Dark Hill Museum of Death

People used to kill each other a lot more back in the day, and the creepy thing is that they used all sorts of torture devices in order to execute people in painful ways. Granted, the trend is not entirely gone, because there are places around the world where the death penalty is still active. However, one could argue that at least the methods are somewhat more humane, at least in some countries.

Dark Hill Museum of Death is a first-person puzzle game in which you get to admire all sorts of devices used to execute people, ranging from the electric chair, all the way to the classic guillotine. The goal is to unlock the way deeper into the museum in order to look at more exhibits, so there is no actual action besides walking around and fiddling with various puzzles.

Speaking of which, every exhibit features a short description to let you know what the device in question does, as well as when it was used. It’s a neat way to learn about these things if you are interested, although it’s difficult to vouch for the accuracy of the information. Some of the devices are only crude representations, given the simple 3D models used throughout the game.

As for the puzzles themselves, some are more difficult than others, but there are situations where the most annoying part is the amount of trial & error required. Hence, you may find yourself trying dozens of possible patterns and solutions until you stumble upon the right one, given the fact that there are no real hints or guides. On the other hand, you can also tackle superficial jigsaw puzzles as well.

In terms of graphics, there’s nothing to write home about, but the game is not ugly either. Most of the objects are pretty nicely modeled, and the level design is not too bad overall. However, the lighting could have been better, since it’s difficult to see some of the puzzles sometimes. The music has some wild variations in rhythm too, depending on what room you happen to be in.

In the end, Dark Hill Museum of Death is a pretty fun experience at the end of the day, especially since you might learn a thing or two. It could obviously use more work in terms of graphics and puzzle mechanics, but it’s not bad for an indie production.