Ben Jordan Case 6: Scourge of the Sea People *Bug Fixed*

[dunnoson]

WHOO HOO!!  THankies for another ben jordan game!

I am downloading!!

[Huw Dawson]

Isn't it typical the one day I randomly decide to check these forums after about three months of inactivity, Ben Jordan 6 comes out?

Great game, and I'm really looking forward to the seventh now! We're only going to have to wait until 2009 or so to get it.

- Huw

[Greenskull]

Nice Ben Jordan

Cool with Indy Like Map

Nice Backgrounds and nice Story

[TheJBurger]

Hooray, I finished it with 106/107. If anybody can tell me where that last point is...

Spoiler

By the way, is there any use for the other two flowers?

[close]

The gameplay was quite smooth (loved the photography puzzle) and I was expecting myself to get stumped what to do next, but that never happened.

The future plot references were interesting, yet I forgot each character's signifigance and exactly what happened in the previous games.

Spoiler

1) Due to the larger emphasis on natural backgrounds, it's rather difficult to make out where the exits are - or rather which screen edges doesn't have exits. Perhaps a highlighting of exits similar to the highlighting of hotspots (for example labelled "To bungalow") would help a little.

[close]

Definitely agreed.

2) A walk-skip function would be very welcome. After a while, traversing the beach does get a bit tedious, similar to the path to the village in BJ5.

Yes, this would've been very nice. It was a tad annoying to go between certain areas like the kitchen and getting back on the boat knowing it would take forever.

Spoiler

3) The drinking contest was a fun idea (and any illogical part is forgotten after Simon's comment on the silly rules). However it would be nice if you could "cancel" the game and place the mirror after the guy explains the rules. Of course you can place it beforehand, since the function of the nail is so obvious, but it would be nice to do things in the natural sequence instead of going through a drinking game that you know you will lose.

[close]

Yes, I thought the same thing when I did it. That would be a nice feature.

All in all, another great Ben Jordan game, and I'm very interested to see where the plot goes from here.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Congratulations on a BJ well done.

[Klaz]

Great! I had forgotten about the Ben Jordan games until I saw this!

[m0ds]

Probably the best AGS game I've ever played, but I think you cheat that a little by including so many locations & references I can related too congrats Grundislav!!

Though I don't have the time right now to play this version I'm interested to know what the music is like in this one, since you know how much I loved your dev music, which made it really atmospheric and mellow

[SSH]

Typo: Ben says "to" when he means "too" at one point. But I can't remember when

[nihilyst]

Another great installment of the BJ series. What I really liked was the music, especially those on the Minotaur island and in the labyrinth. Really atmospheric.

It was not really hard, but that made it only better, since you didn't have to walk around like an idiot randomly trying to use items on the surroundings.

Great!

[voh]

Seconded on most "shorten walk time" comments, but otherwise, well, wow.

Simply, wow. Everything just seemed to work in this one. There was enough mythology to create interest but not too much. The photography puzzle was very clever.

Also...

Spoiler

The way of reviving the sea person by way of green glowing rock was eerily Dig-like. I'm sure you know this, but it still made me chuckle

[close]

I definitely want to play 7 and 8 now. I've stuck with it for 6 games, I ain't quitting now!

[joelphilippage]

Pretty good! I was sad that you didn't include voice acting again though.

[InCreator]

Finished it! Here's my review... (CONTAINS SPOILERS!)

I'd say I was a bit disappointed after finishing the game. Previous case offered alot more polish and fireworks.
For example...

* Ageia Anna looks totally deserted. People disappearing? Where's the law? I'd blame lazy writing. In every little town with strange happenings, there's usually a friendly/not friendly local police constable or someone like this. For additional information and atmosphere.
* The final countdown ended weirdly. Ben fragged a paranormal creature and... just left him lying there?
* There was no alternatives, no parallel solutions, no extra hints anywhere. All you could touch or do was simply a solution to next puzzle. That left the game awfully empty. Few pointless hotspots, characters, descriptions and events, some of which also donating to alternative solutions to problems, would make this alot more interesting.
* Notes stopped updating quickly. There were initial objectives what to do at first, but later in game, I simply wondered what to do next.
* Exits, yes, were almost impossible to figure out. Add ultraslow movement speed and...
* Background art is better than ever. Only weak point was transition from water to land.
* Ben's walkcycle lacks color, especially on one foot.
* Music was up to quality, I really enjoyed it!
* Who sleeps on bed with all clothes and boots on? Even if it's tough to animate, you could find a workaround...
* More drama! It almost felt that Ben & crew hardly cared about what was going on.

In conclusion, I like Case 5 alot better, but this one isn't too bad. It's long and interesting, simply lacks polish from all areas except music. In whole series, 2nd place.

[guest]

Very nice game. Camera and mirror puzzles were really clever and well done. Loved the Babel Fish line.

[MYKAYEL]

Got some questions (Spoilers below)

I finished the game but some things don't make sense to me:
- Who stole the artifact? (I suspect the professor about 60 to 70%, and Alice 40%)
- The oracle sayid something about betrayal.

Hope you answer these in the next case

[Eva]

Apart from animated movements, plot and such mentioned above I like Ben Jordan because there are hints within the game that'll move you forward. Ths Ben Jordan cases can be played without a walkthrough, maybe a hint or two in this forum.
Other games I've played leaves me mystified at times and I find myself going in circles and trying everything in the inventory without much thought, just because I'm soooo frustrated. With Ben Jordan I don't end up frustrated, I just play and enjoy - which I hope is the authors intention.

Well done!

[julian]

Great game so far...
I'm stuck on Minotaur Island with 58 points, I don't know where to go and what to do. I probably missed an exit. Can anyone help me?

Thanks

[GuyLaDouche]

Once again, good game, but I don't really have to say that. People know they've got a good game here if it's all the way up to a part 6. The puzzles in this were well placed, well explained, with easy to find inventory, and most importantly: the puzzles were logical. My biggest complaint with the puzzles is that I usually picked up the items without any knowledge of needing them whatsoever or what they were needed for. Often times, this would lead to the game putting two and two together LONG before I would.

Spoiler

Such as using the seaweed with the rock to make a sling, but finding Ben covered it completely for some reason.

[close]

Spoiler

I also found the minotaur's maze to be disappointing as well. It was, once again, logical, but I thought it to be too logical (with all the rooms being four-walled at the exact same angle). I could basically visualize it in my head very quickly because of it's small size. I may be limiting myself to comparisons, but it's very much dwarfed by the one from King's Quest VI

[close]

Unfortunately, because every puzzle was very well explained, so was every threat beforehand, which took away a GREAT amount of the suspense. My best example of this is...

Spoiler

The Siren's Song, as the boatsman explained the exact horror that was supposedly there. The first thing I did was save, so I was basically invincible and unafraid, then went to kill Ben, expecting it completely.

[close]

Without the suspense, almost all of the plot was predictable to me (because it was once again, VERY WELL explained each scene happened). Especially when...

Spoiler

Simon went to stand right at the edge of the beach, after two drunks did so beforehand and "disappeared", and after Ben had a dream about the same thing. The one thing that could've been avoided was showing the exact form of the sea monster during Ben's dream. That could've saved a lot of suspense, if the title screen didn't show the outline of the creature anyways.

[close]

Those notes aside, the graphics were wonderful and the animations smooth. The puzzles were very logical and not too confusing (I didn't need any hints for this one) If the game sticks to those good points and works on making a more suspenseful and unpredictable plot line, Ben Jordan 7 could prove to be a GREAT game in general for me.

Also:

Spoiler

Are there correct responses to the professor's questions during the restaurant conversation? And is there a way to make Simon drunk at the drinking contest?

[close]

I admit, I complain a lot, and without releasing any form of entertainment with the use of AGS, what right do I have to complain? I have no honest idea, really.

[Jon]

I have to agree with Jojoboy, as great as the artwork was, the puzzles were very easy. And I was also surprised with the length of the game, it seemed much shorter than any other BJ game.

P.S. Why did Alice headbutt Ben at the last cutscene? 

Edit: Also, is there a bonus of some sort if you get 107/107?

[SSH]

Spoiler

Walkbehind bug: you can swim behind the mural!
See: http://ssh.me.uk/img/bj6glitch.jpg

[close]

[Radiant]

I'm afraid I've seen too many spoilers of this game at the last Mittens - it breaks the suspense and the sense of exploration. But I've put some of the earlier BJ games on my to-play list.