History YMMV / TheSeventhGuest

* CompleteMonster: [[BigBad Henry Stauf]], a down-on-his-luck-drifter who resorted to thievery and murder, found he had a talent as a toymaker. He also resorted to the dark arts to help along his career: [[DealWithTheDevil a pact with dark forces]] let Stauf use his toys to spread a disease that [[WouldHurtAChild killed multiple children]], then torment their souls to sate the Evil Powers That Be. To lure in his final required victim, Stauf promised to give six guests in his mansion anything they asked for--if they would assist him in capturing the child. A guest who tried to help the boy was turned into a [[AndIMustScream living mannequin]]. When the last living guest delivers the boy--Tad--to Stauf, he [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness kills her with acidic bile]]. He then reveals the truth to Tad: the boy was doomed to relive his time in the mansion while having his soul tormented by Stauf for all eternity.

* PortingDisaster: This is what happened to the UsefulNotes/PhilipsCDi version--and yes, such a thing did exist. The transition scenes are much smoother and the sound quality is excellent. But the joystick interface is clumsy, some scenes are missing their background music, and loading times are both more common and much longer than in the PC version (one puzzle takes almost twenty minutes to solve even with the lowest number of moves). Some of the puzzles are also missing; amongst them is the infamous [[SolveTheSoupCans soup can puzzle]], which might push this port into PortingDistillation territory for some.

** Stauf jaunted past it [[EvilerThanThou ''at some time before the earliest part of his revealed history'']].

* PolishedPort: The [[UsefulNotes/IOSGames iOS]] port of ''7th Guest'' eliminates the most annoying part of the original game by speeding up the transitions and load times. This is averted by hotspots that are often too small for the tiny iPhone screen. Some puzzles were also ommitted entirely, including the Microscope puzzle (see the Trivia section for the explanation behind that omission).

* NarmCharm: The cheesy acting can be one of biggest draws of the game, making the live action cutscenes a key attraction of the game. Stauf and Brian Dutton really stand out with their dramatic hammy acting.

* NarmCharm: The cheesy acting wound up being one of biggest draws of the game, making the live action cutscenes a key attraction of the game. Stauf and Brian Dutton really stand out with their dramatic acting.

*** Although, given the squicky nature of the whole event, it could also come off as NightmareFuel, especially with the disgusting gurgling noises in the background.

* UncannyValley: By today's standards, the low-res full motion video and the blocky CG backgrounds can seem creepier than what they're meant to represent.

*** During one video for the Kickstarter project for the third installment, "The 13th Doll", Rob Hirschboeck reads several poems from a binder while walking through a sunlit graveyard, and all the while never hesitates to bring back Stauf's hamminess in every way possible. He even comments that Henry himself "down in the crypt" wrote them.

** In the attic, Elinor Knox has apparently become an immobile mannequin, due to Stauf, only able to move her head, but she seems disinterested like she merely locked herself out of her house and calls for help in a confused tone.

** In the attic, Elinor Knox has apparently become an immobile mannequin, due to Stauff, only able to move her head, but she seems disinterested like she merely locked herself out of her house and calls for help in a confused tone.

* MostAnnoyingSound:
** Ego's most spoken phrases are "I'm going to have to start again" and "Which way should I go now?". The latter is only used for a few puzzles, though (and ''The 11th Hour'' replaces it with a pulsating eyeball icon).
** When you reset any puzzle in the ''7th Guest'', all the spoken dialogue is repeated.
** During the Knight and Stauf Portrait puzzles, Stauf repeats a single taunt every few moves for the duration of the puzzle, which also freezes your cursor while he's speaking..
** Stauf's taunts upon messing up are pretty funny the first couple times you hear them. Much less so by the tenth or [[JustForPun eleventh]].

* EarWorm: "Dolls Of Doom" is used appropriately in the first game for [[spoiler:the reveal of the dolls that hold children's spirits]]. It is ''horribly'' overused in ''11th Hour'': it is the credits theme and the intro, and it also plays whenever you consult the game book (which is a matter of "when", not "if").

* {{Narm}}[=/=]NarmCharm: By today's standards, some of the acting in this game is just too over-the-top to be taken seriously.

* {{Narm}}[=/=]NarmCharm:
** By today's standards, some of the acting in this game is just too over-the-top to be taken seriously.

** The cutscene that plays after the Spider Puzzle on the front door is bizarre. Tad tries forcing the front door open only to flee because Elinor Knox screamed at the sight of something that came from the basement.

* PolishedPort: The [[IOSGames iOS]] port of ''7th Guest'' eliminates the most annoying part of the original game by speeding up the transitions and load times. This is averted by hotspots that are often too small for the tiny iPhone screen. Some puzzles were also ommitted entirely, including the Microscope puzzle (see the Trivia section for the explanation behind that omission).

* EarWorm: "Dolls Of Doom" is used appropriately in the first game for [[spoiler:the reveal of the dolls that hold children's spirits]]. It is ''horribly'' overused in ''11th Hour'': it is the credits theme and the intro, and it also plays whenever you consult the GameBook (which is a matter of "when", not "if").

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: Both of the games' soundtracks are excellent, especially "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDsoN48HI54 Skeletons in the Closet]]" and "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m5SDmVNo-I The Game]]" from ''7th Guest'' and "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w28PFvKNAWE Mr. Death]]" from ''11th Hour''. You can [[http://www.fatman.com/ordercds.htm order the soundtracks separate from the games]], though they also come bundled with the GOG.com re-releases.

** Ego's most spoken phrases are "I'm going to have to start again" and "Which way should I go now?". The latter is only used for a few puzzles, though (and ''The 11th Hour'' replaces it with a pulsating eyeball icon). When you reset any puzzle in the ''7th Guest'', all the spoken dialogue is repeated.

* MostAnnoyingSound: Ego's most spoken phrases are "I'm going to have to start again" and "Which way should I go now?". The latter is only used for a few puzzles, though (and ''The 11th Hour'' replaces it with a pulsating eyeball icon). When you reset any puzzle in the ''7th Guest'', all the spoken dialogue is repeated.

* {{Narm}}[=/=]NarmCharm: The games aren't nearly as terrifying as they could've been--most thanks to the voice-acting.

* NightmareFuel: Everything about (and having to do with) Stauf counts.

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* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: The clown in the pool room, with his REEEEEEEEEED BALLOOOOOOOOON.

** And that part late in the 11th Hour where after Ed Knox gives you some warnings, his head randomly explodes.
** Who expected the random appearance of "Let's Make a Real Deal!" at the end of the game? Carl is just as confused.
** When you head towards the telescope in the original game, a rush of wind threatens to blow open the doors leading outside.
* CompleteMonster: [[BigBad Henry Stauf]], once a down-on-his-luck-drifter who resorted to murder, found he had a talent as a toymaker, and resorted to the dark arts to help along his career. Making a pact with the dark forces, Stauf used his toys to spread a deadly disease that [[WouldHurtAChild killed multiple children]] whose souls Stauf would take possession of to torment and fulfill his pact with the dark forces. When luring in his final required victim, Stauf promised six guests in his mansion anything they asked for if they would assist him in capturing the child. One guest who tried to help the boy was turned into a [[AndIMustScream living mannequin]]. When only one was left and delivered the boy Tad to Stauf, Stauf [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness simply killed her with acidic bile]] and revealed to Tad he was doomed to relive his time in the mansion while getting his soul tormented by Stauf for all eternity.
* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: Both games' soundtracks are excellent, especially "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDsoN48HI54 Skeletons in the Closet]]" and "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m5SDmVNo-I The Game]]" from ''7th Guest'' and "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w28PFvKNAWE Mr. Death]]" from ''11th Hour''. (You can even still [[http://www.fatman.com/ordercds.htm order the soundtracks]], and they come bundled with the GOG.com releases.)
* DesignatedHero: Carl from ''The 11th Hour'' doesn't exactly [[EstablishingCharacterMoment make the best first impression]] in the intro. His response when Robin says their relationship makes it look like she's slept her way into her position is "Well, didn't you?" Followed by a crude joke about her 'many talents' and telling her that he hopes she's the next one to disappear while investigating the Stauf Manor. Sure, he goes to try and help her, but ''jeez''.
* EarWorm: "Dolls Of Doom", while fitting appropriately in the first game for [[spoiler: the reveal of the dolls that hold children's spirits]], it's ''horribly'' overused in the 11th Hour. Not only is it the credits theme AND the intro, it also plays whenever you consult the GameBook - and you will, a LOT.
* HilariousInHindsight: the animated pictures in the introductory book from the first game look positioned in a way that makes it look like [[{{VideoGame/Myst}} a certain other kind of book...]]
* MoralEventHorizon: Brian, Edward, Martine and Julia all cross this fairly early in the game.
** Stauf jaunted past it [[EvilerThanThou ''at some time before the earliest part of his revealed history'' and shows it.]]
* MostAnnoyingSound: Ego's most spoken phrases, "I'm going to have to start again" and "Which way should I go now?". The latter is only used for a few puzzles, though, and the 11th hour replaces it with a pulsating eyeball icon. It also doesn't help that when you reset any puzzle in the first game, all the spoken dialogue is repeated.
* {{Narm}}[=/=]NarmCharm: Thanks to the voice-acting, this wasn't nearly as terrifying as it could have been.
* NightmareFuel: Stauf. Everything having to do with Stauf, amongst other things.
* {{Padding}}: Oh, so very much in ''11th Hour''. The entire game is essentially one FetchQuest after another, split up by puzzles.
* PolishedPort: The newly-released [[IOSGames iOS]] versions of ''7th Guest'' eliminate the most annoying part of the original game by speeding up the transitions ''immensely'', cutting down on the waiting significantly. On the other hand, some hotspots are a bit too small for the tiny iPhone screen, and some puzzles have been ommitted entirely -- including the Microscope puzzle.
* PortingDisaster: The UsefulNotes/PhilipsCDi version -- and yes, such a thing did exist. On the one hand, the transition scenes are much smoother and the sound quality is excellent; on the other hand, the joystick interface is very clumsy, some scenes are missing their background music, and the loading times are both irritatingly common and inexcusably long (with one puzzle taking almost twenty minutes to solve with the lowest number of moves). Some of the puzzles are also missing, including the infamous [[SolveTheSoupCans soup can puzzle]], which may push the port into PortingDistillation territory for some.
* ThatOnePuzzle: The Microscope Puzzle, which is a game of Ataxx against the AI -- whose intelligence, unfortunately, is based on the computer's processor being able to figure out the best possible set of moves in a set amount of time. It was possible to beat back in the days of Windows 3.1, but now it's borderline impossible without locking the available processor speed using an emulator such as DOSBOX.
** ''11th Hour'' has the Beehive Puzzle, which is pretty much the same thing, only with a hexagonal board.
** ''11th Hour's'' concluding game of Pente counts. In order to see all three endings, you need to beat the game three separate times. The first time around, the player gets the first move. On the second playthrough, Stauf gets the first move (which is a hefty advantage all on its own). For the third go-round, Stauf gets the first move ''and'' gets to look ''at least five moves ahead.''
** In 2013, Trilobyte Games remade the Microscope Puzzle into a wholly separate iPad game titled ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VheoiJdnUM The 7th Guest: Infection]]''.
* UncannyValley: By today's standards, the low-res FMV and blocky CG backgrounds can actually seem more creepy than what they're meant to represent.
* TheWoobie: Tad, in case that's not obvious. Elinor, to a lesser extent.
** At least the others meet a swift death. Poor Elinor isn't so lucky -- and she was one of the good guys!