I bought it virtually sight unseen (well, used one of my hanging coupons at BF), because I stupidly let the hour demo run while doing other things with kids and house that needed doing.  :P  Anyway, I knew I wanted to try it, and in all probability the demo wouldn't have gotten me to the part that I will tell about here.

Short version - This game bugs me! 

Longer version - Let me just say that I have nothing against visual novels, although they're not my favorite form of entertainment.  But since this had to do with Jane Austin and P&P, I had to give it a go.  I was introduced to her books rather later in life than most but absolutely love them!  A little backstory to my frustration here - last night/early this morning I just finished reading a spin-off/adaptation novel revolving around P&P.  I came away thinking that the story would have been fine had the author decided to use different characters.  But, and this is just my opinion, it smacks of plagiarism when you take another's story no matter how well known and loved and add a few details and plot twists here and there to make it different.  Again, I know this is just my opinion, as there are others who love the "adaptations."  I'm, also, one of those people who thinks that a badly-made, book-based movie had either better been left on a desk with an "I refuse to commit this travesty" sticky note from the director attached to it OR made into a film titled completely different than the book if the filmmakers refuse to stick pretty close to the based-on book.

However, I was not distressed to find that the game lifted much text from Jane Austin's book (or should I say BOOKS).  After all, it's not a book.  It's a game.  What bugged me was precisely the fact that Reflexive tried to incorporate so many of Jane Austin's books and storylines that the game is very difficult for me to follow.

*SPOILER* (please, highlight the text below to read it)
Since when, in Miss Austin's works, did Elizabeth ever meet Colonel Brandon or Captain Wentworth?  And is it just me, or did she NOT have a sister named Lidianne or however they spelled it?  Wickham and Willoughby combined?  I was mildly annoyed when Sense and Sensibility sneaked into the story, but when Persuasion (which happens to be my favorite Austin title) suddenly made an appearance, I lost it. 

The urge to yell at my computer came over me, but (precious little) good sense and the presence of my children held me back.  I wanted so badly to like this game, and I AM still playing it (have only gotten 2 endings so far); but why did they have to put P&P in the title if it wasn't going to be based on that work?  Couldn't they have said something more like "Matches & Matrimony: A new take on Jane Austin and her works"?  Yes, I know that's too long for an already long game title, but you get my drift.    Perhaps my dislike of the game was influenced by last night's read; perhaps not.  In short, there may be many who are not bothered by the blender treatment of Miss Austin's novels, but it seriously turned me off to this game.



(Message edited by cyndisa On 03/04/2011 16:21)