Hey, you! Turn that frown upside-down! Halloween isn't over yet, and what better nightcap than a point-and-click adventure from Psionic In this stylishly scary follow up to the original, Ghostscape 2: The Cabin sends you all alone, deep into the woods, investigating rumours of paranormal activity. Who is the old man who lives all alone amidst the crumbling old grave sites? And, more importantly, what is that strange shadow that seems to be following you?
The game is played by using the arrows on the screen to navigate, and clicking on objects to pick them up or interact with them. You can see what your current objectives are by clicking on your inventory icon (the large letter "I" in the right-hand corner), but for the most part you'll simply be exploring. Unlike other point-and-click titles, The Cabin doesn't offer a lot in the way of puzzle solving, instead sending you out to snap photos of paranormal activity in the area and granting you a score based on how much you discover. While you can breeze through the game fairly quickly by ignoring the strange things you'll see in the woods, your end result will be better if you take the time to snap photos at every opportunity and leave no stone (or pile of dirt) unturned.
You're not the first person to come nosing around the area, as the diaries you'll discover among the moldering ruins will tell you. Will you be luckier than others have been? Or will you feel a cold hand drop on your shoulder when the shadows fall after dark?
Analysis: Yes, like its predecessor, The Cabin is pretty cool, and pretty creepy. It's creepy cool! While there are several loud scares, The Cabin relies a lot more on fostering a sense of wrongness to make you uneasy. From the strange doll waiting to play with you in the cellar to the unearthly sounds you'll hear from uncomfortably close by, it's incredibly good at making you feel unsettled. The game even asks for your name in the beginning, and then continues to address you directly afterward. It's a small touch, but a nice one.
But while the moody black-and-white design does add to the atmosphere, it also adds to the frustration. Your major "quest" winds up being something akin to a scavenger hunt, and unfortunately a lot of the seemingly unrelated items can bleed into the background. The narrative is also extremely loose, so the game winds up feeling more like a hike through the woods than a cohesive story experience. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially for those of us who enjoy exploration. But players looking for a solid, structured story may feel a bit frustrated.
Still, for a Halloween treat (or even just a quiet evening alone) The Cabin manages to provide a short but satisfying bit of spooky entertainment. Drawing on the sense of unease that comes from hearing similar old legends and bits of folklore, it's an excellent way to set the mood for an evening of frightening festivities. Just be careful the next time you take a picture of someone. You never know what you'll find looking back at you through the lens.
Walkthrough Guide
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I've never done this before - hope it works and hope it helps. :)
Walkthrough
General notes
Using the shovel on piles of dirt may produce something, but also might not.
Every "area worth searching" produces an obsidian sphere.
First Screen
Take pictures of :
1 Orb
3 Graves
1 Tree sculpture
1 Set of footprints
Pick up :
Crowbar
Shovel
Note : The number on the leftmost grave.
1907 is the combination for the lock on the gate.
After getting through locked gate, Go to Cabin and talk to the old man.
Then check the inventory to find out what tasks you have to do.
Cabin - Upstairs
Pick up :
1 Diary
1 Oil lamp
Note : scratch marks on the wall
they give you the code for the trapdoor into the cellar - 5375.
Go downstairs and enter code the code for the trap door.
Then go into Cellar.
Cabin - Cellar
Take photo of :
1 Orb
>Pick up :
2 Oil lamps
1 Obsidian sphere
1 Diary
1 Bottle of wine
Play with the doll if you like.
Cabin - Outside
Take photo of :
1 Orb
1 Grave
1 Ankou
Pick up :
1 Poppy
1 Oil lamp
Use metal detector on area worth searching and get an Obsidian sphere.
Use shovel on :
2 Pile of dirt
Woodshed
Take photo of :
1 Orb
3 Grave
1 Ankou
Use metal detector on area worth searching and get an Obsidian sphere.
Use shovel on :
3 Piles of dirt
Pick up :
1 Firewood
2 Poppies
1 Skull
1 Oil lamp
Toolshed
Take photo of :
1 Orb
1 Grave
1 Ankou
Find :
1 Cave with Evidence
Pick up :
1 Scythe
2 Poppies
1 Hat
Use metal detector on area worth searching and get an Obsidian sphere.
Campsite
Take photo of :
1 Orb
1 Ankou
Use shovel on :
3 Piles of dirt
Use metal detector on area worth searching and get an Obsidian sphere.
Pick up :
1 Poppy
3 Skulls
3 Oil lamps
2 Diaries
Lookout Point
Take photo of :
1 Orb
Use metal detector on area worth searching and get an Obsidian sphere.
Find :
1 Cave with Evidence
Use shovel on :
4 Piles of dirt
Pick up :
1 Poppy
2 Skulls
1 Diamond Ring
Caves
Take photo of :
1 Orb
1 Ankou
Find :
3 Caves with Evidence
Use shovel on :
4 Piles of dirt (note that the dirt outside the closed cave counts as 2 piles)
Pick up :
1 Poppy
2 Skulls
1 Obsidian Blade (inside the closed cave)
Getting into the closed cave
There are 4 shapes above the 5 pointed star.
Using the obsidian spheres, copy the first shape into the five pointed star then press the down arrow.
The cave door should open slightly.
Repeat for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th shapes.
The door opens more each time, and is completely open after the 4th shape is entered.
Enter the cave to get the obsidian blade.
Inside Cabin
Open fireplace and put firewood (from inventory) in fireplace.
Use lighter (from inventory) on firewood.
Talk to old man.
Take photo of old man.
Follow arrows to finish game.
Posted by: serendipity2009 | October 31, 2009 7:35 PM