The "Legacy" Continues: This One is Be"witch"ing!
ATTENTION: "Faces of Illusion: The Twin Phantoms" has just been released by Artifex Mundi.
The context here is one of eccentricity and delusion as you are startled by bewildering imagery, such as the stairs composed of floating pillows leading up to a couch; clumsy tree creatures with grim faces and overgrown limbs; and wacky, creature-like contraptions or statues that spring to life upon touch. Even though the omnipresence of occult-like symbolism is prevailing, such as with a witch's cauldron, the dream catchers, and the ghosts of tortured souls, I still think that this installment is less spooky and macabre than its predecessors. The graphics are subpar in sharpness and clarity; they appear muddy and unrefined in detail. The coloration, once again, is overwhelmed with steadfast shades of blue, which are brightened by the vibrant and shining full moon; and this creates a shadowy, inauspicious mood. You may customize your settings to enable your desired preferences. The inventory is labeled and interactive; items require assembly. The teleport map gives speedy travel to labeled locations and indicates available actions. The HOS consist of varying fashions, and they are creatively executed to advance your knowledge of the witches' powers. For example, I love the one where you first find individual potions in accordance with narration; then you find the items on the list. The puzzles are diverse and entertaining; many are story driven, such as the one where you play consecutive mini-games involving cog wheels as you gain parts of the backstory. The collectibles are fairly conspicuous in placement; but depending on the visibility of the scene, they can blend well into the background. Transition between scenes has been consistently lagging in this series, and this installment is no exception; you can expect delays of up to a few seconds. Overall, the story holds my interest, especially since the effectiveness of the interwoven animations, such as an owl hooting upon touch, further creates an immersive experience. Furthermore, gameplay is highly engaging with many interactive elements incorporated throughout. If you have patience for the sluggish transition, then I think you might actually enjoy this game. My true rating is 4 stars; I deducted a star due to the unfortunate flaw regarding plodding transition.KimTwilight69
