Cheap Schizm: Mysterious Journey (DVD-ROM) (Software) (Windows Me, Windows 98, Windows 95) Price

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Customer Reviews of Schizm: Mysterious Journey (DVD-ROM)

For Hard-Core Adventure Gamers Only
Usually I write a review to "gush" all over a product, but for me this game is the exception. In my opinion, some gushing and some caveat emptors are in order for Schizm: Mysterious Journey. First, a review I read before I purchased the game said it best: "Albert Einstein on his best day could not beat this game without a walkthrough!" Plain and simple, some of the the puzzles in Schizm are HARD--VERY, VERY HARD. Second, although other reviews I've read complain about the acting (it's really adequate for a computer game), one main reason I buy an adventure game is for the artwork, graphics, and atmospherics. In Schizm, these elements are "drop-dead gorgeous!" I have never seen an adventure game so beautifully rendered. Also, the music and sounds compliment the game perfectly. Finally, I strongly suggest that anyone purchasing this game buy the DVD version (presuming your computer is so equipped). I'm told that the DVD's graphics are far better than that of the CD-ROM version. So in sum--if it's easy puzzles, a great story line, and "award winning" acting that you want in an adventure game, keep looking. However, if you value REALLY HARD puzzles, a gripping plot, super graphics, marvelous sound and ethereal music, buy the DVD version of Schizm: Mysterious Journey. But beware: it's one for hard-core adventure gamers only.

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Beautiful and complex, but not without bugs
This is not an easy game, and even hardcore gamers are likely to find themselves scratching their heads. If you're a newbie to the adventure genre, better to start off with something like Syberia.

The puzzles are what define this game. Yes, the graphics are beautiful -- plenty of pre-rendered, first-person beauty that transition wonderfully from scene to scene. The background sound is reasonable and appropriate, although you won't be begging to buy the soundtrack. And you get to play two characters (often they help each other solve a single puzzle). But it's the puzzles you will remember...and they're very tough.

This is, after all, an alien world, and so the fact that you will be decoding other alphabets, working with strange symbols, and even performing plenty of math (!) somewhat makes sense given the story. You have to assume that the locals prefer to lock door and control bridges with puzzles rather than keys, but I'll press the "I believe" button for that. If it's been a little while since high school trig or conversions between number bases, you may want to prepare for some stretching of the brain.

Don't get the wrong idea, though -- these are praiseworthy puzzles, and I dare you to complete them without a walkthrough. They're all perfectly logical (incredibly logical, in fact), so there are no excuses -- but boy, they can be challenging!

The story is sparse, but then in many ways it is supposed to be. This is an alien world, and your job is to figure out how things work, so a large part of that is not knowing exactly what you're doing. That's great. But when the end of the game comes and you're still wondering what it was that you actually just DID...well, that's somewhat less than satisfying.

I have two main complaints. First: the voice acting is, sadly, very -- very -- pathetic. I mean no offense, but even I could do much better. It's actually kind of embarrassing. Fortunately most of the time you're wandering deserted areas.

Second complaint: There is absolutely much too much traveling. I enjoy wandering around new areas as much as the next gamer -- and with scenery like this, you'll want to, too -- but towards the end of the game, things got absurd. In the first locations, everything you needed to solve the puzzles was more or less within a minute's distance (your minutes, not the characters' minutes). By the end, though, I often found myself traveling ridiculous distances on the mere HOPE that what I found at the other end would be worth the travel. And then, if I forgot to bring the 2nd character along with me, I'd have to travel all the way back, get him/her, and travel back yet again. Couldn't there have been a map or something you could click on to jump to places you've been to already?

In the end, though, it's an enjoyable journey for hardcore adventure gamers. It's too bad that, having just finished it, I still have a bad taste in my mouth about all the needless back-and-forth running around I had to do -- because this is in fact and well-designed, thoughtful, and extremely enjoyable game. Just laugh along at the acting and be patient through the travels...the puzzles are enough to test your mettle.

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BUY IT- LOVE the SCENERY, BUT A BIT CONFUSING
I am a puzzle/adventure/story fanatic, all you out there who loved riddle of the sphinx, all myst series, crystal key, longest journey check this out!