Since the introduction of crowdfunding sites such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo, there have been a number of high-profile successes that have managed to capture the collective imagination of the public and skyrocket beyond their original goals. Double Fine Productions’ Broken Age is one such title, dwarfing its initial target of $400,000 by raising $3.3 million, one of the highest amounts ever raised for a game. The reason for the excitement was simple; industry veteran Tim Schafer, designer on classic point-and-click games such as LucasArts’ Full Throttle, Grim Fandango, and co-designer on the incredibly funny Monkey Island series, was returning to the genre. But how does his latest endeavour stand up against these unforgettable games?
Platforms: PC
Publisher: Double Fine Productions
Developer: Double Fine Productions
Genre: Classic Point-And-Click Adventure
Release Date: January 28, 2014
ESRB Rating: Not Rated
The title comes from the two main characters, Vella Tartine, voiced by Masasa Moyo, and Shay Volta, voiced by Elijah Wood (yes, that Elijah Wood). The character’s lives are at first seemingly unconnected, and yet parallels begin to emerge as their stories progress. Vella is a teenage girl who is offered up to a gargantuan monster named Mog Chothra in an annual village ritual, the Maiden’s Feast. However, she has the tenacious spirit of her grandfather, and seeks to escape from this tradition.
In the second story, Shay is a lone space explorer, smothered on his spaceship by a motherly version of the HAL 9000, protecting him as part of Project Dandelion, feeding him the same food and sending him out on distracting, made-up missions. He too desires to break away from the dull and repetitive routine, which he does when he meets the mysterious wolf-like Marek. Players are able to jump back and forth between the two stories at will by clicking the main character’s face in the inventory screen. With both a teenage boy and girl protagonist to choose from, the game helps overcome one of the industry’s major problems: a lack of female lead characters in games. The game is divided evenly between both characters, though it does not feel like a gimmick, and instead feels more like a conscious storytelling choice.
The most immediate and impressive aspect of the game is its evocative art style. It is like looking at a painted dream, with every backdrop and character hand-drawn in pastel colours. The game’s flair comes from lead artist Nathan Stapley’s illustrations, which have been perfectly translated from paper to screen. Players are able to enjoy the game’s beauty more thanks to the hidden inventory screen, which only pops up when the cursor hits the bottom left corner of the screen. The interface is so simple and effective, allowing the game’s developers to move it to mobile platforms (Release Date: TBA) while keeping the focus on the game itself.
The game exhibits a canny sense of humour, as one would expect from a Schafer point-and-click title, but it is less crude than say that of Full Throttle or Monkey Island. Instead, it fully embraces its child-like identity, evoking films like The NeverEnding Story or Neil Gaiman’s Coraline. That is not to say there are not hidden innuendos for grown-ups, but rather, it feels open and more inviting to a wider, certainly younger audience. This is also reflected in the games’ difficulty ranking, which is to say there is none. The puzzles are none-too-taxing, with emphasis again being placed on the story moving forward rather than making players tear their hair out wondering where to fit particular items. Experts of the genre may find the lack of a challenge off-putting, but it is balanced out by an enjoyable, thoughtful story featuring an eccentric mix of characters, spaceships, monsters, towns in the clouds, and paranoid lumberjacks. However, as this is only Act One in the Broken Age tale, it is impossible to predict whether the story will pay off. It is a bold move by Double Fine, especially given the high price tag for only the first act of the game (although Act Two will arrive as a free update later this year).
There is an undeniable nostalgia in Schafer’s return to the genre, for both players and the developer himself. This is perfectly illustrated in both the gameplay and the storytelling, familiar and yet fresh. Gone are the ridiculous sensibilities of the LucasArts titles, replaced by something more childlike. Broken Age carries the nuances of a fairy tale for the modern day, crafted by a more mature hand trying to reintroduce this particular type of game to younger players who may not have visited Monkey Island. It is difficult to know exactly what type of player the game caters to; it may be too childish for ardent gaming fans, but those who play through the infantile opening scenes will be rewarded by an intriguing and engaging story that leaves you desperately wondering what will happen in Act Two.
Review Disclosure: A review copy of Broken Age was provided by Double Fine Productions for the purposes of this review.
