DESCRIPTION

Pity poor Adrienne Delaney. She and her husband Don Delaney move into Carno, an old magician's house in New England. The house has a bad reputation as did Carno himself who, as some say, buried five wives before he died. But, the Delaney's are sure they can cleanse the house with their love.

However, after Don goes to work changing the upstairs bathroom into a darkroom and falls off the ladder, his personality changes from loving to hateful, spiteful and murderous. He abuses his wife emotionally and, later on, physically. And, to make matters worse, the house is haunted by images of Carno and the wives he so brutally murdered.

Phantasmagoria is one of the first true horror games to hit the market and looks much like a movie due to its filming in full motion video. Action in the game is supplemented with video visions that Adrienne Delaney sees as she explores the house and tries to make sense out of what is going wrong not only in the house but in her marriage as well. Each chapter or episode in the game (actually a "day") begins with a video and one of the seven CDs contained in the game.

Phantasmagoria is not a game for the squeamish or for young children as the murders are graphic and often bloody. There is a censored version that can be accessed through the game's options screen, although the resident Hintkeeper derides you for doing so. The Hintkeeper can be clicked on for advice but all hints have a price, as he will tell you. ~ Lisa Karen Savignano, All Game Guide