Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle is a horror adventure game developed by Shadow Tor Studios. Released in 2006, it is set in the site of Barrow Hill, based on real geographical locations in Cornwall, England.
| Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Shadow Tor Studios |
| Publisher(s) |
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| Platform(s) | Windows |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Plot
editForced to spend a sinister night there, the player will investigate what is happening to the local people and why an archeological dig, led by professor Conrad Morse, has created so much unrest and hostility among the local community. During the exploration of the local legends and superstitions, the mystery will be unfold while using modern electronic devices like PDAs, GPS and metal detectors to unfold the mystery.
Gameplay
editIt is played as a classic first person "point and click" adventure, with the world being represented by pre-rendered, animated screens. The adventure is based on a non linear structure, that gives the players a lot of freedom in exploring the environment and collecting clues at their own pace.
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 65/100[4] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| 4Players | 73%[5] |
| Adventure Gamers |   [6] |
| Computer Games Magazine |  [7] |
| Eurogamer | 5/10[8] |
| GameSpot | 2.6/10[9] |
| GameZone | 7.6/10[10] |
| IGN | 8.1/10[11] |
| PC Gamer (US) | 62%[12] |
| PC Zone | 62%[13] |
| VideoGamer.com | 6/10[14] |
| The New York Times | (positive)[15] |
The game received "mixed or average reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[4] Some of the reviewers praised the creepy atmosphere, the quality of both audiovisual aspects and the logical game structure. The game puzzles were considered to be very well integrated with the story and the environment, never seeming like artificial obstacles to the player.[6][16] Eurogamer said that the storyline "fizzles disappointingly as the game comes to its rather abrupt end."[8] GameSpot criticized the lack of engagement and scare factor, comparing the game to "a wait in a doctor's office."[9]
References
edit- ^ Caldwell, Park (6 July 2006). "Cornwall adventure title gets US date". GameSpot. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "Barrow Hill is now ready to explore". GamesIndustry. 24 April 2006. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "Lighthouse releases indie horror adventure in Europe". GamesIndustry. 6 October 2006. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ a b "Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ Naser, Bodo (14 December 2006). "Test: Barrow Hill: Der Fluch der Kelten". 4Players (in German). 4Players GmbH. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- ^ a b King, Tom (22 May 2006). "Barrow Hill [Curse of the Ancient Circle] review". Adventure Gamers. Archived from the original on 24 April 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
- ^ "Review: Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle". Computer Games Magazine. No. 196. theGlobe.com. March 2007. p. 72.
- ^ a b Allen, Darren (18 November 2006). "Barrow Hill [Curse of the Ancient Circle]". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
- ^ a b Todd, Brett (24 August 2006). "Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle Review". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on 23 November 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
- ^ Aceinet (11 September 2006). "Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle - PC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 15 September 2008. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- ^ Krause, Staci (28 August 2006). "Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ "Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle". PC Gamer. Vol. 13, no. 13. Future US. Christmas 2006. p. 114.
- ^ "Review: Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle". PC Zone. Future plc. January 2007. p. 74.
- ^ Vandervell, Andrew (31 October 2006). "Barrow Hill [Curse of the Ancient Circle] Review". VideoGamer.com. Resero Network. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ Herold, Charles (1 June 2006). "If You Want a Story While Playing Da Vinci, Read the Book". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2022.(subscription required)
- ^ Washburne, Robert (20 April 2006). "Barrow Hill [Curse of the Ancient Circle] Review". Just Adventure. Archived from the original on 23 April 2006. Retrieved 19 February 2022.