Page - 151 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 07/02

Game Review: Creaks (Puzzle) | 151 The bulldogs-turned-nightstands can then be used to reach ladders or to push them onto other floor panels. But beware, when moved out of the light, they turn back into their bulldog existence and tear the poor creature nearby (in this case, my character) to shreds. It is rewarding not only to look out for these grim animals but also to watch the walls – from time to time, paintings on the wall contain valuable hints. Animated music boxes and small automata provide further informa- tion and skill boosts respectively (fig. 2). It turns out that I am not the only “intelligent” being in these hallways. A distinguished-looking, well-dressed gentleman (or, rather, a gentle-bird) strolls through the corridors, obviously looking for something – and he is familiar both with the rooms and with the now run-down inventory. And he has some friends who help him, as it turns out, looking for a special book. These bird-like creatures seem to be the original inhabitants of this build- ing and they are in constant danger of being destroyed: a giant monster is periodically attacking the building, tearing it down piece by piece, and the desperate attempts of the birds to fend it off seem to be in vain. Since this monster is also responsible for what the player has experienced as earth- quakes (and the initial creaks and light bulb problems), it is self-evident that helping the gentle-bird and his avian entourage would be a good decision. After moving through a number of levels (somewhere around level 45), it becomes obvious that the monster is a seemingly undefeatable giant mul- tiheaded dog, apparently a relative of the mythological Cerberus of ancient Greece (fig. 3). Fig. 2: A puzzle in a puzzle: the animated music box on the wall tells a story and, if properly solved, boosts a skill (Creaks 2020). www.jrfm.eu 2021, 7/2, 149–155