There was once a time when point and click adventure games were the talk of the industry. Yes, that was some time ago, and the world has moved on. But anyone who remembers the early point and click classics, such as Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion, will also remember that they happened to be damn good.
Featuring richly detailed, wacky worlds, exceedingly good dialogue, and fun thought-provoking activities, these video game industry pioneers were true works of art. But given that 3D graphics came along and stole the show, there isn’t much room for such games in this day and age. Or is there?
The original creators of Monkey Island, Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick, have released a new title, Thimbleweed Park, and it is a true classic. Even if it did happen to come out in 2017.
The Plot
Thimbleweed Park is a wacky, wacky game. It tells the funny, surprisingly complicated tale of two agents investigating a murder at a rundown town. It is a classic whodunit affair, but with more obscure, outrageous twists than you can shake a stick at. The old pillow factory that was once the centre of local industry has burned down, and the mad scientist founder passed away. Now, a murder has shook the community, and a mystery must be solved.
But if a pair of local repairmen who dress up as pigeons and keep rambling about signals sounds odd to you, that’s just the beginning. It gets far odder. Though, all with the same, distinct tongue in cheek approach that made the earlier games so beloved. Though, don’t expect a casual, full of fun experience like when you enjoy blackjack games for real money. This is a game that demands your full, undivided attention.
Pixels Galore
As you would expect, these industry pioneers stuck to their guns. Thimbleweed Park embraces the retro style of the original titles, using an art style that, technically speaking, went out of fashion in the early 90s. But if you think that means this is an ugly game, you’d be dead wrong. An incredible amount of detail has been jammed into each and every pixel, though with the benefit of modern technology, and the result is nothing short of stunning.
Numerous locations have been brought to life, from run down old towns to spooky, abandoned circuses, and yes; emotions will be evoked.
Stretch Your Brain Muscles
Thimbleweed Park is an excellent, artistic creation, with a strong focus on ideas and storytelling. It demands that the player pay attention, explore every detail and location thoroughly, and put the pieces together via their own reasoning. It points you in the right direction, but fully expects you to figure things out for yourself.
However, it also isn’t afraid to let the vast, extremely detailed world also get overwhelming. There are dozens of items to pick up, a full cast of characters to interact with, and yes, a ton of puzzles to solve before progress can be achieved.
But then, this is all exactly what was expected of a retro point and click adventure.
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