Post by pip on Jul 7, 2021 18:59:27 GMT
The Black River Emerald
by Peter Ryan
This is the only entry in the series to be written by Peter Ryan. This is an amazing book. There are many different subplots to follow and different places to visit, an intriguing and complex mystery, a good balance between investigation and action, great writing, and an original premise (you are playing a schoolboy, bound by school rules and adult authority, unlike most other books in the series which have you play an adult budding detective).
This is however, either because of a bug or because of a puzzling deliberate choice, not exactly a good game, because it is not solvable. It is possible, by yourself, to identify the culprit and his motives, but no matter what you do, your evidence will always be considered insufficient by Holmes. I've even checked a version of the book in a different language to make sure it wasn't just my version that was bugged, but unfortunately, both versions were the same. There's little point presenting a walkthrough here, because no matter what you do, you will eventually be told that you have failed to some degree.
When you meet Holmes at the end of the game to review the case, you will be asked who the culprit is. You (naturally) lose if you pick the wrong culprit. But even if you pick the right culprit, you will be asked whether you have obtained clue so or so, yet no matter what you've discovered, your character will always end up saying "I still don't understand", and you will have to choose between retrying and listening to Holmes explain the case. This really is the best ending, which you get, regardless of the clues you've discovered, as long as you choose the correct culprit.
IMO, this could have been the best entry in the series if it was solvable gamewise. It is still, paradoxically, a very enjoyable book because you are given enough clues to find the culprit and his motives by yourself (even though it's never enough for your last meeting with Holmes), and it is ultimately a fun read.
by Peter Ryan
This is the only entry in the series to be written by Peter Ryan. This is an amazing book. There are many different subplots to follow and different places to visit, an intriguing and complex mystery, a good balance between investigation and action, great writing, and an original premise (you are playing a schoolboy, bound by school rules and adult authority, unlike most other books in the series which have you play an adult budding detective).
This is however, either because of a bug or because of a puzzling deliberate choice, not exactly a good game, because it is not solvable. It is possible, by yourself, to identify the culprit and his motives, but no matter what you do, your evidence will always be considered insufficient by Holmes. I've even checked a version of the book in a different language to make sure it wasn't just my version that was bugged, but unfortunately, both versions were the same. There's little point presenting a walkthrough here, because no matter what you do, you will eventually be told that you have failed to some degree.
When you meet Holmes at the end of the game to review the case, you will be asked who the culprit is. You (naturally) lose if you pick the wrong culprit. But even if you pick the right culprit, you will be asked whether you have obtained clue so or so, yet no matter what you've discovered, your character will always end up saying "I still don't understand", and you will have to choose between retrying and listening to Holmes explain the case. This really is the best ending, which you get, regardless of the clues you've discovered, as long as you choose the correct culprit.
IMO, this could have been the best entry in the series if it was solvable gamewise. It is still, paradoxically, a very enjoyable book because you are given enough clues to find the culprit and his motives by yourself (even though it's never enough for your last meeting with Holmes), and it is ultimately a fun read.