Full Throttle Review

[Jake]

(yeah, thats right, a full throttle fan coming out to blab about a full throttle review :))

That was a nice review (http://www.adventuregamers.com/display.php?id=33). Rarely are people fair to Full Throttle. Ususally it's whined at for being short and actioney, and sometimes "stupid" because people can't tolerate that it is a computer game about bikers. Thank you for not saying those things, or at least addressing alternate views when bringing them up.

I don't know about retro reviews in general, but it was a good read. I liked that it was pointed out that Ben's character is a unique lead in an adventure. I think he was intentionally named just "Ben" as a reaction to the incessant trend of naming adventure characters "Goofy McPencillegs" and stuff.

Of note is that Ben's last name is "Throttle" not "Whatsisname" -- that was a poor joke in one of the strategy guides made by someone who didn't know his full name, and it unfortunately stuck.

And as a final, extreme nitpicky thing, I was sort of sad to see yet another review miss the fact that the Mine Road isn't actually just a battering people action piece as much as its a battering people action piece mixed with plenty of adventure puzzle logic. You don't need to have any sort of "action game skills" besides being able to move the mouse and click it quickly. The rest is a classic adventure inventory puzzle. I don't see why this gets people. The Mine Road is good, just misunderstood.

The play control in the derby is more or less unacceptable. (At least it's a puzzle too. No cars are destructed by sheer derby action, its all about the sneaking.)


Anyway, thanks for a good review. Thanks also for not setting it in the context of Hell on Wheels being cancelled, may it rest in peace and obscurity.

[remixor]

I agree that it was quite a well-written review as well. I could have done with four stars (;)), mainly because of the ratio between pros and cons, but that's just semantics and it's more important to read the whole review anyway. I think that retro reviews most definitely have their place, as long as they're put in a proper chronological context. There are many older games I didn't play the first time around that I'd love to see reveiwed on AG. Obviously, Full Throttle is pretty high-profile for an "old" game, but there are many people discovering adventures who have never played these games we take for granted. Us old hands generally need no review of such essential games, but they are definitely valuable.

[Jake]

I agree that it was quite a well-written review as well. I could have done with four stars (;)), mainly because of the ratio between pros and cons, but that's just semantics and it's more important to read the whole review anyway.

I agree but I think I'm biased. "Too short" is really a Big Con (to poorly quote The Sting) when it comes down to it. Fortunately the shortness issue was made up for with Grim. You know, how if you bought both games (which everyone should), you've effectively averaged yourself out to buying two normal-length adventures, but you're now running more than above average on the atmosphere story and quality writing departments :)

[Draco2.5]

Over the years I've found that I've replayed Full Throttle the most out of all the adventure games I own. I really think that it's because of how easy the puzzles are, and the short length of the game, and of course all the other pros mentioned in the review.

Also, I really don't mind the action elements at all.
I mean, c'mon it's a game about bikers!

In my humble opinion it's one of the best adventure gaming experiences ever.

[Jake]

Yeah :) I've replayed FT many times. I think it's a great compliment (and only a slightly backhanded one at that) to relate Full Throttle to a favorite movie that you can go and watch in one sitting while you're bored.

[RemiO]

The only problem I have with the action element in FT is that it's so poorly implemented that it makes me weep every time I get to that part. I blame SCUMM for that though, not so much that there's action in the game :shifty: . Of course, I'm usually already half-way bawling after going through the sub-standard puzzles which don't do it for the Remster. As a game, I feel it's the worst post-MI adventure released by LEC, yet for some reason I find myself replaying it now and again. I blame the atmosphere, music and great story for that.

Overall 3.5 seems fair to me, though I'd probably give it a 3 personally.

[Swordmaster]

The only problem I have with the action element in FT is that it's so poorly implemented that it makes me weep every time I get to that part. I blame SCUMM for that though, not so much that there's action in the game :shifty: . Didn't the action elements (well, the road action anyway) use the Rebel Assault engine INSANE instead of SCUMM? :confused:

[RemiO]

You might be right about the road action, and in that case I blame INSANE, but I'm fairly sure that the derby at least uses SCUMM.

[James]

good review, well written. got it spot on as well. ft is enjoyable, too short and hindered by the crowbar insertion of action elements.

[Lagomorph]

I thought that it was a good review as well. You can use the keyboard for the Derby; it makes it a little easier. And I agree with Jake about the Mine Road being a puzzle.

[twifkak]

Of note is that Ben's last name is "Throttle" not "Whatsisname" -- that was a poor joke in one of the strategy guides made by someone who didn't know his full name, and it unfortunately stuck.
Phew. I hated thinking that the "Whatsisname" crowd might be right.

[Phil25]

I got through Mine Road without the puzzle elements actually, I just used the crowbar and chain and luck. It took me dozens of tries {probably half an hour} to get it down. Course afterwards I learned what I really should've done...and the Derby? There's another half hour of my life gone.

[Henke]

Full Throttle is a magnificent game BECAUSE of its great story, cinematic feel and the wonderful change in gameplay (call it action or arcade or whatever). The only thing that is bad with FT is its length. But that worked for me since it was the first adventure game I played.

[Erwin_Br]

Of note is that Ben's last name is "Throttle" not "Whatsisname" -- that was a poor joke in one of the strategy guides made by someone who didn't know his full name, and it unfortunately stuck.

Oh, that's funny. I always thought nobody really knew Ben's last name, so they just called him "Whatsisname".

--Erwin

[Marek]

Didn't Tim Schafer start calling him Ben Throttle once his name was established as such in a FT2 press release? :confused:

[RemiO]

I remember hearing from... somebody... that they didn't use the name Ben Throttle in the game in fear of being sued over it by the makers of some cartoon character with a similar name... or something along those lines. I'll see if I have anything more logged about that at work if nobody else can think of the details. ;

[remixor]

But Schafer had stated in (pre-FT2) interviews that Ben's actual name was intended to be Throttle, not Whatshisnam, it just didn't end up in the game (possibly for the reason Remi mentioned; I don't recall offhand). Jake is correct in saying that Whatshisname derived from a strategy guide; it was the game's official strategy guide, which was strangely common for that game. The whole name thing spread around the adventure gaming community for some reason even though it was a fairly obscure reference. Basically, in the version of FT that shipped, Ben didn't have a last name, but if he did it would have been Throttle.

[Corley Motors]

The action sequences don't bother me very much, because I play other genre's rather the Adventure all the time.
I give it a 4.5.