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About the StoryHigh school journalists spend the night in a church, investigating reports of a ghost.Game Details |
Awards
2nd Place - 19th Annual Interactive Fiction Competition (2013)
Winner, Best Setting; Nominee, Best Implementation - 2013 XYZZY Awards
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Member Reviews
| Average Rating: ![]() Number of Reviews: 4 Write a review |
Most Helpful Member Reviews

I loved the depth of this game, and enjoyed just reading through the notebook that my character has from her friend.
I was wishing for a little more out of the camera system, but I'll leave it at that--and I'll acknowledge that I may have found it too fussy if the game delivered what I expected from the camera system. Once you've solved the case, it is quite obvious what was happening. Still, with the wide array of choices, I think the ending could use some (very minor) tweaking to show a relationship between the photos you took and the outcome.
A for instance; I took photos of the sleeping chaperone, which I thought was pretty funny. It would have added something to it if my character got a detention or some other mild punishment as a result, despite solving the case, in the epilogue.
The puzzles are really well done, and if you are stuck, you can pay attention to other characters to get a clue. This game unfolds nicely and includes great red herrings.
The writing is top-notch. I'd highly recommend anything with Veeder or Boegheim as writers.

This game follows a small group of young adults as they investigate mysterious occurences for the school newspaper.
The hint system is supplied in the form of notes, assembled by a young man on behalf of the female narratot. I STRONGLY recommend reading as many of the hints as possible, as they pai t a fascinating picture of the young man, the narrator, and their environment.
There is a second, subtle hint system that soon becomes apparent to anyone getting stuck in the game.
I would recommend this to newcomers based on the two help systems and for experienced IF players based on the rich storyline (including the hidden scene detailed in the Author's notes).

I admit, I had high hopes for this game based on other reviews. But even if I had gone in with no expectations, I believe I would still feel a little cheated. Don't get me wrong, I had a blast solving puzzles along the way, and I truly appreciate all of the work that went into building this game. There is just one major disappointment!
Spoilers (and whining) ahead:
(Spoiler - click to show)In my inventory I had a crook (a pole with a hook on the end) and a box (to stand on since my character is short). I came across an intriguing trapdoor in the ceiling and was able to open it using the box and crook. Once in the attic, I discovered the truth about the resident ghost.
Now, this would all be fine if there were multiple endings. For example, if you were to go into the attic without certain proofs, you would lose due to insufficient evidence. I would have much preferred that because then I would have replayed the game and made sure I was able to prove my case the next time around. Unfortunately there is only one ending, and once the attic is accessed the truth is made clear regardless of any proof (or lack thereof) I may have possessed. All of the evidence I spent time collecting and photographing was meaningless. I never needed to do anything at all other than get into that attic (although I will note that the crook is only found after solving another puzzle so it isn't like you can solve the game quickly). Still, so disappointing!
I would love for the authors of this game to make an extended version. I think that would be amazing! It would definitely get five stars from me. :)
See All 4 Member Reviews
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Recommended Lists
Robin & Orchid appears in the following Recommended Lists:Detective and mystery games by MathBrush
These are games where you play a detective or someone else investigating a mystery. Most of them are realistic games which I am splitting off of my realistic list. Some are more magical or science fi-ish.
Favorite "atmosphere" games by MathBrush
These are games that are fun because of the atmosphere and plot more than the puzzles. These games are not too hard and not too easy. They generally have a big over-arching theme. I have included most horror and comedy games in other...
2013 XYZZY Awards Nominees by Molly
Here are the nominees for the 2013 XYZZY Awards, roughly by order of appearance on the finalist page. Note that this list does not cover the Best Technological Development Award.
Polls
The following polls include votes for Robin & Orchid:Games with unique hint systems by delano
I'm looking for games that offer hints in any way, except for printing them in sequence on the screen. For example: characters that offer hints; objects that, when examined or used in a certain way, suggest actions to the player; etc.
IF with a sense of wonder by blue/green
What interactive fiction would you recommend that evokes a sense of wonder? These could be games that capture wonder or beauty in ordinary things, perhaps by viewing the world through the eyes of a child. Or they could be games that...
For Your Consideration - XYZZY-eligible NPCs of 2013 by Sam Kabo Ashwell
This poll is a place to suggest non-player characters from games released in 2013, who you think might be worth considering for Best Individual NPC in the XYZZY Awards. Leave the name (or namelessness) of the NPC (or NPCs) in the comment...
This is version 17 of this page, edited by Ryan Veeder on 10 November 2020 at 6:39pm. - View Update History - Edit This Page - Add a News Item