Hellboy: Dogs of the Night

Set in Prague in 1962, Hellboy: Dogs of the Night sends Mike Mignola's paranormal investigator on a decidedly unpleasant assignment: find a missing B.P.R.D. agent and uncover what is happening inside a sinister asylum. Developed by Cryo, the game mixes third-person exploration, dialogue, puzzles and occasional combat, with Hellboy relying on his fists, Right Hand of Doom and a handful of weapons to deal with supernatural nasties. Its Resident Evil-style structure and gloomy atmosphere fit the source material surprisingly well, although the dated 3D graphics and rather temperamental engine can make the investigation feel like a battle against two enemies at once.Hellboy: Dogs of the Night brings Mike Mignola's red-handed paranormal investigator to the world of PC action games. Released in 2000, it sends Hellboy through dark environments filled with monsters, occult mysteries and the sort of suspicious-looking objects that sensible people would leave completely untouched. The game combines exploration, combat and puzzle-solving, while attempting to capture the gloomy comic-book atmosphere of the original character. It is an interesting snapshot of the era when practically every successful comic character was expected to receive a videogame adaptation. Hellboy fans will recognize the setting and characters, although the gameplay sometimes feels like a product of its particular generation rather than a timeless classic.