fights that energy vampire cult that was teased in Deception. [/spoiler] Good game, and it leaving me wanting more isn't a bad thing.

Good story and music and difficulty.

Best game in the series. Entire series was fun, but this is the only one I'd give a solid A+.