[h1]TL;DR Go to puzzle area, think it was impossible, put game aside, tried again a few days later, put aside, resisted looking at walkthrough, tried once more, had 'eureka' moment, solved puzzle, repeat.[/h1]
Rhem III, like the other Rhem games, is a game for visual puzzles and the occasional audio puzzle. There's no real dialog, just puzzles and pictograms (which might be a clue to another puzzle). Most of the fun is figuring out just what the puzzles are in the first place (are those paintings important to to something elsewhere in the complex?) The premise of each Rhem game is the same (so my reviews are very similar to those for the other Rhem games): You find yourself in a part of a strange and deserted complex and need to find a key item (which is a clue to figuring out the fate of a lost explorer before you). Each puzzle brings you a little bit closer to re-starting the systems in this strange, deserted complex and finding a way to get out. The Rhem series was released about 10-15 years ago, and there still are very few games like it. There is a loose plot that links the four Rhem games together, but you don't have to play them in order. I'd recommend skipping Rhem I and trying any of II-through-IV first (as it was the first try by Knut Müller, the game play of Rhem I is not nearly as smooth as the others). If you like the series after playing one of the later Rhem games you can always go back and play Rhem I. Rhem II is as good a place to start as any to see if you really like the series, then go through III and IV and finish with I.
The general thread is that you are searching for some items in a mysterious, hidden complex (and have to find your way out!) This game doesn't support SteamSynch. The graphics are simple and in a limited color palette (I originally got Rhem III on disk in 2009, bought the special edition on Steam to have it again). The colors are muted (it is an abandoned, dilapidated complex) and there is limited animation but this doesn't detract from the game.
This is a first-person perspective, 2D point and click game. There is no camera panning or movement, so no motion sickness issues. You turn left or right by clicking the edge of the scene, and the whole perspective changes (usually in 90 degree increments -- there is a compass to help you navigate). You need to have the sound on for the occasional audio puzzle and the ever-present "it worked" sound (like a microwave ding) and "it didn't work" buzz sound (like a contestant at a game show getting the wrong answer). These sounds happen when you try to turn switches or otherwise activate items and indicate if you succeeded / didn't succeed. There are no jump scares, no violence, no nudity.
This is a game for puzzles. There's very little hand holding here -- you really need to walk around and explore the game world. Taking screenshots, notes and mapping are essential (I use a smart phone). The puzzles do not have directions spelled out -- most of the fun is figuring out just what the objective of puzzle is, or even if something is a puzzle. I recommend taking screenshots of the puzzles because sometimes you will find a clue and realize that it relates to a puzzle all the way back on the other end of the complex. Other times a puzzle needs a clue that you just haven't reached yet. Even the slightest detail in a scene might be a clue, like numbers, buttons or wires (where do they lead?). Look everywhere for clues -- up, down, behind doors... nothing is off limits. When you pick up an item in a scene, be sure to move the mouse to see if you can flip it over and see its backside. Making a map on graph paper as you go along is real helpful too (but use pencil in case you need to revise it!).
This is a game to be savored, for puzzle fans everywhere. This is why it's best to resist the urge to go to the walkthrough. The solution will often be staring you right in the face, but only when you pour over the screenshots that you took does something go "click!" in your mind in the middle of the night.
Just when you solve a puzzle and open what you think is the final door... you see a whole new wing of the complex with puzzles waiting to be solved. By the time you are done, you'll know the layout of the complex better than that of your neighborhood. By the time you've solve everything, the achievement will leave you full of relief and excitement like you won the Stanley Cup. This is again why I recommend avoiding the gameboomers.com walkthrough until you have been puzzling as much as you can.
Highly recommended and a few dozen hours of enjoyment for a decent price! Take advantage of the Steam sale if you can. I played this through on disk before getting the Steam edition and this is why my playing time is low.
I played this on Win 10 and had no issues.
