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AG Community Playthrough 77 - Black Mirror 1
I finished chapter 4. For me this was the best one so far. Very fun puzzles, challenging but not super hard, less pixel hunting. Many locations, great atmosphere.
Be sure to save your game when you get to the lighthouse if you want to avoid some replaying.
......
Boobs
Now, obviously everyone loves boobs ,…..
Ahem! 
There are at least 2 females in this playthrough so why do you think we would be amongst ‘everyone’ that loves boobs? …. pray tell me?
Was Dergham Gordon a serious PLAYA back in the day, or is there in fact something sinister about four ladies with boobs out but no arms? Best not to think about that anymore I suspect!
For me those ‘classical’ statues of naked women (& men) wouldn’t usually attract attention except in this case where you’ve pointed it out & the breasts don’t seem natural & more akin to the appearance after silicon implants!
In other
boobsNEWS, I MEAN NEWS (I swear I am not obsessed!)
Are you sure?????
I finished chapter 4. I confess I used a walkthrough for when James got me, because dying , reloading, and trying something else before you manage to keep alive was a bit cumbersome.
The story thickens. The story is so well done in this game! Bit by bit, you receive more information on the mysteries in the family. I am really curious to the next chapter.
Chapter 3 finished! I’ll go for Chapter 4. I will comment the game so far when I finish this chapter.
Currently translating Strangeland into Spanish. Wish me luck, or send me money to my Paypal haha
I’m now at the beginning of chapter 5. I found chapter 4 a little harder puzzle-wise for some but all were interesting enough, but I did like that there were some intriguing aspects discovered to advance the story.
On visiting Stonering the whole setting with the detective being there reminded me of an early scene in Mystery of the Druids but on investigation I couldn’t find any crossover between publishers/developers of the two games?
Ok, I’ve finished chapter 4. Didn’t enjoy this one as much as the second and third chapters. It was not as good puzzle wise imo. The puzzle involving electrocuting the nurse at the asylum was silly on several levels. As was that puzzle involving getting hold of that cog floating in water. Metal cogs don’t float in water, no matter how “murky” the water. And it still floated after letting in lots of cleaner water mind you.
And again with the wolves! Almost comedic when Dr. Hermann concludes that “nothing living in these woods could have killed the boy”, referring to the fact that everyone thinks wolves were responsible.
I was semi-stuck a couple of times. Took me a while before realizing I should soak the handkerchief in water at the Asylum and put it on the thermostat. A bit unfair since Samuel before then only comments that the thermostat is out of reach. How could it suddenly become within reach to put a soaked handkerchief on it? The other time was with that floating cog puzzle, which I also think was unfairly clued.
I soon resorted to a walkthrough for solving the “avoid being killed by James” puzzle. I don’t have any patience for those kinds of puzzles.
Also on the negative side, I didn’t care at all for the voice-acting of James and that guy next door to him in the asylum. The “Mr. B-b-bubby” stuff was cringe-worthy both when it comes to writing and performance. And I couldn’t at all connect the James we meet with the James in the photo, neither when it comes to general appearance, age or voice.
oh, and a very minor thing: Surely Ashbury should be a more correct and “natural” name of the asylum? English is not my first language, but “Ashburry” just felt wrong somehow.
Anyway; still looking forward to continuing the game, even though chapter four was a bit disappointing! At least we learned some interesting stuff story-wise in the chapter.
On visiting Stonering the whole setting with the detective being there reminded me of an early scene in Mystery of the Druids but on investigation I couldn’t find any crossover between publishers/developers of the two games?
The two games were developed by two different companies from two different European countries. No connection between them that I’m aware of. Not shared publishers either I think.
Finished Chapter IV.
Maybe that man in the sanatorium whose picture we made in the first chapter will turn out to be an illegitimate Gordon or something.
Called it back in Chapter II! 
Djeezes, Samuel gets more annoying with every chapter. First it was just being arrogant and snooty, but now it’s also tampering with a crime scene, drugging someone, electrocuting someone, and all that just because he couldn’t wait until the braindead detective left the crime scene (which he would have done in half an hour anyway) or until the sanatorium’s actual visiting hours.
Why this constant urgency in everything? I’m rich, and I want things now?
Same with the faked substance bottle in the previous chapter. Just do it the proper way. Not the comedic adventure game way, because comedy isn’t this game’s genre…
I’m also growing more and more impatient with new hotspots turning up in places they weren’t before and inventory items doing things they didn’t do in previous chapters. Really, only in Chapter IV can you take coins out of the wallet you’ve had on you since the start???
The way I used those coins was accidental. I was actually thinking along the lines of stuff that would give some leverage to open the sewer grates, not dropping money down them to see if they’re safe to climb down in.
Plot-wise, the last two chapters didn’t really push things forward very much. Sure, we’ve got two more keys, and quite possibly the passageway to that “portal to an evil plane”, but we learned more in Chapter II than we’ve done so far. Most now feels like busywork before the finale. And with everything pointing towards Robert as being the villain and James being completely innocent, I’m actually more and more convinced that WE are the “killing Gordon” and Robert is just a decoy - just like I said in Chapter II.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m coming off as far more negative than I really am about this game, but it’s just clear to me that this is a game from the “are adventure games dead?” period. Adventure games were few and far between, and when we got one that was somewhat decent, it got far more favourable reviews than it really deserved compared to actual classics.
There are so many “quality of life” features in modern games that were missing in this period, and a lot of things that older, denser games managed to sidestep, that are just blaringly obvious here.
But despite all this, I’m still enjoying the game. I’m just starting to hope that Chapter V is the final chapter and that there won’t be a sixth, stretching this slooow game even further…
The truth can’t hurt you, it’s just like the dark: it scares you witless but in time you see things clear and stark. - Elvis Costello
Maybe this time I can be strong, but since I know who I am, I’m probably wrong. Maybe this time I can go far, but thinking about where I’ve been ain’t helping me start. - Michael Kiwanuka
OK, it looks like many of us are more or less up to date, so let’s keep things moving!
Chapter 4 Round Up - SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN’T FINISHED CHAPTER 4
Well, after disgracing myself in the last Chapter round up I’ll try and keep things more civil this time! 
So, another day, another death it seems. And this time it was poor little Vick.
Pausing only to do a little ‘crime scene manipulation’ we discover another symbol, and one that was not embroidered by a wolf.
And then it was finally time to visit Ashburry in search of Robert.
But he isn’t the ‘Gordon’ we find evidence of there. After more deception, a chat or two with Ralph and Mr. Bubby we’re pointed in the direction of a lighthouse, and then finally back under the castle to investigate some plumbing that would have left Victorian Londoners gobsmacked.
One more key down, but celebrating doesn’t quite feel appropriate. Somewhere in the feeling here lies what I love about this game. The creeping feeling of darkness and horror lurking somewhere, the sense of dread and bad things to come, but still I am drawn in and compelled to play on…
3.5 time winner of the “Really Annoying Caption Contest Saboteur” Award!
... I’m just starting to hope that Chapter V is the final chapter and that there won’t be a sixth, stretching this slooow game even further…
Well… in fact there are 6 chapters, but although chapter 5 is pretty long and full, chapter 6 is much less so. Also, I can’t imagine that anyone will be interested in pausing after chapter 5. Therefore, it is time for us to move on to…
Chapter 5 - confession of the truth…
AND
Chapter 6 - Look through the mirror
Another nightmare gives way to a message from the asylum asking for Samuel himself. The weather is bad and Ashburry beckons. Surely things can’t get much worse from here can they…?
The end of Chapter 6 is, of course, the end of the game. Therefore there is no end date to complete this by. Let’s take a deep breath and dive on in!
3.5 time winner of the “Really Annoying Caption Contest Saboteur” Award!
Another thing that’s somewhat bugging me is the name “sanatorium”.
A sanatorium was in the 19th and early 20th century a medical facility designed to mainly isolate and treat people with tuberculosis, often in the mountains where they figured the air would do the patients good.
What we’re seeing in the game is more a “sanitarium” - specifically one of the older insane asylum varieties.
Chalk this up to a non-native English developer?
The truth can’t hurt you, it’s just like the dark: it scares you witless but in time you see things clear and stark. - Elvis Costello
Maybe this time I can be strong, but since I know who I am, I’m probably wrong. Maybe this time I can go far, but thinking about where I’ve been ain’t helping me start. - Michael Kiwanuka
Since neither Sanitorium nor Sanitarium are in the current vernacular, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if the translator spoke fluent English, but was simply unaware of the difference in meaning between the two similar-sounding/similarly-spelled words. This would most likely be the case if the person was younger than 40.
For whom the games toll,
they toll for thee.
Another thing that’s somewhat bugging me is the name “sanatorium”.
A sanatorium was in the 19th and early 20th century a medical facility designed to mainly isolate and treat people with tuberculosis, often in the mountains where they figured the air would do the patients good.
What we’re seeing in the game is more a “sanitarium” - specifically one of the older insane asylum varieties.
Chalk this up to a non-native English developer?
To be honest, there are a fair few things that don’t quite add up to ‘English’ in this game. Most, if not all, are far too small to criticise (with a second c because UK English!) the devs for in my opinion, but they do contribute to the ‘not England’ feel.
For instance, the spelling of ‘Ashburry’. It’s a made up place name obviously, but it just looks such an unlikely spelling. ‘Ashbury’ looks much more natural. Similarly the village name - ‘Warmhill’ just doesn’t quite sound like an English village to me. I don’t suppose that makes a lot of sense to a non native speaker and, as I say, it probably isn’t that important.
EDIT:
oh, and a very minor thing: Surely Ashbury should be a more correct and “natural” name of the asylum? English is not my first language, but “Ashburry” just felt wrong somehow.
Oh man, I completely missed this comment first time reading through your post Veovis! Apologies for that.
3.5 time winner of the “Really Annoying Caption Contest Saboteur” Award!
EDIT:
oh, and a very minor thing: Surely Ashbury should be a more correct and “natural” name of the asylum? English is not my first language, but “Ashburry” just felt wrong somehow.
Oh man, I completely missed this comment first time reading through your post Veovis! Apologies for that.
No worries! By the way, I guess the “Ashburry” thing was hard for the English translator to do anything about since the name is “hard-coded” into the game (the sign over the entrance gate).
Yeah, I noticed the Ashburry thing too. Ashbury (or even Ashberry) would’ve felt more natural.
I’ve no issues with Warmhill, though. Why would that not sound like an English village?
Note that I may approach near-native, but am still a non-native English speaker.
The truth can’t hurt you, it’s just like the dark: it scares you witless but in time you see things clear and stark. - Elvis Costello
Maybe this time I can be strong, but since I know who I am, I’m probably wrong. Maybe this time I can go far, but thinking about where I’ve been ain’t helping me start. - Michael Kiwanuka
I think I am half way in Chapter 4. Hopefully I will end the game this weekend.
Currently translating Strangeland into Spanish. Wish me luck, or send me money to my Paypal haha
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