Uninvited (Nintendo Entertainment System)
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We continue our month-long journey through spooky 8- and 16-bit games with Uninvited, the spiritual successor to
Shadowgate and Deja Vu. These point and click adventure games stood out on a system best known for games like Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda. Were critics into this style of graphic adventure, or were they left bored by the slow-pace and emphasis on puzzles? We dig through old issues of GamePro, Electronic Gaming Monthly and Nintendo Power for the answers.
(NOTE: Although we occasionally cut for length, no other edits are made to the reviews. Defunct Games does not change any of the wording, grammar or punctuation use. Keep in mind that our score is the average of all critics at the time, not just the sample that is reprinted on this page. For more details and answers to common questions, we encourage you to read the Review Crew FAQ. There you'll find information on review guidelines, how we convert scores, magazine covers and more.)
GAMEPRO (June 1991)
"Uninvited 'invites' you to search for your missing sister throughout a spooky, haunted mansion complete with ghosts and other ghoulish mysteries. This adventure role play title uses the same 'point and click' interface as Shadowgate and Déjà vu. Solving the phantom puzzle takes brain power as opposed to quick reflexes. However, aficionados of this video game genre may find Uninvited doesn't quite live up to the standards set by Shadowgate and Deja Vu. -Andromeda (4 out of 5)
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY #22
"Like Shadowgate, Kemco has directly translated a popular computer quest. All of the challenge you'd expect in an adventure RPG is here, but the graphics are definitely restrained by the limitations of the Nintendo. Good for puzzle-solving RPG lovers thought!" -Ed (7 out of 10)
NINTENDO POWER (April 1991)
"Kemco/Seika continues its successful series of first-person perspective adventures with this visit through a mysterious and danger-filled mansion. Like Shadowgate, there are many elements of magic and other-worldly events in this story. Along the way, you'll collect items, learn magic spells and discover more and more about the many mysteries of the house. If you enjoy the mystery solving and decision making of Shadowgate and Deja Vu, you'll also have fun with this new adventure." (3.5 out of 5)
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY #22
"Uninvited is another one of those RPGs that tries to simulate real life with graphics instead of text or putting the characters in action-oriented game play. The problem is that, while the quest is O.K., the graphics and interaction just don't cut it. Too complex for its own good." -Martin (4 out of 10)
REVIEW CREW AVERAGE: 60% -
Much like
Shadowgate, critics were split on Uninvited. While GamePro embraced the point and click interface and challenging puzzles, Electronic Gaming Monthly took a decidedly different tone. Of the four critics, Ed gave the game a highest score. Everybody else thought the game was below average, with Martin, Sushi X and Steve all giving the game 4s and 5s.
And then there's Nintendo Power, who seems somewhere in the middle. Giving the game a completely middle of the road score, Nintendo's flagship publication didn't have strong opinions either pro or con. They simply stated that fans of Kemco's previous games will probably like Uninvited. It's hard to argue with that logic.
With Electronic Gaming Monthly peeing in the pool, this point and click adventure game averages a disappointing 60%. On the other hand, this is actually an improvement over the original
Shadowgate, which scored a terrible 56%.
ON THE NEXT REVIEW CREW:
Having already tackled
Bram Stoker's Dracula, it's time for the Review Crew to tackle the follow-up. Join us on Wednesday when we see what classic game magazines said about Mary Shelley's Frankenstein for Sega CD.
Make sure and check out the
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