Mystery of the Druids (#40174)
Developer: House of Tales
Publisher: CDV Software Entertainment
Projected Release Date: September 2001
Platform:
By Audrey Wells
Download Mystery of the Druids Demo (46 MB)
Mystery of the Druids Trailer 1 (Brent Halligan) (MPG, 1:23, 13 MB)
Mystery of the Druids Trailer 2 (Where Druids Dwell) (MPEG, 1:51, 17 MB)
When my long-awaited preview copy of Mystery of the Druids came in the mail, I could barely contain my anticipation. I had earlier salivated over screenshots, and then the demo. I held in my hands, inside a neatly addressed FedEx package, the first part of a game that I hoped would not fall short of my expectations. Mystery of the Druids, developed by House of Tales and published by CDV Software Entertainment, was everything I happily had looked forward to–and more!
I almost felt as if this game was designed especially for me–I am a huge fan of third-person mystery adventure games with a hint of the supernatural–and this game fits the bill perfectly. I have a sneaking suspicion that I’m not the only one who enjoys these types of games (think Gabriel Knight), so it is sure to be a hit among third-person adventure gamers. Enigmatic puzzles, spine-tingling cinematics, a compelling storyline, and an elegant graphical style all make Mystery of the Druids an extraordinary adventure gaming experience. You play as down-on-his-luck Scotland Yard detective Brent Halligan as he starts investigating a series of murders known as the Skeleton Murders. Leads seem scarce early on–there is not much to go on but a pile of bones–but when Halligan collaborates with anthropologist Dr. Melanie Turner (who you also get to play), they find interesting things that will send them both on an exhilarating pursuit involving a bloodthirsty Druidic cult. Of course, the Chief Inspector wants “sensible results” and refuses to believe anything involving the supernatural, leaving Brent and Melanie to fend for themselves. Eventually, with the help of a renowned writer and historian Arthur Blake, they will find that in order to stop the Druidic cult that is threatening to overrun the world, they will have to defy some laws of science by trekking through the boundaries of time itself.
Many of the locations in the game are based upon real counterparts in England, such as Scotland Yard, Epping Forest, and so on. Some are fictional, such as the mysterious place known as “Twelve Bridges” that Brent and Melanie go to when they attempt to leave the present. The graphics for the backgrounds are crisp and detailed. Cutscenes are smooth and engaging, often spine-chilling once Brent and Melanie get more deeply involved with the ritualistic cult.
The puzzles are nothing extraordinary, typically involving inventory combinations or object usage in the environment. Oftentimes, the hard part is merely getting an item you want from, say, a stingy colleague or a beggar on the street. And even though Detective Halligan is an officer of the law, he does not seem to mind breaking a few laws here and there to get what he wants! There is some variety in the puzzles by way of combination locks and other mechanical devices, however.
I am unquestionably looking forward to playing the rest of the game (the preview version was only half of the game). I am quite eager, in fact, because the game was very successful in creating a respectable level of suspense. Mystery of the Druids is heavy on character development and mysterious storytelling, and it has attractive graphics to top it all off. Due for North American release in mid-September, I know I will be looking forward to finishing what the game started!
