I got this on GOG for cheap, even though I still have my old copy that would run on my classic blueberry iMac. It runs pretty well, although for whatever reason today it decided it didn't want to go full screen. No matter, it was easy to play in a window.
This was one of the first full-motion video games. Came out in 1995 and was right at the top of the bestsellers along with Myst. However, the acting in 7th Guest was perhaps the worst ever in video games (except for one character in The Watchmaker), and that's saying something. Makes the Myst brothers seem competent.
Random ghosts appear all over. This one is in the maze.
Still, it isn't the story or the acting that we care about here. No, it's the devious puzzles. This is entirely a puzzle game and some of them are really clever. I've never made it though without a WT, but I have learned some things about a few of them that might help me in the future. Having finished the game, I can access any puzzle and do it again as often as I wish. A nice feature.
Have just been doing the puzzles when I needed a break and a little brain teaser. Many I was able to do. I'm most proud of the knights puzzle, which I did all on my own with nary any hints, but I confess that I did get hints on lots of stuff. The queens puzzle is the first one I had trouble with--but before that I was doing pretty well. I managed the telescope and bedspread puzzles with ease. The cans in the kitchen have always stumped me. I dunno how anybody could have figured that thing out.
The maze is kinda notorious, but there's a map of the thing on one of the bedroom floors:
The maze. Take notes.
As we complete puzzles (each room has one) we unlock other doors and puzzles. Some of them are so devious you really need help. However, I got lucky with the Stauf portrait. I found out that it's randomized, so I reloaded until I got a good starting point and actually solved it in about four moves. Some of the starting points, I think, might be impossible, but if you know how it works you ought to be able to get it. That puzzle is hard to find. It's in the "art room" which isn't connected to any other room. You have to look at the stairs and click on the action icon (chomping teeth), and you get swept down into the room. To get out, click on the picture of the piano.
Sadly, when we finish puzzles we often get the awful videos. Really, there is not one even decent amateur actor in the game. I think they must have been the office workers on the project. They used to do that a lot with games. Thankfully, now everyone hires pros (well, except for Jonathan Boakes and Mikael Nyqvist, but they do a far better job with their friends than these poor folks, forever embarrassed by their "performances" in this classic game).
The awful "actors" meet in the library
In the version I have the infamous microscope puzzle, which really is a game and is optional in all versions, and the piano puzzle weren't included. And, except for the awful acting and the "game in a box" full-screen, this holds up pretty well. The puzzles really are what the game is all about, and they are still very much good enough to captivate anyone today. So, a 20-year old game proves that imagination lasts.
Had fun!
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