Evidence: The Last Ritual
The Adventure Company, 2007. Windows Me / XP / 98 / 2000. Rated M for Mature. Available online at Amazon.com.

I can't remember the last time my brain has hurt this much while playing a game. Now that I think about it, I can't remember being this freaked out while playing a game, either... Unless, of course, you count the time I played the first game from this same horror/mystery genre series, a game called Missing. In Missing, the objective was to try and find out what happened to missing reporter Jack Lorski. This time, in Evidence: The Last Ritual, you've discovered that Jack Lorski was brutally murdered - and now you're out to capture the killer known as the Phoenix.

The "game" comes to you in the form of an FBI sealed evidence kit. There are four discs inside, along with a warning that they should be viewed "by authorized personnel only," as the discs have come directly from the Phoenix. The "game" is clearly the Phoenix's way of fucking with the authorities who are tracking him. But the theory is that if enough people play the game, we'll be able to put together enough clues to locate and arrest the Phoenix for good.

When you run the "game" for the first time, you're forced to register with the International Committee for the Phoenix Arrest (ICPA) to officially become one of the team investigators. From then on, as you play the game, fictional members from the ICPA e-mail you with hints for navigating the investigation, as well as provide anecdotes and information for networking. Further, by visiting the ICPA website, you can network with and contact additional investigators (real people who are also "playing the game") to help solve the crimes.

I don't recommend you play this game alone, for two reasons. One, you'll scare the ever loving shit out of yourself. And two, in my opinion the mystery and puzzles throughout are much too hard for one person to try and crack all by themselves. Sure, you could do it. But you'd likely drive yourself crazy in the process. Seriously, though. There are puzzles in this game that are not only terribly difficult but truly terrifying; some have haunted my dreams. Like the one where the disembodied eyes blink in quick succession as you try and figure out what they're trying to say. Or how you are shown brutal images of victims tied up and as you roll your mouse over them, the victims shriek and twitch and moan.

Jesus.

But I'll give the game this much: It's deliciously unique - and clever. I am still surprised with the level of ingenuity the programmers clearly had while crafting this game. Much of it is played on the Internet or at least requires a significant amount of online research in order to track the investigation. The rest is put together by solving brutal puzzles in the "game," as well as watching very well-done documentary-styled films that relate to the story. Tip: Don't even try to get through the game with a notebook on your side; you'll be gathering so much information that there's no way you could keep track of it all otherwise. Not like I'd know... but I imagine that this is as close to being a part of a real investigation as humanly possible while still playing a game.

Screenshots

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