Cleopatra: Riddle of the Tomb

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Cleopatra: Riddle of the Tomb — Short, easy-to-understand version

Cleopatra: Riddle of the Tomb is a 2007 single-player adventure game by French developer Kheops Studio. Outside the US, it’s known as Cleopatra: A Queen’s Destiny. Set in 48 BC, the story follows Cleopatra’s fight for the throne and a civil war with her brother Ptolemy. Players control Thomas of Chaldea, a young astrology student. His mentor Akkad and Akkad’s daughter Iris are arrested after Cleopatra asks Akkad to perform a prophecy about allying with Julius Caesar.

Thomas teams up with Cleopatra to explore Alexandria, solve puzzles, collect clues, and meet various characters. Akkad is killed by Greek mercenaries hired by Ptolemy for refusing to falsify the prophecy. Iris finishes the divination using her father’s secret observatory. The prophecy says Caesar will be Cleopatra’s ally and their child will inherit both Egypt and Rome. Cleopatra and Iris thank Thomas, and Iris and Thomas later return to Chaldea to live in peace.

Gameplay:
- Myst-like panoramic screens with hotspots to move, collect items, and talk to people.
- Dynamic combinatorial inventory that lets you break items into pieces and recombine them.

Reception:
- The PC version received average reviews on Metacritic.
- Critics praised its historical accuracy, user interface, and puzzles, noting Kheops Studio’s quality in historical adventures.
- IGN suggested it would appeal to fans of post-Alexander Ancient Egypt due to puzzles that fit the story.