Jack the Ripper

"Not a game at all, but an interactive movie, and a lame one at that!"

In my usual need to complete everything in the world, I bought this game from The Adventure Company so I could say I have played all their point-and-click adventure games. I played it over Halloween weekend, thinking the subject matter would provide a good and spooky time.

I was disappointed to see that this is not a game at all, but a story dragged out over 24 periods of time (12 days, day and night for each). Basically, you are a newspaper reporter who is tasked with following the trail of a Jack the Ripper style killing spree in 1901 New York. You learn along the way that this may in fact be the real Jack the Ripper.

The game is all about event-triggering. So you go from scene to scene, talking to each person, then revisiting each scene until you've talked to all the right people in the right order. Then, you go to your desk and "write a report." That takes you to the evening, when you talk to a few more people. When the game is ready, you suddenly will look up at the moon and it will fade into the next day. Then you basically repeat this process for 11 more days until you've reached the disatisfying non-ending.

The developers threw in a handful of adventure game style "puzzles." But these are almost always about finding one key or instrument for a locked door, usually in the same room. Or, you may have to put a camera together, or place a sheet of paper on another atop a light desk to compare handwriting. At one point, you use morse code to send a telegram. This is pretty much the extent of the game play.

It certainly isn't as spooky as it could have been - the only time I even jumped was when a sudden SEVEN style cut scene would pop out at you with no warning (corresponding to some weird vision your character keeps having around ravens, but never explained).

In the end, you never even learn who the killer is - in fact, you aren't even given any reason to guess about who it might be, even on your own! For a "game" that is totally about telling a story, it is really lame to not even have a proper ending!

The only saving grace is that the setting is very fun to play around in - with early 20th century New York atmosphere abounding - you visit back alleys with elevated trains whizzing by, late night brothels with Victrolas playing burlesque music. A theatre with an Irish songbird performing some very nice tunes (seriously, they put some time and money into creating two very nice songs worth hanging out and hearing). Old style hospitals, police stations, and newspaper offices as well. It is certainly visually romantic.

But, in the end, there is nothing here really worth buying the game and losing a weekend out of your life for. It's too bad - there were a lot of neat ideas here, but they just never came together into a whole game. Better luck next time!

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 10/30/06