What’s your view on point-and-click games? O𒁏ld-fashioned and tedious, or deliciously retro? Because this game is only going to be suitable for those who thrive on the kind of gameplay that has you filling a bucket with water drawn from the hand pump outside the kitchen, offering it to a goat so he’ll move to one side and grant you access to a remote part of the island, where you’ll then find a harness you must give to the spinster to knit you a parachute which may or may not be useful later in the game. Oh, sorry - that was a gigantic spoiler, by the way.

Well, actually, goats aside, it’s not terrible. The voice acting’s nice, and some of the undo-𝓰these-objects-then-combine-with-others puzzles are well 𝕴done. Unfortunately, the transition from PC to Wii has brought with it a few odd juddering graphics, and some very uninspiring motion-reliant tasks you have to “figure out” as you go - it’s like Zack & Wiki for the drunk. Make a digging action to scoop out flour from that bag, you say? Witchcraft!

Still, sleuth-fans and point-and-click nuts will pr♍obably like it, and Agatha Christie fans will be intrigued by the plot changes, not to mention the multiple endings. Just bear in mind you can pick up second-hand copies for PC for less than a fiver on Amazon.

Feb 28, 2008