Thanks for the answers. I think that the replies of the statue are well done, and they contribute to create that feeling of solitude that surrounds the whole environment. I think those little details add a special touch to the adventure.
Regarding the puzzles: fair enough. I do not know Afflicted. I'll play it once I'm done with Deadline, which I started today. In fact, I'm a relative newcomer to text adventures. I am more familiar with graphic adventures. Maybe that's where my most "gamey" view of puzzles comes from.
If anything, I really enjoyed The Lost Mountain. Nice to see a game in the universe of Planescape (Planescape: Torment is one of the most interesting RPGs I've ever played). I look forward to your future projects.