Topic: Ben Jordan Case 8: Relics of the Past

[Sslaxx]

Absolutely loving it! My only gripe (sorry!) is the low recording quality of Ben's voice - he sounds very muffled against everyone else. But apart from that, EXCELLENT!

I dunno, the quality of some of the other voice acting recording was noticeably worse. Quite willing to overlook that considering that it's a free game, though.

[DazJ]

Ah right. I'm only at the beginning so have only really heard Ben, Percy and the Librarian.

[verlaine83]

Thanks for the awesome final installment! It's sad to think that this is the last chapter, though, as I'll miss Ben's adventures

By the way (ending and series spoiler alert),

Spoiler: ShowHide

I might've misunderstood a comment made by a character in a previous installment, as I ended up incorrectly assuming that Alice had some kind of important role to play involving a 'twist' e.g. not being quite 'human', having sinister ulterior motives, etc.. Oh well. I still appreciate the sweet ending with Ben, Alice and Ben Jr!

 

[Khris]

Really great game, and over way too soon. It was almost too easy, but the puzzles were really well integrated into the story and didn't feel forced. I loved to play something realistic for a change, without dozens of inventory items.

Guess I'll have to continue replaying parts 1-7 now, I noticed while playing that I forgot almost all the important plot points.

[FamousAdventurer77]

Thanks for the awesome final installment! It's sad to think that this is the last chapter, though, as I'll miss Ben's adventures

By the way (ending and series spoiler alert),

Spoiler: ShowHide

I might've misunderstood a comment made by a character in a previous installment, as I ended up incorrectly assuming that Alice had some kind of important role to play involving a 'twist' e.g. not being quite 'human', having sinister ulterior motives, etc.. Oh well. I still appreciate the sweet ending with Ben, Alice and Ben Jr!

 

I pondered the same thing, thinking it would be one of the big reveals. Although

Spoiler: ShowHide

I think Marcus Wilkins is the "traitor" in Pennsylvania that Zortherus alludes to. But I wonder if there was an aborted arc with Alice here, either by itself or tying with Zortherus. She says in a previous game (6th I think) that she had ancestry in Smailholm...though it could imply she's a descendant of Mary Blaine? There was a gravestone that said Wilkins on it in the cemetery in Smailholm...

I too am sad it's the final chapter. I'm going to try for the other 3 endings, I got the Downer Ending first followed by what I guess is the canon happy ending.

Spoiler: ShowHide

But perhaps Ben could come out of retirement with Ben Jr. in a future installment?

[Vel]

Hey Grundislav, I just want to congratulate you on completing the whole series - indeed, a remarkable feat! Will share my thoughts once I get the chance to play this. =)

[Igor Hardy]

In Romania at the moment. Nice cameo of sound effects from GK3. But one thing keeps bugging me...

How come Percy was such a total skeptic in BJ3? I think even in scenes where there was no one else around that could see him.

EDIT:

Finished.
I like the more down-to-earth, realistic tone of this storyline. That no bombastic events were forced in the plot to amp the shock factor (except for that one cat scene). And no sentimentality (which is difficult to avoid when wrapping up a many year series).

Percy's role in everything was probably the most enjoyable part for me. Great Carboni cameo and fun action sequences (the chase scene in particular). And the Romania part made for a very nice change of atmosphere.
I wished the puzzles were a bit crazier and/or more difficult though. And that it wasn't so linear.

Overall, a satisfying conclusions to the series, but Case 6 and the two remakes will remain my favorites.

[LRH]

Woah. Woah. Hold the freaking phone, Grundi. I recall a conversation of ours about 1...possibly 2 years ago in which I asked about access to the soundtrack for the other games to which you replied they would be released with the release of the final game. I was also taunted by several users of IRC for not being able to figure out how to convert the .vox files from the other games into music files. I DEMAND SATISFACTION.

On a much, much, more serious note: congratulations. I loved the game. I began playing it earlier this afternoon and didn't put it down until I had seen the four "main" endings.

This series is kind of special to me. Ya'see, just a few years ago in my undergrad days, my (then) girlfriend (now fiance') and I were not exactly the most party-goingest, bingge-drinkingest crazy cats, so we tended to stay inside on very cold, snowy winter weekends. We only had one afternoon together most weeks since I would have to travel to her campus at that time, and if it was a snow-in, we'd likely spend it playing a Ben Jordan game. The memories of those days are quite precious to me. Nerdy to an unidentifiable degree? Perhaps. I dunno. In any case, thank you.

[Saurabh]

Congrats, I have been waiting for this I don't how long. Guess I will have to play previous games first, like I have done for every release, Here goes my weekend  .

[Megane]

I just finished playing this entire series from beginning to end and what I'm about to say I know will be unpopular but it's honestly how I feel.

I was completely and utterly disappointed by the endings of this last game (I haven't seen the bonus ending and frankly, I have no desire to do so.)  Ending Spoilers Follow....

Spoiler: ShowHide

The resolution to Simon's Murderer, Max, was simply shitty, IMHO.  I understand you didn't want Ben to sink to Max's level and murder him for revenge but I did expect Max to face justice and pay for his crime in some way, shape or form.  Having him simply walk away scott free to me is completely unacceptable and is an insult to Simon's memory and the memory of anyone else he likely murdered in the name of Genovese and the Knights.  That point honestly ruined the game for me.  There's being Hollywood and there's being APATHETIC.

Spoiler: ShowHide

And speaking of murder, I understand why Alice would have reservations about Ben killing Genovese in cold blood after she had some time to reflect on events but in the heat of the moment?  To lash out at Ben like that IMMEDIATELY when this 'old man' ordered the murder of her close friend and had her and her friends on the run and in fear for their lives from his assassins for days?  I just can't see someone assuming such moral superiority that abruptly and quickly with what she's been through and also considering she had NO IDEA that Genovese was just a foolish old man and that she, along with Ben and Percy, believed Genovese was about to unleash something VERY BAD upon the world just a minute or so ago.  I'm not saying Alice had to accept Ben's crime but she could show a LITTLE more understanding than 'Shame on you! I'm out!'   

Look, before this game, I honestly enjoyed the series and I'll probably replay Cases 1-6 again in the future but for me personally, I don't want to play this or the 7th case ever again.  That being said, thank you for creating this otherwise enjoyable series.  I just wish you'd made some different choices with its conclusion.

[LRH]

I'd like to comment on that, Wyatt. You made me think of some things:

(Ending spoilers. Don't read if you haven't finished the game.)

Spoiler: ShowHide

 I didn't mind the Max situation so much. Life doesn't always give the bad guy what is coming to them. We were presented with a fairly real situation in which, in order to progress, Ben had to make a tough decision. No matter how much it may have hurt, he had to let Max go for the greater good. Ben was facing very harsh conditions:
1.) He didn't have time to deal with Max because Max was the much lesser of two evils, and
2.) Ben didn't have any realistic way to punish Max. Ben is obviously far weaker, and he had nothing in his possession he could have used to overcome Max's strength.

However, the whole Alice getting mad at Ben thing bugged me a bit too, but for an entirely different reason. Wasn't it more an assisted suicide than a murder? I realize I'm opening up a whole new can of worms here, but I'm bothered by the fact this is never brought up in the end dialogues. Perhaps it was Ben's immediate satisfaction with killing Genovese for revenge that made it murder, but I thought it was pretty jarring when Genovese thanked Ben for killing him. I'm guessing he was happy to have one less sin on his soul after he'd found out all his ruthless killing was for nothing. In any case, though, I guess if one took the situation at face value, Ben did in fact kill the man and that is the truth of the situation. Still, it's something I'm still thinking about.

 

[Andail]

I loved to play something realistic for a change, without dozens of inventory items.

Yeah, like

Spoiler: ShowHide

...combining garlic with a plank, to chase away a decapitated head! Very realistc

[Kweepa]

Wow Grundy, thanks for this incredible adventure!
Some of the backgrounds are beautiful. The artistic progression through the BJ games is astonishing.
Animation is top notch too.
A satisfying story.

Spoiler: ShowHide

I particularly like that Arthur's adventure is there as a simple back story - although it's more like the plot of one of the early games.
I wasn't so fond of the bridging section in Paris where you essentially are forced to go to a medium to progress, and Percy won't acknowledge you. Carboni's performance made up for it, though.

All in all a rewarding 5 hours!
And thanks to the actors and beta testers!

[Igor Hardy]

I loved to play something realistic for a change, without dozens of inventory items.

Yeah, like

Spoiler: ShowHide

...combining garlic with a plank, to chase away a decapitated head! Very realistc

That wasn't garlic, it was brambles.

[Ali]

We just finished the game, and really enjoyed it. I did miss the Paranormal Investigator's Handbook though. This thread makes me wonder if I the only one who...

Spoiler: ShowHide

...didn't kill Cardinal Genovese?

However I am completely lost by...

Spoiler: ShowHide

...the dream sequence of the girl with the cat. How did that fit in? I thought it might be the Cardinal's sister, but he said she committed suicide.

[Tuomas]

This game came out at a perfect time, I really needed the break from the suffocating reality. I can't say I quite remembered the story that happened in episodes 1-7, but I must say this left me a bit cold. Don't get me wrong, I did like it and I did enjoy it, but there's a thing to BJ games that kind of bugs me, well, aside from the supernatural things.

Spoiler: ShowHide

First of all, the vampire theme is a bit of a cliche already, isn't it?

Spoiler: ShowHide

secondly, Jones's story seemed a bit out of the place, and required too much attention from the main plot line, which seemed a bit hollow and empty. What I mean is, I couldn't quite figure which one was the main plot, which one was more important, and how did they come together. It was like two different plots, or even games, and the BJ-story suffered from the "forced paranormality" that the Jones-story was.

Sorry if I sound strange, it's been a while since I last wrote English, and I've got a lot in my mind at the moment.

[Stalker]

Wyatt: I felt similary. Spoilers for last part of the game follow.

Spoiler: ShowHide

When Max was throwing Ben all over the place during the dialogue, I figured you'd have to push one of those statues on him. I don't mind the actual resolution that much, however, I felt the dialogue was anticlimatic. It was basically "Hey, the cardinal is insane!" "Huh yeah you're right. Bye!". Considering the guy was basically the second in command of the Knights, and he killed Simon, that just felt way too easy (compared to, say, the final dialogue puzzle in Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, but then, that is the greatest adventure game ever).

[Ghost]

I am Ghost and this is now my favourite spot download on the Citadel forums!

[Patternjake]

No way! You can't believe how long I have been waiting to play this next installment. By chance, I visited your website today and It's DOWNLOADABLE! WHAT!!!



I know what I will be doing for the rest of the day!

Thank you so much Francisco, I'll be sure to review the game once I've happily completed it!
(50% progress download hehe)

[EKM]

Wow, finally...the game I've been waiting for. I can't believe I'll be able to play this.

-bakes cookies-