The 7th Guest

Waking up in a spooky mansion without any memories, The 7th Guest places players in an intimate horror setting and lets their imagination run wild. Mixing together pre-rendered environments and brain-tickling puzzles, this first-person adventure pushed the boundaries when it was first released and was a technical marvel to boot. Part interactive movie and part creepy adventure, The 7th Guest is a challenging title that will have you begging for clues, but in a good way. Often compared to its peers but underrated as can be, the 7th Guest is a gem of early-90s PC gaming.

Main Game Features

• Explore a creepy mansion and regain your memories
• Challenging logic puzzles
• Mix of pre-rendered graphics and live-action video clips

Story

In the 7th Guest you control a mysterious character named Ego, who wakes up in the abandoned and sizable Stauf Mansion. Built by a murderous toy maker who amassed his fortune through nefarious acts, the house is full of traps and puzzles to solve. While searching the building, Ego begins to experience visions of the past, as ghosts of the mansion's previous occupants roam the halls. Following the apparitions of six individuals, Ego must uncover the truth of one fateful night and rid the mansion of its evil for the rest of time.

Creepy mansions are all the rage in horror games, but The 7th Guest was using massive manors as a setting long before Resident Evil. The story that plays out in the Stauf Mansion is surprisingly good, with some excellent characters played by talented actors. Although things start off somewhat formulaic, the plot eventually takes some interesting twists, resulting in a surprising ending that you likely won't see coming. Even when compared to big-budget modern horror games, The 7th Guest has a clever premise that delivers a proper ending.

Gameplay

Although the concept makes it seem like a first-person horror game like Outlast, The 7th Guest is very much about solving puzzles and exploring at a steady pace, much like Myst or The Witness. Although the controls are very simple and there are limited actions that you can take as a player, the sharp focus on puzzle-solving makes this a clear and engaging mystery. While controlling Ego, you can move from room to room, rotate to get a better view of different areas, and interact with puzzles and objects. That's pretty much it, as there are no enemies to fight, platforms to jump from, or collectibles to find.

As you complete puzzles, you'll watch video clips that further the plot, giving you key pieces of information about your plight. These segments also pop up during various points of exploration, especially as you journey into new areas. If any of the puzzles are too difficult to solve, you can consult a hint book, which will eventually complete the puzzle for you. With this helpful system in place, you'll never get stuck for long, provided you're willing to take the help.

Conclusion

Fans of puzzle games and the horror genre should definitely check out The 7th Guest, as it represents a major step forward for scary games. The puzzle elements are intriguing and the narrative is exceptional, with an immersive plot that makes you feel like part of the action.

Pros

• Foreboding atmosphere with lots of tension
• Engaging storyline
• Hints that help with tough puzzles

Cons

• Not scary by modern standards
• Some puzzles seem impossible
• Graphics are rough around the edges