by JustTheFacts Wed Feb 19, 2014 8:04 am
Pretty Cool!****
BASED ON DEMO
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The opening movie is great. A ‘history’ of the expeditions to the north pole, done in old movie grain, with a very professional narrator. The title graphics are so sharp, man, was I impressed!
SIGHTS & SOUNDS
Then reality sank in. The graphics thereafter are excellent, the cut-scenes are not. They are heavily pixelated. But the impression was already made, so from the first, it felt like a very classy game. The HOP scenes are clear and bright, not too jumbled, of the pseudo-realism variety. The location graphics change. Some are as sharp as the titles, some are just alright, others are cartoony.
The ambient noise, being the Arctic is suitably the dominant sound. Lots of ice breaking and winds that are trying to freeze-dry you. Music, was there music? I honestly can’t remember, and I’d go back to check, but I ran out of time before I realised it! Voiceovers are good, very professional.
WHAT’S HAPPENING?
Your grandfather was the sole survivor of a doomed expedition to the north pole, and came back obsessed with the legends of Inuit treasure – some god or other that granted your every wish. You fund an expedition to follow in his tracks, and accompany the group as their doctor. This expedition is likewise ill-fated. The engine blows up and leaves you stranded in the ice, in the middle of nowhere. No hope of rescue.
But that is not your main problem. The captain and crew decide that Inuit gold sounds good and toss you down a ravine! Somehow, you survive. And find the missing information about the Wish God. In exchange for whatever you want you must give your soul! Now, as you make your way back to the stranded ship, you discover that those who have touched the gold have gone mad. How are you to survive? Well, I ran out of time, so I can’t tell you where this is leading! Lol
GAMEPLAY
Fairly standard gameplay. Although the HOPs, interactive lists, can be swapped for a very fun jigsaw, each scene has a different pic and a different cut for the pieces. They are tricky icy almost one colour jigsaws. The HOPs do have some smaller items in them, but I don’t think it is too bad. The puzzles are easy enough so far, but a bit time-consuming in a couple of cases.
There is a map in the journal, where you take down important info and clues, and it is just a small crowded thing taking up one page. But it gives you your position, the cleared locations, and the important task locations. I don’t think it was a transporter, but I could be wrong on that. Hint is directional, and there are 3 levels of difficulty.
There is an amazing amount of bling with this standalone SE, certainly enough to make it worth your while. There are 10 missing relics, 18 beyond (morphing) objects, and an uncountable number of coins to collect. The coins can be used in your igloo to buy toys for your resident penguin. This dude is not with you for the gameplay itself, so no cute companion. There are also achievements which are displayed in your igloo.
COMBINED IMPACT
I like this game. I’m impressed in the general production standards, even if the graphics seem to have been put together by different artists. For a standalone SE, it is really quite exceptional.
I recommend this game!
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Relics to collect,
