Developer: Happy Artist
It’s All In The Tale!
BASED ON DEMO FIRST IMPRESSIONS
It is clear very early that this game is about the story, first and foremost. As a friend described it, it is like watching (an old) movie, and interacting in parts.
If you are not into story, characters, dialogue, you will probably want to skip this game completely. Because there is much more graphic novel to the game than puzzle or adventure. Outside the story, it is a fairly easy old-fashioned HOPA game with the emphasis on HOPs.
SIGHTS & SOUNDS
This game’s graphics are very pleasant, vibrant and colourful, clear and realistic. While there is nothing astonishing about it, there is also nothing to criticise. It looks good. And it sounds great! The voiceovers are very well done. The young girl’s voice is seriously annoying, but she’s gone as soon as you leave the house.
There is a great deal of dialogue, far more like what you would expect of a RPG or large file game, so it is well that it is good. You can skip it all of course, but then this game has nothing to bring to the table if you do. The music is interesting, upbeat and tuneful. The background noises are sometimes overpowering. *grin*
WHAT’S HAPPENING?
Your grandfather’s another of those crazy scientists who are forever getting kidnapped and you go off to rescue him. But for that, the rest of the story is pure Jules Verne and “Journey to the Centre of the Earth”. You travel inside the "hollow earth" seeking a lost civilization from the stars.
It is also another art deco, 1920s, throw in a robot, period piece. Still, I forgive the game, because I was totally blown away when I ran out of time. The story is engrossing.
GAMEPLAY
Well, again, remember, it is all pretty old-fashioned and simple, with help if required from a directional hint. There are 2 sorts of HOPs, interactive lists and simple silhouettes (no interaction). And there are a lot of them. Each HOP scene is host to one of each type. There are some nicely simple puzzles, none at all hard at this stage, and some very easy point and click.
There is no map. The journal keeps important information. But sometimes it actually gives you more information you won’t know unless you look at it. For example, you must find parts for an instrument panel. You are not told how many or what they are. In the journal, the missing parts are circled in red.
BLING!
29 collectible gold punch cards. When translated, they tell the story of individual characters, legends and so on to augment the story you get from the many movies, cut scenes and dialogues. Beware! I saw one in a close up window for a puzzle, and waited till I did the puzzle to collect it. No good, puzzle closed, I’m down one card. *sorrowful frown*
If the blurb is correct and there are 40 puzzles and 125 locations, then we are in for a long game indeed, the hour covered maybe a dozen, or 15 locations at the absolute most and only a handful of puzzles.
VERDICT
If you are not into life and death struggles with a superior and devious puzzle creator, and you don’t mind taking a back seat to the players while they take the stage, you will want to give this a try.
As something for a little different, or an afternoon's dawdle, I like this game.
I Recommend This Game!
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