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Well, as usual with anything new I want to buy, it took a while to get hold of a copy, but have it at last. Some highs and lows as usual but first a little about the game itself.
Once again, we have our six suspects plus four characters from the SFX version, Lady Lavender, Mrs. Meadow Brooks, Rusty and Prince Azure.
These come as ten plastic full coloured playing pawns.
The Board is the standard room layout, but this time there is no dice roll, you simply move from room to room via pathways around the board and there are now two extra areas outside - The Fountain (Originally seen in CLUE Master Detective) and The Rose Garden.
This time, the suspects are not murdering, just on a thieving spree and there are now eleven very interesting and valuable items around the mansion.
BUT!! Added to all this, you now have to discover the time that the crime was committed!!
So, first things first, you have to insert the disc into the DVD drive and when it's loaded, follow the instructions.
There are ten set cases to solve. These will always have the same answer and so can only be played once which is a bit of a shame. There is also a general game which can be played as a normal game of CLUEDO but with the odd interruption from Inspector Brown.
First, select the game you wish to play. You are instructed to take the eleven item cards, shuffle them and, using the special magnifying glass, look for a certain symbol in a certain position on the back of the cards. If you check the item and room cards above, you will see the back of the cards. This will be the stolen item and is placed in the solution envelope. The remaining item cards are placed down in the Butlers pantry for later use.
Then you repeat the same with all the other three decks of cards, looking for the same symbol. This will be the suspect, room and time card for this game. Place them in the envelope too. Then you shuffle and deal them out to the players as usual.
The computer will ask how many players, between 3 and 5, playing and will assign the playing characters.
You play the game as normal on a board but do not use dice, instead you just move from room to room along single pathways.
The Inspector will ask to talk to the players at certain points giving out information and hints. Then Ashe the Butler comes on duty and also gives you clues if you summon him to a room you are in. He will then give you one item card from the Butlers pantry to add to your hand.
The "summon butler" option is on a menu on the screen along with "Use a secret passage". There are the normal secret passages in the Lounge, Kitchen, Conservatory and Study but you do not have to just cross between the opposite room as in normal Cluedo. e.g. you can use the secret passage in the Conservatory and come out in the Study. When you wish to use a secret passage, enter that selection on the screen and a short film will play taking you through the passage and halfway through will be told what happens to you in the passage. It can be advantageous or bad luck.
There is also a "Look at an item card" option that will highlight when the Inspector has placed an item in a certain room. You have to prove your observation skills here to gain the right to view the item card and cross it off you detective note sheet.
There is also a "Look at Inspectors note" option which comes up during the game. These refer to notes made by the Inspector about this case and a number comes up on screen that only you can read with the special magnifying glass. You then refer to this number at the back of the rule book to see the note.
Players start in the Evidence Room in the centre of the board and must return there to make a final accusation for which the special magnifying glass is needed.
So that's just a brief summary of the ten cases in this game. The general game can be played as much as you like. The only real differences is that you just take one item card out at the start of the game and discard the rest. This just shows the item that has been stolen. The Inspector will still be around but will not know the outcome of any of the games. Ashe, too, is absent and takes no part in the games.
And, finally, a closer look at the ten suspect pawns - a really nice set.
So that's CLUEDO - The DVD. It's fun but would be nice with more than 10 set cases.
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