Review of The Oracle by dboon2020

This is a hidden gem, only to be located through extensive pixel-hunting. I’m glad to see that it’s not only listed on this site, but it has also been reviewed—and favorably, at that.

The photos may be tacky but if so, they’re delightfully tacky. Actually, the developer, Eugene Couto, did a really good job of using photos to build the game world. The areas were genuinely enjoyable to explore and—this is important—I was always looking forward to getting to the next area. It’s important because it adds another level of motivation to solving puzzles. It’s especially important in a game like this where there isn’t a whole lot of story development.

That said, there’s a story. It’s not very deep, it’s not original, but it’s engaging enough. It does the trick. It’s a very short game anyway.

I wish there were more to interact with. I also wish that the other characters had a greater presence so it didn’t feel quite so lonely. You can tell a good amount of thought went into the puzzle design, although I can’t say it’s all that original. Still, the puzzles are relatively logical. It’s not a hard game by any means but it’s challenging enough that finding the solutions is usually satisfying. I would have preferred a slightly harder difficulty. 

The beauty of the game is in the photos. A lot of people are immediately turned off by photos but when they’re done right, they can create a highly immersive environment. I can nitpick a little bit but overall, I think it was done right. It doesn’t look like Mr. Couto just walked around his neighborhood and took pictures and put them in the game. It looks like he planned everything out, carefully took the photos like a pro, and then properly touched them up (which I’ve heard takes a lot more work than it seems).

I really like the music, but I was already a huge fan of the chillout genre. It’s pretty rare to hear that type of music in a game.

This game allows for a few solid hours of adventure gaming. Anyone who isn’t repulsed by the use of photos instead of graphic art should give it a whirl. Add this to your list of Point And Click Adventures To Play Before You Die.

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Time Played: 2-5 hours
Difficulty: Easy