TM3
01-07-2005, 10:58 PM
Introduction:
I’ve played a few adventure games but they were of the independent, first person kind. They were “Sofia’s Debt” and “Dead City.” I enjoyed these and have played a little bit of “Syberia” (but had to be returned because it was rental) and a demo for “The Longest Journey.” Now that was a game I truly wanted to get. And so I got it one day at the mall. It was the only copy that was on the shelf with the other games and when I brought it to the counter, the clerk commented on it being a good choice and that he played it and it was one the best, etc, etc! So I left the store with high hopes.
Story:
Ever since playing Final Fantasy 9, I’ve had fondness of games that are driven by an actual story. The story of April Ryan is one of those stories that will always stick with me. The writing and translation was excellent and I could feel the effort and passion behind it all! On top of that there are some interesting characters that I’ve enjoyed interacting with (Flipper, Charlie) and finding out new things in the world(s) I was in.
My gripe is that the conversations can really go on for too long. This is a worse when there are certain characters that speak very slowly. Nonetheless it’s engrossing and an unforgettable adventure story with a lot of heart put into it. Same goes for the histories and other fine touches (“Alltoungue” is just one of the many). 4/5
Gameplay:
Interface and mouse were simple and easy to use! Saving/loading the game, opening up the inventory, getting to your journal, and so on. I had no problems with control. Gameplay was also straightforward. You inspect your surroundings, learn about the places your in, talk to people, and solve puzzles.
That’s where I had problems with. Some puzzles in the game were easy, others did require a little bit of hard thinking but I was able to solve them, but there were others that I had so much trouble with that I did something the adventure community would frown on…used a walkthrough. And also asked for help (maybe no frowns on that).
Plus there was some sequences where it had “action” in it but you don’t really die. It would not have bothered me if you could die. It just would’ve added an edge to those moments. Despite the puzzles, I guess I cared a little more about the interactions and the storyline. 3/5
Graphics:
I admired the main menu. It looked mysterious and hinted at an “epic feel.” Cut scenes are alright in the game but I’ve seen much better. In-game backgrounds are imaginative and detailed and had some nice details like cars coming by in the futuristic city of Newport. The main character April Ryan’s model looked good and her design was realistically proportioned in my opinion and quite original unlike other games that have goofy bimbo-like females. The rest of the character models are fairly average but not much to blow the mind away. 3/5
Audio:
The music is fitting and helped give a mysterious-epic atmosphere to the game. I especially enjoyed the music from the opening sequence in the beginning. Most of the voice, including April, are one of the best I’ve heard and there was only a few characters I thought that were not as great in voice (Abanaxus). Sounds were consistent such as the April’s footsteps, waves hitting shore, distant music playing, and much more. There was however, an audio glitch that occurred a few times throughout the game but I didn’t let that get in the way of my enjoyment of this game.
5/5
Conclusion:
Plain and simple, I loved this game and plan on playing more of these kinds of adventure games. Can’t wait for “Dreamfall” as well!
Total Score:
15/20
I’ve played a few adventure games but they were of the independent, first person kind. They were “Sofia’s Debt” and “Dead City.” I enjoyed these and have played a little bit of “Syberia” (but had to be returned because it was rental) and a demo for “The Longest Journey.” Now that was a game I truly wanted to get. And so I got it one day at the mall. It was the only copy that was on the shelf with the other games and when I brought it to the counter, the clerk commented on it being a good choice and that he played it and it was one the best, etc, etc! So I left the store with high hopes.
Story:
Ever since playing Final Fantasy 9, I’ve had fondness of games that are driven by an actual story. The story of April Ryan is one of those stories that will always stick with me. The writing and translation was excellent and I could feel the effort and passion behind it all! On top of that there are some interesting characters that I’ve enjoyed interacting with (Flipper, Charlie) and finding out new things in the world(s) I was in.
My gripe is that the conversations can really go on for too long. This is a worse when there are certain characters that speak very slowly. Nonetheless it’s engrossing and an unforgettable adventure story with a lot of heart put into it. Same goes for the histories and other fine touches (“Alltoungue” is just one of the many). 4/5
Gameplay:
Interface and mouse were simple and easy to use! Saving/loading the game, opening up the inventory, getting to your journal, and so on. I had no problems with control. Gameplay was also straightforward. You inspect your surroundings, learn about the places your in, talk to people, and solve puzzles.
That’s where I had problems with. Some puzzles in the game were easy, others did require a little bit of hard thinking but I was able to solve them, but there were others that I had so much trouble with that I did something the adventure community would frown on…used a walkthrough. And also asked for help (maybe no frowns on that).
Plus there was some sequences where it had “action” in it but you don’t really die. It would not have bothered me if you could die. It just would’ve added an edge to those moments. Despite the puzzles, I guess I cared a little more about the interactions and the storyline. 3/5
Graphics:
I admired the main menu. It looked mysterious and hinted at an “epic feel.” Cut scenes are alright in the game but I’ve seen much better. In-game backgrounds are imaginative and detailed and had some nice details like cars coming by in the futuristic city of Newport. The main character April Ryan’s model looked good and her design was realistically proportioned in my opinion and quite original unlike other games that have goofy bimbo-like females. The rest of the character models are fairly average but not much to blow the mind away. 3/5
Audio:
The music is fitting and helped give a mysterious-epic atmosphere to the game. I especially enjoyed the music from the opening sequence in the beginning. Most of the voice, including April, are one of the best I’ve heard and there was only a few characters I thought that were not as great in voice (Abanaxus). Sounds were consistent such as the April’s footsteps, waves hitting shore, distant music playing, and much more. There was however, an audio glitch that occurred a few times throughout the game but I didn’t let that get in the way of my enjoyment of this game.
5/5
Conclusion:
Plain and simple, I loved this game and plan on playing more of these kinds of adventure games. Can’t wait for “Dreamfall” as well!
Total Score:
15/20