Blackwell Epiphany Review (PC)

very good
key review info
  • Game: Blackwell Epiphany
  • Platform: PC
  • Show system requirements
  • Gamepad support: No
  • Reviewed on:
Blackwell Epiphany's two protagonists

Blackwell Epiphany is the fifth and final game in the Blackwell series of supernatural exploration from Wadjet Eye Games, an adventure title that delivers the most compelling story yet.

Although the series has a pretty rich backstory, the game is also approachable to newcomers, no prior knowledge of people and events being mandatory in order to enjoy the current installment.

Blackwell Epiphany, however, is filled with references and returning characters, and it is much more enjoyable if you have already completed the previous games, as it makes more sense and delivers some answers to questions raised in the former installments.

Not too many answers, though, because that would be weird in a supernatural-themed work of fiction. You fill the shoes of Rosangela Blackwell, a struggling writer and journalist who has just inherited the family ghost after her psychic aunt passed away, and the debut of the story shows that she is starting to get used to her tragic new condition.

She is a Bestower, able to guide lost spirits who have not come to terms with their death and help them step into the light. She benefits from the help of her wise-cracking assistant Joey, whose spiritual nature makes for a very helpful asset when encountering locked doors.

Rosa is stepping up in the world, being an unofficial police consultant, but she still hasn't figured out how to use her ghost sidekick in order to win at high-stakes poker and get out of the gutter or how to prove to ghosts that they are dead by putting her hand through them.

You begin by doing your run-of-the-mill routine of finding spooks, aiding them in realizing that they are dead, after which they peacefully surrender to the void. You then get to pass them along, but things quickly get complicated, and you're thrown in the midst of a series of conspicuous events that smell a tad like a conspiracy.

Review image
Review image
They're watching us, even in our games!
It's raining pixels all around.
What they also smell like are bad spy novels, with people brainwashed left and right, and almost nobody raising a suspicious brow when you go around rummaging through their stuff. Add to this unexplained ghost stories that exist for thousands of years but which nobody bothered to study in any manner, and other such hallmarks of shallow premises that are of great consequence, should they actually prove to be real. However, nobody treats them as such because the script doesn't say they should.

Fortunately, the game's creator is a good enough writer to redeem the shoddy premise with almost every little line of dialogue, especially when it comes to the interaction between Rosa and Joey and their soulful banter and casual comments on their surroundings and the events they witness.

Blackwell Epiphany clearly shows that the writer has improved his craft over the years, making the game interesting enough to ignore the fact that the implications of the existence of the supernatural are not exploited, and ghosts and the afterlife are considered as banal as agriculture.

The actual mechanics themselves are what long-time fans of adventure games have come to expect, with a couple of improvements such as not needing to pick up everything that's not nailed down.

Another nice thing about the game is that it delivers its progression through something that resembles detective work, with you having to piece together information from various bits you can find scattered around or by searching on your phone.

The existence of a phone with a working Internet connection is something that writers are addressing increasingly often, as over the years many plots could have been foiled with a simple phone call, and, fortunately, technology is being integrated into the game in a largely plausible manner, with you having to cross-reference information and even look up names of stuff in hopes of uncovering the missing pieces.

The presence of the incorporeal assistant is also a handy crutch that circumvents some immersion breaking elements, the ghost being able to circumvent locked doors and other such obstacles in a plausible manner, and his ability to blow on conveniently placed notes that are out of your reach is a nice integration of the storyline in the actual game mechanics.

Overall, the banter between the two, the fact that each one has its own personality and makes different observations makes you like the characters and the way they function in the game. Each of them is using its set of skills, and then coming together to talk about their findings delivers a convincing and enjoyable experience of paranormal detective work.

The puzzles themselves are usually pretty straightforward, and, although there are some instances where you feel like your freedom of action is limited by the order you have to take certain steps in, it never feels like in the dreaded days of old when you often got stuck because of trying to reach something up high with a fishing rod when the developer clearly coded that you should have used the fire iron, not just every item that allowed you to reach up there.

In addition, if you do get stuck, you can always have the protagonists plan their next move, which gives you a slight nudge in the right direction, when you're feeling lost or just haven't explored a particular venue.

Review image
Review image
It seems cozy, and that pixel lamp looks great
The integration of a smartphone is a great idea
One other factor that contributes to the game's ability to draw you in is the fact that the actors have yet again done a very good job of bringing the characters to life, delivering convincing lines that for the most part feel appropriate in tone and intensity, making the entire experience more compelling.

Moreover, the game's music sounds very appropriate, with some lazy jazz notes adorning the late-night antics of the detective duo through the city of New York, as well as various other orchestral pieces generally following the pace of the game and providing a great atmosphere.

The only department where the game suffers greatly is the visual one, as it still uses a very low resolution and looks like a blast from the past, but it also clearly shows that the artist has devoted a lot of time and passion to making the most of the limited canvas.

Being an independent game, Blackwell Epiphany preferred to use its budget on high-quality low-resolution pixel art, maintaining the continuity in the series, rather than invest in modern artwork that would have required much more resources for the same impact.

However, the level of detail is astounding, and every pixel was made to count, especially when it comes to lighting effects. Unfortunately, it's still a very low-resolution game that struggles on larger monitors.

Although its visuals are the best in the series, and the art is top-notch all things considered, at the end of the day it's still going to put off a lot of people, which is a pity considering that the story and gameplay are so enjoyable.


The Good

  • Great writing
  • Engaging
  • Satisfying
  • Solid gameplay
  • Detailed artwork

The Bad

  • Naive premise
  • Ancient graphics
  • Frustrating at times

Conclusion

Blackwell Epiphany delivers a fitting end to the arching Blackwell series, offering the most enthralling story yet, not to mention the highest stakes, as the protagonists take on a malevolent force that threatens the very essence of life.

Fans of the series will get a blast out of it, but the game is also very accessible for newcomers, not requiring any prior knowledge and being able to deliver a great standalone experience.

For the most part, it looks and plays like a classic adventure title from the good old days when they were the dominant species on PCs, only with a couple of modern improvements that help construct a more streamlined and involved experience.

Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
Review image
story 9
gameplay 8
concept 8
graphics 7
audio 9
multiplayer 0
final rating 8.5
Editor's review
very good
 
NEXT REVIEW: Wargame Red Dragon