Blue Madonna 4: Endgame

Yup, I was pretty close to the end. Opening the unopenable box was a cinch. I remembered that I'd encountered an inventory item that I wasn't allowed to keep in my inventory. But why was it there? Perfect for opening unopenable boxes.


Then we have the death mystery to solve. Carol is confronted by a bad guy. I remember that in one of the earlier games it was possible for Carol to die. Not any longer. In this game and the last one, Mikael allows you to stand there being threatened, for hours apparently, until you figure out the necessary steps to vanquish your foe.


This particular vanquishing doesn't really make much sense, requiring the bad guy really to stand there until you do something, but hey, these games are for old broads like me who don't like mayhem. (Although my plan is to start a game full of mayhem this very night!) I think he must have got some bad comments from the older game, even though it gave you infinite chances to go back and do it right.


And after we vanquish the bad guy, we still have a bit of mystery to solve. Very satisfying.


I never used a couple of inventory items, as I recall: a pool cue and a pencil. Either I missed a couple of non-essential puzzles, or Mikael planned some things that didn't make it into the final cut, but left the items in the inventory. Happens sometimes.


Also, the handless clocks theme continues. I wonder if that ever will be explained? (Perhaps because Mikael doesn't know where the player will go next, he needs to keep the time a mystery? If you went to one place and it was 10:00, then in the next place it was 9:00, that might be a bit disorienting. Is that why?)


This one is, I think, the best so far in the series. In the last three games Mikael finally has allowed the player to finish, rather than just ending the game abruptly, as he did the first few. Much, much more satisfying. So I'll dash off a little review soon.


I really should replay the first four games and blog them, just to have the set.


Well now, as he appears to do one per year, I wonder when the next one will come out? I certainly hope he keeps making these games. They are short, but always enjoyable.


And except for the derelict buildings, gad, they have great scenery!


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