What lurks beneath the loch?
The mystery of Loch Ness is one which hasn't been tapped by video games a great deal over the years, so this adventure game is intriguing for mystery lovers simply due to its subject matter. Unfortunately though, it doesn't really live up to its potential and is only worthy of investigation if you are an avid Nessie fan. The story is set in 1932 and finds private investigator Alan P. Cameron traveling to Loch Ness to solve a strange haunting case. A grand old manor is being visited by an alarming number of ghosts and it's up to you to find out exactly what's going on. The game itself plays out like a cross between the Tex Murphy adventures and Myst, being an interactive adventure where you explore various environments, interact with the Loch's quirky inhabitants and solve various puzzles, all with the goal of getting to the bottom of the hauntings. The game uses motion capture technology to bring an enhanced sense of realism to proceedings and thanks to the use of an original score, it makes a good attempt at feeling like an interactive movie. The story here is perhaps the best thing about the game, being intriguing and surprisingly deep, with plenty of twists, turns and surprises along the way, and which will keep you guessing to the end. The interface too is simple and intuitive, making playing the game a breeze, while the visuals are certainly atmospheric, if a little limited, thanks to some minimal animation. Puzzles are a little on the easy side, while there are a few moments of frustration thanks to some awkward implementation. Overall, this is certainly not a classic adventure, but worth a look.
