Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: January 25, 2000

The famous Parker Brothers board game, “Clue,” has a mysterious history with Hasbro Interactive. Several years ago, the publisher released a computer version that was so incredibly bad and buggy, it was pulled off shelves almost as quickly as it got there. Then in 1998, the company turned to a different developer, Engineering Animation Incorporated, and produced a new title, Clue: Murder at Boddy Mansion, that made no reference whatsoever to the existence of the previously buried release. This game was excellent, faithfully reproducing the fun we all fondly remember while at the same time adding the possibility of moving among the rooms in three-dimensional space rather than just on a flat board.

Now Hasbro has taken a logical next step, introducing a full blown 3D adventure, Clue Chronicles: Fatal Illusion, created by the same developer. Using all of the original “Clue” characters–my favorite of which has always been Professor Plum–this new release plays like a mystery novel with tons of unexpected twists and turns. Optimistically tagging it episode one, the company clearly hopes it is the first of many titles. Although the connection to the original board game is somewhat loose, involving primarily similar characters and sleuthing to solve who committed a murder, this is a noble and clever expansion of the original theme that involves much more penetrating, complex, and, ultimately, riveting detective work.

The story begins New Year’s Eve 1938 aboard the private yacht of the wealthy and eccentric Ian Masque. You find yourself among a select group of guests at a party where rare artifacts associated with an Egyptian death cult are shown. When you hand Masque an intriguing puzzle box, he falls to the floor dead. The plot is full of supernatural references, and along the way, you end up interpreting dreams, performing magic, hypnotizing people, and testing guests for ESP. You must use your best investigative skills to unravel each person’s story and relationship to you, discovering in the process what their quirks are, why they are at the fateful party, and the true nature of Masque’s intentions.

There are three new settings to explore, including an outlandish yacht named the Rhine Maiden, a cable car, and a bizarre mountaintop castle called Chateau de Nuit. While these are reminiscent of environments I have seen elsewhere, the outstanding Chateau de Nuit mansion is quite simply the best I have ever seen, making even the classic location in Trilobyte’s 7th Guest pale in comparison, with loads of secret passages, hidden rooms, and mysterious winding staircases to explore. So although the number of distinct settings is far less varied than in most adventure titles, the principal exploratory environment is so well done that it more than compensates.