Blackwell Unbound

Blackwell Unbound
N/A
Metacritic
93
Steam
83.146
xDR
Our rating is calculated based on the reviews and popularity of the game.
Price
$1.49
Release date
13 January 2012
Developers
Publishers
Steam reviews score
Total
93 (514 votes)

The year is 1973. The sound of a lone, ethereal saxophone drifts over the Roosevelt Island promenade, while a series of accidents plague a midtown construction site. The citizens of Manhattan take no notice of these events, let alone think they are connected.

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Blackwell Unbound system requirements

  • OS:Windows ME or higher
  • Processor:Pentium or higher
  • Memory:64 MB RAM
  • Graphics:640x400, 32-bit colour: 700 Mhz system minimum
  • DirectX®:5.0
  • Hard Drive:200 MB HD space
  • Sound:All DirectX-compatible sound cards

Recommended:

Recommended requirements are not yet specified.
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Boudicca
Boudicca

The entire Blackwell series is amazing but you need to play all of them because the games are quite short individually

Katosepe
Katosepe

The first game was a great start but Blackwell Unbound is a big improvement. A bigger story, more to do, and new characters with a greater level of depth. There are still some very picky puzzles to get a handle of and you will likely find yourself figuring out aspects of the story and trying to help Lauren catch up. That said, this is a great addition to the Blackwell series and the Adventure Game canon as a whole.

Faraday_Allas
Faraday_Allas

Enjoyable game especially loved the music.

One achievement turned Lauren into a walking chimney. She put a smoke house to shame and the dentist had to make a custom colour palette for her teeth once I was done with her.

elliberri
elliberri

Honestly, I enjoyed this storyline more than the one of the first game. This is a prequel to the first one but feels right being played in order of release. It left me still wanting to continue with the series.

FosteЯ
FosteЯ

3,30h to finish the game , if you played "Legacy" i really recommend this one , you will learn more about her aunt and joey , there is 2 cases however the one with the construction ghost really disapointed me , because it's nearly impossible to get all the clues without looking on the internet. look for "Columbia university" yeah ofc that's right ! -_-

MrYourMum
MrYourMum

Doable

Blackwell Unbound is the second game in the Blackwell series and a prequel to Blackwell Legacy.

Thankfully, it’s a step forward.

The artistic style is much simpler in comparison with the first title: however, it composes the much needed integrity - pixel sizing is consistent, colour palettes are harmonious, every character and prop and background do indeed look like they belong to a single game.

Music is mostly smooth jazz with a few more tense, suspense-building tracks in between - delightful.

The humour is very tacky albeit chucklesome in a charming manner (like the typical 70s ash-trays filled apartment and the related achievements).

The player can now combine items in the inventory and use them on surroundings - you know, how one is supposed to in any old-school point-and-click adventure game.

The ability to switch between Lauren and Joey spices the gameplay up, adding a non-conventional (for the sub-genre) mechanic.

Finally, there is some “real” detective work involved - for example, looking up phone numbers based on the names you gather from the environmental clues, - not like in the previous game where you just mindlessly combine random notes together or click through every dialogue option (the latter is an issue here too, sadly - so many times you have to click on the same note four or five times to get the response you require to progress the story).

However, the running around time (back and forth between the already familiar locations) to get the simplest clues that realistically wouldn’t have to be spelled out is abysmal - the game started to feel like a walking sim at some point!

The story is still mediocre. Nevertheless, it is compensated for by the more developed main character, bits of lore building, jokes, and a non-slumber-inducing finale.

Verdict: grab it on sale if you like classical adventure games and / or urban fantasy.

Mog
Mog

Seeing a snippet of Auntie Lauren's life was interesting. She's a tough lady.

-=DVF=-De-Guvnor
-=DVF=-De-Guvnor

This is the second game of the "Blackwell" series and is slightly better than the first game, with a much more likeable protagonist and slight increase in puzzle difficulty.

The series order is:
Legacy
Unbound
Convergence
Deception
Epiphany

I'm new to it - but a middle aged gamer who played Sierra back in the day. I'd rate this as "LucasArts" difficult, not Sierra.

For those that are new to point and click adventures, they involve elaborate puzzles, usually tied to inventory or dialogue. The downside of them is some puzzles only made sense in the developers mind. Back then, you needed to call a premium rate phone number and pay for answers to puzzles! No looking it up.

Sierra made most of their money from obtuse puzzles , and phone calls from a small minority of owners (sound familiar, free to play?)

To get around this, without having to pay - no puzzle is too "obtuse" , I'll put the game down and then come back a day later and click on every object in every room, combine every inventory item etc.

Anyway, you didn't ask for a history lesson! Is it a good game - YES
How difficult are the puzzles? 8/10 (with 1 being telltale games and 10 being Sierra)
Multiple endings - NO
Playtime - 5 hours ish for first playthrough.

Game as a whole, 7/10 - a minor improvement on the first episode, which I also enjoyed and rated the same. This contained one puzzle which, for me, was a little bit too precise. I'd worked out what I needed to do, but it took 3 or 4 attempts , picking exactly the right dialogue choices at the right time ; it might have just been me, but it felt "wrong" compared to the overall difficulty of the other puzzles.

Would be glad to see the back of Kelly and welcome a new lead character, again!

hardyzgirl
hardyzgirl

Short yet fun point and click mystery game. I really enjoyed it!

ジェイ・シー
ジェイ・シー

Again too short for my taste, but the game isn't bad at all. If you choose to buy one of the Blackwell episodes, do yourself a favour and either buy them all or none. The episodes are so short that you won't even get properly invested by the end.

Blackwell Unbound follows the same formula as Blackwell Legacy, only this time you can switch between the two main characters and you will need to do so to solve a few puzzles. Graphics aren't great, the voice acting is slightly above average, the writing and dialog are solid. There are no branching paths, dialog options won't change any outcomes. You'll get your dopamine from the story, the mystery and the detective work. If that's up your alley then the Blackwell series won't disappoint.

▬▬▬
▬▬▬

Second game in the series. I enjoyed it. Though found it to be a bit too short for my expectations (somewhere between 2 and 2 and a half hours). This is not a whole lot else than the flashback parts originally intended to be found in Convergence. Writing was good. But the characters, settings and events are so interesting that one would like this to last longer than it does.

And I thought the voice actress for Lauren did a phenomenal job!

Leonardo Trapovich
Leonardo Trapovich

Worst of the five games. Buggy as hell, has all of the problems of the other games but somehow they are more annoying. But it does set up an important villain.
I could barely beat it because left mouse button suddenly became the right mouse button to the game - so i just couldn't use my items when i had to.
How do you even fuck that up? Was this game actually made decades ago when programming was in its neolithic?
Anyway, though Joey will sum up the villain when you meet her in the 3rd game, she will have more impact if you played the 2nd game. So... play it - but i CAN'T recommend it.

mattmacks
mattmacks

Took me 7 years after playing the first one to continue with the series. Time flies at a terrible rate. Had it all installed for years, but other games pushed towards the front of the line. With this pace I might not make it till Blackwell Epiphany before I meet my own...

Sad realizations about my own mortality aside, this was a nice game. I think the shift in main characters and graphics style turned me off seven years ago, but today I liked it. It also helps that I have almost no other Wadjet Eye games left to play and the Blackwell series is indeed a good one.

CrazyPyro69
CrazyPyro69

Bottom line at the top: Although shorter than its predecessor I found this game to be more polished than The Blackwell Legacy. A good way to kill an afternoon and get hyped up for the rest of the series!

Pros
------------------------------------------
-Enjoyed Lauren's voice acting performance much more than Rosa's from The Blackwell Legacy.
-Good background music. Had original performance for ending sound track, which would become a Wadjet Eye signature move in later game.
-Liked being able to play as Joey.

Meh.
------------------------------------------
-Had the wrong voice recorded response be incorrect for the words written in the text box. This same issue occurred at least once in The Blackwell Legacy as well.
-The notebook mechanic was used less in this game than The Blackwell Legacy.
-At 2 hours of game play, this game is short for $5 but its still low priced and available in a bundle so not as big a deal.
-Overall voice performances were better than The Blackwell Legacy but not as professional as other titles I've played at similar price point (including future Wadjet Eye Games titles).

Cons
------------------------------------------
-Voice recording quality was poor. This seems to be a running theme in early Wadjet Eye games.
-Had some pixel hunting.

Overall a definite improvement over the first title in the series. You won't regret spending the $5 if you buy at full price but your going to want to play all the titles in the series anyway so might as well get the bundle and save a few bucks. Looking forward to the next title in the series!

Tycoon
Tycoon

Blackwell (series)

Blackwell is a series of 5 (so far) point & click adventure games.
By

Wadjet Eye Games

The plots of the series focus on Rosangela Blackwell, and her spirit guide Joey Mallone.
As a spiritual medium, Rosangela with the help from Joey, try to help ghosts cross over to the afterlife.

Blackwell Legacy is the first in the series, where Rosangela meets Joey and learns that she is a spiritual medium.
They both proceed to solve cases in a detective like fashion, gathering clues from places they visit and conversations they have with living and the dead.

Games might be a bit short, but a good story, the dialogue and banter between the characters combined with excellent voice acting and good music, makes the games worth playing.
The retro look and feel of the games is almost a plus, as the story gets more attention, though I would like the resolution to be a bit higher ;)

If you are like many that enjoy a good story, good music, good voice acting and don't mind retro look, this game/series are worth the time and money.

That said, as most of us like a good deal (nothing wrong with that) buy this when it is on sale or in a bundle .
I was lucky and got the first 4 games in a bundle and on sale. It was worth it for me.
The last one I will get for full price (my small way of supporting something that I like).

Cyrus5
Cyrus5

Just completed the Blackwell series in fairly quick succession, and honestly, these games are some of the best money I've ever spent on adventure games.

Hats off to the entire studio and team, a great series with clever game design, and thoughtful authentic writing that really hits the heart strings at times.

Playing the series from start to end I really enjoyed the evolving development of the games core mechanics as they are tweaked and finessed along the way, and while I stumbled a little at times working out which tools are available to make progress in the game, they eventually start feeling very intuitive - the notebook/phone clues system, and Joey's non-corporeal snooping end up being a highlight of the games making you really feel like you are genuinely having to super-sleuth your way to the truth.

I miss Rosa and Joey already, and I can definitely see myself playing these games again one day :)

RubyHummingbird
RubyHummingbird

A point-and-click adventure about a spirit medium who investigates ghosts and helps them pass on to the next world.

This one is a prequel to The Blackwell Legacy, but it seems like it would be best to play them in order of release rather than chronological order. (The first game left me really curious about Laura Blackwell, who is the protagonist of this one... So it was really satisfying to learn more about her.)

Pros
-Endearing characters... Laura is sassy. She seems to have real chemistry with Joey compared to Rosa and her approach to the cases feels distinctly different (more direct and assertive) compared to how Rosa (from the first game) handles things.
-Cheesy, but lovable voice acting
-Moody and atmospheric
-Good music
-Foreshadows some of the events of future games in the series... (I'm a sucker for continuity across seemingly-episodic stories. The ones with narrative threads you can easily miss, but that reward speculation and rereading.)

Cons
-The story feels a bit like backstory or setup for the third game, which finishes off a lot of the loose threads from this one. (On the other hand, that made the third game feel really satisfying... So, perhaps not fully a flaw so much as a warning that these games are better if you play them as parts of one story, rather than stand-alone titles.)

rosella500
rosella500

This sequel/prequel to Blackwell Legacy is a fascinating look into what Joey's life was like working with Rosa's aunt, Lauren. I love the depth of character interaction. My only complaint is that the achievements to smoke less than 20 or more than 100 cigarettes are not particularly fun to get, since they require either grinding out cigarettes (odd choice for an adventure game) or speedrunning the whole game, which is counter-productive to enjoying the excellent writing and dialogue.

holden_dragon
holden_dragon

Love the Blackwell series but simply can't recommend this one.

I didn't read carefully before I bought it so I didn't know that Rosa wasn't the main character either in just this one of the five games which was possibly another thing that turned me off. Graphics are very blocky and point and click is very primitive even compared with Legacy which came before it. Before long I was wishing it would end, and it did less than 4 hours after starting.

Of course, if you love the series, you have to play this one to get the full story... there weren't very many of them. :(

Herbert
Herbert

The Blackwell Games are worth every penny and a re a love letter to classic point and clicks.

garnetofeden
garnetofeden

Blackwell Unbound delves into the backstory of the Blackwell universe and takes place in 1973 when Rosangela’s Aunt Lauren was working with Joey. Right from the get-go the saxophone soundtrack fully immerses you in the feel of the game.

The clues as inventory mechanic from the first game is still present, and clues can still be combined to further the storyline. However, there are a couple of cool new mechanics as well. First, they added a typing interface for when you’re searching the phone book (because of course this is pre-computer), so it feels more like the player is driving the information gathering. The other awesome new mechanic is that you can play as both Lauren AND Joey, switching between each character and acting independently to take advantage of their different skills as needed to forward the storyline. Each character even had unique and different flavor text for the same items that you could look at or interact with depending on the character.The mechanics work together to really make it feel like the player is intimately involved in deciding the outcomes.

One of the most awesome things about the Blackwell series is that the designer includes real iconic New York figures, such as Joseph Mitchell. Once again, listening to the Commentary provided invaluable insight into the game design process and the designer’s decisions, really enhancing the gameplay experience and appreciation of the product as a whole. I also love that the Blackwell series adds achievements that involve more than merely playing through the game. For example, in Blackwell Unbound there were achievements based on Lauren’s chain smoking, to either keep her number of cigarettes to a minimum or to smoke a ridiculous amount.

The story can be a standalone, but its true beauty lies in the unanswered questions that it opens for future installments of the series to explore.

Korli
Korli

Playing through the Blackwell series and this game shows that the author has definitely improved.

The game plot itself is an episode in ghost-helping life of Lauren and Joey.
There's a couple of cases to solve and some tidbits to learn about the duo.

Puzzle solving (albeit not very complex) feels more natural and logical as compared to the previous game in the series.
The game is short, but doesn't feel rushed or cut off.
Definitely loved the music.

All in all recommend for quest/adventure lovers.

tupungato
tupungato

Second game in series. Solid point-and-click adventure with interesting paranormal premise and noir atmosphere. Relatively short, but worth its price, especially on sale.

GAMEPLAY 8/10
GRAPHICS 8/10
AUDIO 8/10
STORY 8/10

Cstrang
Cstrang

Much, much better soundtrack and more natural feeling logic and puzzle-solving compared to Legacy. Most everything is fully-voiced, and voiced well. Captures a more noir tone thanks to the 1970s and jazz club settings. Nice little small-meal sized game.

Vaylon
Vaylon

As with The Blackwell Legacy, the first game in the series, Blackwell Unbound is an old-school point-and-click adventure game. You play as a spirit medium whose job is to send lost souls on their way to the next world. This game is the second in the Blackwell series and is set in the 1970s.

According to the commentary from creator Dave Gilbert, this game had a lower budget than the others, and that certainly shows: not only does Blackwell Unbound have a simpler visual style than its predecessor (though still aesthetically pleasing), but also the fidelity of the voice recordings are not quite up to snuff. Nevertheless, the low-budget style fits the game thematically, since it's set in the past, some 30 years before The Blackwell Legacy. I admire a developer who can so well marry form with function; instincts like those are ones that developers would do well to train.

The game is solid on every other front. The dialogue, as usual, is well-written. The voice acting is top-notch. Really, all of the positive things I said about The Blackwell Legacy apply here also. I enjoyed Lauren's character design; she was a refreshing change from Rosangela, and I found her relationship with Joey fascinating.

If you enjoyed the first game, then you will likely enjoy this one as well. Like the first one, it's short -- maybe a couple hours long -- so feel free to wait for it to be on sale.

Genghis Pawn
Genghis Pawn

This is the 2nd in the series (collected in The Blackwell Bundle) and should be played 2nd, but is really a prequel. The story here is still short, but a little longer than the first game, and it felt a little bit more mature. Basic gameplay is pretty similar to the first game in the series, The Blackwell Legacy, and I describe it in a little more detail in my Review for that game. Again, as described in that review, you're locked to the original screen resolution. And again, people sometimes report issues unlocking Steam achievements on Mac and Linux.

Honestly, the element of puzzles that might cause newer/younger folks some trouble is that you've got to use an in-game phone book to look people up and call them on the phone. Won't be long before the very idea is incomprehensible.

Diego
Diego

It is good. If you're a fan of old-school graphic adventures you'll like this. It is really rough around the edges and you shouldn't play this if you have not played Unavowed yet (because it is so much better) but, the characters and the lore are small, nice and interesting. I like it.

dillylc
dillylc

Bought the whole series and playing in order. Second game: still thumb up. The game is still pretty short and has low replay value (achievements aside), but the good points of the first game still stand. The story was more interesting and complex compared to the first game and I really enjoyed it, even though I did feel that some things were not explained very well. The characters are all interesting and the voice acting is great. The progression of the story feels quite natural, except maybe for a couple of points where you really need to do things in a certain order. There's no fighting except one very simple scene. Improvements from the first game: two cases to solve instead of one (plus a conclusion), and the possibility of switching between the two main characters to do some specific things (pretty interesting). There are also some references and links to the first game, but overall it can be played as a stand alone. Would recommend.

Narcey
Narcey

I loved the whole Blackwell series, the story was interesting and kept me wanting to discover more, and the atmosphere and general theme of the series was very enjoyable.

Spray
Spray

+ well written story
+ tight dialogue
+ music matches the somber mood
+ Laura is a great character

- some dodgy voice acting
- graphics are a bit crude

Unbound is definitely a step up from Legacy. Joey's voicing is more consistent. Dialogue is more to the point. The mood is getting darker. The story is unfolding..

bwhittyboy22
bwhittyboy22

Suffice it to say, I love this game.

elisabeth23_psy
elisabeth23_psy

A cool little game, although it involves a lot more tedious walking back and forth between places. At last a strong female character with good comeback lines too.

Warhopper
Warhopper

Now we are seeing the ramp up for the Blackwell series. We still have the clunkier interface, but the writing is much better. To the dev’s credit, he is not giving any of those adventure game puzzles that are completely indecipherable without help. I like the new protagonist in this and the events play into the core of the next game, so you would be a fool to skip it.

myrrth.sicopath
myrrth.sicopath

Much spookier than the first game! Only one clue completely escaped me to the point of frustration, and it was a bit shorter than the first, but I loved it. Wadjet does so well with voice acting chemistry. The art is fantastic

Menzagitat
Menzagitat

Compared to Blackwell Legacy this one seems more difficult.
I felt no connection to the fate of the characters in this game though.
This 2nd game is comparable with the first one, Blackwell Legacy.

FluffyUnicornSparkle
FluffyUnicornSparkle

I love the series and this episode. Its fun and an interesting investigation

Old timer
Old timer

Second installment of this awesome retro style point'n'click adventure. This one takes place in the 70's and you play as Rosa's aunt Lauren.
5/5

HomeGreenHome
HomeGreenHome

Just replayed it for the twentieth time in about ten years. The thumb will always be up for it.

Edge Case
Edge Case

10/10 This game, and the whole series is amazing. I'd go into more detail, but I won't do it here... I have a let's play I'm recording that's going to do that just fine :)

caram3l_p1e
caram3l_p1e

The 2nd game in the Blackwell series. As described, you play chain-smoker Lauren Blackwell instead of Rosa for this game. The game also takes place approximately 20 years before Rosa's time.

If you liked the first game, you'll like this one as well. Everything is a little more polished than the first, from the cases to the the dialogue, voice acting and character development. Although it's a little shorter than the first, it's overall a good entry in the Blackwell series.

Vlanoebra
Vlanoebra

"Blackwell Unbound" is the second title of the Blackwell series by Wadjet Eye. Currently there's a Bundle offer, all 5 games at 25€ and I suggest to grab this chance if you like adventures game. If you haven't played the first game and are not familiar with this developer, you may not know that Blackwell, while looking like an old pixelated retro game, has also a very modern soul. Its characters are well built and the two main characters evolve throughout the series. The stories are also compelling, not only the main one but also those of the side characters.

This title in particular is a prequel to the first Blackwell game, "Legacy". You won't play with Rosa but with her aunt Lauren instead, and Joey too is a playable character this time around. The relationship between Lauren and Joey is the real strenght of this game: there's not only an interesting plot that develops, there's also a lot of character unveiling here; you get to understand Lauren's feelings towards her "job" and Joey's towards his partner, even though they are never expressed aloud. It's a sort of bitter-sweet back story that captivates the player and leaves him wanting more. Character study here is really good.

As for the playability, the puzzles aren't particularly hard so it's quite linear (but not so much that one doesn't have to think).

I highly recommend to buy this title and the other "Wadjet Eye" games.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Honestly want my money back. Game treats you like you're an idiot and you have no autonomy or even the illusion of it.

Kroms
Kroms

The first great Wadjet Eye game, I think, helped by a stronger main character and a better story structure. Complaints about the low budget nature are correct—actors do sometimes breathe into the mic, for example, although it's rare—but this is irrelevant in the face of a much better story than the one "Legacy" gave, with better puzzles. I still listen to the soundtrack.

LumiLatte
LumiLatte

Through the whole game I thought they just changed the voice actor. I had no idea this went back in time from the first game until I read the reviews. Tbh I didn't enjoy this as much. Felt shorter. 2 hours to finish (whilst listening to the great music) and an extra hour of just fast clicking to get the achievements. I think because it is a prequel, it doesn't feel as good as the first, almost like a filler. Or maybe it's because the game didn't have an introduction, apart from a phone call from a past character my context of what was happening, where I was and who I was just wasn't there, I know about the ghosts and what to do from the first game so I just went with it.
The voice acting was a little ehhh, but the music was amazing, I would buy the soundtrack of that. The stories were pretty good.
I would say you could miss this game in the series, still worth a try.

marjchaos
marjchaos

Fun game. Likeable characters. And for those who like The Blackwell games, this one throws us back in time to work with Auntie Lauren!

dvanepps42
dvanepps42

These are all good. Get them all.

Hauptmann Kotsturm
Hauptmann Kotsturm

Well, this is clearly NOT one of the best adventures ever made. The qouted reviews on the shoppage are about the game Unavowed - which is in deed one of the best. But not this one. Liked the first in the Blackwell series, but this one was completely unsolvable without a guide and to me the story felt lame and flat, couldn't touch me. The end was also lame and boring, as the whole game was. At least the music was much better than in Blackwell Legacy.

Namraets /ᐠ。ꞈ。ᐟ\
Namraets /ᐠ。ꞈ。ᐟ\

Blackwell chapter 2. I see why people really like the game. The family story along with mysteries to solve along the way really keep my plugged away. Simple item combination/dialog puzzles to entice the gamer deeper into the narrative. No drastic changes (except the main character- which is NOT a bad thing). As this game has not hit any important milestones to include a second set of commentary dialog- YAY! you only have one commentary for achievement purposes. Onto Blackwell Convergence! Hi HO Silver~Away

Feena
Feena

The second game of Blackwell series, a sequel, or actually a prequel I didn't expect. You play as Lauren, Rosa's aunt who was dealing with Joey's jokes and comments while she smokes a cigarette after another. The story sat in 1973 where Lauren has to save two spirits who don't know they are actually dead, but the problem isn't that alone, she started to wonder what or who actually killed them. I enjoyed this mystery point&Click game so much.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2181276523

The gameplay is the same as the previous one, you still can find extra clues by combining two clues together but the new option you have is playing as Joey when Lauren doesn't feel like doing anything! Its a fun and sad game at the same time, I liked her personality so much.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2181276966

Soundtracks are very nice as well as the voice-overs. The puzzles are quite difficult, at times I didn't know what to do next. There is a fast traveling map that will take you to the other areas, you need to check all of your surroundings and talk to people to get more information.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2181276816

I like pixel art, I wished they added an avatar picture of the characters while they are speaking like the previous game. The animation is not bad knowing when the game was originally released.

Pros:
+Good story.
+Nice soundtracks.
+Well-done voice over.
+Pixel art.
+Fast travel map.
+Manual + Automatic save files.
+Steam achievements.

Cons:
-No hinting system.

You need to play the game at least twice to get all the achievements - Lauren smoking-related. I'm going to try to load my last save and try to get it if this will work. Other than that, the game is really good for a classic one of this genre. Highly recommended.

Other Reviews:
The Blackwell Legacy Review
Blackwell Convergence Review
Blackwell Deception Review
Blackwell Epiphany Review

𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤𝑠 𝑐𝘩𝑒𝑐𝑘 𝑚𝑦 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝐹𝑒𝑒𝑛𝑎'𝑠 𝐶𝘩𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒

Prof Ryoko
Prof Ryoko

Very interesting second part to the story. Loved the ending and looking forward to playing the third game.

mafon2
mafon2

Run of the mill adventure, with very amateurish production (like no pop filter on some recordings). Has it's own charm, but tries too hard to be serious for it's own good, little humor it has doesn't land. If you like ghost stories, you'd probably like it, but the ending is just... the final confrontation should have been approached differently, maybe not at all and 2 separate cases left as 2 sepaarate cases, especially 'cause there's no overlapping gameplay wise. I think extras are more interesting than the plot, actually. And there are a lot of them: interviews, bloopers, concepts, cut music...

One time you have to look at the paper to see what's written on it. And you must LOOK at it with USE. If you LOOK at it, character says something like: "There's nothing important here".

Chrogion
Chrogion

The whole series (5 games) is awesome.

sally.k97
sally.k97

Great addition to the Blackwell game series

Ryu1982
Ryu1982

This is a short fun game of the point n' click genre. If you want an interesting story that continues in the other Blackwell games, this is for you.

gabriela
gabriela

an adventure driven pixelated dream. will always hold a special place in my heart. if you like this one (which you probably will!) i highly recommend playing all of Wadjet Eye's games. x

julesmmg
julesmmg

Awesome prequel! Very charming, the story of Lauren and Joey is so interesting.

CrohnicGamer
CrohnicGamer

I am really enjoying the series of games.

fredling192
fredling192

I usually wait until I've finished 100% of the game (including achievements) until I review it, but I've just finished my first playthrough in one sitting, and wanted to write this while everything is still fresh. I liked most of the game just fine; my initial thoughts on it were that I still had liked the first one better, but this one was pretty cool too. I was really enjoying it... until the ending. I gotta say, I didn't like the ending at all. Most reviews for the game already go in depth in all the other relevant aspects, so I'll just write down my thoughts on this topic, which may differ from the point of view of many others. The ending is pretty dark, and I just don't think it was warranted or needed. I hated it, to be honest. From now on, this review will contain spoilers, I'll of course hide them, but I'm not sure it would be wise to read on if you haven't played it yet. For those looking into buying it or not, I'll say this: the first one seemed better in my opinion, it is quite repetitive when compared to the first one, and the ending is super dark (I can't believe it's 10+ and not T).
There's only one ending here. That, from the get go, is a downgrade from the first game, in which you could have either a good or a bad ending. The bad one was pretty dark too, but knowing that there is a good one really softens it. It's like dying but knowing you can go back and do it right. In this case, you can't. And to be honest, the ending doesn't make any sort of logical sense at all. Here it is: Lauren murders a character in the ending. First, she stabs her in the eye with a lit cigarette, which is in itself gruesome; it even starts bleeding, which makes no sense. Then, she pushes her off the window of a building. There were plenty of other ways to avoid it: call the police, get out of the apartment and run to a police station, shout so a neighbor comes, you name it. And doing what she does would most likely get her in jail in real life, since she has no way of proving it was in self defense, what kind of connection she has to the victim, and that the victim had murdered people before because she was insane. It's even worse when you think about the implications: the woman was mad, and she actually believed she helped people by killing them. She wasn't aware she was really killing them, it was just part of her madness, which was explained and justified in the game. However, you just go and kill her off. It simply breaks immersion, which was already riding on some pretty big suspension of disbelief, since we had to accept that an old, probably malnourished lady could strangle a big guy, or even Lauren. The ending really made me sad, since I was quite liking this saga so far. I loved the first one, and was liking this one just find, until that happened. Now I feel I can't really recommend these games, since most people who play the first one will probably want to play the second one. What they did, I think makes no sense story-wise, realistically, or pragmatically, and I really have no idea why they did that. Was it rushed? Is that why there was no good ending this time, just the one bad ending? I don't know, but I sure hope the next ones in the saga are better. I'll give them a chance (although at this point I'm seriously considering going for a refund on those, bought them recently and haven't played them yet), and I hope not to be disappointed next time...

Baer
Baer

Art: great
Sound: great
Puzzles: very, very easy
Backtracking: some
Locations: very few (but it's just an "episode" in a series)
Characters: very good
Plot: good

Verdict: A short, lovely adventure game, with classic vibes. Very pleasant, definitely recommended.

Saehri
Saehri

A fun game, but if you're new to the series, definitely turn the help on so that you don't experience the same frustration that I had. Otherwise, interesting, and with a bit more meat than the last one! I experienced some frustrations, but will still recommend a playthrough of this game. :)

noahcasper
noahcasper

This was my first game in the Blackwell series, and after playing this through twice, I decided to buy the other games in the series as well. I haven't played the others yet, but I have a decent understanding of how they differ from this one.

This game is quick. It takes 1.5-3 hours to complete, depending on the person playing it. It consists of two different "missions" that you have to complete. You can choose to do both alongside each other, but the most logical thing would probably be to start with one, then the other.
The artstyle is very simple, yet that is what is so endearing about it. It has exactly what it needs to draw you into the atmosphere and feel like it's really the 1970's. It also has a lot of small details which makes it seem more real.
The characters in the game are very likable, and the dynamic between Lauren and Joey is very interesting. You can tell that they've known each other for a while, and there's a lot of banter between the two.

The things that I like the most about this game is the sound - meaning both the voice acting and the soundtrack, as well as the art of the game.

In this game they chose to have the actual characters' faces move when they speak, rather than the portraits that are utilized in the other games. I personally definitely prefer seeing the characters on screen speaking, rather than having this "face bubble" that I feel could pull you out of the illusion. But that is up to personal preference.

A cool feature in the Blackwell games is that they have audio commentary with the makers of the game, where you learn a lot more about the game than just from playing it yourself. So after having finished the game normally, I would recommend going back to it at some point and play it with commentary, if you're interested in game development and storytelling.

Overall, this is a great point and click mystery game, and it has a good length for what it is. It does not feel too short or too long.
The game does not tell you too much what you have to do next, so you have to think logically and take note of all the small details (unless you look up a guide, of course). So it doesn't "baby" you, like some mystery games might do.
I would definitely recommend this game if you like point and click puzzles. And if you're a fan of the other games in the Blackwell series, I think it is a no-brainer to get this one as well.

RobOda
RobOda

The second game of the Blackwell series (of five total), Unbound is a prequel taking place in the 1970s. It follows Joey the Ghost from the first game, as he joins with Rosa’s Aunt Lauren.

The story takes place in media res. Lauren and Joey’s relationship is already in full flow, they both know each other and are both experts at saving ghosts, having done it for a while.

As far as I understand, this game was meant to be a series of flashbacks for game #3, but ended up being so lengthy that they decided to make it a stand-alone game. As such, consider this ‘part 1’ of the next game in the series.

The game itself again, defaults to a low resolution with no option to change anything. Framerate is low as well. However, the signs of new concepts are seen here, we get more use out of items and we get the ability to switch between Lauren and Joey, which is handy as Joey can get into places that Lauren can’t, on account of being a ghost etc.

The story is interesting, and Lauren and Joey’s dynamic is great in contrast to Rosa and Joey’s initial situation, but then, they are in full swing with each other. Lauren has taken up chain-smoking to deal with her new relationship with Joey, so it’s quite funny watching them play off each other.

All in all, this is a better, more polished game than Legacy, but it still rough around the edges. Still a worthwhile game to have a go on.

LunaWolfu
LunaWolfu

This series is amazing and the company themselves is a gem. I don't see why anyone wouldn't want to support their work. Its diverse and gritty and just downright fun. Don't even get me started on the artwork. I love it.

art.vandelay
art.vandelay

I like the Blackwell point & click games. Each title has that old school adventure vibe and interconnecting plotline, plus character development, thoughtout the series.

VerdentViolet
VerdentViolet

Solid game. It's not linear, which I really like. I get so frustrated with p&c adventures that have a narrow range of "can do" actions. Blackwell Unbound's main corpus has two story-lines that can be completed in either order or at the same time. I enjoyed it and look forward to the rest of the series. My one sorta-negative statement: Although the game is a bit short (it's about as long as the prequel), I purchased it during a Steam sale, so I feel it was worth the price for a 2.5 hour game.

Hem
Hem

[Reviewed by my wife] Going into Unbound we have the satisfaction of finding the exact same specific gameplay as the first Blackwell. But this was not the story I expected. This second installment is a flashback in time. We are the aunt of Rosa, and I thought we would discover the real reason behind why she went crazy in the first Blackwell. But no, this is the beginning of a whole new mystery. Maybe because of the disillusioned tone of the aunt, this was my least favorite Blackwell. Also the ending felt incomplete and unsatisfactory and I had to check if there was no alternative that I might have missed.

Join Hem & Watch live on Twitch, Discord, and Reviews

shogoz
shogoz

An awesome sequel that you're sure to love just as much as the first Blackwell game!

Krisys
Krisys

Gameplay: 7/10

Graphics & Sound: 7/10

Narration: 7/10

+ Nice follow-up to Blackwell Legacy, enriching the game with a mechanic that allows you to swap between your characters to solve some situations.

- The game presents weird lags and some minor bugs, just like Blackwell Legacy.

damith_oa
damith_oa

the only weird part was that a white guy was the voice artist for a Jamaican role and you can clearly hear that it was some white guy doing a stereotypical Jamaican accent

Medesha
Medesha

It's amazing to see the improvement between THE BLACKWELL LEGACY and BLACKWELL UNBOUND. Going back in time to play Rosa's Auntie Lauren gives new insight into both characters. It's fun to play the classic point-and-click style adventure game in a 1970's setting.

The graphics aren't as nice as LEGACY (as explained in the developer commentary), but the puzzles are more robust. Game time is similar to the first game, 2-3 hours total.

ellthelowborn
ellthelowborn

Blackwell Unbound is an improvement over BW:Legacy in many ways. Aesthetically, the game has a very mellow bluesy feeling both visually and in the games fantastic soundtrack. 'Auntie' Lauren is an interesting character and in my opinion much more engaging to play as than Rosa in the previous game.

Much like BW:Legacy. Unbound is a pretty short game, but there's more freedom to gather little tidbits of information between the two cases out of main sequence which was fun and less linear. It felt more detective murder mystery style too, right up my street.
The storyline has some emotional moments, made better by it's jazzy soundtrack. I love the concept of the medium that is here to help a lost soul, find their way out of limbo and into the beyond. The fact they don't always know they've died. The Sixth Sense comes to mind and it's been used often in cinema but it's really refreshing to see the concept utilised in a game. I feel like I am going to love this series. Absolutely dripping with charm with it's cute animations and hammy dialogue, really takes you back to Lucasarts back in their prime.

Definitely check it out if you love detective murder mystery/supernatural adventure games. But I would suggest you start with the first title. So that you don't miss out on the story beats and to get familiar with the mechanics it introduced, that are used again in BW:Unbound.

8/10

The Greater Sphinx
The Greater Sphinx

Blackwell Unbound is the second game in the Blackwell series. Like its predecessor, it is a point and click adventure game, but this time it follows Lauren, Rosa Blackwell's aunt, through an investigation during her time as a medium. Lauren and Joey are having a pretty typical evening, investigating spirits, when they discover that a couple of their seemingly routine cases have a mysterious twist. While helping the spirits move on, Lauren and Joey also have to discover the nature of the mysterious figure connecting the two cases.

In terms of gameplay, this game is pretty similar to the previous one. You go to different locations around the city, talking to people and solving puzzles. Much like the previous game, there are only a few inventory object puzzles. Most of the puzzles involve getting people to talk to you. There's a lot of inspecting items and looking things up in the phone book in this one. You can control both Joey and Lauren, and there are quite a few puzzles where Joey is the only one who can get an answer, or where Joey and Lauren have to work together to solve a puzzle. I felt like the puzzles were about as difficult as the puzzles in the previous game.

I don't have a lot to say about the story in this game. The individual cases, where you help the ghosts cross over, were interesting enough, but the larger story leaves a few "whats" and "whys" unresolved. Blackwell Unbound was originally supposed to just be part of the next game, The Blackwell Convergence, but instead it was released as its own game. As such, its overall plot feeds into the next game a little bit, and isn't completely satisfying on its own. Much like the last game, the characters really contribute to making the game enjoyable. Lauren is more jaded and more confident than Rosa, and while I like Rosa more overall, Lauren is still an interesting and enjoyable protagonist. Joey is pretty much the same here as he is in the other games, but there are some slightly different nuances to him. I also thought the atmosphere was almost as good as it was in the first game, and the music was even better than the first.

It was a little strange to have a prequel game this early in the series. When I played this game for the first time, it was a little jarring to go from Rosa to Lauren so suddenly. Lauren is pretty different from Rosa, and so is her relationship with Joey, and it gives the game a slightly different tone than the other games in the series. Having played the whole series, it's nice to be able to contrast Rosa with her predecessor, and to see how Lauren compares to Joey's memories of her. However, that contrast is more interesting after you get to know Rosa a little better, and see how being a medium changes her. Plot-wise, it has to come before Convergence, but ideally it would have made more sense for a prequel to happen later in the series.

I didn't have any major technical issues with the game, although like the previous one I think the game might have looked better had I played in a smaller window. I also didn't get the commentary achievement because the game turns off commentary every time you open it up again, and I didn't check to make sure it was on til after I loaded my game once, so that was a bummer.

Overall, Blackwell Unbound is a pretty good game with a couple of flaws. It is weakened slightly by its awkward position in the series and its dependence on its sequel, but it also shares a lot of the strengths of the rest of the games in the series. It isn't my favorite Blackwell game, but it's definitely well worth your time. 8/10

spider.jerusalem
spider.jerusalem

A good "oldschool" pixel adventuer.
If this genre is for you buy the complete series.

Arma
Arma

This game is very, very good, but enormously short - I get the sense that it and all of its sequels together make up about enough to be one game - so the low cost of each individual game just adds to a normal price for a normal game when you add it all up. It's a good game, so I'm not mad, but folks should be aware.

bored222
bored222

The whole Blackwell series are worth playing.

Not too difficult, I got stuck on the first and last puzzle of the entire series (sometimes you just miss a thing which should be obvious).

Interesting, fun and sad story, well written, mostly well acted.

Tech tip : Play in windowed mode if can stand it, as full screen distorts the graphics on wide screen monitors.

Gildor Luthien
Gildor Luthien

Great story - quick play, but thoroughly enjoyable!

lex luthor apologist
lex luthor apologist

A perfect prequel with a great soundtrack and wonderful characters, as with the previous game. The ending made me so sad in the absolute best way.

drowningstarfish
drowningstarfish

I absolutely adore this whole series.

A Duck Of Peace
A Duck Of Peace

This is the black sheep addition to the series. My reasoning is that it was a bit odd and off putting that you'd only just finished the first game and then had a prequel to play instead of continuing with at least one of the main characters that you had invested time in.

That being said the game was a really great improvement over the first in both that it not only opened up more of an interesting plotline that the first game had, but also you could see a marked improvement overall in the writing of the characters and the tone that it set for the game. It really felt as if Joey had a long established connection to Lauren which made for a better over all story arc throughout this episode of the series.

The downside or weakness is that I felt this episode could have been longer though I've felt that with most of the early Blackwell games. Also I was hoping to uncover at least a bit more about the characters of Joey Mallone and Lauren Blackwell. Since this story takes places closer to the time that Lauren was beginning to get frustrated with being a ghost hunter, I would have liked to have seen a little more plot development and back story to that effect. Lauren never really has the opportunity to vent her frustrations at being stuck with the task of being a medium, and since she as a character is not as accepting of the role as Rosa is in the later part of the series, there was a missed opportunity to build up the character more in relation to the rest of the series.

The music in this one is outstanding and really sets the bar for the rest of the series to follow. I'm not usually a soundtrack sort of person, but it deserves to be noted that it's got one of the best I've heard in a modern point and click game.

Deodorant
Deodorant

Albeit a bit short, but a nice experience again. Beautiful graphics and background music as well as voice acting.

sjdswanlund
sjdswanlund

I was worried when I learned Blackwell Unbound was a prequel to Legacy. That worry didn't last long, because as far as story and character is concerned, Joey's chemistry with Lauren is way more interesting than it is with Rosa. Lauren as a whole is a much more empowered character, and it results in a good duo here. As for how the puzzles have evolved since the last game the notebook returns, but there is one MAJOR addition to the game. You can now switch between the two characters, opening up a whole new dynamic at times, especially with one ghost hunting job. There are definitely some dumb stuff in the game, like having to click on dialogue or notebook things more than once without the game giving you any indication of the logic at times. But all in all it's a solid entry, and worth playing to dive deeper into this legacy.

Here is my previous review of Blackwell Legacy: https://steamcommunity.com/id/etherverse/recommended/80330?snr=1_5_9__4…

Mar044
Mar044

The 2nd game in the series in the story order, we go into the past and see what it was like to play as another blackwell member. The story is a murder mystery with a paranormal and follows the wadjet eye model of games. The art is well done in the pixel style, with a good classic jazz soundtrack, some of the trophies for the game are simple but a pain to get, it had me chain smoking for 30 min real time to get one trophy.

I say buy the game along with others in the series, as the story continues with the other Blackwaell games. It shouldn't take you to long to finish, and the puzzles are logical and easy to figure out without being silly.

a good buy for any point and clicker.

Feyron af Digerdød
Feyron af Digerdød

Prequel to "Blackwell Legacy". Classig Click&Go with a good story and interesting characters. Annoying achievements thou.
_______________________

Play this game if:
- You played Blackwell Legacy, this is like a prequel
- You like to solve pussles and unfold mysteries
- You are a fan of the genrea

Do Not play this game if:
- You do not like repetative puzzles. At least I think it was a bit too much running back & forth
- You want to play a longer game/more deeper story

Verdict: 6.5/10

timmytime
timmytime

I enjoyed this one, and it's superior to the first game. Some stronger character writing is going on and the interface is much improved (although part of me misses the detailed character face models).

Storylines were more moving this time around overall. Kind of curious about the Developer Commentary although not in a rush to dive right in straight after finishing the game.

hassanyawar
hassanyawar

So this game acts as a prequel to the first game Legacy. Its protagonist is another character who was referenced in the first game. I would say at this point that if you like such adventure games then definitely go for it. Although this game can be played standalone but it would make a lot more sense to play it after Legacy.

songbird238
songbird238

A fairly short but very enjoyable game. I'd definitely recommend it to any fans of classic point and click games.

tr00per
tr00per

Perfect old school quest. The whole Blackwell series is very recommended.

Prophet
Prophet

This second installment, 'Unbound', serves as a prequel to the original game set in the 70s and is just as good. The gameplay mechanics have been touched up a bit with some modern quality-of-life improvements but the core of the game stays the same. If you liked Legacy you'll probably wanna play this too.

TripleLSupreme
TripleLSupreme

The Blackwell series consists of five games released over 8 years between 2006 and 2014. Each of them expand on the previous one and expand the story of Rosa and Joey.

This is the second in the series and this time you are playing as Rosa's aunt Lauren. The game gives you a lot of backstory and some insight into what became before Rosa was bound to Joey. The game continues on the previous ones and for the most part making inventory puzzles fairly straight forward and nothing too cryptic.

If you like point and click adventures, this series is a must play.

ETPC
ETPC

the real story of the blackwell games kicks off here and sets in motion events that would reverberate for years to come. the smoky jazz and rain slick 1970's new york streets are one thing, but the vocal performances have also been improved considerably. lauren's bitterness and exhaustion is palpable from the first screen, and the interplay between her and joey is fantastic, yet different from the one between him and rosa. again, puzzles were mostly straightforward but i still needed a guide towards the end, which isn't a knock on the game by any means.

hentai_priest
hentai_priest

A nice, if unexpected, continuation (pt.2) of the Blackwell series. Also short.

LaraLinkLee
LaraLinkLee

It was okay just was unsure on what the point of the game was in the series.

shino1
shino1

Without spoilers: entire Blackwell series is a masterclass in detective games. If you like ghost stories, detective stories or urban fantasy, you will love this entire series. And it's not just story - it's told in a very interactive manner (as opposed to hours-long static cutscenes) and has great puzzles that aren't too hard (and not mindlessly easy), and all make perfect logical sense. No moon logic here!

This entire series is honestly one of the better adventure games in existence. Even if you never play point and click adventure games - make an exception and you won't regret it.

bhaimovich
bhaimovich

Another good chapter in this great game

WOPR
WOPR

This game was great. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, voice acting, and story. Reminded me of the old point and click adventures I played in the 80's and 90's.

xSatanx
xSatanx

love this series i fall in love with the characters and the story over and over again. i will never get tired of this series.

laudal
laudal

A great second game to a series that so far has been great. Again the puzzle is mostly simple and good enough. The story is pretty decent with a decent twist and a decent ending. Again if you liked the first one you will probably like this one too.

PS: I had slight problem sometimes where i wanted to left click on an item, but instead got a description of it.

greenraven22
greenraven22

The sequel to Blackwell Legacy. This time around you play as Rosa's aunt 30 years prior to the original game. Gameplay wise everything is relatively the same but you can now also play as Joey to get his perspective on things, the tag team mechanic really makes it feel like you're actually partners.

Take a glimpse into Lauren Blackwell's past.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2754952298

choobs
choobs

Having the second game in the series be a major flashback was a bold choice and I think a successful one. While shorter than the first, the character of Lauren was fantastic, the puzzle design a bit more logical and the structure of the story worked better. I think the choice of having Lauren handling "the duty" with great reluctance and even annoyance contrasted with Rosa who was really lost in life before Joey came and gave her a new purpose rather than having Lauren just be "70's Rosa" is an example of the type of writing and storytelling that put Wadjet Eye/Dave Gilbert on the map.

The art is on par with the first game, which makes sense given the shoe-string nature of the budget and extremely fast pace of the development. One major disappointment is the lack of Character portraits during the dialogue. I was glad it's been back in essentially every Wadjet Eye game has since made or published.

As always, I think the commentary is an interesting look into Gilbert's process and creative methods. I highly recommend not skipping it!

DrakeGamer85
DrakeGamer85

A nice sequel to the first game in the series, and a good looking prequel story. The retro graphics are a nice touch as well.

OXY TheCrimsonBlur
OXY TheCrimsonBlur

Blackwell Unbound is where the Blackwell series really starts to get going. First thing you'll notice is that you're playing as a different Blackwell this time: you control Lauren Blackwell (Rosangela's aunt) this time. Well, not just Lauren actually; also new in Unbound is now you'll also be able to control Joey by simply swapping to him with the TAB key. This adds a fair bit of gameplay depth actually, and a whole lot more dialogue since now you can inspect and interact with items as 2 characters rather than just one.

The story is short and sweet but crescendos much better than Legacy. The dialogue is far better written, in particular that of the two protagonists. This one's only about 3 hours long, but that's quite all right. It never drags, and you're always invested. The puzzles are pretty straightforward, with nearly all of it being solved with good ol' trial and error. I never got stuck in this one, which I appreciated.

The game is well voiced overall, with 2 very unfortunate exceptions. There is an old lady and a Jamaican character who are just butchered to hell. They're minor characters but boy is it bad. At least the quality of the recording seems to be getting better with each Wadjet Eye game; there are far less instances of the mics peaking in Unbound than in Legacy or The Shivah. And as always, every single bit of text is voiced. Pretty sweet.

Also included in the package are full director's commentary, a blooper reel, concept art, and more. Neat stuff and much appreciated, though honestly I doubt I'll ever go through most of it.

Overall, Unbound adds a lot to the Blackwell story. Looking forward to playing the rest of the series!

Kayt
Kayt

A prequel to Blackwell Legacy, the setup is similar: Lauren Blackwell, with her spirit guide Joey, goes around trying to help ghosts in New York pass on. No one else can see them, but they can definitely be impacted the the ghosts’ affects on the physical world, so as Joey consistently reminds Lauren, she needs to keep doing her job. Lauren, for her part, seems unenthused--maybe burnt out--but unlike Rosa in the previous game, this Lauren clearly has gotten used to the spirit-medium-with-guide deal, and there’s less backstory or explanation.

Like the previous game, this one is fully voiced, focuses on talking to people and making connections, and also includes a commentary mode that gives you a “behind the scenes” peek at what went into making this game and its choices.

hesiod1983
hesiod1983

I'm a little mixed on whether to recommend this one or not. Overall I do. But decide for yourself based on my pros and cons.

Pros:
+Nice detective story with good development
+Interesting characters
+Well done voice-over
+Cool art style

Cons:
-Strange puzzles, lacking logic (but mayba I'm just too dumb)
-Lots of "where the heck do I go next" moments
-Unsatisfying end

ArcanaForceXXI
ArcanaForceXXI

Good game but not as good as The Blackwell Legacy. Music is great. Story is OK. Sprites and backgrounds don't look as good as the previous one. Gameplay is more intuitive than the previous one, but also a bit too simplified and "easy". Overall it's a cool prequel but doesn't have the charm of the original.

Shodan v3.0
Shodan v3.0

4.5eur for 2-3h is very fair. The entire Blackwell series is amazing with great stories and mystery, but Unbound holds a very special place in my heart because of the atmosphere. 70s noir, cigarettes and lots of jazz/sax music from main menu onwards. It's something else, give it a go,

Ryder
Ryder

Unbound is a solid follow-up to Legacy. Love this being a prequel and that it skips us far enough into the Lauren and Joey relationship that there is no need to repeat what we know from Legacy. The two cases are fairly compelling. Though the times I got stumped was when I had to use the phone book search mechanic (word of advice is that you can search for New York institutions). The notebook did feel a bit under-utilized though, almost like a hold-over from legacy. This has a bit more traditional inventory item puzzles which I didn't mind but thought the notebook fits a bit better with the mystery theme.

I did find Lauren more immediately likable than previous protagonist Rosa. I think her mostly laid back attitude, the line deliveries and her wry wit pulled me in from the jump.