Sanitarium (PC)
Reviewed by: meadfish
Reviewed on: 20-Feb-2004
- Summary
- Another point and click adventure game? Ahh, but this is different. You play Max, a patient who wakes up in a (you guessed it) sanitarium, and has no idea who he is or how he got there. You must explore your new "home" to unlock the paths to the truth.
- Ratings
- Overall: B
- Gameplay: C
- Graphics: B+
- Learning Curve: B
- Replay Value: B-
- Sound: B
- Pros
- An engrossing storyline, makes you want to keep playing
- You play as multiple characters, which keeps it feeling fresh
- Challenging puzzles and interaction
- The voice overs are well scripted, made me laugh out loud at times
- Cons
- Plays from the cd, so you sometimes wait for it to "catch up"
- The movement is a bit quirky, you often go where you did not intend.
- Links
- Images
Description
I love adventure games ever since playing "Myst" years ago. I had avoided this game for a long time after hearing it was "dark" and "disturbing". I had recently made the same mistake with another adventure game "Grim Fandango" which has since become one of my favorite games. So after playing the demo (which I recommend) I traded for Sanitarium and played it.
Because it is an older game, it will not impress you with awesome graphics, or killer sound like "Syberia" or "The Longest Journey" but it will take you into the mind of an insane man who is trying to find his true identity. How many games can say that? It is easy to get the hang of, and plays fairly well. There are times when it becomes hard to control the character, especially in close quarters. You sometimes cause Max to go up stairs that you wanted to go past.
The game is broken up into several levels that occur in different worlds and locations. You even become different people from Max's past and have to play some levels as that character. This added to the fun for me and kept the game from being mundane. The puzzles in the game are well thought out and compliment the great storyline. Most of the puzzles require logic, or knowledge that you have obtained elsewhere in the level. There are some graphic images such as dismemberment, or warriors impaled on poles etc. so if you are squeamish this is not for you. Ultimately Max pieces the clues together to unveil his identity and his tormenter. The ending confrontation was a bit disappointing, but all in all this was a great gaming experience.
Because it is an older game, it will not impress you with awesome graphics, or killer sound like "Syberia" or "The Longest Journey" but it will take you into the mind of an insane man who is trying to find his true identity. How many games can say that? It is easy to get the hang of, and plays fairly well. There are times when it becomes hard to control the character, especially in close quarters. You sometimes cause Max to go up stairs that you wanted to go past.
The game is broken up into several levels that occur in different worlds and locations. You even become different people from Max's past and have to play some levels as that character. This added to the fun for me and kept the game from being mundane. The puzzles in the game are well thought out and compliment the great storyline. Most of the puzzles require logic, or knowledge that you have obtained elsewhere in the level. There are some graphic images such as dismemberment, or warriors impaled on poles etc. so if you are squeamish this is not for you. Ultimately Max pieces the clues together to unveil his identity and his tormenter. The ending confrontation was a bit disappointing, but all in all this was a great gaming experience.