Thoughts by Wandrell (19 Jul 2010) – PC (DOS)
We are on the late XX century, enjoying the opera at the famous Paris Opera House. But there is no peace nor enjoyment, as suddenly a long dead criminal comes back to murder and spread terror. The Phantom of the Opera has returned!
These Microprose graphic adventures all looked good, and decided to try one. And I must say, not only they look different from the usual, they, or at least this one, is original and fun. Very short, that’s true, but short and good are a great mix.
Except when someone decides it is way too short, and that the only way to solve this is adding a maze. This was too typical, and feels like a kick on the balls when suddenly you end in middle of maze, one that may take days to complete and requires paper and pen (or just a walkthrough if you are not feeling masochistic).
What’s more fun is that you can get three or four (depending on the difficulty, which seems to only affect the maze) colored things which are completely anachronic. You get them, wonder what the hell are they for, and maybe one day you find out they were to traverse the maze more easily. What a joke, like they would be much of a help.
Anachronisms on the twenty century you say? Oh, well, I forgot to say the game goes back the the XIX century. You see, getting knocked out on a nearly deadly accident is a great way to travel in time. Or maybe it’s just the coma what you need.
Any way, suddenly you are mixed with the original characters of the story, solving the mystery of the Phantom and finding the present time crimes, that may make you think this is a modern day pastiche instead of "a based on”, have nothing to do with anything.
Still, the game is good. Short, fast and condensed. If they didn’t decide to put that damn maze there it could have been much better, but still a great game.