Black Mirror series

[Magic User]

http://www.adventure-treff.de/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=21307

Nothing oficial yet but it seems quite unlikely that they would bother buying the rights just to keep republishing the game. They even made an announcement about it. I hope it gets somewhere. King Art is a competent developer and I really liked the Black Mirror series. Plus the third game ended with tons of sequel hooks.

 

[Darth Roxor]

So that's the second time the series changes hands, this can only end well.

Plus the third game ended with tons of sequel hooks.

Did it? I don't even remember exactly how it ended, but I remember pretty clearly that it very much closed the story completely.

 

[Magic User]

Yes it did. There was the whole thing about Adrian Gordon now being a "warrior of light charged to fight evil" or some such thing. There was even the setup with him now being rightful owner of the castle and guardian of the relics in it, the new butler, and also the vatican agent saying that they would certainly meet again or some such thing. The so called "black mirror" itself was some kind of ancient artifact worshipped by pagans as we learn in the games, although the family curse was ended in the third game there are probably more of them around the world.

I actually got a pretty strong Gabriel Knight vibe from the ending of the third game.

 

[VonVentrue]

Each Black Mirror game was worse than the preceding one, but they're all worth playing for the wonderfully crafted atmosphere alone.
With that said, I'd rather they didn't pick up where BM3 left off unless the writers come up with a good reason to do so - I was rather underwhelmed by the relatively poorly structured, plot hole-ridden story. Were I to choose one word to describe it, it'd be "unfocused" - it does start off fairly strong, but quickly runs out of steam, with characters appearing/disappearing abruptly, plot twists that can be seen from a mile away and too many threads going absolutely nowhere

Spoiler

(vide the White Lady, Mordred's wife who all but disappears by the end of act II, never to be seen or mentioned again)

.

 

[Darth Roxor]

Each Black Mirror game was worse than the preceding one, but they're all worth playing for the wonderfully crafted atmosphere alone.

I disagree. I think the 2nd one is actually the best one. The first one had a cool and creepy atmosphere and story, but fuck man, those puzzles. Those fucking puzzles. Astronomical puzzles that assume the player has a doctorate in planetary movements are about as enraging to me as sliding-tile-pictures, and IIRC that game had 2 or even 3 of those. There were some more anal ones as well, but I played that one very long ago, so I don't remember now.

BM2 was neat because it was very Gabriel Knight-ish. That is, it had a lot of those "what is going ooooooooon" moments that left you wonder whether the shit that's happening is supernatural or not. It also had some good mysteries to it. Its only low point that I can remember now was the entire "secret order!!" thing - that shit just turned out extra cheesy.

Agree on the 3rd one lacking focus, though.

 

[Boleskine]

The first game was pretty great aside from some spotty voice acting and too much backtracking to pick up items you knew you would need and tried to pick up previously but couldn't because the game wouldn't let you.

The second and third games play well and have great atmosphere, but the story falls apart near the end of BM3. I remember finishing that game and thinking, "That was it?" But the games are still definitely worth playing.

 

[Darth Roxor]

I remember finishing that game and thinking, "That was it?"

It's not like the first one was much better in that regard

 

[trustno1code]

The first one had a cool and creepy atmosphere and story, but fuck man, those puzzles. Those fucking puzzles. Astronomical puzzles that assume the player has a doctorate in planetary movements are about as enraging to me as sliding-tile-pictures, and IIRC that game had 2 or even 3 of those.

 

[1451]

From the makers of Book of Unwritten Tales, I'm cautiously optimistic. Never played first game, sequel was fun and third game was boring, didn't even play for an hour.

 

[Magic User]

I liked the sequels better than the first one. I agree that they both had some design flaws were some parts of the plot were simply abandoned midway or had no place in the game(that secret society, the white lady, the devil dogs , the "mr. bubby" guy who seems to have died by the end of the game but nobody knows, etc), but they managed to keep me interested to the end. And I did like the end of BMIII, it provided closure for the Gordon curse and left open the possibility of sequels.

Btw, the lady who wrote the story for BMII and BMIII also wrote Chronicles of Zerzura and I seem to remember she was working on some strange black and white indie adventure about time travel. I think the project was dropped.

 

[Jaesun]

Playing the first game for the first time, really like it. The English dialogue for this is completely fucking terrible. But not as fucking terrible as using Google Translate for your game like Secret files Tunguska did. The story and setting is really damn cool, that's the only thing keeping me going so far.

Also, if you are a Developer and work on Adventure games, if at any point while at work you think "Hey! I'll add a slider puzzle to the game!" immediately go straight to HR and tell them" Hello! I am an absolutely fucking shit game designer, so I'll need to resign now.".

 

[Jaesun]

OK finally finished this whole series (I, II and III). Got it on a STEAM sale for like... 9$ I think. At 3$ a game, totally worth it for me.

I - Absolutely awful (english) translation. Terrible game mechanics and design. GREAT setting, story and atmosphere. The background art is really beautiful. Really neat locations, crypts, tombs, sewers, and of course the manion. Still, I really liked this.

II - Now it's POP-A-MOLE 3D, but at least it is still point and click. Same great background art, and much much better game design. English translation is better too, but there were sometimes the whatinthefuckamireading.jpg moment. Also the Old dude at the junk shop BEST NPC EVAR! That guy was fucking hilarious! Not as many cool locations as the first one, but overall, still enjoyable. The story and all the "twists" were at least interesting.

III - Same engine as II. While the first two games only briefly touched on supernatural stuff, this one goes all out. Though it fits in what is happening to you. There are also some lighter moments when your characters says some lulzy shit when grabbing certain items, like knives r00fles! Much more cooler locations to visit this time, and a series of puzzles near the end was nice too. This does fully wrap up the "Gordon Curse" part of The Black Mirror. And goes into a lot more detail with what happened between Marcus and Mordred, as well at the history of The Black Mirror castle and the Gordon Family. I have to say, I think I liked this one best out of all 3 games, but I love supernatural and conspiracy stuff.

Really enjoyable series, if this is the kind of setting you might like.

 

[Darth Roxor]

I have to say, I think I liked this one best out of all 3 games, but I love supernatural and conspiracy stuff.

Really? Been a longer while since I played it, but I distinctly remember that part 3 was often going full retardo in rather cringeworthy ways, particularly in the supernatural department (woop woop look at me i'm teh tormented wife's ghost).

Otoh, BM3 had the lulziest quote in the entire series that I remember to this day: MORDRED IS RIDING YOU LIKE A ROCKING HORSE!

 

[Jaesun]

Supernatural stuff really bugs some people, but it didn't bother me. And the tormented ghost made sense (and they explain it all fully in the game). With what Mordred did, I'd be a fucking pissed of ghost too if I was his wife. :D

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

 

[Darth Roxor]

wat

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Blatant marketing rip-off of the 'The Evil Within 2' announcement trailer. I think Bethesda should sue them for $500 million.

 

[Jaesun]

Did we really need more Black Mirror in the first place

The series SETTING is quite nice and interesting. It's actually a fun series of 3 games to playthrough.

I personally would not mind playing at least a *decent* new Black Mirror game (with the same setting). But I doubt that is what this will be. Looks like some quick cash grab just because of the name.

Would love to be pleasantly surprised it's not though...

 

[Boleskine]

Why not call it 'Bl4ck Mirr4r'?

The video description says the game takes place in 1926, so it's some sort of prequel about the Gordon family. I like the previous games so I'm interested in this, provided they haven't watered down the gameplay and puzzles.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

It's sort of a reboot with no direct affiliation to the old trilogy.

 

[Anthedon]

Keeping an eye on this one. I enjoyed the series so far, the games were all pretty decent point and click fun. King Art worked on Black Mirror before and the story looks very similar to the other games. So if all goes well it will be more of the same.

 

[Boleskine]

https://www.thqnordic.com/article/t...-game-black-mirror-scheduled-release-november

But don’t worry, even players unfamiliar with the previous games in the series can also enjoy Black Mirror, because this reboot of the franchise tells a totally independent and new story. The major difference between the new and old Black Mirror, apart from the modern graphics of course, will be a new gameplay element: interaction with vision-like apparitions.

“One of the outstanding features of the Black Mirror game series is the unique atmosphere which was essentially created by KING Art in the original trilogy. We have developed a new interpretation that both retains the strengths of the original games and gives us more room to explore fresh possibilities in terms of gameplay so that players can experience the world of Black Mirror in a more direct and free way, and not “just” in classic point-and-click style.” – Martin Kreuch, Producer at THQ Nordic.

 

[LESS T_T]

Scotland, 1926. Following the suicide of his father, David Gordon visits his ancestral home for the first time in his life. A life that is soon threatened by the dark secrets that claimed the sanity of many Gordons before him.

Tormented by nightmares and waking dreams for all his life, David fears that it might be his destiny to follow in his father’s footsteps, down a path that leads to madness, and death.

Is there really a Curse that has been haunting his family, like his father believed?
It is up to David to uncover the horrible truths, buried under generations of silence and fathoms of stone. Black Mirror Castle demands an offering...


KEY FEATURES

• A modern re-imagining of the acclaimed gothic-horror adventure series
  
• Interactions with vision-like apparitions which help you learn more about the past of your family
  
• Eerie atmosphere focusing on the horrors of the mind, in the style of EA Poe and HP Lovecraft
  
• High quality voice acting from a compelling ensemble cast

THE STORY
"I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity."
Edgar Allen Poe

David Gordon never knew his estranged father particularly well. Still it comes as a shock when he is summoned to his family's ancestral home in the Scottish highlands, after his father has taken his own life there. David does not know much about his father's final weeks, but the circumstances of his death seem more than peculiar. Settling the heritage is merely an excuse for David to find out more about the castle his father grew up in, meeting the family he never knew and for shedding light on the mysteries surrounding his father's death.

Tormented by nightmares and waking dreams for all his life, he fears that it might be his destiny to follow in his father's footsteps, down a path that leads to madness and death.

Is there really a curse that has been haunting his family for generations as his father believed? Or are the mysteries hidden inside the cold walls of Black Mirror house of a far more wordly nature?

It is up to David to uncover the horrible truths, buried under generations of silence and fathoms of stone.


ABOUT THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY
"No man can choose his death."
Detective Collier, Black Mirror (2003)

In the original adventure trilogy, Samuel Gordon and Darren Michaels search for the truth behind the Curse of the Black Mirror that has haunted the Gordon-family for generations.

The acclaimed original trilogy laid the foundation Black Mirror (2017) is built upon.

Dense gothic horror atmosphere, rich visual details and a dark story full of characters who are not what they seem to be - the journey of Samuel Gordon and Darren Michaels is as captivating today as it was when the games were first released. "


ABOUT THE GAMEPLAY
"They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night."
Edgar Allan Poe

Like in the original graphic adventure trilogy, the Gothic Horror genre and its unique atmosphere of madness and psychological distress remains at the heart of Black Mirror.

The point-and-click gameplay of the original trilogy served as the basis for the re-imagined gameplay, which focuses on close-up investigation and interaction with nightmarish visions that plague the protagonist of the game David Gordon.

 

[Jaesun]

OK so published by THQ Nordic (the new owners of THQ, whoever the fuck they are) and then made by KING Art. This will of course be, first and foremost targeted at Johnny Console™, because that's what Publishers believe "sells".

That out of the way, this re-imagining of the series, could be good to maybe decent. The originals never excelled in anything innovative or even complex (as adventure games go). So even targeting console players, isn't necessarily a bad thing.

If they can actually pull off an interesting setting, story, lore and characters like the original, this could end up being.... decent to maybe even good (enjoyable).

And ANOTHER thing that worked very well for the original series, was they kept the supernatural crap, EXTREMELY light. It was there, but that was over shadowed by the great setting, characters and lore. (The Supernatural BS goes full speed in game 3, but I felt they handled it well, and it all tied in quite well with the established lore. Just my opinion).

Guess I will wait and see what develops, but I won't be holding my breath. This will more than likely be shovelware, and they will probably go full retardo with supernatural shit....

 

[HoboForEternity]

I loved the original Trilogy.

This will probably ruins it :/