The ordinary case of Margaret Luoni

This review is based on playing through approximately one-third of the game because that was where I got stuck and didn't feel motivated to keep clicking everything on everything. Some objects have quite a few parts which might be active zones, and, without hotspot highlighting, a context-sensitive cursor or any feedback for failed interactions, wading through the game takes a lot of clicks. Moreover, the inventory size being limited to five items doesn't seem to have any gameplay purpose other than creating a major nuisance for the player.

Gameplay-wise, the game is closest to a first-person puzzle adventure. We don't directly control the character and don't see him interacting with objects. There are very few interactions with NPCs and no "lateral thinking" inventory puzzles; mostly we're dealing with logic or code puzzles in first-person closeups.

The game has quite a few technical issues. Clicking on an inventory item in the sidebar can make the character walk across the screen and obscure an active zone. Then it takes some fiddling to get him to move again, as -- see above -- it's not a point-and-click adventure with a freely controllable character. Alternate-interface puzzles don't show item descriptions, so, with several similar items, it's necessary to memorize which was which. The investigation board is apparently supposed to provide hints, but it tells me about items which I haven't seen and can't obtain yet or NPCs I haven't met yet, and none of that helps me if I'm stuck.

There are many translation issues and other inaccuracies; even the name Luoni is misspelled as "Luoney" in one instance.