STORY
The Next Curse is a point and click adventure game, made by LongLife Software.

Erwin's Grandpa recently went on a trip to Kurt Island.  Grandpa has not returned, and Erwin is worried about him.  Erwin decides to travel to Kurt Island, and search for his missing Grandpa.  Now Erwin has gone missing as well.

You are Bill, Erwin's best friend.  Erwin has been gone for 8 days now, so you must go to Kurt Island and try to find him. 

When you arrive at Kurt Island, there is no sign of Erwin anywhere.  What could have happened to him?  You must search the Island to find him.

Even after you manage to find Erwin, things are not looking good.  Something terrible has happened to your friend, and you must find a way to save him. 

GAMEPLAY
The game uses a simple point-and-click interface.  Just left-click on an object or person to interact with them.  You can combine things by clicking on the first object (this now becomes your cursor), and then clicking on the second object.  Examine an object or person by right-clicking on them.  To move, just click on an area of the screen and Bill will move there.  You can load \ save \ exit your game by moving the mouse up to the top of the screen. 

Your inventory is shown along the bottom, and you can scroll up or down to see all your items.  Whenever you acquire a new object, you hear a noise, and the object flashes.  This draws your attention to that object, so you know that it is there. 

Sometimes the language seems a bit strange, as though it has not been translated properly.  This is a very minor fault, and does not detract from the game. 

GRAPHICS
LongLife Software has used an interesting style of graphics.  They are very bright and colourful - almost cartoon like.  I thought this added a lot of charm and appeal to the game. 

Do not let the cheerful graphics fool you - this is not a kid’s game.  There is some graphic violence, which younger members may not like.

There seems to be a slight glitch in the game.  Sometimes when you are talking to someone, the screen will turn black.  If this happens, don't panic.  Just click your mouse, and everything will return to normal. 

MUSIC AND SOUND EFFECTS
LongLife has used various music throughout the game.  The music is catchy, but it does not distract you from the game.  The music changes every so often, so you get a nice variety. 

There is a nice 'oceany' sound as you sail from island to island, which I thought was a nice touch.

CHARACTERS
You get to meet some funny characters in this game - a scarf seller who only sells red scarves, a pig that talks, and a security guard that is deaf.  My favourite was the Colour Man. 

These characters - and more - help you in your quest to find Erwin. 

PUZZLES
The puzzles have been cleverly thought out.  Sometimes you have to manipulate an item in your inventory in order to progress, which makes things a bit more interesting.  Sometimes, just talking to the right character can help you to solve a puzzle. 

SUMMARY
This is a fun game for adventure fans.  The story is well written, and the game does not end when you eventually find Erwin.  There is a nice twist, and you must find a way to save him. 

The graphic style is quite unique, and the music is nice and catchy.  I found the characters to be quite humorous, and the puzzles are well thought out.

If you like this game, why not give CONSPIRACY OF SONGO a try?  It is also made by LongLife Software, and uses the same unique style of graphics.