The Blackwell Epiphany (PC) Review

The Blackwell series has always had an intriguing premise, whereby its lead star has a ghostly ally throughout, with the two working to free souls that are trapped in limbo, unaware that their human forms had actually already passed away. Joey - the ethereal presence - will talk to another of his kind and then between him and Rosa Blackwell (whose family has been blessed/cursed with this 'gift') they must uncover the mysteries behind the death and help the apparition come to terms with the gravity of the situation, before allowing them to 'move on' permanently by use of a special tie Joey has that transfers them through Rosa to the 'beyond.' It all sounds quirky, and the theme is indeed unusual, but hooks players, all the more so thanks to some witty script writing and superb voice acting that draws people in.

Visually, booting up The Blackwell Epiphany will make the majority take a step back and go 'Huh?' since it looks like old PC titles from the 1990s, mainly due to the old engine it has been built on. However, it gives off a certain retro charm that just about works. In terms of how the action pans out, as well, everything has a familiar feel from days gone by.

Point, click, and away Rosa and Joey go, being able to switch between either character at will, making use of Joey to enter locked areas by drifting through doors that block Rosa's path, and then using Rosa to grab those corporeal objects that are always just out of Joey's grasp. They work as a great team, and the snarky banter between the two is just as enjoyable as ever, with the naturalness of conversations building up the bond between player and story, meaning that by the time the fantastic ending comes around, the connection is very strong indeed, making the conclusion even more impactful than it might otherwise have been. Newcomers will still likely be enthralled by the concept, but having a prior knowledge of the ongoing saga is obviously beneficial.

As lovingly crafted as Epiphany is, there are some issues that mar the proceedings moderately, such as some illogical design choices at times - for instance, Rosa having to head back to gather information from a key source rather than merely calling them to discuss matters quickly using her mobile; key notes that can be pulled together in Rosa's phone to make important new clues only actually being used a couple of times during the entire game, rendering the feature completely pointless for the most part; plus a little bit too much to'ing and fro'ing in the run-up to the game's finale - but they do not hamper the overall experience, thankfully.

Part of the fun is sometimes hitting what appears to be a dead end only to start thinking outside of the box and get Joey to blow on a particular object to bring it within Rosa's reach, at which point that spark of brilliance rears its head once more and enjoyment levels shoot back up.

The story veers from comical to poignant on several occasions, taking those invested in the adventure on a rollercoaster ride, watching how the effect of meeting all these trapped souls takes its toll on both Rosa and Joey. The interaction between lead and bit-part characters works supremely well, and the supporting cast makes an already engrossing yarn even better. Sure, the visuals could have done with a spruce up, but everything else is a sheer delight, and anyway, graphically The Blackwell Epiphany has a certain charm to it. A truly fitting end to a thoroughly impressive series.