The Lost Crown: A Ghost-Hunting Adventure

Just Adventure (A)

The Lost Crown stands head and shoulders above most of the adventure game offerings that have come our way over the last few years and frankly I was saddened when it finally ended. I have the sneakiest suspicion that I’ve just been hugely spoiled and am going to have to suffer through some withdrawals over here. While there is some room for improvement – mainly on the production side of things - The Lost Crown is as close to perfection as any adventure game I have played in the last few years.

GameBoomers (A)

To summarize, a third person game that also utilizes first person perspective through a night vision camcorder. Point and click. Inventory and logic puzzles with plenty of clues throughout the game to help in their solution. Occasional, very mild profanity. Save at will, but only eight save slots. A lengthy well crafted adventure horror game with a strong storyline that is sure to delight many adventure game players.

Adventure Classic Gaming ( )

In sum, The Lost Crown: A Ghost-Hunting Adventure is an exceptional game that fits perfectly to the niche taste of adventure game fanatics and history buffs. The game features excellent graphics, music, and sound effects as well as engaging storytelling and gameplay. The ending of the game leaves open for the possibility for a sequel, and I sincerely believe Boakes already has this in mind. I have thoroughly enjoyed this game and can definitely recommend it without hesitation or reservation to mature gamers who may fancy in going on a ghost-hunting adventure of their own.

Adventurearchiv (91 out of 100)

Computertechnisches Hightech ist The Lost Crown trotz bemerkenswerter Steigerungen zu seinen Vorgängern immer noch nicht, aber wer braucht das? Ich jedenfalls nicht, solange alle Elemente eines Adventures ein rundes Ergebnis abliefern. Lasst mich Euch zum guten Schluss verraten: ich habe wieder einige Szenen vor Bammel nur bei Tageslicht gespielt. ;-)

Adventure Advocate ( )

Αυτό ήταν λοιπόν το Lost Crown, a ghost hunting story. Ένα ολοκληρωμένο adventure όπου ό, τι μας έταξε ο τίτλος μας το έδωσε και με το παραπάνω. Συγχρωτιστήκαμε με φαντάσματα, χρησιμοποιήσαμε gadgetάκια, αναζητήσαμε ένα χαμένο θησαυρό, περιπλανηθήκαμε σε πολλά μέρη, ζήσαμε μια πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα ιστορία σε ασπρόμαυρο φόντο και όλα αυτά πλαισιωμένα από μια εκπληκτική ατμόσφαιρα. Για το γεγονός ότι και αυτό το παιχνίδι στο μεγαλύτερό του μέρος είναι o­ne man’s show, αξίζουν στον δημιουργό οπωσδήποτε συγχαρητήρια. Αν βρείτε χρόνο παίξ’τε το, αλλιώς βάλ’τε το οπωσδήποτε στη λίστα σας.

Quandary ( )

So... what's my final take on The Lost Crown then? More ambitious than Dark Fall, that's for sure. And quite a bit longer. Scariest thing I've played in a long time, maybe even since Realms of the Haunting. The game has a really neat premise, which I can't reveal (firstly, that would spoil the game for you. And secondly, I'm still not *exactly* sure what it is yet, but I know I'm in the right ballpark). The story itself leaves a few loose ends hanging around, but then, any fascinating story should keep you thinking about it at least a couple of days after the fact, right? OK, sold. Well worth it for the creep out factor alone!

Game Chronicles (8.9 out of 10)

All in all I was fairly impressed with The Lost Crown. A deep story and a disturbingly creepy score put this title high on my list of creepy adventure titles and of adventure titles in general. A first glance when I loaded up this title I thought that it wasn’t going to be very entertaining but I was wrong. The voice acting often got on my nerves and the character models definitely could have used some work but all in all it was an enjoyable journey into a land shrouded in mystery and tragedy.

Puntaeclicca.it (8.5 out of 10)

Il gioco ha degli aspetti contrastanti: da una parte una storia interessante, complessa, molto articolata con enigmi logici di varia difficoltà e sempre intriganti, una grafica di grande effetto, immersiva e affascinante; dall'altra prolissità, lentezza, alcune incongruenze nella sceneggiatura, qualche enigma che andava spiegato meglio e un finale tutto da capire.

Gamers.at (83 out of 100)

Handwerklich ist das Spiel sicherlich kein Meilenstein der Adventure-Geschichte, sondern eher Durchschnitt, aber die Atmosphäre ist schlicht und ergreifend umwerfend – so ähnlich hat es sich angefühlt, "The Ring" im Kino zu sehen, nur dass das Erlebnis hier deutlich länger ist. Fans des subtilen Horrors, des Wartens darauf, dass etwas passiert, greifen zu, alle anderen Adventurefans dürfen gerne einen Blick riskieren, so sie sich trauen. Eine kleine Warnung möchte ich allerdings doch noch aussprechen: Auch wenn das Spiel sowohl von der USK als auch von PEGI eine Freigabe ab 12 bekommen hat, würde ich den Titel eher einem älteren Publikum empfehlen – nicht wegen irgendwelchen blutigen Bildern (davon gibt es nämlich fast keine), aber wegen der dichten Atmosphäre.

GameSpot (Belgium/Netherlands) (82 out of 100)

Dit spel heeft slecht animaties, minder goede beelden dan we gewend zijn en minstens één irritante stemacteur. Het gekke is dat dat er allemaal niet toe doet. Dit is geen spel dat je speelt om de geweldige technische kantjes. The Lost Crown is gewoon leuk. Het slaagt erin je de stuipen op het lijf te jagen en het houdt je geboeid tot (net voor) het einde.

Absolute Games (AG.ru) (82 out of 100)

Но любить The Lost Crown хочется в первую очередь не глазами и не ушами, а сердцем. Тревожный мистический хоррор передает переживания героя в полной мере. Гнетущий, осмысленный и продуманный, он пугает то неожиданной подробностью из прошлого, то пророчеством гадалки — из будущего. Прогулка по музею заставляет ошиваться у витрин и читать пространные документы; прогулка по ночному кладбищу заставляет вздрогнуть. Многогранный, интеллигентный, авторский от начала и до конца ужастик торчит среди ухоженных пестицидами овощей на крохотном адвенчурном участке и излучает здоровье.

4Players.de (81 out of 100)

Obwohl ich nicht an Geister glaube, mag ich doch Geistergeschichten. Als solche funktioniert The Lost Crown vorzüglich, auch weil lange spannend bleibt, wie die Story verlaufen wird. Zudem gibt es einige Geschichten am Rande zu entdecken, da fast jede Bewohner des Dorfes etwas Unheimliches zu erzählen hat. Auch atmosphärisch überzeugt das umfangreiche Adventure, denn es ist düster, bedrückend und nostalgisch, ohne die vermeintlich gute alte Zeit zu verherrlichen. Jedes finstere Drama braucht seine lichten Momente, die in Form von Lucy, der idyllischen Natur und der Schatzsuche vorhanden sind, die der Story Hoffnung verleihen. Allerdings gibt es auch elementare Schwächen, die das Spiel selbst betreffen: Zwar sind die Rätsel durchweg zu lösen, aber sie sind eben auch oft zu einfach. Meist ist es noch am schwersten, den Ort zu finden, wo man was erledigen soll.

Cheat Code Central (4 out of 5)

The Lost Crown has a great, creepy atmosphere, and the presentation is one of a kind. Dark shadows, spectral figures, near constant mist, and chilling sounds are bound to give most folks an uneasy feeling about playing the game at night in a dimly lit room. Of course, that's partially the point. If the developers could have paid closer attention to character animations and movement, the game could have an even greater impact. As is, it's like playing a stunning, immersive adventure game with a bunch of crummy puppets. Thankfully, the many high points propel things forward to keep players from tripping up on this setback. Adventure fans would do well to add this one to their collection, ghosts and all.

Hooked Gamers (8 out of 10)

Overall, I found that I enjoyed The Lost Crown far more than I had expected to, but occasionally there were slow spots, irritating stalemates which would not allow you to move forward without that one missing clue. The animation of the characters themselves leaves a lot to be desired and the grammar and spelling in the game is absolutely appalling. All in all, the game was engaging, engrossing; and well worth the time and distraction away from other pursuits.

Tap-Repeatedly/Four Fat Chicks ( )

Although falling short of our Gold Star award, The Lost Crown still is a highly recommended adventure game, one of the best of the last year, and should be enjoyed by those who like the Barrow Hill kind of exploration.

Impulse Gamer (7.5 out of 10)

In conclusion, The Lost Crown: A Ghost-hunting Adventure is an almost dead genre on the PC, however for fans of this genre, this is definitely a worthy purchase and will keep you enthralled with it's spooky story and strange settings. The gameplay is at times dated but if you can get past, you'll have an enjoyable time.

V2.fi (75 out of 100)

Danvers oppii Saxtonista enemmän kuin pelaaja todennäköisesti tietää asuinpitäjästään. Jokaista ilmoitustaululta löytyvää lappusta ei ole pakko lukea, mutta totta kai näin kannattaa tehdä, jotta tarinasta saisi enemmän irti. Pelikotelo lupaa 36 tuntia pelattavaa, mikä on melkoisen huimaa, eikä edes järkyttävää valehtelua, jos pelaaja tykkää tällaisesta tarinankerronnasta ja on vähän hidas, mikä on normaalia. Hinta liikkuu halpispelien luokassa. Koska lähes sukupuuttoon kuolleiden klikkailuseikkailujen ystävillä on runsaasti kärsivällisyyttä ruikuttaa nettifoorumeilla, uskoisin, että tyrkyllä oleva diili on vähintäänkin kohtuullinen.

UHS (Universal Hint System) ( )

A good story combined with the suspense of the supernatural serves as the foundation for another great Jonathan Boakes ghost-hunting adventure, though portions may not be suitable for everyone, due to the dark topic.

gameZine (UK) (7 out of 10)

The Lost Crown is definitely one for the more cerebral of gamers, one who doesn’t want a run-and-gun headshot-blast-o-rama. Spooky, oppressive and with a complex, interlocking plot, TLC will intrigue adventurers, as long as they can get over the voiceovers.

IGN (7 out of 10)

The Lost Crown is a game of wildly varying inconsistencies. It's got an interesting, lengthy plot, conventional but ultimately well-designed puzzles, and a great atmosphere thanks to its black-and-white art style, use of real world photos as backdrops, and solid, often unearthly sound effects and tracks. Yet on the other end, the game is crammed full of stereotypical personalities, presentation issues, and atrocious 3D character models and animations. The good does outweigh the bad in this game's case, however, though such a statement is directed mostly toward those who already enjoy point-and-click adventure titles. For anyone who got sick of this kind of game a long time ago or never enjoyed it to begin with, there's little here you're likely to appreciate.

Adventure Gamers ( )

The Lost Crown is beautiful to look at and good for a few scares. If you have the patience to get past its many rough edges, you’ll find a thoroughly playable adventure underneath.

GameZone (7 out of 10)

The Lost Crown: A Ghost-hunting Adventure certainly has its moments, but those are sadly overshadowed by some overly traditional puzzling and dull dialogue. Still, the game does have some truly authentic chills thrown in, which just might be worth the cost of admission for some adventure game fans.

PC Games (Germany) (69 out of 100)

Am Indie-Adventure The Lost Crown werden sich die Geister scheiden. Und zwar nicht die des Spiels, sondern die der Käufer. Angesichts der altbackenen Technik und der eigenwilligen Optik wird der Titel Liebhaber von grafischen Leckerbissen wie The Book of Unwritten Tales nur schwerlich überzeugen. Das Auge isst nun einmal mit. Und schwarz-weiße Stillleben mit akzentuierten Farbtupfern und einem Helden, der sich wie Pinocchio bewegt, schmälern die Attraktivität der eigentlich recht spannenden Geschichte über paranormale Aktivitäten deutlich.

Gameplay (Benelux) (68 out of 100)

Een filmische en erg sfeerscheppend horror-adventure game die jammer genoeg kampt met enkele technische tekortkomingen.

Game Over Online (67 out of 100)

I don’t really like criticizing The Lost Crown. I’m thoroughly impressed by what Jonathan Boakes can create all by himself. But the game is just too long, too meandering, and too dull, and Boakes really needs to hook up with somebody (a Rodgers to his Hammerstein, say) before trying to make another game. If nothing else, he needs to collaborate with a real writer (or at least somebody who knows the difference between “its” and “it’s”) so the human interactions are as interesting as the supernatural ones. Real voice actors wouldn’t hurt, either. But otherwise, that’s two clunkers in a row for Boakes, and I’m not optimistic about what might come next.

GameStar (Germany) (66 out of 100)

Fein, ein Grusel-Adventure mit mysteriöser Story und kauzigen Figuren! Doch dann das ständige Warten auf die Animationen, das fummelige Absuchen von Schauplätzen und zig weitere Unzulänglichkeiten - da möchte ich am liebsten die Maus zur Seite legen. Nur der Wunsch zu erkunden, wie die ganze Sache denn nun weitergeht, hält mich im Spiel. Mit der passenden Technik und ausdrucksstärkeren Protagonisten hätte das richtig Spaß gemacht.

Avid Gamer (6 out of 10)

Object interaction is as unchanged as ever and a popup inventory scarily similar to Belief & Betrayal is used to manage your wares. The Lost Crown starts of extremely promising and the it’d deserve general honours if it had continued the feeling through the game, but it turns into another clear example of ‘genre-fans will enjoy it, the rest need not apply.’ Troubled game mechanics stop this being an independent masterpiece.

Gamer.nl (6 out of 10)

The Lost Crown weet met een beperkt budget een prima adventure neer te zetten. Verwacht geen flitsende filmpjes, professionele stemmen of realistische animaties, maar vooral een goed verhaal en stevige puzzels. Onderhoudend.

Thunderbolt Games (3 out of 10)

Adventure-game enthusiasts that can look past the technical and artistic fallacies of The Lost Crown might find something worth checking out here, but I personally just could not find much in the way of enjoyable content. From the sleep-inducing gameplay to the wooden dialogue and stale story, the whole project feels phoned in Hunting ghosts has never been so bad.

Diehard GameFan N/A

The Lost Crown is still a darn good game six years later. While some of the technical aspects are a bit dated, the storytelling and atmosphere is as good or even better than similar games today. I can’t often say that I’ve been spooked by a video game, but this one pulled it off. With the upcoming sequel set to pick up where this game left off, there’s no time better than the present to go on a hunt for ghosts with Nigel Danvers.