Sanitarium
Published By: ASC Games

Reviewed by Jessamine
9/10/99

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First Impressions:

On the computer, we go places that we normally spend our lives avoiding. So here I was, “entering” Sanitarium. After a dreamy flashback graphic you wake up as an amnesiac in a richly detailed scene. It was billed as an Adventure game with Action, the action being a couple of sequences where you can't die (but you can be forced to start the sequence again)! That leaves the rest of the game safe for exploration and experimentation.

Graphics:

The graphics are vivid and detailed. To fit all that detail in, the character and environment become "small," so that discovering hot spots and inventory items becomes a frustrating challenge. I wished for far less detail on the gory scenes.

Sound:

The soundtrack set an eerie mood, but occasionally it was so creepy it got on my nerves. Most of the voice acting was great.

Gameplay:

Most of this game is classic adventure with the psycho twist. Conversations, inventory gathering and puzzles move the storyline along. The action sequences are amusing. Controlling your character is like dragging a pull toy along an obstacle course on a frozen pond. The cursor has a magnifying glass graphic that "moves" when it's on a hot spot, but you must go slowly through all the detail to notice the movement.

Enjoyment:

I wish that the gore level was adjustable, as it is I found myself going to the ACS Games website to get hints from the walkthrough in order to hurry away from certain scenes.

Multiplayer:

N/A

Overall Impression:

The experience is richly varied and the story unfolds slowly. Some people won't appreciate activities that seem like busywork, but it is worth persevering. The main character has issues, and an urgent mission to accomplish. He's a very likable guy.

Marketing Efforts Towards Women:

This was marketed as a Horror/Adventure game. There was no exploitation or belittling of women in the marketing or the game.