[First published October 20, 2010]I had a fantastic, fun time today with our game! Whoosh! I only had to go to the WT one time, and that was because I was stupid.
So, after games with Amy, I found my way into Andrew Verney's 1947 room. Now this was an excellent puzzle. It was so good that it just about made up for the moth room and the "shiny packages," et al.
Also, I like Andrew. He was a sweet guy even in the first game. It's nice to help him out of Hell.
Had fun looking around his room and found abundant clues, but couldn't find an actual puzzle. After quite enough frustration I hit the WT and learned that I needed to get a photograph. There was a perfectly good clue for that, but I didn't tumble. Once I had that, I was able to proceed very nicely.
I really enjoyed going out into the hall in 1947, and seeing how the hotel was supposed to look during its lifetime. It was a nice little hotel run by nice people, and it didn't deserve what happened to it. Poor hotel.
Found Andrew's next object easily, and clues in his desk told me that I'd be getting into the safe this time. Goody. I couldn't understand why I was unable to open that safe earlier. Had the clue to the "numbers" on it, but not the combination. Clearly, I would get the combination in this episode.
However, I couldn't do much at all, so I went back to the awful "present." Decided I had to explore some more. Bingo! Found my way into another room, this time during the war. An odd thing happened. There's the baby's crib, there's the sound of the baby crying, and I was able to find three items to put in the crib. It wanted a fourth, but I was blasted back into the present before I found it. Still, the next object I needed for Andrew was in the crib. Was it a glitch, or was the game just forgiving? No matter. I got what I needed.
Plus, almost had the game crash while I was putting together the latest torn up letter. Again, the game froze when my cursor was pulled to the left. Fortunately after lots of trying, I got free and all was well after that. Jonathan really does need to get a patch for these jigsaw puzzles.
Found my way into the present-day awful bathroom, and pretty clearly Andrew's items are to be placed in there. Frankly, I don't know why we have to kill these Throbbing Things. I suppose it adds yet another gruesome element to the game, but the atmosphere is creepy enough without that stuff, I think. That's my own taste, of course. If it were more difficult to kill the things--but it's easy. Oh well. A task that has to be done.
Got all three items placed and had a nice conversation with dear Andrew. This time the items are placed during the episode, not at the end. Fine. Andrew gives me the code I've been looking for. I know what it is instantly, and off I go to get the telescope, I think. And I do find it, I think.
But it still wouldn't fit on Andrew's tripod in 1947. Hmmm.
There's his case sitting on the bed, but I need a key. How will I find the key?
Idiot. I have lock picks.
So that worked. After that the puzzle is a cinch. Got all six constellations (similar to Andrew's telescope puzzle in the first game--I like that). Andrew is free! And what's this? Look! If I can manipulate time, so can Andrew! His story gets a happy ending after all.
Good. Andrew deserves it.
So the whole Andrew Verney episode is a really great puzzle. Plenty of layers, some good clues, a little bit of exploration and you can find your way home. Nicely done.
However, Amy really is a little skank, isn't she? Yes, I found my way to the "owl's hunting ground" and used my lock picks again. I found her little stash and her three little boxes. Probably coffins, knowing Amy. I have two dolls now. A third is coming soon, no doubt. Amy is one ghost I'd rather not free. She's quite happy right where she is, and she deserves to be there.
Maybe I'll get to stab her with scissors.
Gad, but the Inspector is an idiot. Or nuts.
However, the order of the symbols in the TV movie is correct, as I suspected. It matches the order in the book. I now have five rings, and at least I know how to line them up when the time comes to do it.
And, I'm off to find Matilda Fly! Easy to get into her room, easy to find two of the objects she wants. I note that we did the object placing at the end of Gloria's episode, in the middle of Andrew's, and now we're placing objects at the beginning of Matilda's. OK.
I know what the third object is. There have been huge clues to that. I know where to get it too, but I need a coin. So I stopped there. Dunno where to find the coin, but if I get playing time tomorrow (might not--more Kirkus books are coming) I'm going to check the place I where found the first coin. Maybe there's another one. Or maybe Echo will give me another clue.
What fun it was just to grab several hours and spend them playing an absorbing adventure game. Dad was watching his Nascar race, so I had the time free. Yes, I should have finished that damned book, but I can whiz through most of that tonight.
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