Blackwell Epiphany (iOS) Review

Epiphany follows pretty much the same formula as all of its predecessors and this isn't a bad thing because it is one that works. Think a supernatural procedural cop show with individual deaths that need to be investigated. The clincher here, though, is that the characters are so well developed and have such interesting dynamics with each other.

Throughout the previous titles, there has been an ever-developing relationship between the reluctant medium, Rosangela, and the Jazz era ghost, Joey, who is tied to her spirit. The progression they have undergone from beginning to end is a testament to the quality of writing at hand here. In Legacy, Rosangela was cynical and reluctant of Joey, cursing her family for having inflicted this curse on her. The development since then has led to Epiphany, in which nobody could imagine the two of them being apart and the dialogue provides a great back and forward banter between the partners. Obviously, without spoiling anything, it makes the conclusion worthy of the series and packs a real emotional punch.

Anyone who has had the chance to play the previous entries in the series will know that narrative development is given more interest than making a complicated puzzler. Epiphany continues this trend and indeed one of the hardest puzzles comes in the introductory tutorial section in which a lot of jumping backwards and forwards and some cryptic clues come into play. Most of the puzzles involve interaction with other characters to extract some of the information they know. It is kind of disappointing that more of the puzzle solving is not outside simply combining notes of interest on Rosa's phone. At least more use is made of this, though, and one of the few memorable puzzle sequences involves hacking into a mobile app in order to gain access to a secured computer.

One thing that is especially pleasing is that some memorable characters from the past titles also come back for a cameo (or in one case, a leading role in the ending) and it is satisfying to see some previous loose ends firmly tied together - most importantly in the case of Joey, the standout character, who finally gets some more of his origin story displayed and gets the ending he firmly deserves. It is obviously important to note that to get any satisfaction out of the plot, or to even know who the main protagonist is, a play through of the preceding titles is required. Newcomers will find themselves scratching their heads, especially at the end.

The Blackwell series has always been much-loved for giving such a starring role to the city of New York itself and this has not changed in Epiphany. Coming to the end of this saga, the tone is set firmly from the first locale Rosangela and Joey wind up in - a crumbling, abandoned apartment building. The bright lights and jazz of the previous age and the flashback of Rosangela's aunt have been replaced by the laying snow and the cold empty streets. That said, though, the backgrounds here are sprinkled with little details that really make them pop and come alive. Even with the more limited budget when it comes to the graphical side of things, there is a large variety of locales the adventure utilises. There is also a noticeable improvement in both the detail of the character models, as well as the character animations, and this is particularly good at bringing to life the memorable set pieces towards the end of the story.