I first played this game back in 2004, and have replayed it several times since then. I just finished it again and decided to update my review. If the rating I gave the game and the fact that I have replayed it multiple times didn't give it away, I like it. The Black Mirror is a point-and-click adventure game set in England in 1981, although it might as well be 1991 or 1961, the way the story is told. You play as Sam Gordon, a young nobleman who has returned to his family estate after a long absence to attend the funeral of his grandfather. Refusing to believe that his grandfather committed suicide, Sam starts investigating and finds himself on a quest to rid his family of an ancient curse and stop the mysterious deaths that start happening around him almost as soon as he sets foot on the castle grounds. The game sets the mood perfectly: you'll be spending most of your time exploring castles, medieval churches, ancient crypts, abandoned mines and the like, with only a few reminders of the modern age. Every background is packed with detail and looks good even today, to say nothing of 2003 when the game came out, and I have replayed it just to see some of them again. You will see some locations at different times of day and in different weather, further adding to the variety. The characters, unfortunately, are more crudely drawn, and their movements are slow and awkward, although one cannot call them horrible. The music is very good and adds to the atmosphere.
The story is engaging and focused. Sam is set on uncovering the ancient secret that his grandfather was researching, and all his interactions with the other characters are subordinated to that goal. It is a lonely road, and therein lies its attraction; it creates a sense of intimacy and higher purpose that sets you apart from – and above – everyone else. The main twist is rather predictable, and the ending somewhat anticlimactic, but this is one of those cases where the journey matters more than the destination.
What detracts from the story is the writing and the voice acting. The texts and dialogue were obviously written by someone for whom English is not a native language, which shows in awkwardly phrased sentences and improper use of certain words. Would it have ruined them to hire a proofreader? The voice acting doesn't fare much better. Although the actors are native English speakers, they manage to convey little emotion, and that is especially true of the actor voicing Sam, who sounds like he is speaking to someone with a limited knowledge of English, or hard of hearing, the way he carefully enunciates every word. He also seems to be struggling with a British accent. It is a good thing the story is not character-driven.
The gameplay is OK. Most of the puzzles are inventory-based, but there are a few mechanical ones, as well, and on the first walkthrough I found them moderately challenging. What I find delightful is the amount of deception and downright sadism that you have to employ to achieve your goals, and the game's matter-of-fact attitude toward it (in one instance Sam electrocutes a doctor and casually remarks, “I hope he is all right”). I don't know whether it is intentional, but it certainly adds a healthy dose of black humor into the mix. What I don't find delightful is the amount of pixel-hunting you have to do, sometimes several times over, because certain objects don't become interactable until you need them. What I find downright maddening is that sometimes you have to give another character a task that requires waiting, and instead of skipping straight to the point when the task is complete, the game makes you aimlessly wander about until it is. This has got to be one of the worst design decisions in the history of video games.
I guess the review has to end with a conclusion, so here it is: The Black Mirror is an excellent Gothic adventure game that is definitely worth playing despite its flaws and its age.