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The Way of the Rabbi

The Shivah, an original and mature adventure game with a New York Rabbi investigating the killing of an ex-member of his synagogue, now with highly enhanced pixel-art graphics, is available on GOG.com for $2.49 (50% off the full price) until 9:59 AM GMT May 8th.

For any Jew, it's a great mitzvah to visit the house of a departed acquaintance during the week of mourning--the Shivah, and pay respect to the avels. But when you are a Rabbi, it's more than that: it's a duty. Especially, if the deceased unexpectedly left you a large sum of money, even though you didn't part ways in friendship. If the police suspects you had something to do with a murder, it would be meshugge not to try and clear your name. But when you are a Rabbi, it's more than that: it's a duty. Your synagogue looks up to you, after all. They may like you, or not. They may respect you, or not. They may listen to you, or not, but there must be no doubt in their minds that you are a good Jew. It's natural for any man to ponder upon the nature of morality and reassess the important things in life, when faced with a dark mystery and a gruesome death. But when you're a Rabbi, it's more than that. It's a duty. You have to face your doubts and fears before you help others to do so. Yes, life isn't easy at all. But when you are a Rabbi, it comes with some extra challenges.

The Shivah is a point-and-click title designed by Dave Gilbert of Wadjet Eye Games, one of the modern adventure game power-houses. Initially executed in Adventure Game Studio it received a lot of praise from both gamers and gaming media, despite the simplistic visuals of the original 2006 version. It was welcomed as a mature and thought-provoking experience, as well as an unique insight into the contemporary Jewish culture. Pair that with a gripping, non-linear crime story and you've got a title unlike any other. Now, seven years after its initial release, this intriguing title is making a comeback, in the so called "Kosher Edition", sporting higher resolution pixel-art graphics made from scratch to make the game look as good as we came to expect from Wadjet Eye titles. MP3 soundtrack included!

As Rabbi Russell Stone attend The Shivah of Jack Lauder, and solve the mystery of his untimely death, while facing some of your own demons, for $2.49 (50% off the full price) until 9:59 AM GMT May 8th.
I played the old version, so I'll pass this promo.
Shivah is a good adventure, too short though.
I think I've bought that one a bit too often.

Still, an excellent little adventure game, although it felt like a draft for the later more elaborate wadjet games (maybe that impression is decreased in this deluxe version, i've only played the original). But the usual intelligence of the wadjet games is here. Plus a glimpse of jewish culture (or at least one of its variants), echoing nicely the Coen's "A serious man" movie. As a goy myself, I found this both interesting and confusing, and I still wonder how representative -and of what exactly- they are.

A couple of the jokes accessible in-game (from the protagonist's computer) are also a tad obscure to me, but whatever. These are more like easter eggs of sorts (can jewish games have easter eggs?).

All in all, a nice short-and-light game, by the authors of the spectacularly awesome blackwell series. But I expect it to be very unfairly overlooked, despite of that sale. :-(

(also i love gameplay variations on the monkey island swordfights)
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Nergal01: That's the second game on my wishlist to get a daily promo this week. Thx, GOG.
+1
Man... GOG is relentless with the temptations...

uunnngggggghhhhh.....

Oh what the hell. For less than a good-sized McD sandwich I will be getting mucho gaming goodness.

Bought!

Edit: with this purchase, I now bring my shelf total to 299! One more til the big THREE-OH-OH!!!

Now the pressure is really on: Which game should get that honor?
Post edited May 07, 2014 by jackster79
Not a game I'd go out of my way to play (Since I've found point&click are seemingly more annoying for me). Plus I got this in a humble bundle grouping.
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jackster79: Man... GOG is relentless with the temptations...

uunnngggggghhhhh.....

Oh what the hell. For less than a good-sized McD sandwich I will be getting mucho gaming goodness.

Bought!

Edit: with this purchase, I now bring my shelf total to 299! One more til the big THREE-OH-OH!!!

Now the pressure is really on: Which game should get that honor?
The Guild :P
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grimgroove: Is it our duty to buy this game even if we're not Rabbi's?
Do you have to be Jewish to understand a morality tale?

(People who've played the game through a couple of times will probably get the joke...

*** VERY MINOR SPOILER ***

...as the entire game essentially serves as the punchline to the joke at the start)
Post edited May 07, 2014 by jamyskis
If it were cheaper, I could justify buying it again, just for the original game included.
Ah, this game. I got in so much trouble when this game came out for saying that Jews are awesome :) Maybe now that's it cheaper than a bottle of coke is sometimes is I should buy it to see how awesome the Jews in this game are.
Awesome! Been waiting forever for this!
Bought!

Thanks for the promo!
Not sure I can resist this one.
Two instabuys on daily promos this week... and some freebies for games I already have.
Nice week on GOG :)
Excellent Indie Gem Promo, thank you!
Post edited May 07, 2014 by JogsterXL
We're getting Tex Murphy today, right? That's good, but I can't help but be saddened about the lack of highly-desired classics (even while, obviously, understanding the legal issues with many). Pinball World had only 9 wishlist votes; I hope the next release will have at least 200. :-/

EDIT: To be fair, Tesla Effect has 200+ wishlist votes.
Post edited May 07, 2014 by tfishell