Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun (PC)

This is the old style but still attractive point and click type of puzzle solving adventure game. Based on a famous novel as the tittle implies. Players are challenged to solve mysteries in game, finding clues, collecting and combing items for later use, talk to NPCs, etc. It may sound simple but it's not that easy actually. Some of the puzzles are quite difficult to solve makes the game quite challenging. For players who love a game that requires ...
...interesting and maybe even addictive.

I don't think it's needed to tell the summary of the story here, as it will be a spoiler as story line is the main element of this game.

Story line somewhat look linear but it's not very linear, however since the story is divided into several acts. Once all items which can be collected during that act are collected, important conversations with the NPCs are done, and so on.... players ... more

This is the old style but still attractive point and click type of puzzle solving adventure game. Based on a famous novel as the tittle implies. Players are challenged to solve mysteries in game, finding clues, collecting and combing items for later use, talk to NPCs, etc. It may sound simple but it's not that easy actually. Some of the puzzles are quite difficult to solve makes the game quite challenging. For players who love a game that requires a lot of brain power they may find this game interesting and maybe even addictive.

I don't think it's needed to tell the summary of the story here, as it will be a spoiler as story line is the main element of this game.

Story line somewhat look linear but it's not very linear, however since the story is divided into several acts. Once all items which can be collected during that act are collected, important conversations with the NPCs are done, and so on.... players will be automatically carried to the next act. Game scene took place between an island and a small town on the main island. Sharp eyes are sometimes needed when playing this game, as some items are nicely masked by the surrounding areas making it harder for players to find it.

Game exploration only consists of field exploration, no world map or whatsoever, the character will have to walk/run from one place to another, no shortcut like clicking a map or alike.

The Characters:

Hercule Poirot : A very famous detective the character that players control in the game

Arthur Hastings : Poirot's closest friend (You), although players are acting as Arthur but the character that players control will be Poirot.

Colonel Weston : Chief Constable and Head of the Home Guard

Adelaide Hughes : Owner of the combination Chemist / Lending Library / Post Office

Albert Bagby : Bartender of the Monk's Hood Pub

Will Jenks : Garage attendant and the driver of the sea tractor taking passengers between Leathercombe Bay and Seadrift Island.

Hillary Castle : Manager of the Smuggler's Rest Hotel

Gladys Narracott : Hotel Chambermaid and Will's girlfriend

Henry Bailey : Hotel Bartender

George Strumm : Hotel Beach Attendant

Arlena "Stuart" Marshall : Actress and Victim

Major Montague Barry : Dog trainer and avid observer of the fair sex.

Reverend Stephen Lane : Ex-clergyman and the exact opposite of Major Barry when concerning women.

Oakley Gardener : Retired theater owner

Carrie Gardener : Wife of Oakley

Horace Blatt : Hotel guest and sailing enthusiast

Emily Brewster : A dance school teacher on vacation

Patrick Redfern : Married to Christine and infatuated with Arlena

Christine Redfern : Patrick's wife

Rosamund Darnley : Women's clothing designer and friend of Kenneth Marshall

Kenneth Marshall : Husband of Arlena Stuart and father of Linda Marshall

Linda Marshall : 16 year-old forced to come along on holiday with her father and step-mother (whom she loathes).

Game Controls:

Cursor Descriptions :
This game is entirely mouse controlled - point and click. At the top of the screen you will find a some sort of menu indicated by icons.

-Neutral Cursor : indicating no specific action necessary
-Back Cursor : curved arrow indicating that you can back out of a close-up view.
-Speech Cursor : a mouth indicating that you can speak (or at least attempt to speak) to another character.
-Use Cursor : Gear indicating that you may 'use' an item that you have in your inventory.
-Walk Cursor : Poirot's legs indicate you may move in that direction. A double-click on the left mouse button will help to transition faster between scenes.
-View Cursor : an eye indicating that you can move in for a closer view of an area or item to examine it more carefully.
- Eavesdrop Cursor : an ear indicating that you may eavesdrop on a conversation.
-Shadow Cursor : a shadow outline indicating that you may follow a person. Following is automatic and only for short time.
-Door Cursor : a doorknob indicating that you may enter a door if it is unlocked.
-Take Cursor : a hand indicating that you may pick something up and will be placed in your inventory.

At the top of the screen there are five windows on it. Each window has a picture that indicates its usage

-First Window : a picture of the Smuggler's Inn Tower Room - clicking on it will take you out to the main menus to save or load a game, change game settings or exit the game.
-Second Window : a picture of Hastings, if you are in Poirot's office, clicking on it will take you back to the Poirot's room on the island, or a picture of Poirot if you're on the island which will bring you back to his office.
-Third Window : a picture of a valise. This is your inventory. You can click on it or just click the right mouse button to open it up. To look closer at anything in your inventory, double click on it and it will open a window that shows it in more detailed view, with some explanation regarding the item.
-Fourth Window : a picture of a notebook. This holds Poirot's instructions, information you gather on the suspects, documents and your stopwatch timings.
-Fifth Window : a picture of a stopwatch. If Poirot mentions that a location would be a good place to do a stopwatch timing from there to Cutter's Cove, click on it. The timing is done automatically and recorded in your notebook. If you look at your stopwatch timings in your notebook and see 'TBD' (to be determined), it means that you haven't done it.

Finger of Suspicion :
If you're stuck and want to try to work it out on your own, you can go back to Poirot's office and click on the Finger of Suspicion which is on his desk. There will be cards with the name of the people on the island and each time you put a name on the bowl, the finger will spin and eventually stop on one of five options: Eavesdrop, Talk, Assist, Observe, or Search Room. It is giving you a hint on what you need to do regarding the character whose name is on the card.

Graphic : I would give 7/10, quite detailed and drawn beautifully especially the environments and the weather effect. But for characters, hmm.... not that impressive.

Sound : I'd say 6/10, the voice acting is a bit stiff and may sound boring after awhile. Lack of expression on my opinion. Environmental sounds are nicely done, like the sound of waves brushing on the shore, etc.

Gameplay : 7/10, controls are simple but the puzzle parts are quite challenging.

Replay-ability : 5/10, I think this is a sort of game that once I finished will stay in my CD case for quite sometime until I have the desire to replay it again.

Overall, this game is not to shabby. Especially for old style adventure point and click games fans. And perhaps since it's based from a famous novel, the fans of the novel may find it interesting. Not really my cup of tea though :-)

Happy playing. 

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