The Omega Stone: Riddle of the Sphinx II Review
The game was obviously made by people who love the subject matter, and that affection comes across in every element.
Like Riddle of the Sphinx, The Omega Stone requires a great deal of reading. You’ll read research notes, journals, cryptic maps, and even several chapters of a trashy science fiction novel. And, again like in Riddle of the Sphinx, all of the reading is required. You will be tested: Almost every puzzle solution requires you to put together information from various sources. Occasionally, the use of this information seems silly, as you jump through hoops just to open a locked door. But most of the time, simply arriving at a solution is reward enough. The puzzles in The Omega Stone are tough, and there are plenty of them, but they are consistently logical and organically integrated into the story. They are also lengthy and often have several steps–including other puzzles–to their solutions.
Luckily, the exploration is enjoyable, and the sites are rendered with great attention to detail. Though the graphics are occasionally muddy, making key elements blend into the background, the game generally looks good. The Omega Stone also uses live actors integrated into the rendered backgrounds. It’s not state of the art by any means, but it’s a pleasant change from the barren locations common to the genre. It would be easy to criticize some of the acting, such as the Scottish archaeologist whose accent flickers on and off like a faulty bulb, but that would be missing the point. Even with its new technical bells and whistles, The Omega Stone retains the homegrown quality of Riddle of the Sphinx. The game was obviously made by people who love the subject matter, and that affection comes across in every element.
This affection also makes the game easy to recommend. The difficulty of the puzzles will undoubtedly limit the game’s appeal, but those who enjoy a challenge will find plenty to like about The Omega Stone. And the detailed information about the various locales only serves to make the game that much more enjoyable.
