"Ignorantly dismissed by some for its graphics and voice-acting, you'll never forget this immersive adventure's wonderful world and cast"

It's a shame most people don't even know about this game. It's not a high-dollar production, doesn't attempt to emulate tried and true adventure classics, and it all takes place at a single mansion. No wonder many of today's shallow gamers are so dismissive of it without giving it a chance.

What immediately sets this game apart from most adventures I've played, with the exception of Gabriel Knight 3 (if you liked it, you'll love The Watchmaker. Really, stop reading this and go buy it now), is the way the characters all move about the estate through the course of the game. Basically every event in the game (which usually passes a couple of minutes of game world time--time only passes as you progress, by picking up objects, talking to people, or otherwise interacting with the world) triggers characters to move to their next location and offer new conversational options. It's a truly living game like few others, and feels more realistic than today's real-time RPGs with fully scheduled, but shallow and predictable characters. While quite linear, The Watchmaker is beautifully scripted and logical in its presentation. The dialogue all makes sense, and if something isn't clear, it isn't supposed to be: the game is a mystery, and as such your suspicions will change focus constantly throughout the course of the game. Once you get started, you likely won't want to quit.

One of the most common criticisms of this game is the voice acting. Granted it isn't wonderful, it will not hurt your game experience as the writing itself is top-notch. Fortunately, the speech is often unemotional as opposed to overacted. I don't know about other adventure gamers, but when I reflect on a great game, I remember its story, environment, and the way it made me feel, not the tone of the main character's voice.

The graphics were hardly state of the art at the time, but they are glitch-free and will not detract from your immersion in the game world. The Watchmaker has so many objects, all examinable, that you'll be impressed by the sheer volume of them more so than you will be deterred by their unspectacular texturing. Unlike many of today's adventures, there's never a shortage of objects to click and learn about. Interactivity is what it's all about.

The game demands a thorough hand. The difficulty is just right, so long as you are observant and exam/collect all objects and talk to everyone, as if playing any other adventure game. I admittedly had to consult a walkthrough a couple times (mostly near the end where the puzzles become quite difficult), but then again, I almost always do when playing other adventure games as well. Your mileage may vary.

My favorite adventure games include Sierra classics like the Gabriel Knight series, modern masterpieces like the first The Longest Journey game, to a lesser degree more recent point-and-click games such as Runaway, and, yes, The Watchmaker. I can honestly say the only game I've played similar to it is GK3. Living, breathing adventures are rare, and as such they should not be dismissed without at least being given a chance. Don't pass up The Watchmaker. At the least, it'll be a refreshingly original experience, if quaint, and at best, one of your favorite adventures which you will not soon forget. I'm off to give it another play!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/02/08

Game Release: The Watchmaker (US, 06/01/02)