New Media Generation, 2000
Escape from the Haunted House is a mild horror adventure game developed and published by a famous Russia based software developing House. In the game you play in the perspective of Sir Edward's nephew and inherits his huge house, which people in that area believe is haunted. You get trapped inside as soon as you enter the house and the only way to escape the house is to solve all the mysterious puzzles set for you in every room. Hints and clues to solve the problems and puzzles are also hidden but not in the same room or place. In the beginning many rooms are closed and you need to find the keys for these rooms by exploring the house and solving puzzles. The rooms are created in excellent 3D graphics, which are elegantly decorated with rich Victorian era furniture, wall painting, antiquities, glass cupboards, cabinets, bookshelves, etc. Puzzles are not so hard for hardcore adventure gamers for most of them are adopted from earlier adventure games by slightly amending the idea. Gameplay is annoyingly linear so if your are stuck at some place means that you have nothing else to do but to solve that particular problem to move forward in the game. Ambient music plays continually throughout the game and adds little suspense in the atmosphere. Sound effects and speech is good, though there is no one else in the game to talk to, which makes the game monotonous. Overall the game is nice and playable but you may skip it if you have something better in hand to play.
