Black Dahlia

This is one of the greatest games so few people have played. It's a mystery game that involves Nazi plots, a mysterious gem, and the Torso killings of 1940s Cleveland. It got great reviews and has very good graphics quality. Eight CDs long! Worth it; even if you cheat you still feel like you acomplished a lot by beating it.

Being a video game enthusiast i've often pondered what were the best and worst endings to a video game I've ever seen. Deciding on the best would take some time, but as far as the worst goes i don't have to rack my brain for very long before I remember that I once played thru a little known PC game called Black Dahlia. I use the word 'played' loosely because about after the 3rd puzzle the game becomes so damn difficult I had to seek internet walkthroughs from that point on to the horrific end of the game. On a difficulty scale i would rate this game a Migraine. Seriously I doubt anyone including the people that have posted their thoughts here before me have went through this game without seeking some type of help online. Having Hopper and Garr make cameos was just a marketing ploy they lend little if anything to the game. For it's time i guess the graphics were pretty good and the setting is just perfect for a great FMV video game but these people really blew it. In fact I think the company must have gone belly up in the final days of production and the office janitor went ahead and decided how the game would end. I used to love FMV games and i still do but in the year 2005 they have pretty much been phased out. I'm still always on the look out for FMV games i may have missed over the years and on the off chance you're on the lookout too stay the hell away from this one!

It was very pretty. And then it sucked. No, seriously. We are Jim Pearson, vastly amusing and not bad to look at, but does seem to think he's Indiana Jones. They told us our mission was to discover the vast subterfuge of Nazi-ism in Cleveland, but in reality, we get to play with psychics, runes, crotchety insane ex-detectives (played by Dennis Hopper in all his crotchetyness), wannabe actresses, and a slimeball named Dick. The point is actually to find the Black Dahlia, a mystical stone which contains all sorts of swirling evilness. This should be simple. Then again...

1. The puzzles are extremely finicky. Casual gamers should get the walkthrough, lest they find themselves sitting there asking, "How the heck am I supposed to know that?!?" 2. The graphics are fantastic. They do occasionally have that live-action blue screen artificial feel. Not often, though. 3. The story was "inspired by actual events". The actuality only went so far as the fact that there really was a Torso Killer, and the Black Dahlia did exist...only it was a SHE and not a STONE. 4. The ending(s). AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!! It felt like so much effort and oh so very little payoff. We want to rewrite it. Better things can happen. This doesn't mean you shouldn't play it, though. Just be prepared.

This would make a fabulous pulp novel. More so than an adventure game.

I have played this game several times and it never gets boring. The plot is wonderful. If you like fmv games, then this one you will love. The acting is good, the graphics are beautiful and there are some special effects which are simply superb. Dennis Hopper and Teri Garr just appear briefly in the game. If you bought this game just because you are a Dennis Hopper fan, you don't have to be disappointed, because this is one storyline which is even better than "Seven". To give a little indication of what to expect. The producers of "Ripper" have outdone themselves. They have created a better game with better actors. Buy this game. If you are a movie buff like me, then this is one interactive movie you have to own.

This game is more a movie with puzzles in between than an adventure.

The story is superb, it spans almost 10 years and there are locations in the USA and Germany. The plot revolves around a black gem, the Black Dahlia, that has mystical powers, and an ancient brotherhood of knights. Throw in some Nazis and you have a true Indiana Jones type of story. The actors are ok. Darren Eliker delivers a good performance as the main character Jim Pearson, and there are cameos by Dennis Hopper and Teri Garr. The acting is sometimes a bit cheesy, but that gives the movie a real B-movie feel.

The puzzles are moderately difficult and occasionally nearly impossible, so I would recommend playing the game with a walkthrough (but don't use it too quickly!).

The game is fairly long (8 CD-ROMS!), so it will keep you occupied for quite a while. Definitely recommended, especially for the good story and atmosphere!