Windows

Schizm: Mysterious Journey

So even after scrupulously scrutinizing Schizm, all that remains are minor annoyances that can be considered nitpicking: some 'iffy' acting and one or two puzzles that are too difficult. What's left is a game that will be abhorred by every gaming magazine and brain-cell deficient action gamer in the world; but also a minor classic that will be revered by adventure gamers and Myst lovers worldwide. In other words, a game that will cause a schism in the gaming community. But then, the ability to reason rather than shoot is why adventure gamers have always been the dominant species in the gaming world.

Schizm is very similar to Myst 3. Both have the many-worlds-as-one idea, both have the same high-quality animation, both have live actors, and both have lots of puzzles embedded into their environments. But when it comes right down to it, I enjoyed Schizm more. In Myst 3, I felt confused and disoriented too often for my comfort, and in Schizm I knew where I was and what I was doing the whole time even if I didn't know how to do it.

The graphics are stunningly realistic -- at times, almost "photo-realistic." Playing two characters (sometimes working together to solve a puzzle) presents a new attraction to gameplay. The music and ambient sounds enhanced the game quite well. And the puzzles were challenging, and well-integrated into the story line, resulting in a great satisfaction in solving them.

Both Avalon L.K. and Detalion are to be congratulated for producing one of the finest adventures of 2001. On a number of levels, the game is simply brilliant and belongs on the "must play" list for any serious adventurer. Let's hope that, in the future, the developers will subscribe to Cindy's Precepts of Puzzle Design and make their next attempt a solid "A+" title!

Schizm has impressed me so much that it has shot to the top of my adventure-puzzle list, ranking right up there behind SegaSoft's Obsidian, still the best title of this type. The superb graphics and sound, combined with a truly intriguing story and absolutely absorbing gameplay, make Schizm a real winner. LK Avalon clearly learned a great deal from the mixed reactions to Reah and applied, in an intelligent way, every bit of accumulated wisdom in this new release. Science fiction and fantasy elements are magnificently blended to create a refreshingly new and satisfying play experience that earns the Adrenaline Vault's Seal of Excellence.

Enfin un jeu d'aventure digne de ce nom ! Après Myst 3 cet été, Schizm s'impose très facilement comme le titre d'aventure de cet hiver. A ne surtout pas laisser passer si vous aimez le genre, vous risqueriez de la regretter !

Well, the bottle has been drunk and there is no doubt that the last glass was as good as the first. Schizm: Mysterious Journey is unquestionably an excellent and challenging holistic adventure, and will be well up my list of favourites.

Wie zich de discipline kan opleggen van niet al te snel naar een internetoplossing te grijpen zit met dit game uren goed.

Schizm is unlike most adventure games. The puzzles make sense, after a good deal of brain gymnastics, and yet they are difficult. It's nothing but a series of locked-door puzzles, and yet in most cases the puzzles are well thought out, original, and interesting. Many will find the game very difficult, as they did the aforementioned Rama and Obsidian, and the lack of a story means the game is all about the puzzles. But they are good, and so those who like a challenge, or miss the days of the Myst clone, will find much to like in Schizm. It goes through the motions with confidence.

Overall, Schizm is an entertaining and challenging puzzle game with so-so graphics (for the CD-ROM version anyway) and a pretty good soundtrack. This earns a respectable 3 and a half GiN Gems in my book, and it could have been more if there were less runtime problems.

Schizm ist an sich sein Geld wert und vor allem für Spieler interessant, die schwere Rätselnüsse knacken wollen. Für all diejenigen, die einen High-End-Rechner mit einem größeren Monitor (ab 17 Zoll) Ihr Eigen nennen, dürfte die niedrige Auflösung einige Rätsel-Lösungen jedoch arg erschweren. Wer dennoch nicht auf dieses Game verzichten möchte, sollte sich lieber die DVD-Version zulegen, die das lästige Wechseln der fünf CDs überflüssig macht und eine höhere Qualität der Videosequenzen bringt.

Kieskeurig kunnen we niet zijn. Echte fans van het genre kunnen zich hier wel mee vermaken.

Schizm certainly delivers an adventure experience on a grand scale that will challenge the most deductive intellect. If you can look beyond its difficulty level at the living, breathing world around you and pursue this journey to its mysterious end, I guarantee you will feel it was worth it. The good news doesn’t end there, as we will very soon see the release of a sequel that promises to improve on its predecessor in many ways!

Render-Adventures leben von guten Rätseln, die in einer spannenden Handlung verpackt sind. Da es in Schizm eine Menge pfiffiger Knobeleien gibt, habe ich diesbezüglich keinen Grund zu klagen. Doch in puncto Story versagt das Programm auf der ganzen Linie. Die Schauspieler funktionieren nicht als Identifikationsfiguren, und die Geschichte haben wir schon tausend Mal besser erzählt bekommen. Bereits nach 20 Minuten Spielzeit war mir das Schicksal der Verschollenen schnurzegal.

Die Zeiten sind vorbei, als sich der Spieler von Prachtgrafik und Edelsound hat blenden lassen. Trotzdem vertraut Schizm auf eben jene Zutaten, die dem surrealistischen Grafik-Adventure Myst zu Ruhm verhalfen. Der Render-Wahn geht erwartungsgemäß nach hinten los: Hinter der Hochglanz-Fassade verbergen sich abstrakte Rätseleinlagen, die das Spielerlebnis zur Geduldsprobe werden lassen und heutzutage kaum mehr jemanden hinter dem Ofen hervorlocken. Hier ein Knöpfchen, da ein Schalter und zwischendrin mal ein paar Drehscheiben, die irgendwo irgendwas bewirken.

Schlechte Grafiken, langweiliges Spielprinzip. Das Spiel landet nach fünf Sekunden da, wo es hingehört - im Mülleimer. Und um das Fass vollends zum Überlaufen zu bringen, verweigert Infogrames den Umtausch von der mit fünf CDs bestückten CD-ROM-Version in DVD-Version mit zwei Scheibchen, die Ende Juli erscheint.

Schizm: Mysterious Journey hace gala de unas carencias demasiado evidentes (en su versión Cd-Rom al menos), que son fruto, en primer lugar, del hecho de haber diseñado un juego para DVD y haberlo lanzado en Cd-Rom, y segundo por la consecuencia derivada de la mayoria de sus puzzles: aburrimiento y desesperación. Unos puzzles en su mayoria ilógicos y una sensación de abandono de la aventura nos llevan a decir que el futuro de la aventura gráfica no pasa por realizar aventuras del estilo "paseate por los preciosos escenarios".

From The Adventure Company, Dreamcatcher Games, comes Schizm: Mysterious Journey, one of the latest adventure games to hit the market. Schizm is not for the average gamer. Some kind of walkthrough is necessary to complete this ridiculously hard game. Even though this is by far the most graphically pleasing game I've put my hands on recently, it lacks substance in the most extreme ways. The storyline is disappointing, the ending pathetic and the puzzles too difficult to be considered fun.