A Vampyre Story
Ages: Teen

By now, you know that this is an episodic tale and that this is the first part - to be continued at a later date - so you have no reason to be ticked-off when the tale ends abruptly in mid air.

The Adventure Company has brought us an elegant naïve female vampire, who, in a twist on the Phantom of the Opera, believes her destiny is to sing at the Paris Opera. Her total denial of her being a vampire provides many amusing bits which will probably work only in this first episode. First she has to get rid of Shrowdy, her vampire captor, and escape from Shrowdy's castle. This essentially occupies this first installment. In the process she finds out some of the ins and outs of being a vampire when a friendly gypsy gives her Vampire for Dummies. These guys hardly miss a trick.

The graphics are hand drawn, the voices in keeping with the wacky characters and the gags and jokes come non-stop. The whole section in the torture chamber with the unbelievable conversations between Mona and the Iron Maiden will have you calling others over just to share it.

If the game feels hauntingly familiar to some of you, it’s the LucasArts scent. Bill Tiller, previously at LucasArts is now at Autumn Moon. It's also a little bit like Sam & Max in its outrageousness which is also redolent of LucasArts. Unsurprising since Steve Purcell of Monkey Island is at Telltale Games. Autumn Moon could learn few tricks from the episodic Sam&Max adventures, where each episode gives the player enough closure to be satisfying while picking up pieces to be used in future episodes.

Fun Factor: A different vampire story
Female Factor: Mona - gorgeous; could be smarter
Player Friendly: OK

Reviewed by: Editor - 02/09