Black Dahlia

I have played this game several times and it never gets boring. The plot is wonderful. If you like fmv games, then this one you will love. The acting is good, the graphics are beautiful and there are some special effects which are simply superb. Dennis Hopper and Teri Garr just appear briefly in the game. If you bought this game just because you are a Dennis Hopper fan, you don't have to be disappointed, because this is one storyline which is even better than "Seven". To give a little indication of what to expect. The producers of "Ripper" have outdone themselves. They have created a better game with better actors. Buy this game. If you are a movie buff like me, then this is one interactive movie you have to own.

This game is more a movie with puzzles in between than an adventure.

The story is superb, it spans almost 10 years and there are locations in the USA and Germany. The plot revolves around a black gem, the Black Dahlia, that has mystical powers, and an ancient brotherhood of knights. Throw in some Nazis and you have a true Indiana Jones type of story. The actors are ok. Darren Eliker delivers a good performance as the main character Jim Pearson, and there are cameos by Dennis Hopper and Teri Garr. The acting is sometimes a bit cheesy, but that gives the movie a real B-movie feel.

The puzzles are moderately difficult and occasionally nearly impossible, so I would recommend playing the game with a walkthrough (but don't use it too quickly!).

The game is fairly long (8 CD-ROMS!), so it will keep you occupied for quite a while. Definitely recommended, especially for the good story and atmosphere!

Hopefully some lucky person who hasn't experienced this game yet will read my comments and go out and purchase it. I actually saw it the other day inside a big bin of ugly and timeworn clearance software that nobody really wants. I tell you, it hurt me to see a game of this nature dumped into some crate of obsolete things. It is old but I probably play through the game at least once every month- it's that fascinating and good.

I guess the experience of playing Black Dahlia is like being totally immersed inside a mystery movie. I have great nostalgia for the 1940s era and the game is set entirely within this time and all the characters are dressed sharply and speak cleverly in the quick and slightly queer way of the period. The lead is played by a very charming man, Darren Eliker, and you take charge of him in a way and you really start to feel like your traveling all over the place with this guy, or as this guy I should say, and it's excellent fun. I implore you to try out this game. I only wish they would make more like it, FMV style. There are hardly any decent adventure games being made with animation let alone with actors. I was told that a game like Black Dahlia simply costs too much to make, basically the same as shooting a film. Yet, it would be obvious to anyone who plays the game the work and quality that's gone into it on every level. I think the story's really great too and that plays a big part in its appeal. In fact, I would love to see this game turned into a feature film- like it almost is already.

Being a video game enthusiast i've often pondered what were the best and worst endings to a video game I've ever seen. Deciding on the best would take some time, but as far as the worst goes i don't have to rack my brain for very long before I remember that I once played thru a little known PC game called Black Dahlia. I use the word 'played' loosely because about after the 3rd puzzle the game becomes so damn difficult I had to seek internet walkthroughs from that point on to the horrific end of the game. On a difficulty scale i would rate this game a Migraine. Seriously I doubt anyone including the people that have posted their thoughts here before me have went through this game without seeking some type of help online. Having Hopper and Garr make cameos was just a marketing ploy they lend little if anything to the game. For it's time i guess the graphics were pretty good and the setting is just perfect for a great FMV video game but these people really blew it. In fact I think the company must have gone belly up in the final days of production and the office janitor went ahead and decided how the game would end. I used to love FMV games and i still do but in the year 2005 they have pretty much been phased out. I'm still always on the look out for FMV games i may have missed over the years and on the off chance you're on the lookout too stay the hell away from this one!

This game is a blast! It's very long, but very cool, about 1/2 of it is short film segments, which makes the story way more interesting. There are tons of puzzles, but if you don't want to solve them, just find a cheat sheet, the games is still awesome without solving everything yourself. The lead (Jim) is very good, and cute. ;) I recommend this game to anyone who likes higher-minded fare than shootem-ups.