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The last in the long line of great Telarium/Windham Classic adventures and
based on an Agatha Christie novella, this
game doesn't quite live up to the wonderful Below the Root , which uses a similar
but more outdated choose-the-verb engine. It is nonetheless a solid detective game
with interesting plot twists and nice interface (e.g. you can "listen" in on the
conversations, and question the characters' alibi). It is also the first (and last,
alas) Telarium game to use EGA/VGA graphics and excellent NPC routine that is
well-integrated into puzzles - you must, for example, observe each suspect's
routine by following them, then eavesdrop on their conversation at the right time
and place to gain new topics you can ask other NPCs about. The Scoop also displays
an unthoughtful design, as the rather harsh time limit means that you might have to
restore many times to get everything done, which means that you unrealistically know
what will happen before the event. Still, its interesting plot, fun character
routines, and well-written dialogues more than make up for its shortcomings. |
