Despite the annoying battle, the story is one of the best I've come across in a game in a long time. Cruel but beautiful
This is probably the most beautiful storyline I've come across in a game in a very long time. It's puzzling at first but once you figure it all out and what meant what, it's absolutely gorgeous. It's a cruel and harsh story but so pretty. The somewhat grainy look of the cutscenes only adds to the great feel of 1900 England and what the game really is to Jennifer. (You'll get what I mean later)
The gameplay, in all it's horrid aspects, was something I found to be manageable. Many people despised it but I found the key was managing your health items and knowing when to run or fight. It is difficult to see where you're aiming, since it's a hit or miss concept. But you should know due to blood or screaming, take your pick.
People often times compare this game to Haunting Ground (another great title!) which I can see why, but then again, I don't. The main character, Jennifer, finds a yellow Lab named Brown. But this puppy is different from the Hewie everyone HG player has loved. Brown does not fight. He is used to "track" items, which is very useful even if you are lost in the area. I've used him many times to get me back to a familiar area by having him "find" the scent of a key so he'd lead me to a familiar door. Brown can fight in some ways. He grabs on and tugs but it's more useful to buy you time. Many of the smaller enemies only become tedious after a while which is why it's suggested to simply run past them. The main bosses aren't exactly difficult, It again goes back to managing items and time. Jennifer is terribly weak which is annoying but after a while, you'll find a way around that.