Dracula: The Last Sanctuary

"Bram Stoker would be proud - great mood and atmosphere"

Dracula: The Last Sanctuary is the sequel to one of my favoured games, Dracula: The Resurrection based on the novels by Bram Stoker. The game is a point and click adventure and has come under much scrutiny (as all point and click games do, basically because people haven’t got the cranial capacity or patients to understand the story and solve the puzzles).

As usual, the game is mouse compatible, but the joy pad does a superb job. The mouse pointer changes as it passes over areas depending on weather an object and be collected, or used etc. The inventory displays all of you pick-ups, and you often need to select an object e.g.: a key and click on an object i.e.: a door to progress – your usual point and clicker then. You also have to search around for these objects as some are very devilishly hidden!

Without spoiling too much, you do meet vampires and must find a way to escape, which involves a gun! [END OF DEMO]!

The game looks very similar and works very similarly to its predecessor and is another double disk, vampire based adventure. So, lets talk about the different aspects:

Graphics: 9
Graphically the game is excellent, the graphics are very good (possibly a bit fuzzy at first sight – like Amerzone) but the dark lighting effects and haunting music fit the vampire mood very well. I suspect the game engine and graphics engine to be the same (or very) similar to its predecessors – but why change a winning formula?

Gameplay: 9
The gameplay is the same as The Last Sanctuary, find objects and manipulate them to progress, whilst unravelling the intriguing story. The gameplay is fluid and as mentioned the music and dark lighting effects really remind me on the Dracula movies. The mood and atmosphere is excellent. The whole feel to the game is very well done.

Sound: 9
I always feel music and sound in point and click games is the most important factor, simply to hold interest and attention. You’re bound to get stuck at some point and good sound will help hold interest and concentration.

Dracula is no different: the sound creating excellent, haunting atmosphere, daunting mood and gameplay. Voice acting is brilliant too and is very believable.

Life Span: 8
Can’t be sure but the game has 2 disks and it is so atmospheric, it begs to be re-played.

Overall: 9
Great feel to this very underrated game. Worth a look (or rent) if your fans of the Count, even if you hate point and click. I didn’t think I was going to get this due to many poor reviews – I’m glad I did. Many will have wished for a Dracula action/adventure game, but this is point and click – a dam fine one too.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/24/03, Updated 07/24/03