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Juniper Crescent - The Sapphire Claw archived preview

A lot can happen in a year.

When Revolution Software was forced into extensive staff downsizing almost a year ago, the news came as another crushing blow to the adventure community. Not only did it throw Revolution's own future into question, it also meant the genre had lost some key creative forces behind a stellar catalogue of beloved games. Fortunately, there was a silver lining hidden in those storm clouds, as genuine talent refuses to be silenced. Much like several small development studios have risen from the ashes of former adventure giant LucasArts, now a new company led by producer/writer/designer/artist (etc.!) Steve Ince has emerged triumphantly from the aftermath of Revolution's upheaval. In an Adventure Gamers exclusive, Juniper Games is unveiling its debut project, Juniper Crescent -- The Sapphire Claw, a highly promising game proposal sure to excite any fan of golden era adventures (or just plain good ones).

If the name sounds familiar, you're probably no stranger to web comics, as the source material for the game is Ince's long-running newspaper-style strip, "Juniper Crescent". Centered around a diverse cast of residents in a quiet cul-de-sac in Northern England, the original comic produced an adventurous spin-off called "The Sapphire Claw". Ideally suited for an interactive medium, the latter provided the direct inspiration for the game (though alas, the early online chapters of the comic have been removed from the website).

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Sapphire Claw (the game) is a third-person "cartoon comedy escapade" involving the endearing, talking animals of Juniper Crescent. The story sees the gang leave behind their peaceful homes to travel the globe through exotic but dangerous locations, on a quest to find the famed (and perhaps only mythical) sacred artifact, the titular Sapphire Claw. The expedition is led by Scout, the One-Eyed Cat, but he's ably supported by his feline, canine, and rodent (cute ones!) friends alike. Hot on their heels is Scout's nemesis, the local cat crime boss Big Mog, and his two burly, dimwitted henchdogs, who hound (sorry) the team every step of the way. During the journey, of course, our heroes are confronted with plenty of challenges and meet other interesting characters, and the requisite hijinx ensue.

Although still early in actual production, the game's conceptual development is well underway, with completed story and design, character profiles and dialogues, plus location and character designs, so there's plenty to talk about already. Offering a hint of innovation along with an intelligent, engaging story and the very best features of old-school adventure gaming, Sapphire Claw looks poised to deliver what so many jaded players currently crave. With these promises will come great expectation, but based on the prototype demo of the game, the anticipation is well deserved.

Okay, stop... slow down. I can hear the onrush of obvious questions from here: 2D or 3D? Point & click or direct control? This was inevitable, with Ince's last major project at Revolution being the controversial Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon. There will be no such controversy with Sapphire Claw, however, as the game will be completely rendered in 2D, using an intuitive, mouse-driven interface.

Merely saying "in 2D" does the game no justice, though, as the few screens I've seen border on jaw-dropping. The locations will all be hand drawn and coloured, using a rich, saturated palette. The craftsmanship is instantly apparent, and even the characters and animations will be drawn by hand. For the technical-minded out there, the game will feature anti-aliasing which takes full advantage of the 1024x768 resolution. For the less technical, one word will suffice: sweeeet! (Yes, I know that's not really a word, but I bet you'll be saying it, too.) Although the demo includes no ambient animations, the gorgeous background graphics make wonderful use of faux-3D depth-of-field, and the game truly does feel like a drawing come to life. Surprisingly, I found myself favourably comparing Sapphire Claw more to Curse of Monkey Island than anything by Revolution. If the artists can maintain this standard throughout the game, players are in for a visual treat.

The game's interface is so natural that even genre newcomers (and I suspect this will be a game to draw plenty of those), will grasp it in no time. Many tried-and-true genre conventions are used here to good effect. Left clicking moves your character, while right clicking over highly-visible hotspots (no pixel hunting, I'm told) brings up a context-sensitive icon menu, allowing you to choose the appropriate action. The inventory is easily accessible, where you'll use and combine items to progress through the game.

 

Image #2One great twist on standard inventory use is Blinky, a chatty, bespectacled mouse that Scout is persuaded not to munch for lunch early in the game. It's a good thing Scout wasn't hungrier, because Blinky plays a vital role in Sapphire Claw. In addition to being a "usable" inventory item, he'll also become a playable character on occasion, when being tiny comes in particularly handy. While not being actively used, however, he can also provide a wealth of information. If, like me, you begin each gameplay session with a glazed, vacant look in your eyes while you vainly try to recall where you left off, Blinky is the cure for what ails you, as he'll offer a tidy summary of the current events and goals. Even better, he'll also provide hints to your current obstacles when requested of him. Sure, it's a little embarrassing to admit that a mouse is smarter than you, but I won't tell anyone if you don't.

Speaking of challenges, Sapphire Claw promises a nice variety of character, task, puzzle, and inventory-related dilemmas, with no dexterity-based action sequences planned. Ince assures us that the story and gameplay will work hand-in-hand, with each obstacle relating organically to the developing plot and character abilities. The latter is another distinct feature of this game. Scout's companions are not merely along for the ride, as each possesses an area of expertise needed to complete the game. For example, you'll want to call on the strongest member of the team for those occasions when a little more muscle is in order. Appropriate use of each cohort's abilities will be essential in getting you through obstacles Scout could not manage on his own. Unlike Blinky, these companions don't become playable characters, as you'll simply select them from a separate team menu and use them on the environment. On the plus side, they do remain onscreen with Scout, so the gameworld never feels lonely or empty.

The movement away from empty environments is no accident for Steve Ince. He has been a very vocal proponent of greater "interaction density" in adventures, so it's hardly a surprise that Sapphire Claw will have plenty for the player to DO at any given time. Whether it's items to collect, obstacles to overcome, or background objects to poke, prod, and examine, there should be no shortage of interactive elements driving the experience.

Of course, in any adventure, there exists the possibility of getting stuck on a puzzle or two, which typically brings progress to a screeching halt. Rather than see players get frustrated or run scurrying for the nearest walkthrough, however, Sapphire Claw has an ace up its sleeve with a separate but parallel, progressive gameplay component, designed to give players an ever-present alternate activity throughout the game. While the basic concept is in place, the details of this feature are being kept under wraps for the time being, so I can't say more at this stage. For anyone anxious about the uncertainty, though, rest assured that the entire feature will be purely optional.

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Along the way, there will also be plenty of conversation with the characters you encounter. Strong writing has always been characteristic of Ince's games, and though the demo only provides a brief glimpse, Sapphire Claw looks to be no exception. The dialogues I experienced were filled with mutual repartee, and the combination of dry wit and playful banter should keep the laughs coming throughout. There are no spoken lines in the demo, but the full game will feature carefully chosen voice actors that best reflect the unique and quirky behaviours of each character. With Ince having been instrumental in the voice direction at Revolution, there's little doubt that the same standard of excellence will be applied to this game. An original music score is also planned for the game to complement the wonderful ambient noises already evident in the preview.

If there's a recurring theme in each facet of Sapphire Claw's concept and initial presentation, it's "quality". Beyond the obvious artistic ability is the invaluable industry experience of its creator, which shines through in the meticulous attention to detail. How many "can't lose" games have missed greatness or even become failures with design flaws, poor gameplay decisions, or careless implementation? It remains to be seen if this game's execution can match its ambition, but it's certainly starting out on the right foot. From top to bottom, inside and out, the game's proposal shows a keen understanding of the genre's nuances and its fickle, oft-disappointed fans. As a result, its potential is both abundant and tantalizing.

If that potential is ever to reach fruition, however, there is one obstacle left to overcome. Like many small studios, the challenge facing https://www.juniper-games.com/ ">Juniper Games is securing the financing needed for full-scale production of the game. While this announcement precludes any firm production schedule or target release date, the company is actively seeking a publisher partnership to move forward, and hopes that by revealing the extensive pre-production progress already made, it will help foster interest for fans, press, and publishers alike. From what we've seen, it certainly merits the attention it gets, and we'll follow the progress of Juniper Crescent – The Sapphire Claw with great anticipation.

A lot can happen in a year.

 

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