Black Dahlia

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 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!

The first game I ever played, I am in my 50's. I had just gotten a computer and had never played any video games so it was my first experience. I thought the whole thing was great. Everything was new to me, I had nothing in my own experiences to compare it with. I was really into it, then my computer locked up and I would have to start all over again until I got the knack of saving where I was at. The Easter Eggs were fun. When I could no longer move forward I did find a cheater. That made it even more fun. This kind of story is something a person my age can really get into, I had not found any up until I got Black Dahlia that even interested me at all. Are there more games like this, or are there any in the works? I would like to try them.

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.

This is one of the greatest games so few people have played. It's a mystery game that involves Nazi plots, a mysterious gem, and the Torso killings of 1940s Cleveland. It got great reviews and has very good graphics quality. Eight CDs long! Worth it; even if you cheat you still feel like you acomplished a lot by beating it.