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I found the first game much better than the second. The first's story is minimal, but it does what it needs to do: it gives an explanation for why there's this museum full of puzzles and bizarre displays and why the player is in it, and it sets up the MacGuffins. While exploring the museum, you can then then find out more about the characters and backstory if you want. And if you accept the premise that there's an eccentric old man who makes puzzles for no good reason and that there are evil spirits that try to kill you but that can be contained in special jars (which they hid around the museum), it more or less makes sense.

The second game has more of a story, but it doesn't really mesh with the gameplay, which is very similar to the first one. There not even a flimsy explanation for the set-piece puzzles this time, and that distinctive "early pre-rendered 3D graphics" look doesn't really work for things that are supposed to be grounded in reality (instead of an eccentric museum, it takes place in a small town). And nothing about the story makes any sense. If you just think of it as just a series of puzzles, it still works, but the game encourages you to actually try to think about the story and try to piece together what happened, and it really doesn't hold up to that sort of scrutiny.

Oh the story makes sense - except for something in the fridge - I had to check Rudy's website to understand it, but it does make sense. I don't find the lack of puzzle placement explanation is troubling. What makes the game the lesser Shivers for me is the puzzles aren't as good, the menace isn't as constant and I am not fond of the "derelict" appearance.