Prelude - Act 1

This review is for the IGMC 2014 version.


The title of this game gives away a key point about the story arc. It doesn't end when the game does. Not only is it, as stated on the game page a precursor to the game Mirror though as a contest entry it should stand on its own without prior knowledge, it's also Act 1. I'm not sure how that tracked with the judges, but this reviewer is not a judge, so I can review it on what it is, not on what the criteria defines.

So this first act opens with some lovely custom music, lilting and harmonic, with a sedate pace, matching the perilous health of our protagonist, Emily, or Em for short. Em is taking a turn in the garden with her nurse/maid and admiring her father's carvings. Each carving has a title, which gives a clue to a later puzzle, so paying attention to the text is important, and investigating everything is vital. Luckily the gorgeous graphics make that a very pleasant experience. They are a mix of RTP and custom packs as well as some tailored work I believe, but they all blend together beautifully giving a very polished look.

In addition to the music there are custom sound effects, as in those generally annoying little 'bleep, boop, buzz' noises you get moving through menus, dialogue choice mismatches and saving etc have been replaced by some quite charming sounds. I've heard it before in games, but never to quite this degree.

There are some lovely little additions; the sound of Emily's steps clatter as she walks along a walk way or wooden floor but change to the susurration of crunching leaves or soft grass as she moves into the garden, or become muffled as she walks over carpet. The shadows that respond as the character sprites move around the visible light sources are realistic and subtle. The soft call of an owl in the background, though the cawing of crows does add an ominous feel to this gentle scene. In fact the only thing that detracts from this lovely setting is the spelling and grammatical errors, of which there are unfortunately a few.


He's your father, not Father Claire.

Once the game starts in earnest a lovely HUD appears in the top left corner, a peacock fan of mirrors behind a slightly mismatched profile of our frail protagonist. Its meaning isn't apparent for quite a while but once things take a dark turn the mirrors start to darken and crack and it become obvious that it's a HP indicator, and that as Em is a sick young woman her health is not high to begin with and deteriorates with alarming speed. Luckily there are a number of healing drops, vials and bottles which heal everything from 20% to 100% of Em's health with use.

There are a few problems with some of the graphics, as lovely as they are; there is very little indication on the transition points in some of the areas. Stairs and doors are obvious ones but there are quite a few places where the point of transition looks no different than the wall next to it, so I did spend a bit of time early on simply bumping into walls to see where I could go next.

Some of the later scenes are also very dark, with the single source of Em's candle and later beautifully portrayed coloured lantern as the only light piercing the darkness. Personally I thought it was the right mix of shadow and light but I could understand if for some it may be too dark, especially as the darkness is not empty.


There are two exits in this room, neither has yellow light.

Some of the musical choices aren't as attractive as the first opening piece, especially the ones with repetitive lyrics. I'm not sure if it was the voice artist or the music that accompanied it, but a couple felt out of place and a little grating. However all the instrumental choices and the remaining lyrical ones were lovely and well suited so those few spoken/sung arrangements were bearable, or I simply turned the sound low until I'd moved past the section in which they were playing therefore allowing for the atmosphere, but not being overwhelmed by the noise.


Sound advice (the pun's funnier after you've played).

As the game continues a mystery unfolds, who is it that haunts Em's dreams? What does the sound and the silence have to do with anything? What dark arts were practised in this manor in the centuries before Em was born and could one of them be the key to saving her life? What is with the preponderance of mirrors in the manor, and how does that connect to her father's research and goals? Emily ventures deeper and deeper into the heart of this mystery with almost no clue as to what game is being played and what the stakes truly are, and as a player I found that enchanting. I walked down the dark shadowy hallways filled with the dust of centuries and sought to unravel the secrets of the place she calls home right alongside our brave but frail protagonist. Em is a complex and ultimately doomed heroic character, with a multitude of layers.

Born into a noble house and cursed by illness she could easily have become an idle lotus-eater, content to squander her days pampered and protected until her illness consumed her, but she chose not to be daunted by conditions beyond her control. She accepts her fragility and impending mortality with grace and equanimity and seeks to fill each day as best she can, and not allow her illness to define her. She is obviously loved by the plethora of servants in the household, all of whom display their own unique personalities from the sweet but oddly enigmatic Clara to the over anxious nursemaid Claire, the dutiful but foreboding equerry Mr Wells and the humble and helpful footman David amongst others.



Whatever else she is Em is still a Lady.

In fact the only character who is notable in his absence is her father, Sir Victor Sarpaneva, the celebrated sculptor and painter who disappears early in the game on a mysterious errand and does not reappear until the finale. In truth the dénouement is the only part that feels forced as the villain of the piece had been foreshadowed enough that the reveal was less than surprising.

As darkness descends Em's strength and resolve is tested, and in game terms the player has to solve a series of puzzles and riddles as well as learn to dodge a lot. Em cannot and does not enter into battles, so the fantastical enemies that appear, and I hope none of the players suffer from Ophidiophobia or Arachnophobia since snakes and massive spiders play a large part in this section, have to be avoided. Contact causes damage and as Em appears to only have 5 hit points in total, or the enemies cause 20% damage per hit, game over's can happen quickly. Whilst these sections could be a challenge with some luck there was rarely a stage where I couldn't grab a quick heal between dodging and weaving monster attacks and make it to a diary to record my progress. Though a word to the wise, make sure you keep a few healing potions in reserve for the last 'battle' past the puzzle of the four keys, it's fast and unrelenting and you're going to need to replenish your health a few times.


Actually I quite liked them.

Notwithstanding some small graphical issues, a personal preference in regard to some musical choices and the need for a quick run through a spell checker, Prelude is a well polished, well crafted piece of work with lovely graphics, interesting and evocative music, a compelling mystery and with one glaring exception complex and engaging characters. The only true negative is the fact that whilst this story was technically complete, the ongoing mystery of the manor itself is unresolved, and the ultimate fate of our protagonist and the other inhabitants of the manor are ambiguous or unknown. As such the game feels unfinished. Though I suppose leaving your players wanting more is a cunning strategy. I know I'll be waiting to see what the next act holds.

And also, I still want to know who stole all of Eleanor's teddy bears.