Bright and early on the first day of Comic-Con, I ventured to the TellTale Games booth for a demo. Two friendly faces demonstrated Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Adventures and Tales of Monkey Island for me. If you’re looking for frivolous and entertaining games that you can breeze through like a pirate on the high seas, TellTale Games is your one-stop shop.
Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Adventures
Who knew stop-animation could be so dynamic? TellTale Games schooled me in the claymation world of Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Adventures, a four-episode tale available for download by chapter each month on the PC and Xbox Live. Each installment of the lovable characters’ adventures lures the player into an experience with the flair of television episodes and the heart of old school gaming.
“The Bogey Man,” the fourth and final chapter of the relatively self-contained episodic series, unravels around Wallace’s unintended marriage proposal to Ms. Felicity Flitt. With the help of his dependable dog Gromit, Wallace must worm his way out of the accidental promise without causing offense. By switching between Wallace and Gromit, the environment opens up in different ways. Each new change in the neighborhood sets up an opportunity that can bring Wallace closer to his goal. When Aunt Prudence comes to visit, she insists that whomever Felicity chooses to marry, it absolutely mustn’t be anyone from the country club. Gromit’s adorable ears pick up on the conversation from the other side of the fence, and a new adventure begins.
While Gromit interacts with items and people in his environment in visually creative ways, Wallace adds verbal commentary to the situation. The emphasis clearly falls on the storytelling and characters; the heart of the game emerges once the tale unfolds around you in a vibrant setting that’s far from static. At a fair in episode three (”Muzzled!”), Gromit must collect pieces of a treasure map by helping people win at numerous games; when the country club’s deed goes missing, Wallace finds himself conversing with characters in order to advance the story. By furthering a conversation with someone, responses change and can lead to new information. Also, Wallace can fix or modify objects in new ways to help him progress.
TellTale Games―with its roots digging down to LucasArts―stressed their priority of making the game an interactive experience. Hints are tied to the way the player reacts. For example, the game pays attention to how much trouble you’re having and automatically adapts by triggering subtle occurrences which serve to coax you in the right direction, creating a world both friendly and alive. Puzzles offer a good brain tease without causing hair-pulling frustration, and each episode can be finished in a weekend―inviting a whole new audience of non-gamers to join in the fun.
Tales of Monkey Island
Voyage into the Caribbean with an adventure game that first debuted back in the late 80s and 90s. Developed by a creative crew that plundered the original, the new Tales of Monkey Island pits the clumsy Guybrush Threepwood against the villainous pirate LeChuck in the premiere July episode, “Launch of the Screaming Narwhal.”
The five-part saga—available on WiiWare and PC—weaves together a sequential story rather than recycling the isolated style of Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Adventures. LeChuck holds Guybrush’s wife, Elaine, captive on his ship, and the blond hero must step up and save the day. Skeleton hands reach up from underneath the deck as you scope out the ship, trading quips with Elaine and LeChuck in the meantime. Incorporating the same engine but with a different digital style, the game also implements traditional adventure game mechanics. When Guybrush gets his hands on a voodoo recipe, he must gather various items in order to work the spell on LeChuck. Of course, the brilliant plan flounders, forcing Guybrush to improvise with his environment. Let’s just say good ol’ root beer comes in handy.
My TellTale Games guides told me that later on in the series, Guybrush and Elaine’s relationship hits rocky waters. Each chapter finishes on a cliffhanger, baiting the player about what lies ahead. Unfortunately for Guybrush, the voodoo spell that finally pulls through also happens to backfire, cursing Guybrush’s hand and spreading the demonic magic throughout the Caribbean. The teaser worked, and I’m eager to learn what kind of trouble Guybrush finds himself in next.
Although you’ll often return to a particular island, the game frequently takes you to new locations that bring Guybrush closer to saving Elaine and defeating LeChuck. The lighthearted game comes with a stash of humorous booty, too.
August 5th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
ARRRRRR!!
Sorry, I had to.
August 5th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
… Matey! >:D