This demo features some gameplay from the full version and a walkthrough in case you get stuck!

While writing a series of articles about horrible murders in the Low Side District of New York, the young reporter Jimmy Palmer will soon become involved in a game of cat and mouse with an illusive and deadly character - Jack the Ripper.

Along Palmer's dark journey he will foster a friendship with a young singer, Abigail, the "Irish Nightingale," and meet numerous other colorful characters of this poor district.

Beginning with the search of witnesses to the crimes, Palmer's snooping will soon lead him to investigate suspects. His daily editorials trigger the interest of the serial killer himself, who begins to correspond with Palmer via the newspaper, leading Palmer to surmise that this killer is the infamous Jack the Ripper!

DEMO REVIEW

The latest offering from The Adventure Company is set in turn of the century New York where it seems that the Ripper has crossed the pond and set up shop resuming his former hobby of preying on ladies of a certain persuasion. You play a young reporter James Palmer covering the murders for a local newspaper.

Similar in style to the Law and Order games and C.S.I., each scene finds you anchored to the spot in a pair of concrete shoes playing hot-spot hide and seek with your mouse. Traveling between scenes happens with an abrupt cut and this makes the game feel stagnant and disjointed with no sense of continuity, flow or movement.

In the game's favor, the graphics ooze depth, detail and atmosphere and the 360-degree panoramic sweeps are fluid and seamless. Character models are richly textured and strong voice acting adds to their credibility. Moody and poignant sound effects give the game a chilling edginess.

Despite everything there is to dislike about this game I was still curious but my optimism was short-lived and let down by what has to qualify as one of the briefest, least insightful demos ever released. After the five minutes it takes to walkthrough from start to finish you'll leave without any sense of some of the most basic facets of gameplay including the game's puzzles, storyline, or even how the inventory system might operate. What's worse is during the entire dull and lackluster experience you won't have to solve a single problem. If you really have to get your adventure game fix, buy the game because the demo isn't worth your time.

Demo review by Alan Butterworth.

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