I got Laura Bow 2: The Dagger of Amon Ra several years ago when it was still fairly new and loved every minute of it. I love creepy museums for some odd reason, especially if I get to see the exhibits and maybe even the back rooms that visitors are not suppose to enter. Therefore, this game was so perfect for me! The fact that it was set in the 1920's New York gave a fun and refreshing new change from the King's Quest games that I have played over so many times.

Because Laura Bow 2 or The Dagger of Amon Ra was made in 1991, it has the same graphical look and feel of King's Quest 5 and King's Quest 6. The graphics are in rich 256 colors with handpainted backgrounds and awesome animations. There is MIDI background music, and if you have the CD-ROM version, there is also speech. The voices for some of the characters are quite amusing to hear.

The game interface is completely icon driven, meaning there is no typing of commands involved. The interface is similar to that of King's Quest 5 and King's Quest 6 in that there are walk, talk, feel, inventory, etc. icons that the player uses throughout the game. One of the great improvements that I really liked about this game as opposed the original one is the notebook feature. In Laura Bow 1, the player knows that Laura is taking notes in her notebook throughout the entire game, but the notebook is only viewable at the end of the game. The notebook becomes a very important interactive element in this game. Laura goes places and gathers information about certain people/things/events that are specifically in her notebook. The player can see if Laura writes down new clues and information in the notebook.

The element of timing is still important in this game, such as spying on meetings between people at precise times, but it is not as extensive as in Laura Bow 1. Therefore, if you need to talk to a character or see an event, that character and event will probably linger around until you arrive. That way, if you are a little slow (but not too slow), you hopefully do not miss anything. In a sense, this makes it easier and less challenging than the original game, which can be viewed as good or bad depending on the player. However, it should be noted that to make up for the easier timing element for most of the game, one of the acts is extremely fast paced!!

Each of the characters are very distinct in their personalities and behavior, but overall, I felt that they were all a bit shallow in character development -- almost stereotypical. You have the sexy French blonde, the snotty and uptight English architect, the ill-mannered gangster, etc. However, the story is incredible! Early on, the player finds out that someone stole the dagger of Amon Ra, and that is what Laura is reporting on. There is a burglar out there ... but that is not all. As the game progresses, more layers to the mystery unravel -- more mini-mysteries with their own plots and twists. The fragments and pieces that Laura discovers weave into an intricate storyline and mystery that are still not resolved after the credits roll! That is why there is an extensive list of Laura Bow curiosities on this website! Overall, it is an excellent murder mystery adventure game despite the fact that Roberta Williams did not actually create it. 5 out of 6 stars. -- Kimmie