
Consequently I had a very hard time understanding much of the speech in the game. It didn't give me the option of turning down the music independently of the voice or effects tracks.

On a technical note, one thing that irritated me about Clandestiny is the fact that it had only crude sound controls. These ghosts are a mixed bag some are entertaining, others not so. Opening a new door also frequently lets you meet a new ghost. As this family crest begins to take shape and you see a clan motto is being constructed by your riddle answers, solving the remaining riddles gets easier - as you are looking for specific words to complete the motto. Also, each riddle answer you get not only opens a door but adds a word to the family crest. If you hate riddles, this aspect of the game will not be one for you. Now, you are either a person who likes riddles or a person who is driven up the wall by them. In order to pass through a door you must find the "key," which is the answer to a riddle. Then there are the "door puzzles." At the very beginning of the game most of the doors in the castle are locked. Some are fairly standard and easy, such as a classic leapfrog puzzle, and others are pretty fiendish, like one in which you have to painstakingly rearrange a set of gears. There are the traditional, 7th Guest type, involving word strings and chessboards and leaping toads and such, and these are all entertaining. There are two kinds of puzzles in Clandestiny. However, the environments are very well done, and the castle is a very fun place to explore. Unlike The 7th Guest which provided beautiful 360 degree movement, the navigation in Clandestiny is a slide show a la Myst. Instead of this creating hilarity, it pretty much just gets on your nerves.

For whatever reason, she cannot see the ghosts you see until about three-quarters of the way through the game. The voice acting is for the most part adequate, but I must say the the writing of the role of the fiancee is pretty darned irritating.
#Clandestiny game full#
Unfortunately, the castle doesn't appear to be full of treasure - merely ghosts. Your character has inherited a Scottish castle and title, and you and your fiancee show up to claim your windfall. The game is played in a combination of first and third person: first person for navigating and puzzle solving, third person for the animated cut scenes. The only new element Clandestiny introduces is some fairly well-done animation. The formula? Stumble around a haunted house solving puzzles while being mildly diverted by the thin storyline. I am personally a big fan of the formula codified by the wildly successful "The 7th Guest" in 1992. It breaks no new ground in terms of format or content, but I really enjoyed it nevertheless.
#Clandestiny game series#
Malcolm.Ĭlandestiny is the third in the Trilobyte series of haunted house puzzle games. Clandestiny features three difficulty levels, 3D animation and a story written by author Jahnna N.

While Andrew explores the castle's eerie rooms, false walls and secret passages in an attempt to discover and overcome the family curse, some of the cursor objects, such as rolling eyeballs, a drama mask, skeletal pointing fingers and a throbbing brain, may seem hauntingly familiar with good reason - the game is designed by the developers responsible for the Henry Stauff stories, The 7th Guest and The 11th Hour. Most of Andrew's attention, however, will be focused on the dozen "family" members from generations past who are instrumental in helping our reluctant Earl get a grip on reality, destroy a centuries-old, ancient family-borne curse and clear the MacPhiles name.Ĭlandestiny uses humor, riddles and puzzles to aid the progression of the storyline and immerse the player in this fanciful, haunted tale of a cowardly family beset by a terrible, dark secret. Dimwitty, chief cook and bottle washer of the estate and the odd Vicar, cursed with something of a "toothy" problem. Upon arrival, Andrew meets a zany cast of characters including Murthly, the proper English butler with a secret, the little Scottish handyman Fergus, who delights in creating problems, Mrs. Andrew's supportive fiancee, Paula, accompanies him on this unexpected trip to reclaim his rightful position as the 13th Earl of MacPhiles despite the embarrassing family reputation. In this animated tale of ghosts and family redemption set in Scotland, you control the actions and exploits of Andrew MacPhiles as he takes possession of an inherited castle - an isolated, dark, dank and creepy place filled with 12 spirits from the long and cowardly line of his ancestors.
