The Raven Legacy of a Master Thief – Chapter 3 Review
The Raven Legacy of a Master Thief – Chapter 3
Publisher: The Adventure Company
Developer: KING Art
Genre:
PEGI: 6+
Comments:
The Raven Legacy of a Master Thief: Chapter 3 Review – Introduction
The time has finally come for The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief to reach its conclusion. This Agatha Christie inspired mystery has had its ups and downs, but has been a relatively enjoyable experience thus far, flaws notwithstanding. The second chapter followed through with the solid writing featured during chapter one’s final act, but does it continue here in the third chapter, A Murder of Ravens? Do the puzzles get better, or are they the same humdrum offerings? The answer: not really.
Still Stuck in the Past
The final episode picks up where the last ended, with players continuing to revisit events from chapter one and the first half of chapter two with a new protagonist that played a role in the nefarious deeds that transpired. While this concept is still interesting, some of it feels out of place due to minor continuity errors and characters talking and behaving differently around the new playable characters.
The oddest moment comes when playing as Protagonist Number Two’s girlfriend, which I guess would make her Protagonist Number Three. During this section, she’s roaming the boat, talking to everyone in attempt to uncover private information. When she talks to Lady Westmacott – the famous mystery writer that played a role in the first two chapters – things go awry, and Mrs. Westmacott comes off as a shrewd, bitter, snooty woman, as opposed to the sweet old lady she had been previously.
I suppose this is a way to make Westmacott a more well-rounded character, but this sudden change in personality is jarring. Worse, most of the time spent with Protagonist Number Three contains conversations between characters that ultimately wind up being unimportant to the plot, not to mention character development. Still, it is nice to see why exactly she is important to the story, and her puzzles on the boat are some of the best in the game.
I Knew It!
Despite some of these problems with the narrative, the pieces start coming together, the confusing mystery behind the murder on the ship and the jewel theft starts making sense, and the writers weren’t afraid to throw in even more plot twists.
A lot of it is predictable, but the story remains entertaining in a cheesy sort of way. It’s also nice that the conclusion and “big reveal” wasn’t telegraphed by overt foreshadowing, even though it is moderately laughable since it is a tad unbelievable.
More Glitches, More Problems
The puzzles, meanwhile, are pretty much the same, and come with even more glitches, the worst occurring when the character walks around in circles for a few seconds before finally going through with the action, like throwing a ball, climbing a ladder or flipping a light switch.
The sense of urgency to solve these head-scratchers is lessened, as well, since we already know what’s going to happen. The illogical nature of some is still present, including one that’s easy to get stuck on, involving a wire that the character should be able to bend on their own, but instead has to find another means.
Conclusion
In many respects, the final episode to The Rais a step back from all of the positive elements found previously. A lot of the enjoyment remains, but overall chapter three is a disappointment and feels rushed, both in terms of writing and gameplay. Taken as a whole, The Raven is a passable adventure game and not much else.
Positives
- A decent story for those into old-school mysteries
- Colorful visuals and nice set design
- Pleasant music that fits the mood
Negatives
- Bland puzzles
- Too many glitches
- Feels rushed