Let's Play Ben Jordan VIII (2): To the Library!
12:16
In this episode, Ben takes himself to the library to do some research. We meet the most ornery librarian EVER and waste a little time looking up our friends' names. :P
Tags: let's play ben jordan paranormal investigator case eight relics of the past grundislav francisco gonzalez hercrabbiness
Added: 1 year ago
From: hercrabbiness
Views: 1,495
[the player enters the British Museum Reading Room, where an older male librarian (short black hair, glasses, black sweater) sits behind the front desk]
NARRATOR: The librarian doesn't look particularly thrilled about being here.
[the player clicks on the large bookshelf behind the front desk]
NARRATOR: Hundreds and hundreds of books are crammed on the various shelves around the room.
[the player clicks on the large clock above the bookshelf behind the front desk]
NARRATOR: The large golden clock seems to be a bit slow.
[the player clicks on the row of computers to the left of the front desk]
NARRATOR: The reading room's computers allow access to the British Library's records.
[the player clicks on a book sitting on a table to the right of the front desk]
NARRATOR: A large old volume lays open here for visitors' perusal.
[the player clicks a brochure stand sitting on the front desk]
NARRATOR: One of several brochures decorate the main desk.
[the player clicks on the librarian]
NARRATOR: You've heard that librarians are notorious for being repressed, but you'd rather not get into any trouble by touching this one.
[the player talks to the librarian]
BEN: There sure are a lot of books in here.
LIBRARIAN: Ah, you noticed. Yes there are. Would you care to guess who has the honour of cataloguing them all?
BEN: Um ... you?
LIBRARIAN: Oh my, you are clever. You should apply for a job here.
[the player clicks on the librarian again]
BEN: Would you mind answering some questions?
LIBRARIAN: If it weren't in my job description, then yes. But as it is, I don't seem to have much of a choice, do I?
[the player selects "Himself"]
BEN: How's the librarian biz?
LIBRARIAN: I beg your pardon?
BEN: Business. How is the librarian business?
LIBRARIAN: It's not really a "business" at all, is it?
BEN: It was a figure of speech.
LIBRARIAN: I'm sure it was.
BEN: You know what? Forget I asked.
LIBRARIAN: Done and done.
[the player selects "British Library"]
BEN: What can you tell me about the British Library?
LIBRARIAN: It's over near Saint Pancras.
BEN: The actual library, you mean?
LIBRARIAN: Yes. This is the British Museum Reading Room. You did notice the large sign reading "British Museum" when you entered?
BEN: I did, yes.
LIBRARIAN: Ah, good. Anyway, this room used to be the British Library's Reading Room ... but it was moved to the Saint Pancras location about seven years ago.
[the player selects "Records"]
BEN: You have access to the British Library's records, don't you?
LIBRARIAN: We do, yes. It's more convenient to access them here than at the library. Assuming, of course, you just want a brief glance through the periodicals and card catalogue.
BEN: That's exactly what I want, yes.
[the player selects "Computer"]
BEN: I'd like to use one of your computers.
LIBRARIAN: Very well. Please be aware that they are for research purposes only. I don't want to look over and see you playing one of those ... games!
BEN: Games?
LIBRARIAN: Yes, one of those jumpy-jump shooty-shoot nonsensical pieces of garbage ... Today's youth wasting away in front of them instead of reading!
BEN: Yeah ... okay. Don't worry, I'm just going to do some research.
LIBRARIAN: You can use that computer over there, then.
BEN: Thanks. I'll just be on my way.
[the player clicks on the book sitting on the table nearby]
NARRATOR: You don't think any information in these books would be of any use to you.
[the player clicks on the brochure stand]
NARRATOR: None of these brochures interest you.
[the player clicks on the bookshelf behind the front desk]
NARRATOR: It would take you years to read all these books. Unfortunately, you haven't got the time right now.
[the player clicks on the computers]
NARRATOR: You take a seat at the nearest computer.
[cut to the British Library's online catalog ("The British Library, Explore the world's knowledge"), as the player types "cardinal genovese" into the search bar, which brings up the result "London clergyman makes good"]
London Times
22 March, 1964
Bishop Nicholas Genovese of the Diocese of London received the honour today of being appointed to the College of Cardinals. He leaves for Vatican City next week.
Born in Palermo, Italy in 1926, to an Italian father and American mother, Genovese began his American schooling at 13, just before the start of World War 2. He was sent to London by his parents to be educated at St. Thomas Seminary.
Upon completion of his education, Genovese was dealt a tragic blow, as he found out upon returning home that his family had been seriously affected by the bombing of a nearby village.
Genovese returned to London and became the head of St. Thomas, doing many good deeds for the local community. His fellow clergymen wish him the best as he moves up in the ranks of servitude to the Lord.
[the player types in "st. thomas seminary", which brings up three results]
[the player clicks on "Saint Thomas Seminary, Diocese of London", which brings up the result "The Archdiocese of London, Ontario invites you to begin your spiritual journey at St. Thomas Seminary. It seems this is the wrong London."]
[the player clicks on "St Thomas Catholic School and Seminary, Centerville MO", which brings up the result "Missouri is kind of a long way off. This doesn't seem to be the correct place."]
[the player clicks on "Saint Thomas Seminary, London England", which brings up the result "Saint Thomas Seminary, 720 Marylebone Road NW 4GE, London England. Bingo, this is the place! You make a mental note of the address."]
[the player types in "grundislav", which brings up the result "Several articles found, but all of them are boring."]
[the player types in "ben jordan", which brings up the result "Smailholm Sun - Mysterious Decrease in Town Population"]
Smailholm Sun - Mysterious Decrease in Town Population
by Willie MacDougal
3 August, 2004
The past few days have been strange ones indeed for residents of Smailholm. It seems that a large number of notable members of the community have vanished.
Among the missing are town constable Angus McGee and Marcus Tibbins, proprieter of the Hotel Smailholm. Wallace Crim reported the arrival of an American tourist named Ben Jordan shortly before the disappearances occurred.
However, Jordan has left Smailholm and was unavailable for comment at the time of this writing.
[the player types in "alice wilkins", which brings up the result "UK's oldest living resident passes away at 115"]
Smailholm Sun - UK's Oldest Living Resident Passes Away at 115
by Andrew McDonald
14 December, 1902
Alice Wilkins, Smailholm resident and oldest living person in the UK and possibly the world, passed away today at the age of 115.
Mrs. Wilkins is survived by her two grandchildren, twins Harold and Gerald, 71, and her great-grandson Charles, 42.
[the player types in "simon booth", which brings up the result "Birmingham Post - Obituaries 30 December, 2004"]
Birmingham Post Obituaries for 30 December, 2004
Booth, Simon, 24
Passed away while on holiday in Rome. Booth was born in Hadfield, England, but moved to Birmingham four years later.
Funeral services to be held 2 January, pending the arrival of the body from Rome. Booth is survived by his parents Edward and Olivia.
[the player types in "percival quentin jones", which brings up the result "Error. Article permanently unavailable."]
[the player clicks "Log Out", then exits the library]
---
From wikipedia.org:
Ben Jordan: Paranormal Investigator is a freeware episodic point-and-click adventure video game for Microsoft Windows developed by Francisco Gonzalez of Grundislav Games. The game consists of eight individual episodes, or cases, with an overarching plot connecting them together.
Gameplay
Ben Jordan: Paranormal Investigator is a point-and-click adventure game, designed in the style of the classic 1990's era games from that genre. Each case has a paranormal mystery that Ben must solve, by collecting evidence and other items, and using his notebook for important information. Like most games in the genre, the collected items are stored in an inventory, and can be used on items in the environment in order to solve the game's puzzles. Each episode ends with a final confrontation with the paranormal creature that is featured in that case.
Synopsis
The game's titular character, Ben Jordan, is a recent college graduate who decides to become a paranormal investigator. In each case, Ben is called upon to investigate a different paranormal phenomenon. The game uses real life myths and legends as the basis for the paranormal creatures that Ben encounters.
Plot summary
Ben Jordan has just graduated from college, and decides to become a paranormal investigator. Shortly after advertising his services, he is called to Florida in order to investigate a series of murders in a national park. Ben learns that the murders were believed to have been caused by a sasquatch known as the skunk ape.
After successfully solving his first case, he soon receives a call from a distraught woman whose husband has gone missing after searching for gold from a lost Spanish galleon that was rumored to be buried in the Salton Sea.
Shortly after returning from his second case, Ben is called to a small village in Scotland to investigate the murder of two children which was said to have been the work of witches.
As Ben's reputation is growing, he receives a call to come to London, England to investigate a mysterious house known as the number 50, which was said to be haunted by the victims of a horrific incident that happened there 150 years prior. Ben discovers that he is only one of five paranormal investigators that have been called to investigate, and soon finds himself working with others for the first time in his career.
Ben becomes friends with two of the other number 50 investigators, Alice Wilkins and Simon Booth. He accompanies them to Osaka, Japan to investigate the mysterious deaths of important company managers which are believed to be caused by zombies.
After solving their second case together, the trio decides to take a vacation in Greece. Once there, however, Ben learns about sea creatures which are said to be drag villagers in Agia Anna down into the ocean to eat them. He decides to investigate, without telling his companions his plans.
After Ben's sixth case, he spends Christmas with his family in Philadelphia. Afterward, he is called to Rome by an actor who killed a priest, but claims that he only did so because he was possessed by a demon. While investigating, Ben discovers a secret organization known as the Knights of St. Anthony, and also learns about a plot which threatens his future.
After the tragic events in Rome, things look bleak for Ben. However, he soon learns secrets which allow him to confront the mad man behind the plot.
Cases
The game was separated into eight episodes, or cases, that were released over the course of nine years.
Case 1: "In Search of the Skunk-Ape" (May 27, 2004)
After graduating from college and becoming a paranormal investigator, Ben Jordan is called to Florida to investigate a series of murders which are believed to have been caused by a skunk ape.
Case 2: "The Lost Galleon of the Salton Sea" (June 26, 2004)
Ben investigates the disappearance of a man who was searching for the treasure ship, The Lost Galleon, in the Salton Sea.
Case 3: "The Sorceress of Smailholm" (October 3, 2004)
Ben investigates the murder of two children in a tiny village in Scotland that was said to be the work of witches.
Case 4: "Horror at Number 50" (March 4, 2005)
Ben travels to London to investigate the stories of ghosts and paranormal activity at the mysterious Number 50.
Case 5: "Land of the Rising Dead" (February 2, 2006)
Ben travels to Osaka, Japan to investigate a series of murders that are said to be caused by zombies.
Case 6: "Scourge of the Sea People" (August 29, 2007)
While on vacation in Greece, Ben learns of creatures called Sea People who drag villagers under the ocean to eat them.
Case 7: "The Cardinal Sins" (August 13, 2008)
A man who is accused of murdering a priest calls up Ben begging him to come to Rome to try to clear his name, claiming that he was possessed by a demon.
Case 8: "Relics of the Past" (August 8, 2012)
Ben learns the secrets in the past and present that let him confront the mad man who's threatening his future.
---
From adventuregamestudio.co.uk:
Ben Jordan: Paranormal Investigator Case 8 - Relics of the Past
by Francisco Gonzalez
File size: 224 MB
Downloaded: 3,309 times
Genres: Contemporary, Investigative, Original
Release Date: 8 Aug 2012
Following the tragic events in Rome, things are not looking good for Ben Jordan. However, as bleak as things seem to be, all is not lost.
In this final chapter of the series, Ben will learn the truths hidden in the past and the present, which he will use to finally confront the mad man threatening his future.
AGS Panel Review:
"Relics of the past is a very ambitious project, featuring a vast amount of locations, characters and an extensive voice over cast. The plot is complex and cinematic, offering plenty of drama and suspension. Players with high aesthetic demands may find many backgrounds a bit rushed and unpolished, perhaps due to the sheer amount Grundislav had to draw on his own. Sprite animations are surprisingly well done, heightening the visual experience substantially. At times, the cinematic style takes its toll on the interactivity; the player will enjoy many long cut-scenes and well-written conversations, while the puzzles are quite straight-forward and slightly generic. All in all, for a non-commercial game this is an impressive accomplishment, and a worthy conclusion to the Ben Jordan series."
---
From mobygames.com:
Credits
Written by
Francisco Gonzalez
Starring
Eric Feurstein (as Ben Jordan)
Background Art by
Francisco Gonzalez
Character Animation by
Francisco Gonzalez
Music by
Peter Gresser
Programmed & Scripting by
Francisco Gonzalez
AGS Engine by
Chris Jones
Main Title Images by
Francisco Gonzalez, Mathieu Bergounioux, Ben Chandler, Matt Gardner
Sound Effects by
Kenneth Hyde
Tween Module by
Edmundo Ruiz, Tzach Shabtay
Beta Testers
Edmundo Ruiz, Francesco Ariis, Steven Poulton
Motion Capture Actors
Mario Flores, Javier Ruiz, Yesikka Vivancos, Francisco Gonzalez
Special Thanks to
All the voice actors, Edmundo Ruiz, Steven Poulton, The AGS Community, You, for playing
Voice Cast
Ben Jordan
Eric Feurstein
Arthur Jordan
Drew Wellman
Percival Quentin Jones
Chris Jones
Alice Wilkins
Yesikka Vivancos
Simon Booth
Adam Cronan
Cardinal Genovese
Phillip Sacramento
Donovan the Enforcer #1 (KoSA)
Andy Marshall
British Librarian
Steven Poulton
---
From gameboomers.com:
Have a close look at the presentation of the game. Back to London ...
In Inventory, you have a Notepad and European Money.
DAY ONE
PERCY'S FLAT
See Percival Quentin Jones standing in front of a window. He is looking out to check if some Knights of St-Anthony are watching.
Look at the diploma on the wall: the ink on the date seems to have been smudged.
Talk to him completely using the ? icon.
You will get some good explanation on Cardinal Genovese who wants to unify all religions and about relics and a ritual on New Year's Eve (1pt), on the British Museum where Ben should do a research on Cardinal Genovese (1pt) and on relics again that caused paranormal activities (1pt).
Percival is protecting Ben and also talks about Ben's Cases.
Go outside and walk left or right to get the Map.
BRITISH MUSEUM
Talk to the librarian using the ? icon. Ben wants to use the computer for some research (1pt).
Use the computer on the left: write the word genovese and click ENTER on your computer. Read the article on "London clergyman makes good". Notice the St. Thomas Seminary. Then write down St. Thomas (see the space between the dot and the T). Read the third article and get an address. (1pt)
Log Out.
Walk back down screen and go to the Seminary on the Map.
ST. THOMAS SEMINARY
Talk to the old priest. He has been there for 67 years. He knows about Cardinal Genovese but not where he is. (1pt)
When Ben leaves, the old priest talks to is secretary that they may have some problems. Does Ben know about the Knights? Must have Ben followed.
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