It's 1973 in New York, and workers keep getting killed at a Manhattan construction project. On the other side of town, a ghostly saxophone player blows his horn night after night. What's the connection? Medium Lauren Blackwell and her spirit guide, Joey, must find out to stop a vicious murderer from striking again.

Blackwell Unbound is the second installment in a mystery series by Dave Gilbert of Wadget Eye Games. Like its predecessor, The Blackwell Legacy, it relies on a compelling story rather than slick graphics. Blackwell Unbound moves the storyline back in time, featuring the aunt of Legacy's protagonist--but the same spirit guide.

In this game, you switch between Lauren and Joey. Each character has specific abilities that are required to solve the mystery, which I found quite challenging. Blackwell Unbound features a jazzy original soundtrack that adds atmosphere and excitement to the story. Dialogue is key, as even apparently off-hand comments can contain clues. The game's well-written dialogue, terrific voice acting, and full-fledged characters more than make up for its blocky graphics.

The demo is full-featured and gives you a good idea of the game, but a key location is locked. Once you've tried the demo, you'll probably want to spend more time with Lauren and Joey--and the full version is only $10.

--Kim Saccio-Kent