DOS

Azrael's Tear

How fun was this game? Let me just say this--halfway through I started the game over from scratch and replayed everything I'd done so far. I just wanted to experience it again. I'm known for being susceptible to hyperbole in my reviews, but my friends, you've got to trust me on this one. Azrael's Tear is representative of the reasons we fell in love with adventure games in the first place.

Among all the existing myths, one particularly fascinated mankind more than others. Its unceasing quest led by valiant knights as told in the literature of the 12th and 13th century, made of the Holy Grail a legendary treasure. The history says the Holy Grail was the cup that Jesus Christ used at the Last Supper, and in which Joseph of Arimathea collected Jesus Christ's blood at his crucifixion. According to the medieval legend, the Holy Grail would not only heal wounds, but also give the ultimate gift, immortality. In Azrael's Tear, the new action/adventure game developed by London-based Intelligent Games, you will be sent to the Temple of Aeternis in search of the Holy Grail to bring it back to the outside world.

The story of Azrael's Tear revolves around props far from unusual in adventure games: the Holy Grail, the Knights Templar, secret conspiracies to rule the world. These all are almost clichés. But like other good games (Gabriel Knight 3 comes to mind), Azrael's Tear manages to explain them with unexpected twists. There's even a connection between the Grail and Azrael's Tear in case you were wondering - but I'm not letting you in on that secret. After all, this game is all about conspiracies and secrets.

I mentioned atmosphere earlier in relation to the game's sound and graphic quality, but it's worth raising it again here. If game manufacturers should learn anything at all from a title such as this, it's that atmosphere is more than just the aesthetics. It's a synthesis of looks, sounds, dramatic content, interactive challenge, characterisation and solid internal structure, mixed together by a team that gives all of these elements equal consideration. And it's this kind of recipe that makes for a good game.

In conclusion, if you liked Myst, and you enjoy problem-solving games with a hint of mystery, fantasy, and religion, Azrael's Tear is a game well worth a look. However, I must warn you, if you have little patience, and you don't like games without action filled sequences dripping blood and guts everywhere, this is not for you. Try down the hall in the 'mindless, first-person, shoot in the general direction of whatever moves' department. Azrael's Tear is an intelligent, perceptive, thinker's game, and if you don't have what it takes, chances are you won't like the game a bit.

Overall, Azrael's Tear is a worthy addition to any RPG/adventurer's collection. It's been a long time since I sank my teeth into an RPG; this game makes me wonder why it's taken me so long to return to the fold. Fasten your MS-2 helmet firmly to your head and stride boldly forth into the realms of Aeternis; you'll enjoy every moment of the experience.

Es bedarf einiger Erfahrung und Geduld für die kniffligen Rätsel um die sich langsam entfaltende und fein gesponnene Gralsgeschichte zu lösen, was vor allem geübte Abenteurer motivieren dürfte. Einsteiger hingegen sollten erst probespielen.

Om echt aangenaam voor je scherm te zitten en Aeternis te verkennen zijn de systeemvereisten voor iemand met een 486 of zelfs een Pentium 90 een ietsje te hoog. Bovendien is de muziek te sober. Maar de echte puzzelfanaten en Ultimafans zullen zich waarschijnlijk niet laten ontmoedigen door deze kritiek.

Trotz der stellenweise arg pixeligen Grafik und der etwas schwerfällig reagierenden Steuerung zieht einen Azrael's Tear sehr schnell in seinen Bann, und das liegt zu einem Großteil an den Freiheiten, die das Programm dem Spieler beim Rätselknacken zugesteht. Eine interessante Story, Gänsehaut-Atmospähre und faire Puzzles - was will man mehr?!

Der er ingen vej tilbage - Azrael's Tear er en skuffelse, og desværre bliver jeg mere og mere skuffet, jo mere jeg spiller det. Kort og godt er Azrael's Tear en blandning af forvirring og uoverskuelighed, som kører for dårligt.

Men tyvärr så känns problemen alltför ofta fåniga och tråkiga, så Azraels Tear får nöja sig med att sorteras under "ännu ett 3D lir att glömma."

It's too bad that, after combining beautiful graphics, mind-blowing sound, and an entertaining story, the design team didn't put more thought into the interface. This baby is clunkier than a pair of Doc Martens on a four-year-old. None of the buttons are labeled and the controls are definitely not intuitive. Positioning yourself in the correct spot to perform some actions can be frustrating in the extreme.Azrael's Tear is creative, intriguing, entertaining, perplexing, and a bit violent... all elements you would expect in a good game. If you can get past the interface, and I encourage you to give it a few game sessions, you can easily get lost in the underground setting of the Knights Templars.

3D-Abenteuer mit zäher Grafik und passable Atmosphäre. Der Rätselteil wird von einigen Actioneinlagen aufgelockert.