Review for Twilight Oracle
Cosmic Void’s Twilight Oracle is a love letter to its forebears in the adventure genre. It uses colorful pixel-art graphics and a well-designed aural duo of music and voice acting to tell an original coming-of-age tale. It is built on a foundation of betrayal and repentance, and like other stories of this ilk, gamers will encounter many challenges as they progress toward their goal. For seasoned adventurers this quest will conjure memories of classics like the King’s Quest series. Less-seasoned players may miss the presence of modern shortcuts, such as a hotspot indicator. Nevertheless, there is much to be enjoyed in this thoughtfully crafted shrine to the point-and-click classics.
As the narrative unfolds, you will journey through many cunningly rendered, often surreal, pixel-art environments. I loved the brilliant greens and rich browns of the forest, and the psychedelic beach, where the reddish hue of the caves contrasts with yellow sands. The strange, unexpectedly vibrant colors make what could have been familiar locales seem oddly mysterious.
Aside from its bright, kaleidoscopic colors, the beach also showcases great background music. The undulating tempo calls forth a sense of calmness and peace, perfect for a lazy day on the sands. The splendid sound design doesn’t end with the music. The voice acting suits the characters well. Leo, the protagonist, speaks with a smooth, slow cadence that is almost, but not quite lazy – he’s the perfect beach bum. His friend Jill’s voice is also languid, though less so than Leo’s and she seems a bit more alert and concerned about the unusual creatures and environments around them. Clever conversations and the interplay of witty dialogs comprise a vital part of the game’s intriguing story.
Leo, Jill, and their other friends -- Marcus and Olivia – have been attending a wizard school and must capture a rebel mage on a distant planet to earn redemption for their poor academic performance. Each of these characters has a special ability. Leo, for example, can breathe underwater, a skill which perfectly complements his beach bum personality. Players will enjoy uncovering the truth about the other characters and the suitability of their skills. Leo and his friends soon learn that all may not be as it first appeared when starting their journey. A powerful relic becomes an unanticipated part of their adventure, and they find themselves tasked with discovering its purposes and qualities while protecting it from an evil that confronts and surrounds them.
Guarding a powerful relic in Twilight Oracle is difficult work. Fortunately, expertly implemented point-and-click mechanics make it easy to guide Leo as he takes on this atypical task. Left-clicking controls everything, from walking to taking items and talking to characters. A menu button resides to the left of the inventory, which is represented by icons contained in squares at the bottom of the screen. Hovering the mouse over an object provides its description. Combining items is easy; left-click to select one, drag it to another, and then release it. Of the many challenges involving the inventory, an amusing example occurs when combining a spring and a boxing glove, with a gratifying result. Certain puzzles can be demanding, but they don’t detract from the story and solving them often results in a tremendous feeling of accomplishment.
One serious hindrance: it is tough, bordering on frustrating, to locate screen exits. They reveal themselves when you precisely hover the mouse over them, but it’s quite tricky to locate them. Implementing a hotspot indicator would rectify this problem. Despite this drawback, Twilight Oracle provides a whimsical, often humourous experience that players will savor.
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