East Side Story 3: I Did Some Bad Things . . .

So I confess it. I had to consult the WT numerous times in order to finish the game--even once for a puzzle (gasp!). My justification, as always, is that I was only doing a replay for this blog and I wanted to get it actually done before embarking on other things.

So yes. I followed the verdamnten walkthrough. I have to say that of all ten Carol Reed games so far, this one is the most complicated. And it's without a hint system! It's also kind of the most nasty mystery. Plus, in this one you can get killed by the villain if you don't move quickly enough. In fact, the required move is so quick that you'll probably get killed several times before you get it right. In later games Mikael made the villain confrontation much much easier--basically you can just keep trying inventory items on the bad guy forever--the villain will just stand there being threatening until you bash him with the right thing. But this guy will get 'ya until you figure out the right move and then make that move immediately.

Bigge shows up! (Bigge is the name of the guy "playing" this recurring character--the voice is done by Gareth Williams.) 

Always the comic relief

But golly, we've got to roam around the derelict factory almost forever before figuring out how to get in--and how to get out. Then we have to go back there for just one more inventory item, but at least there's a clue for that. No clue to just where it is, though. Keep looking.

In this game we sometimes don't get an icon to pick up items we'll need later. First, we have to find the need for the item, remember where we saw it, and go back for the thing. Again, while that is more realistic, it adds yet another layer of complexity to the game. Really, this thing would take weeks to figure out. Maybe I did spend that much time with it when I first played it--can't remember.

However, for the first time, the game lets you pretty much figure out the mystery before it unloads all the explanation. And it has a couple more game jokes. First there's this building. Look at the signs on the left side. They're all famous game developers. Then we find a disk in an office with a label that fans will recognize.

Click to embiggen

So those are fun.

But yes, in my faulty memory, this is the most complex game in the series. Much longer than the first three, so that fulfills a wish. An awful lot of time is spent in unlovely run-down places such as the factory and the tunnels though, and searching for illusive things within a tiny circle of moving light--things you don't even know are there. Hitting every possible node just becomes essential for any chance at finishing the game. I imagine many players became frustrated with this one.

And the games did get easier after this. Still, the most challenging Carol Reed game manages to keep attention absorbed (if you can keep from throwing the computer across the room) and provides a great deal of entertainment. It's a decent story too.

So I challenge you to try this game without a walkthrough. You can do it. Just don't expect to do it in one sitting.

Have fun!