Black Mirror II
- April 2, 2014
- Cranberry Production
- 16h median play time
Get on Steam"Black Mirror II" is a point-and-click horror adventure game that continues the eerie legacy of the original "Black Mirror." The sequel follows a new protagonist, Darren Michaels, who becomes entangled in the supernatural events and dark past of the Gordon family. As Darren, players will uncover disturbing secrets and experience chilling encounters in the remote English village of Willow Creek.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a captivating story with unexpected twists that keep players engaged throughout.
- Graphics and atmosphere are significantly improved, creating a rich and immersive experience.
- Puzzles are generally logical and well-integrated into the narrative, making for a satisfying gameplay experience.
- The main character, Darren, is often perceived as unlikable and irritating, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.
- Voice acting quality varies, with some performances being notably poor, impacting immersion.
- The game ends on a cliffhanger, which may frustrate players who prefer a more conclusive ending.
- story186 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of "Black Mirror II" is generally praised for its complexity and engaging narrative, continuing the themes of the first game while introducing new characters and plot twists. While some players found the protagonist unlikable and the pacing slow at times, many appreciated the atmospheric storytelling and the way the plot builds suspense, leading to a compelling conclusion that sets the stage for the next installment. Overall, the sequel is seen as a significant improvement over its predecessor in terms of story depth and character development.
“The plot is complex, well-written, and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the game.”
“The story is hooking and the gameplay is simple, a typical point-and-click adventure; I loved it and already continue with the third part!”
“Black Mirror II is a gripping and atmospheric point-and-click adventure game that offers a chilling and suspenseful storyline.”
“The main character is a pain, with his stupid remarks all the time; the story is just stupid, and the way it's told is laughable.”
“The story and atmosphere never got going, and the game felt like a chore to play because of this.”
“However, personally, I am extremely unsatisfied with the late game, which quickly degraded into a bunch of overused story clichés topped with a cookie-cutter lunatic villain.”
- graphics61 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received widespread praise for their beauty and detail, showcasing a significant improvement over the first installment. Reviewers highlight the vibrant colors, charming aesthetics reminiscent of early 2000s games, and immersive environments that enhance the overall experience. While some mention minor animation issues and occasional glitches, the overall visual presentation is considered a standout feature that elevates the game's appeal.
“The graphics are beautiful in this game; it's a joy to wander around exploring and finding things.”
“The graphics and art style are gorgeous, sort of reminding me of 'Lis', but it predates it by over a decade.”
“The game's aesthetic is a huge step up from the previous game, creating lively and deep locales to explore that straddle the line between photorealistic and oil painting.”
“Odd glitch and graphics are a little dated but this does not detract from the story or the gameplay.”
“Some graphic/audio bugs - in some scenes I have had the graphics jump and the audio skip, as if they were having trouble loading.”
“My only criticism of the game's aesthetic would be the relatively stiff and mannequin-like character models.”
- atmosphere42 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its rich detail, gothic elements, and immersive sound design, effectively creating a dark and foreboding environment that enhances the storytelling. While some players feel that the sequel lacks the eerie intensity of the original, many still appreciate its unique atmosphere and character-driven narrative. Overall, the game successfully captures a haunting ambiance that keeps players engaged, though opinions vary on its effectiveness compared to earlier installments.
“The atmosphere is harmonious, the locations are beautiful and richly detailed.”
“The detailed environments and gothic architecture perfectly capture the game's dark and foreboding atmosphere.”
“The game's sound effects and musical score further add to the atmosphere, creating a sense of tension and dread that keeps you hooked from beginning to end.”
“Much more polished than the original from a technical perspective, but with a significantly weaker atmosphere.”
“The original game had a dark feeling about it, a deep and mystical atmosphere, which I felt was not present in Black Mirror II.”
“Some much needed improvements from the first installment, at the sacrifice of that weird creepy atmosphere.”
- gameplay42 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Black Mirror II has received significant praise for its improvements over the first game, featuring better mechanics, streamlined interactions, and logical puzzles that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the addition of a hotspot mechanic for easier navigation, though some visual elements can blend into the background. Overall, the game offers a solid point-and-click adventure experience with engaging story elements and a more polished presentation, making it a worthy sequel.
“The gameplay is very good, definitely a step up from the first game that felt pretty tedious. I definitely liked the puzzles here, although it still has some problems. A lot of the issues from the first game have been improved upon in this one, and the character also walks a little bit faster than Samuel Gordon in the first game.”
“Gameplay-wise, it's a solid point-and-click adventure. The gameplay is tighter, the puzzles are logical and interesting, and the story builds on the original while standing tall on its own.”
“You're in for many hours of very enjoyable, classic adventure gameplay, and the game's atmosphere will haunt you for a long time.”
“They added a show hotspot mechanic to the game, which helps in finding the interactable objects that are too hidden; however, the magnifying glass icon they use to indicate the hotspots kind of blends in with the backgrounds sometimes, so it's hard to see if you've found all the hotspots in an area.”
“The character design, voice acting, cinematics, puzzles, mechanics, etc. are well done, but the game suffers from the 'Black Mirror syndrome,' meaning that a large chunk of the game is bland/boring and mundane and has a pretty poorly done ending.”
“In Black Mirror II, there are some remnants of the 'stiff' feeling during gameplay, as experienced in Black Mirror, especially as the main character walks.”
- music31 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its eerie and immersive qualities that effectively set the mood. While the soundtrack is generally considered fantastic, some players feel it could benefit from a broader variety of tracks. Additionally, issues with voice acting volume have been highlighted, occasionally detracting from the overall audio experience.
“Amazing music and ambience, and love the voice overs too.”
“The soundtrack matches the game perfectly and aids in the immersion of the game.”
“The music captures this game perfectly; I really enjoyed the creepy pianos and violins, and it helped set a good atmosphere during the game.”
“The music sheet puzzle forced me to cheat because how would I even know how to read that?”
“The spoken audio is often very low volume, making it difficult to understand even with music and ambient turned to the minimum, and captions are often difficult to read.”
“I think there was basically one song the whole game; even 'Gray Matter' had about three songs!”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as nuanced and varied, with some players appreciating the cynical remarks of the protagonist, which add a realistic touch to the dark narrative. While some reviews note a decline in humor compared to earlier titles, others find it effectively balanced with horror elements, contributing to an overall engaging experience. However, there are mixed opinions, with some criticizing the humor as annoying or lacking depth.
“Acting is definitely a step or two higher than the original and is full of more nuance and humor.”
“Great story, great characters, puzzles, etc. scary and yet funny at times.”
“There's a lot of humor due to the main character's cynical remarks, but without making the whole thing goofy: in fact, there's a realistic feeling to it all rarely present in adventure games, and it's a very dark story which is not for the faint of heart.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
Players note that while the sequel improves upon the first game's tediousness with better puzzles and faster character movement, it still suffers from grindy elements due to the step-by-step progression and lack of a run button. Although there are fewer tedious sections overall, some players still find the gameplay occasionally boring and repetitive.
“So, I found that tedious and boring.”
“Was so tedious.”
“However, this does sometimes make it a little grindy as you have to go from step to step to step.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by moments of nostalgia and impactful story events that evoke strong feelings, though some players struggle to connect with the characters, particularly the protagonist. While the narrative offers quality emotional highs, it also risks falling into cliché territory, leading to mixed feelings about its overall emotional depth. Players who have a gap between installments may find their emotional connection diminished, affecting their engagement with the story.
“Recognizing old places and characters makes for a fuller, more emotionally rewarding playthrough.”
“Thankfully, it refrains from outright copying, and there really are some quality emotional rollercoasters in the story - even though I still find it hard to really care about most of the characters, including the very unlikeable protagonist.”
“Let's just say that at one point, about two-thirds into the game, right after a major emotional event, I took a break to sit down and think about what the developers might do with this later.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally improved compared to its predecessor, with most users reporting a smoother experience and minimal bugs. However, some players have noted minor "popping" glitches and occasional hard freezes, which can detract from the experience.
“Namely, there are constant slight 'popping' glitches, which are not critical, but rather irritating.”
“Sadly, I experienced hard freezes in the early parts of the game.”
- character development3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its natural progression, fostering a strong attachment to the main character, supported by excellent design and voice acting. However, the experience is marred by a lack of engagement in certain segments and a disappointing ending, reminiscent of the "black mirror syndrome."
“The main character development feels so natural and it makes you feel attached to him.”
“3 - Story and character development: 5/5”
“The character design, voice acting, cinematics, puzzles, mechanics, etc. are well done.”
“The character design, voice acting, cinematics, puzzles, mechanics, etc. are well done, but the game suffers from the 'black mirror syndrome,' meaning that a large chunk of the game is bland, boring, and mundane, with a poorly executed ending.”
“The character development feels forced and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
“I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, which detracted from my overall enjoyment of the game.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews do not specifically address optimization in terms of performance or technical efficiency; instead, they highlight the exceptional quality of the voice acting, which enhances the game's character depth and emotional impact.
