Shivers II incorporates 360-degree navigation for a seamless saunter through an uncanny landscape. On your way to Shivers II's solution, you will notice cutting-edge video imbedding, beautiful morphing and scenery that will make you want to buy a 20-inch monitor. All this technology isn't wasted on a dud, either, as the plot in Shivers II is hauntingly intelligent. Drawing on Native American myths and legends, Harvest of Souls may educate as well as entertain.
People are disappearing in Cyclone, a secluded town at the mouth of Devil's Canyon, and when your friends from the rock band Trip Cyclone fall victim to an ancient Native American curse, you are thrust into a battle against the enemy in hopes of setting them free. In this battle, however, guns and cannons are not the weapons of choice, but rather twelve prayer-sticks: powerful items that must be won through puzzle solving logic, which, unless used properly, will do more harm to you than good. When you possess a prayer-stick, your life essence begins to decrease, and it's a race against time to find the prayer-stick's individual altar. If you lollygag, you can die. And watch out for petroglyphs; they will strike from the walls of Devil's Canyon, draining life force as well.
The puzzles in Shivers II engage on different levels. Many are of the classic puzzle mold: rearrange mixed-up balls into a proper order, solve a tangram, reorder sliding tiles to complete a symbol, etc. Clues to these individual puzzles are always close at hand, but they do require concentration, and objects from the inventory won't assist you. These puzzles are also altered for each new game, a nice tip of the hat toward replayability (you can also design your own puzzles to confound your friends who may join in over the Internet).
The larger mystery of Shivers II is rather complex, but again, many clues are provided to help you. A sweet-voiced specter, answering machine messages, and the rock videos of Trip Cyclones' songs aid you throughout. And the music isn't all that bad, either.
Shivers II is a dark mystery, and one that challenges on many different levels. It is exquisitely designed and wonderfully full of all the right touches.
