Blackwell 5: Epiphany - What a way to go
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iOS
| Blackwell Epiphany

For a series that's all about accepting the end and moving on, it's only right that Blackwell would have a successful final episode.

Epiphany dramatically raises the stakes, and seals up the story with a poignant final chapter. Plus, it's an enjoyable point and click adventure in its own right.

If you forgot, this series is about Rosa Blackwell: a medium who travels New York with her spirit guide Joey (a rat pack reject from the 30s, complete with trilby and cheeky noir dialogue), helping the recently deceased come to to terms with their mortality.

Coming to terms

It's a traditional point and click (with a pleasing mid-90s vibe), but the focus is often on detective-style snooping, instead of loopy McGuyver-esque contraptions.

That means you spend more time comparing notes, searching for names on your phone, and questioning subjects than sticking cat hair on your upper lip.

Another oft-used puzzle is that while Joey can phase through walls to reach areas Rosa can't, he isn't able to pick up objects or use computers.

So you're stuck with blowing light objects and reading scraps of paper unless you can figure out a way to grant Rosa entrance.

We've all gotta go

The puzzles are generally very good, though you will spend a lot of time trotting back and forth between locations. Like many good adventures, you're given the chance to work on two puzzles at once in case you get stuck on one strand.

The puzzles are easy and logical but that's fine - they keep the game grounded, the plot moving, and the lens firmly on the interesting characters that stalk and haunt Manhattan.

As ever, each ghost starts off not knowing that he or she is dead so Rosa and Joey's job is to get to know that person, and help them understand their… situation

But it's not a morbid game, it's actually about getting to know people, to celebrate their lives, and to help them come to terms with their decisions.

RIP

This being the final episode, Epiphany turns the camera directly on Rosa and Joey. Though, you'll have to play it yourself to see how their tale wraps up.

Suffice to say, Epiphany manages to wrap up the five-game narrative well, bringing the various plot points and important characters together for one, epic ending.

If you've been following and enjoying all the Blackwell games on iOS up to this point, then this final chapter will not disappoint.

And while I wouldn't recommend playing this one without trying the previous games, it would still work fine as a standalone game.

Blackwell 5: Epiphany - What a way to go

Blackwell Epiphany is a successful final chapter for a memorable series. It has great puzzles, sharp writing, and a plot that's both epic and emotional
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Mark Brown
Mark Brown
Mark Brown is editor at large of Pocket Gamer