This is a Point ‘n’ Click adventure with multi-choice dialogs, the usual fare. However, it sets itself apart with its fabulous artwork, music and humour.
Steam: Released
Developer: Joe Richardson
Publisher: Joe Richardson
Release date: 23 Feb, 2017
Genre: Point ‘n’ Click Adventure
Type: Single-player
The game is set in the Renaissance era when culture, art and music were all the rage. You play as an un-named big-nosed traveller who arrives at a Catholic cathedral in search of absolution for your sins. Unfortunately, the priests inform you that as your sins were committed outside their jurisdiction, they can’t take your confession. It’s the rules… but there is a loophole. You can repeat all your sins within their parish and then you’ll be allowed to make your confession. There follows your quest to commit the 7 deadly sins.
Gameplay involves the familiar techniques of interacting with characters and selecting one of 4 (outrageously silly) responses; picking up items to be added to your auto-hide inventory taskbar at the top, then using the items on other items or characters to make things happen. There are a dozen or so village scenes and you walk from one to another to further your quest, which culminates in your return to the cathedral to make your confession.
This is definitely on the lower end of the difficulty spectrum in this genre. It’s not about challenge, it’s about enjoyment of the content.
Sound, Vision & Humour
It’s an exquisite blend of highly intricate paintings, classical music and modern, irreverent internet-style humour.
The scenes are made up of (seamlessly) bolted-together classic paintings and there’s all sorts of Monty Python style photoshopping going on to produce hilarious animated results. You have to spend time and look closely or you’ll miss some of the best bits. One of the scenes is an actual art gallery containing all(?) of the artwork used to create the other scenes.
There’s a different tune for each scene. They are on a fairly short loop so don’t expect any full length Mozart concertos or any of the well-known classics, these are snippets of lesser known classical music, and all the more interesting for it. Don’t forget to do the Jam Session achievement for extra tunes – is it just me, or is that musician playing the lute in the style of Angus Young out of AC/DC?
Here are some of my favourite bits of humour to give you a taste. Painting descriptions: Merry Peasants And A Couple Of Pig-Botherers; All Sorts Of Village-Based Shenanigans; Naughty People In Circles. Twerking in exchange for certain services. When you use the hand action on some characters you give them a slap (this never gets old). One particular exchange: SLAP! “what was that for?”… “just keeping you on your toes”… “oh ok, thanks!”
Minor Gripes
After you enter the cathedral near the end of the game you’re locked out of the main village and can’t go back without starting a new game. This is particularly annoying if you want to collect the last remaining achievements not picked up during the normal playthrough.
There are a couple of cutscenes where a huge tapestry of wonderful artwork scrolls past. It’s such a waste only to catch a glimpse of it all before it whizzes off the screen.
It would be nice to have a zoom feature (mouse wheel?) to admire those small details up close.
Windows only. Linux please!
Value
OK so it’s short. You can complete it in 1-2 hours with a guide, so if you’re finicky about that then wait for a sale. For me, the quality of the game is worth the price. It’s exactly like a real-life art gallery – you can pay your entry fee and sprint to the exit, but that’s missing the whole point of it.
Verdict
What do you do for entertainment, outside of gaming? Visit an art gallery? Go to a music concert? Watch a comedian? Well then here you have pure entertainment. What’s not to like?
RATING:
(click on the image to see the rating explanation)
