I never played the original so this first look is very much my first.

Six guests have been invited to the Stauf mansion, for reasons as yet unknown. I seem to be the 7th guest, and something not quite right is afoot. As the Steam page says "The wealthy recluse and toymaker Henry Stauf lurks in the shadows, and a dark power hangs over the house, shrouded in mystery." What does Henry want, and more forebodingly, "who will live to tell the tale?"

I am almost 3 hours of playtime into what is clearly a giant puzzle box. I have solved the puzzles in three rooms and at least 10 more await. Near as I can tell, the rooms will progressively unlock as I complete others for which my map will be a handy reference.

I have completed about 10 puzzles to date and so far so good. One involving a train set was particularly enjoyable, and all have required a degree of brain power. They will apparently get harder as I go.

My lantern can literally shine a different light on things, both environmentally and puzzle-wise. Don't forget to deploy it.

I have picked up and examined things, conjured up some objects, and found some coins. These can be spent on clues for puzzles and apparently compete solves. I have yet to need to spend them, but I have looked at the objective for a few, which can be had for free.

It plays in the first person and you have complete freedom of movement. The keyboard is used for most things, but the mouse interacts with the world. The little bony hand icon is an indication something can be picked up. The little brain icon indicates a puzzle is ready to be solved, and the swirly spot on the carpet you can discover for yourself.

The puzzles have been redesigned but "pay homage to the original" and what were originally FMV characters are now fully digitally reproduced using something called Volumetric Video. Whatever it is, they retain the feel of real people.

One puzzle to date has had a reset switch, but leaving a room will reset a puzzle. I have only had to do that once so far, but it could get annoying if I find a particularly tricky puzzle.

It looks and sounds good and autosaves on exit. I am still in the dark about the ultimate objective, but have learnt some interesting and even worrying things.

A new room awaits.

Thanks so much, flotsam. It's been 30 years since I played and remember it being very challenging but I loved it!

Thank you Drac!

Ana

Draclvr and flotsam.

Thanks flotsam (and Draclvr)!

My only real memories of this game are that it wan’t easy !!

Thanks, flotsam (and Draclvr) 🙂

Great! Thanking you both flotsam ( and Draclvr ) its like I'm venturing in my youth again with a whole new box of Toys love their puzzles WTG .. lets explore the eerie mansion of the toy-maker Henry Stauf

Thank you for the first look, flotsam and Drac. I played this game for the first time when it was released. I remember it was a big deal because it was one of the first, if not the first, games where you had to have a CD ROM drive to play it, and very few people had one at that point. It no doubt prompted a lot of people to purchase a CD ROM drive.

If I venture into this one, I think I'd like to play the first game before I play the remake.