Reviewed: November 27, 2000
Reviewed by: Mark Smith

Publisher
Gathering of Developers

Developer
Ritual Entertainment

Released: November 20, 2000
Genre: Adventure
Players: 1
ESRB: Mature

7
8
8
7
7.7

System Requirements

First of all I must commend the marketing genius who decided to license the Blair Witch franchise to three game developers, have them develop three unique (yet related) games, and then release them at a budget price of $19. It almost sounds like the premise for some student thesis or something. Even though all games are being released under the GOD Umbrella, the three companies who are taking their shot at the Blair Witch saga have already proven themselves in the past. Add to this the fact that they are all basing their games on the Nocturn game engine and your have the potential for a series of incredible and frightening games. To recap the saga so far...

Terminal Reality took the first shot in Blair Witch Volume 1 released just prior to Halloween. The game featured some puzzle solving along with much fighting and slaying of evil creatures. This game revisited locations from the movie as well as tied in some characters and places from the Nocturn game. The game proved quite frightening even though there was some frustrating and mandatory exploration of the large maze-like woods.

Human Head Studios delivered Blair Witch Volume 2 in early November. While the first game took place in the 1941, this game takes us back even further into the horror of the Blair Witch legend, clear back to the Civil War. This game was fairly uninspired and featured very linear and limited gameplay. In fact, about 75% of this entire game experience was watching cut-scenes. It still told a great story and was very frightening but is easily the worst of the series.

Ritual Entertainment has just released Blair Witch Volume 3: Elly Kedward's Tale and it easily equals if not exceeds the quality and fear-factor of the first game. Ritual is known for quality games including the legendary game SiN, and the recently released Heavy Metal FAKK2. Their reputation certainly shows in the quality of this final chapter in the Blair Witch trilogy. Perhaps anything would look really good after the mediocre middle installment, but I firmly believe this is the best of the three titles bringing all the action, suspense, and a new spell-based combat system to the terrifying legend of the child-stealing witch of Blair.

As with the first two games, you begin the game by interviewing anyone and everyone you can to get the back-story and your mission objectives. Then it's off to the woods to fight the evil hordes of zombies and other haunting creatures of darkness. The sequels are continually going back deeper into the past and the legend of the Blair Witch. We now find ourselves in 1786 where the entire Blair Witch saga gets its start. You actually get to meet the guy who tossed Elly Kedward (the witch) out into the woods and left her for dead.

There is considerable exploration of the woods but the handy auto-mapping feature makes it difficult to get lost. Your notebook will also keep you apprised of current mission objectives and log previous conversations so you can go over past events for any clues you may have missed. There are a few puzzles, but most of these are of the "find the object to use with another object/person" variety. Nothing too taxing on the brain as this is more of an action game that tells a story.

As for the story; you play the part of Jonathan Pyre, a former reverend who is now having a crisis of faith. In order to resolve his own internal conflicts he decides to go to Blair and track down the witch. He immediately meets the pastor of the small church and the town magistrate who get him started on his quest. After questioning the town drunk and a woman being held on suspected witchcraft charges, you take off into the woods in search of the missing children and the witch. The story that follows is quite frightening and includes Indian folklore and a mystical spell-based combat system where you must master both white and black magic to conquer the evil living in the woods. You still get to blast zombies with your single-shot muzzle loader pistol that has the uncanny ability to rapid fire, which I found rather amusing.

Another nice touch is the laser sight. Even though I highly doubt 17th century weapons had lasers, this laser is particularly cool because the target is in the shape of a pentagram. The only thing I noticed missing were footprints being left in the snow as you walked around but that is easily forgivable.

The camera angles are much more user-friendly in this game. Sometime they are used to force you into being surprised. For instance, you walk into the barn and hear a disturbing growling coming from off-screen. You draw your weapon and auto-target something yet unseen. As soon as you walk far enough toward the bottom of the screen a demon-dog attacks you just as the screen changes to a new view. Sure it's a cheap shot and you will probably take unnecessary damage, but it is guaranteed to startle you at least your first time through the game.

The only complaint I do have about the camera is that it can jump around to several angles almost too quickly; especially if you are running. A good example is going around to the back of the town hall to the jailhouse. The camera must have changed angles at least five times and each angle was only onscreen for only a few seconds before it changed to the next. Since your movement is based on the direction you are pressing in relation to the current screen this has the potential to create control problems if you aren't careful.

The overall presentation of the game is very professional. The menus are all beautifully drawn and the load screens feature very nice sketched artwork. Even the loading process is depicted by a morphing symbol in the corner of the screen. It's surprising to find such quality work considering this is a budget product.

The speech is clear and the lines are delivered by semi-professional voice-actors. Sometimes the dialog goes over the top, but then again this entire story is over the top. It is certainly no worse than most B-movies in the horror genre and easily surpasses the quality of the Blair Witch film. I enjoyed the fact that during the longer conversation the programmers kept things alive by moving the characters around and switching camera angles to keep you interested.

Blair Witch Volume 3: Elly Kedward's Tale oozes with atmosphere and a haunting ambiance that will have you turning on extra lights in the house when you are done playing. You will definitely think twice before you ever go into the woods again.