Ben Jordan~8 Games,walkthrus & possible film

Len Green · 08-23-2009, 11:55 AM

Francisco "Grundislav" Gonzalez has released seven FREEWARE “Ben Jordan” games, each one being a ‘stand-alone’ and is working on the very last one (# 8) which will presumably round off the whole series and tie up any loose ends.
The have all been produced using the free AGS game engine and hence their graphics are pretty crude. However, other aspects are generally very good. They are also all quite short and relatively easy Quest/Adventures and are good for people who want just a very few hours relaxation from the more brain breaking, longer, more difficult, costly ‘commercial games’.

Unofficially, a Ben Jordan film is reputed to be in the making ?!?

http://www.grundislavgames.com/benjordan/

The latest, #7, has an important innovation --- speech in addition to text !
I am not a reviewer and am no doubt positively biased, but my subjective mini-assessment is as follows :-
Length = Short
Puzzles = Easy (with one exception)
Interface = Good… very easy point & click, and intuitive to use
Narrative = Quite good… with some iffy aspects (but no more than almost every Quest/Adventure.
Voice Acting = Excellent
Texts & subtitles = Could hardly be better !
Music = So so

Over the past 5 years I’ve posted detailed walkthroughs of Ben Jordan #2, #3, #4, & #5
I’ve just added a walkthrough BEN JORDAN Case #7 : The Cardinal Sins :-
http://www.gamesover.com/walkthrough...alkthrough.htm

Ascovel · 08-23-2009, 12:12 PM

I don't know about the older ones, but Ben Jordan 7 was far, very far from being easy.

Hammerite · 08-23-2009, 12:21 PM

This should probably be in the underground adventures area - I'm not sure where you're getting the film idea from, either.

Len Green · 08-23-2009, 01:29 PM

(1)

Quote:

I don't know about the older ones, but Ben Jordan 7 was far, very far from being easy

.In that case I did not waste time &/or energy writing the walkthtough !

(2)

Quote:

...... - I'm not sure where you're getting the film idea from, either.

As per the link above :
http://www.grundislavgames.com/benjordan/
Bottom line
Links of Interest
•Ben Jordan on Wikipedia
*** Ben Jordan Unofficial Movie.

After a brisk nap · 08-23-2009, 01:52 PM

There's no film in the making. It's completed and has been available on YouTube for about a year now (it was made at the "Mittens 2008" AGS meetup). Here!

It's actually good fun. Ben Jordan-creator Francisco Gonzalez stars as Ben, with a lot of other AGS people in other parts (for example AGS engine developer CJ as Percival Quentin Jones and Erin "Nanobots" Robinson as "Ivy").

gray pierce · 08-23-2009, 03:18 PM

Here's my assessment of the previous titles(totally biased)

BJ1 - In Search of the Skunk Ape

Length = very short
Puzzles = easy
Interface = average
Narrative = rather bad(there's a twist in the end but it can't make up for a bad story)
Text = average at best(hanging to bad)
Music = superb

BJ2 - The Lost Galleon of the Salton Sea

Length = very short
Puzzles = easy
Interface = average
Narative = bad (not even a twist this time)
Text = okay
Music = good

BJ3 - The Sorceress of Smailholm

Length = medium long (hanging towards short)
Puzzles = average
Interface = average
Narative = very good
Text = very good
Music = superb

BJ4 - Horror at Number 50

Length = short
Puzzles = average
Interface = very good
Narative = poor (begins fanatstic but the story never unravels)
Text = very good
Music = superb

BJ5 - Land of the Rising Dead

Length = medium long
Puzzles = rather hard
Interface = very good
Narative = fantastic (though the ending's a bit of a bummer)
Text = perfect
Music = superb

BJ6 - The Scourge of the Sea People

Length = short
Puzzles = rather hard
Interface = very good
Narative = good
Text = perfect
Music = good (the airport and underwater theme's are a real bummer)

As for BJ7 I couldn't agree more (except for the music wich I thought was excellent)

Also for those who haven't played them yet. If you liked Ben Jordan, go play the Blackwell series !

And that movie is so funny ! I seriously LOL'd

Len Green · 08-23-2009, 04:20 PM

~~ After a brisk nap ~~

Very many thanks for the update --- I had no idea !

08-23-2009, 11:55 AM	#1
Len Green Senior Member $Len Green's Avatar$ Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 454	Ben Jordan~8 Games,walkthrus & possible film Francisco "Grundislav" Gonzalez has released seven FREEWARE “Ben Jordan” games, each one being a ‘stand-alone’ and is working on the very last one (# 8) which will presumably round off the whole series and tie up any loose ends. The have all been produced using the free AGS game engine and hence their graphics are pretty crude. However, other aspects are generally very good. They are also all quite short and relatively easy Quest/Adventures and are good for people who want just a very few hours relaxation from the more brain breaking, longer, more difficult, costly ‘commercial games’. Unofficially, a Ben Jordan film is reputed to be in the making ?!? http://www.grundislavgames.com/benjordan/ The latest, #7, has an important innovation --- speech in addition to text ! I am not a reviewer and am no doubt positively biased, but my subjective mini-assessment is as follows :- Length = Short Puzzles = Easy (with one exception) Interface = Good… very easy point & click, and intuitive to use Narrative = Quite good… with some iffy aspects (but no more than almost every Quest/Adventure. Voice Acting = Excellent Texts & subtitles = Could hardly be better ! Music = So so Over the past 5 years I’ve posted detailed walkthroughs of Ben Jordan #2, #3, #4, & #5 I’ve just added a walkthrough BEN JORDAN Case #7 : The Cardinal Sins :- http://www.gamesover.com/walkthrough...alkthrough.htm Share Share this post on Twitter Last edited by Len Green; 08-23-2009 at 03:57 PM.

08-23-2009, 03:18 PM	#6
gray pierce Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Netherlands Posts: 716	Here's my assessment of the previous titles(totally biased) BJ1 - In Search of the Skunk Ape Length = very short Puzzles = easy Interface = average Narrative = rather bad(there's a twist in the end but it can't make up for a bad story) Text = average at best(hanging to bad) Music = superb BJ2 - The Lost Galleon of the Salton Sea Length = very short Puzzles = easy Interface = average Narative = bad (not even a twist this time) Text = okay Music = good BJ3 - The Sorceress of Smailholm Length = medium long (hanging towards short) Puzzles = average Interface = average Narative = very good Text = very good Music = superb BJ4 - Horror at Number 50 Length = short Puzzles = average Interface = very good Narative = poor (begins fanatstic but the story never unravels) Text = very good Music = superb BJ5 - Land of the Rising Dead Length = medium long Puzzles = rather hard Interface = very good Narative = fantastic (though the ending's a bit of a bummer) Text = perfect Music = superb BJ6 - The Scourge of the Sea People Length = short Puzzles = rather hard Interface = very good Narative = good Text = perfect Music = good (the airport and underwater theme's are a real bummer) As for BJ7 I couldn't agree more (except for the music wich I thought was excellent) Also for those who haven't played them yet. If you liked Ben Jordan, go play the Blackwell series ! And that movie is so funny ! I seriously LOL'd Share Share this post on Twitter

08-23-2009, 12:12 PM	#2
Ascovel Spoonbeaks say Ahoy! Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Poland Posts: 1,053	I don't know about the older ones, but Ben Jordan 7 was far, very far from being easy. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ A Hardy Developer's Journal - The Scientific Society's online magazine devoted to charting indie adventure games and neighboring territories

08-23-2009, 12:21 PM	#3
Hammerite kamikaze hummingbirds Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Over there. Posts: 7,946	This should probably be in the underground adventures area - I'm not sure where you're getting the film idea from, either. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ The bin is a place for household rubbish, not beloved pets!

08-23-2009, 01:52 PM	#5
After a brisk nap Elegantly copy+pasted Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,773	There's no film in the making. It's completed and has been available on YouTube for about a year now (it was made at the "Mittens 2008" AGS meetup). Here! It's actually good fun. Ben Jordan-creator Francisco Gonzalez stars as Ben, with a lot of other AGS people in other parts (for example AGS engine developer CJ as Percival Quentin Jones and Erin "Nanobots" Robinson as "Ivy"). Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Please excuse me. I've got to see a man about a dog.

08-23-2009, 04:20 PM	#7
Len Green Senior Member $Len Green's Avatar$ Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 454	~~ After a brisk nap ~~ Very many thanks for the update --- I had no idea ! Share Share this post on Twitter

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