Presentation : B
Graphics / Animation / Sound
Graphically this game looks pretty good, and when you consider it’s a port from 2000 they did a great job touching up the screens. Things like trees and grass look nice, though when you get close to walls, or things you are not meant to interact, with the game does get a little fuzzy.
When you have successfully interacted with certain things, you will trigger cut scenes. The game gives you the option to skip them all together before you even start to play, or exit out of them at your discretion, which makes for a faster paced second play through. The cut scenes are passable, but they do look dated, and considering the impressive face capturing technology of today’s standards, you will notice the lips are not in sync with the voice dialog. These do not detract from the game though, and they are a welcome change of pace that I actually looked forward to, as they told large pieces of the story. Other than cut scenes, most other things are not animated, save a few gears turning or beakers boiling.
The voice acting in the game is slightly hokey, but considering the time period in which the characters are set it didn’t seem to bother me too much. They are VERY dramatic. The sound effects can be quite annoying, say staying in a creaking house too long trying to check doors and paintings for clues. In-game there is mostly sound effects, and the title menu does have some music. The music and sound effects are adjustable in the main menu, so that does help. I found myself turning them both down during the regular game play.
Single Player : B
Game mechanics / Length / difficulty
Dracula: TLS is an easy game to pick up and play. There are three basic functions: An arrow indicates you can move there. Usually this is placed on a door you can go through or a ladder you can climb. A wheel (gear) symbol indicates you can interact with an object. This usually is used to place something into something else or move levers to solve a puzzle. Also there is a hand symbol that lets you pick things up and store them into your inventory. Other than that you use your finger to look around. You can use the ‘Compass Look’ option, which lets you move your device around without using your finger, but this is glitchy, and does not help the experience of the game. You do have an inventory system, in which you can go to and combine or use items. If you select items, it will tell you what they are, but only has a title, no deep description.
The game is fairly long, even if you know exactly where to go, there is still a lot of game to play. There are no extra doors or places like that. You don’t really have to guess where to go, because if there is an arrow somewhere, you will eventually have to go there. A lot of times you will have to go through a certain door, get an item, and when you come out a new arrow will appear on a new door, letting you progress that way. The game is quite linear.
The game is not necessarily hard, nor the puzzles, but like most games of this nature the hard part is figuring out what the game wants you to do. For instance, you may need to find a tool to open a door or window, or you may simply just use your gun. It’s just trial and error.
Multiplayer : –
Game mechanics / features / Online features
There is no multiplayer for this game. Secondary accounts would be nice so two people can play two separate games.
Replay Value : C
Lasting appeal / Bonus Content / DLC
If you have played Dracula: TLS before, and have nostalgia for this game, you will probably want to pick this up, it maybe worth playing through once or twice, though you might be wary of the $9.99 price tag. For those who have never played this game, you may not enjoy it since it is a ported title, and not designed specifically for the iOS.
Admittedly I am not a fan of these types of adventure puzzle type of ports, as I do not think they transfer well to a touch screen’s mechanics. Even though using a mouse or a controller to do the same thing your index finger can do, I still don’t get the same immersive feeling.
That being said, this is only my opinion. Dracula: TLS was a good game for its original release, and I can recommend this title to those who played and enjoyed the original release, or if you are very interested in playing Myst-type games.
Overall : B
