Blair Witch Volume 1: Rustin Parr

The Blair Witch took box offices by storm in the theater as a low budget, high profit film. The mere mention of Blair Witch gives me images of flashlights in the dark, children laughing, and a lot of cursing. Terminal Reality hopes to play on those images and bring them to life in the computer game that really only plays on myths of the movie and not the actual movie itself.

Set in 1941, special investigator Doc Holiday is assigned the case of Rustin Parr. Doc Holiday was a character in Nocturne, which was also a scary adventure game that used the same graphics engine. In Nocturne, Doc was merely a lab rat that dissected zombies. Her time has come to go out on the field and find what drove Rustin Parr insane. Rustin Parr was a hermit in Burkittsville, Maryland who kept to himself. One day, Rustin came down from the hills and went into a store and said he was finally finished. The townspeople were curious to what he meant; and when they investigated his home, they found seven slain children in his basement with symbols carved in their foreheads. He said he heard voices from an old woman who forced him to commit these murders. He was immediately found guilty and hung for his crime. This is the story/myth that is also in the Blair Witch movie and what this game is based upon.

Let's start off by saying that the demo of this game does not do the final game justice. If you have tried the demo and hated it, like I did, then you may still want to try the full game. The game starts off at the headquarters with training on maneuvering through the real world of the game. After training, Doc visits Burkittsville after Rustin's arrest, but before his hanging. The town is very disturbed by what has happened and is very reluctant to give any information at first.

The Nocturne engine still has a great feel and look to it. The backgrounds are not pre-rendered and have a high poly count that cast their own shadows when the lights hit them just right. The dust from the engine has been blown off and redone for subtle improvements like facial expressions and background interaction. Even though the engine is old and the movie is now over a year gone, the game still seems to capture the audience.

The graphics and design are excellent. From the town to the forest, the details are non-stop. The camera angles are much better in Blair Witch than in Nocturne, but they still have their problems in tight corners when fighting a horde of monsters. Terminal Reality has made it well known that they have what it takes with this game.

The music and sound have to be the scariest of any game that I have played. There are times when you feel chills up your back from the children laughing and the creepy music that the game has. The sound makes the game so engrossing that you actually feel like screaming at moments in the game. OK, I may admit I did jump, but I didn't scream. Try playing this game with all the lights off and then get up to go to bed. You'll understand exactly what I am talking about.

The game will engulf you with storytelling and puzzle solving. The story is not that straightforward and will keep you guessing and playing more to find out the ending. The puzzles are not difficult and don't make you frustrated when you are trying to get the next part of the story. One bad point is that once you play the game, there is no real passion to revisit the story. The story is what really makes the game and is no longer a mystery the second time around. This isn't a reason not to play the Blair Witch; most single player storytelling games are the same way.

This is the first of three Blair Witch titles hitting the shelves this holiday season, but the only one made by Terminal Reality. The game is a without a doubt creepy and adventurous. The price is also around $20.00, which is always a great point, especially for a great game. If you are a Nocturne fan, or a single player adventure fan, then this game is definitely up your alley. A 'must buy' this holiday season.

Install: Medium, The install takes very long and doesn't give you any options of space installations. If it took any longer, I could have watched the movie while I was waiting. (exaggeration).

Gameplay: 7.5, The game is done entirely in third person, which is not really my favorite mode to play in. The story is very engrossing and unfolds as you venture into the game. The controls are pretty simple and have the standard interface options to interact with the many items you find along the way.

Graphics: 8.5, The Nocturne engine doesn't show its age. The graphics and level design are outstanding and really sell the game when looking at screenshots of the eerie surroundings.

Sound: 8.5, The music keeps your heart pounding with sounds of spirits, wind, and music that hit the right chord just when you want to jump out of your seat.

Difficulty: 8.0, The puzzles are not difficult, but that also allows less frustration and more action and storytelling that the game does so well.

Concept: 7.5, Since the game was derived from a movie, you cannot give it really high marks for originality. I do give it credit for not following the movie exactly and only following a mythical aspect of the theatrical release.

Overall: 8.3, The game is very good and is a 'must buy' for those horror fanatics on your shopping list this Christmas. Keep in mind; you have two more coming if you like this one.