The most rewarding experience in years
i will never forget this surreal nostalgic ride. i haven't had such a rewarding experience in a long time.
first thing, the setting and the low-fi atmosphere; this exactly fit the game story and the world. when you arrive to the strange texas you feel like you're at home. you know, the kind of feeling you get when you remember your childhood days riding bikes on warm, sunny august evenings. i know a lot of people will not appreciate the low 8-bit voxel-like graphics but it worked magically for me in the setting.
the gameplay and story were perfect as well. the game isn't your new-gen "get from point a to b and here are some hints on how to walk, with checkpoint every 3 minutes", no. the game doesn't fork around. you are left with clues which you have to work out by yourself and as the story progresses, the world opens more and more, gradually raising the gameplay difficulty. this is the spirit of the old school adventures with a lot of exploration with some arcade mechanics (weapons and enemies). of course, the mentioned arcade mechanics are not perfect rpg-mechanics as in diablo 2 or something. these shooting-avoiding things mechanics are simple arcade clickfest based on reflexes, but surprisingly fun and do not feel broken or cheap.
all in all, you develop emotional connection to the characters and the world itself, while having great time thinking about the clues, exploring the land and brush on your old school point-and-click adventure skills and some arcade skills as well.
without exaggeration, this is most likely the best indie game i've played in years. definitely recommended.
4 gamers found this review helpful