Recent reviews by LaFey

Perhaps the most complete iteration of the classic spanish game La Abadia Del Crimen made by Paco Menéndez and Juan Delcán back in the late 80's. Manuel Pazos, which I know from several remakes of the game (actually I bought an MSX2 machine just for playing one of them) is probably one of the leading experts in the code of the game - the other probably being Antonio Giner González from the Win32 remake of the game (to which I have made the portuguese translation). Both Manuel and Antonio, participate in the book "Obsequium: Un relato cultural, tecnológico y emocional de La Abadía del Crimen", where each, if I recall correctly, author a chapter.

This remake of couse, has to be first praised by the graphics by Daniel Celemín - there isn't a more beautiful way of visiting Melk's abbey. And the lovely pixel art now leaves Adso's tonsure, and Williams likeness in line with Jean-Jacques Annaud film. Which is everything I think Paco Menéndez and Juan Delcán wanted in the first place.

Of course some reminiscenses that boggled me back in the day still try to dumbfound the newcomer, still once you get the hang of the camera angle change and the "particular" controls (which you can change to something more 21st century-like) you'll be left with an adventure - in which puzzles have been more fairly presented, in accordance with the movie script. Snippets of text from the movie script or from Umberto Eco's novel of the same name (which is the reason you are reading this review since it was what came first) add to the incredible atmosphere - atmosphere that the new sound effects only enhanced.

So I definitely recommend this game. It was great to get in on Steam, to finally be able to get it out to a larger english speaking audience - and have it receive the accolades is deserves.

Wonderful game. I've been gaming since the early 80's, first in a ZX Spectrum, afterwards in a Amiga - before entering the rigmarole of IBM-PC compatible systems. I've played many graphical adventures - notoriously from Lucas Arts and Sierra. Of course this little gem is a nod to the days of Sierra - and their famous Hero Quest and King's Quest series. Picking this up from start I couldn't put it away until I finished it - although it is fair to say, not with total success - and the distinct classes you can pick up will surely lead to many different gameplay/story branches. The graphics are awesome, the animations are beautiful, the puzzles are forgivable and have plenty of alternative solutions (something I always thought Sierra wasn't too keen on implementing...). The story is great, based in Norse mythology, and well driven and timed.

I'd certainly recommend this, to those like me, still love the old graphical adventure romps. If you don't, you'd certainly find the pixel art (so "en vogue" today!), and the great storyline enticing.