And Then There Were None (Wii)

This review is for the Nintendo Wii game, Agatha Christie – And Then There Were None. The game was released for the Wii in February 2008, having already been released on the PC.

This game is based on the Agatha Christie of the same name, and is the first time that this title has been turned into a computer game. The Wii version of the game is a graphic adventure game, so you have to read the text and then click on items using the Wii remote to be able to progress through the game.

The game is based quite closely on the book, and permission had to be given by the owners of the Christie’s estate to be able to make changes to the book. The main one is that you play the part of Patrick Narracott, a character which turns up on the island and then discovers that at least someone has murderous intent.

In terms of game play, it’s a long time since I’ve seen point and click adventures, the last time I remember playing these was really on the Amiga, on games such as The Secret of Monkey Island. However, just because the concept is dated, that doesn’t necessarily make the game dated, and I quite enjoyed the return to this old format.

In terms of the challenge in the game, this is a very difficult game. There is a lot of game play to be had, although much of this can be spent wandering around not really progressing. There’s likely to be between twenty to thirty hours of game play to be had in this game, especially if you’re not a naturally able games player such
as myself!

In terms of controlling the game, there is some effort by the developers to use the features of the Wii remote, but these are limited. Sometimes in the game you have to move the remote in a way to open or move an item, which adds some fun to the game, but this feature isn’t used as extensively or imaginatively as it might well have done.

The challenge though is arguably a little much, as I am myself stuck in the game. Although at the beginning the game is very addictive and is fun to explore, after a while, it gets less interesting once it becomes hard to make progress. Certainly I’m not that inclined to return to the game to be able to progress, suggesting that for me at least, it’s too difficult. I understand though that there are numerous different endings to the game, so there is some reason to replay the game for those that do complete it.

The graphics in the game are adequate, as is the sound, but nothing more. This game is though the sort of challenge which involves the careful reading of the clues, exploration around the hotel and lots of trial and error. Better graphics and sound would have added to the atmosphere of the game, but given that the concept is quite old, I felt that the game got away with quite weak graphics.

The game retails for 39.95 pounds, although is available from Amazon at the time of writing for just under half of this. If you’re happy with a second hand copy, these are available for around fifteen to twenty pounds on sites such as eBay and Amazon. The game is rated as 12+, so is suitable for older children only.

In summary, this isn’t a bad game, and it’s nice to see the return of point and click adventure games. The game is a little too difficult and possibly not as polished a game as I would have liked. It’s still quite expensive to buy, even second-hand, so unless you’re a fan of this genre of game, it might be worth waiting a while for the price to fall, as you’re not missing out on a classic game.

(also on dooyoo under same user name)