I really wanted to love this game. However I can't help but feel a little cheated.
Let's clear up the fact I'm reviewing the game in June 2008. However that shouldn't affect anything.
Gameplay is pretty good. Honestly: it's nothing thrilling. Hold the right trigger to lock on to a body part, and press a button to hack it off. Usually you start with the head, then the arms, then the chest. It's clunky to begin with, and far too easy by the end of the game. That's really all there is to it: it can be frustrating too; sometimes rooms are deliberately very small to fight so that your sword hits the wall not the enemy, which is frankly annoying more then anything. Furthermore upon death you cannot just load: you must watch the Nintendo logo flash up, then the title screen, and then load your game. Cut scenes cannot be skipped, which really plays out a boss battle if you are attempting it numerous times.
The puzzle solving is...good. But how it can be anything other then good, let alone revolutionary is beyond me. At no time was I ever scratching my head: the thing is none of the puzzles are very original. The majority are repetitive as magic is the solution; once you get past that you can just check your spell book, use common sense, cast an experimental spell, and proceed. Sometimes its more complicated: yet you've seen it before. I remember laughing towards the end of the game: a beam of light shining into a tomb. There's a map of the "Forbidden City" and you have a staff with a mirror on. Indiana Jones and the Raider's of the Lost Ark anyone?
Some may disagree with me; but the game isn't, in my opinion, nearly as clever as say Monkey Island.
Magic is excellent: it's nice to see silicon knights didn't just stick to guns and swords. Whilst at first it seems confusing, magic quickly becomes easier to understand, and adds a tactical advantage you will very much need during the course of the game. It adds depth and variety, so kudos on this front.
The graphics are good. In fact for their time they were very good. Whether it's the greens and stone textures of Cambodia, or the brown, sandy textures of the Middle East, the graphics fit, and look great. Great use is made of shadow and lighting effects, especially during one chapter in a haunted chapel. The sound adds spectacularly to the latter: sound and graphics go arm in arm. Whether its the screaming in the hall of the tome of eternal darkness, or the strange and frightening bumps and cries in the Roivas mansion whilst you have low sanity: it works well.
Atmosphere is better then in many games. This is again due to the graphics and sound, but also the sanity effects. Here we have the games unique selling point: the television will appear to mute, doors will bang, pictures change from countryside to hellish landscapes, Alex will turn into a zombie...the list goes on and on. And some are fixed too: cut scenes in the Roivas mansion designed for when Alex has low sanity really are scary when they occur, and fairly intriguing at times too, hinting at future plot twists.
The story has its moments but at other times is rather black and white (I am a human therefore I'm good, I am a zombie therefore I am bad). For the most part you are not on the edge of your seat wishing to play more. The story gets so wrapped up in the struggle against the eternal darkness that it doesn't explore anywhere else. Its always one faction against the other. The characters are meaningless: you play them for 1 hour, and then ditch them, with the exception of any of the Roivas family, who do have more characterisation. The real fun comes in the exploration of the Roivas mansion and the temples, yet often the route seems linear and is uninspiring. There are moments which I won't spoil for you, but these get further and further apart: I do think the game starts better then it ends.
The replay value I wouldn't argue is great either. Once you've played through the good, but not excellent story, once, why play through another three times before the game ends? Well you get a slightly different ending: I looked this 10 second clip up on YouTube after my first play through and was glad to see it wasn't worth playing through another three times. Don't waste your time.
To conclude I have troubles rating this game. I really did think it started very well, but it slowed towards the end and was narrow minded when concerning the story's focus. But most of all it never really excelled anywhere, and although was often at points on the verge of being brilliant, never quite reached there. The graphics, sound and originality concerning the sanity effects give it the 8.0. But, the combat is average, the story is average, the puzzles are average and the fun factor is limited. I wouldn't recommend playing it in 2008.
Score: 82%