Penumbra: Black Plague Review

The second and final chapter in the planned trilogy of Penumbra titles, Black Plague picks up directly where last year's Overture finished. Following Philip's attempts to track down his father in a research lab based in Greenland and uncover a dark secret, Black Plague is a first-person game in a very different manner to most others, switching weapons and combat for planks of wood and puzzles... but don't let that put you off.

Employing a satisfying blend of puzzles and survival/horror elements, Black Plague's journey through the abandoned lab while gradually uncovering details of what's happened, provides an alluring attraction for anybody looking for something a little different. Admittedly the little plot details help if you've played the original, but we suspect that rules out a lot of people, so fortunately Black Plague can still be enjoyed with the blissful ignorance of not having a clue what's going on - it may even get a few people to go back and check out the first game.

With various objects to collect and use, classic point 'n' click adventure puzzles feature in abundance throughout Black Plague. Designed in the logical school of solutions as opposed to the hair-pulling obscurity favoured by some, puzzles maintain a high standard throughout the entire game with tasks such as flattening a coin to act as a makeshift screwdriver.

A robust and impressive physics engine lies at the core of Black Plague, complimenting the 'cold drink can to lower the thermostat' styled puzzles with environmental conundrums closer to Half Life 2. Being able to interact with virtually every object in the game world is made simple due to a thoroughly intuitive control system that allows you to easily grab hold of objects, rotate them, and move them closer or further away from you. Avoiding the failings of titles such as the infamous Jurassic Park: Trespasser, Black Plague can take a while to get the hang of, but eventually becomes second nature whether it's lining up makeshift scaffolding to cross tripwires, gathering together anything that looks strong enough to barricade a door, or using a crowbar to jam open locks with appropriate gestures. This level of lateral thinking and real-world logic helps to instil a sense of originality throughout Black Plague that helps to overlook the occasional rough edge.

Having such a considerable level of control over virtually everything in the game also brings a further layer of suspense and immersion to the experience. Pushing a door open gradually to make sure the coast is clear is a defining moment throughout the game; things as mundane as opening a drawer or shutting down a valve seem utterly convincing in comparison, drawing you deep into the game.

Puzzles aplenty, Black Plague also mixes survival/horror elements into the equation with largely effective result. With the focus on puzzles, Black Plague notches up the suspense with strange freakishly mutated creatures that patrol the area and give chase whenever you come into contact with them. Lurching forwards with the sole-minded determination of a T-1000 terminator, encounters with these creatures is kept to a wise minimum, bringing urgency and suspense to what is essentially an adventure game. Given that the world of Black Plague is constantly changing due to the numerous physical objects, it's testimony to the small team that the creatures work so well. Occasionally they'll do something particularly stupid like walk up to you, turn around and walk back without batting an eyelid (or whatever strange mutated creatures have), but more often than not the creatures will calculate routes depending on objects blocking the way, breaking through closed doors or barricades that you've constructed, which helps to keep you hanging on the edge of your seat throughout.

As a result, one of the game's major factors in ensuring that it passes by largely unnoticed perversely also becomes one of its most successful traits. The lack of weapons or combat and the sparse encounters with the game's opponents creates the dynamism that's top of the list for any effective horror game; it's that whole 'quiet, quiet, BANG, quiet' thing, Black Plague nails suspense.

With no weapons beyond things to throw, stealth plays a large and crucial role in the game, persuading you to play cautiously. Armed with little more than glow sticks, flares, and a torch with limited battery life, Black Plague encourages you to lurk in the shadows and use the advantage of an enhanced visual state when successfully crouched in the dark. Taking the horror concept to a natural level, staring at a creature for too long will result in Philip getting slightly freaked out, breathing faster, and more likely to get noticed as a result.

The result is a game that's far more terrifying than the Resident Evil's and F.E.A.R's of this world; the sense of trepidation isn't desensitised by wave after wave of zombies and the trusted comfort of a double-gauge shotgun. Seriously, Black Plague is a terrifying game to play alone, headphones on and with the lights off, I challenge anybody!

Discovering more about the virus that has escaped, symptoms of which include schizophrenia, Black Plague successfully dallies with the psychiatric disorder. Ordinarily the script and dialogue suffer from the usual trappings associated with a small team game and low-budget limitations, typos and errors aplenty. However listening to Philip's mental struggles with 'Clarence' escalates the quality immensely, and provides a tangible hook to keep playing the game and discover what's going to happen next.

Given that Black Plague was originally planned as the second chapter in an episodic trilogy, it's not too surprising to find the game a little on the brief side when it comes to content. Slightly more concerning is the lack of any real replay value, once you know the solutions you can whip through the game in an astonishingly fast time and beyond some non-linear areas to discover and the occasional weird thing happening, that's about it. As a result the £29.99 RRP seems a little hopeful in our opinion, we'd recommend checking out the digital download alternative for half price.