The Silver Crow

Маленький (проходится часа за 3 без спешки), но очень симпатичный point-and-click квест про расследование убийства с красивым визуалом, приятной музыкой, достаточно простым сюжетом, толикой юмора. Здесь нет свойственных некоторым квестам проблем с загадками, всё максимально логично и проходится влёт. Игра оставляет после себя тёплое послевкусие, подходит для передышки между крупными или более серьёзными вещами. Единственное, чего не хватило – это чуть более раскрытой концовки. Сюжет заканчивается адекватно, но можно было бы добавить к финалу ещё пару сцен и диалогов с второстепенными персонажами

On the short side and rather light on puzzles, but a pretty decent story and nice pixel art. That you can continue the game from where the demo left off was a nice touch too. Rating: ★★★★☆

You play as Konrad the Executioner, who is summoned to investigate a bizarre murder. The town’s witch hunter tasks him with solving the crime. The game is set in Germany in 1582—the Middle Ages—yet all the locations look remarkably neat and tidy. Let’s start with the first point: 1) the graphics. I bought the game without noticing the small disclaimer at the end stating that all the backgrounds were created using AI. While they were subsequently edited, the AI ​​origins are glaringly obvious in places: everything looks a tad too perfect, the lighting is very uniform, and there are no striking, standout elements; the whole look is somewhat washed-out and generic. You could say: "Tough luck, I just didn't look closely enough when buying it," but I still feel cheated, and at the same time, I wonder if AI was used elsewhere, too. The characters all seem very uniform—albeit fitting for the setting; I really liked the character animations, though not the background animations (like a rolling cart), as those looked like 3D animations. Unlike other point-and-click games, this one somehow lacked visual soul; nothing stands out, there are few unique illustrations, and everything looks like it belongs in a standard fantasy or medieval novel where—heaven forbid, no blood is ever shown. It’s too clean, too pretty, and there isn't a single ugly thing to be seen anywhere. Even though it’s set during medieval times! 2) The plot. It’s decent enough. Somehow, I expected more; it’s a mystery without any major twists or surprises. The characters don’t stand out enough to make you like any of them, and I didn’t like the way Konrad treats his heavily pregnant wife. There are few female characters involved; the point-and-click game certainly doesn’t pass the Bechdel test. Konrad isn’t unlikable, but I learn too little about him, and his statements and quips come across as somewhat hollow and bland. 3) The gameplay & the puzzles. The gameplay is very simple: walking around, exploring areas (Konrad has something to say about everything but few opinions of his own—plus, wandering through the overly polished landscapes isn't particularly exciting, as everything looks somewhat samey), and collecting items (rarely) to combine them (also not often). The inventory is easy to use, though I found it a bit cumbersome that I couldn't pause the game using the Esc key but had to go into the menu instead. As for the puzzles? Pretty easy. One or two spots were trickier, but nothing overwhelmed me. The plot takes center stage; there are no "fun" puzzles, just endless trophies that you collect more or less by progressing through the story. The game is quite dry, yet at the same time, it isn't dark at all. All in all, I expected the game to have more heart. Given the AI-generated backgrounds, it strikes me as positively soulless. I’m not sure the game knows where it wants to place its focus: a detective story (the puzzles are too simple for that), the executioner’s background (you could essentially play a doctor, a nobleman, or anyone else. The executioner role doesn't really come into play), or the medieval setting. It’s a bit of everything but masters none of it. And that, combined with the lifeless graphics, isn't enough for me to consider it a good point-and-click game. The game is very short, though the price seems reasonably fair to me. The ending feels very abrupt and rushed; I would have liked far more choices that actually required me to act as the executioner. I wanted characters who were more than just plot points—lovingly crafted figures you encounter repeatedly. Konrad’s wife doesn't even play a role here! I would advise against buying this game if you enjoy lovingly crafted point-and-click adventures or are expecting a dark medieval setting.