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jp's Touch Detective 2 1/2 (DS)
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| [August 18, 2009 03:06:19 PM]
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Finished!
Not only that, but I was enjoying the experience so much that I also completed the bonus episode!
Mackenzie keeps a detective journal with 6 pages. When you complete an episode (there are 6, including the tutorial), she writes a line in the journal. Since each journal page has 6 lines, by the time you've finished the game you will have 5 empty pages of journal.
Wow, I thought. I wonder where all the other episodes are? Perhaps if I had played the first game, that information would have been loaded (imported) into this game? Maybe there's a way to unlock the 1st game? My mind was reeling with the possibilities (and, to a certain degree, despairing over how many more hours I would have to spend). In the end, my imagination may have been too active because completing the bonus episode results in a full journal.
Each of the game's main episodes follow from each other and feature a strong central plot. There is mystery that needs solving or a problem that needs to be uncovered and explained. The bonus episode breaks from this tradition and presents an experience which is quite unusual and refreshing for an adventure game.
The bonus episode is in some ways an answer to the question "What happens in the world of adventure games once the adventure is over?". There is no major theme, there is no plot to unravel, and there is no ultimate goal. The bonus episode consists mainly of helping the different characters in the game with little problems and little things. Some, such as the character who needs help opening his bottle of Tea, are quite mundane. Others, such as preventing the 2nd invasion of earth, seem quite grand. Ultimately, they work because they're small, relatively short, and the don't add up to anything. What I liked most about them was the general lack of pressure you feel in completing them. Most videogames provide you with goals that are grand, world-changing, or critical. Save the planet! Stop the invasion! Everything you do in a game like that means something in the sense that it helps you move closer to that ultimate goal. However, life isn't like that (well, I guess for most of us). Sometimes you just do things because it's the right thing to do, because it feels good to do it, or simply for fun. The bonus episode feels a little like that, and that's what I found refreshing about it. Once the adventure is over, settle down and live some.
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| [August 13, 2009 10:29:37 PM]
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Except for one thing, the second screen is largely wasted. Sure, I guess it's nice to know what episode I'm playing and what location Touch McKenzie is currently in. Yes, that's nice, but largely useless. What I DID find interesting, and kind of fun is that the designers chose to use the upper screen for additional comedy and potentially some character development. Sort of. Whenever Touch talks to someone, you can read what she says on the bottom screen. However, now and then she'll say one thing and think another. You can read what she's thinking on the top screen. It's a neat little idea which I've enjoyed so far and it's a clever way of taking advantage of the fact that the top screen is essentially a separate output channel. You don't HAVE to look at it to play the game, and you don't have to read it either, but it adds depth and, so far, has helped make the game a more enjoyable experience.
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| [August 7, 2009 04:07:32 PM]
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Playing this game has made me reconsider the Monkey Island games. I guess this is sort of relevant since the first Monkey Island has recently been re-released. The only reason that Monkey Island was fun was because it was funny. The dialogue and, occasionally, the situations. This game is like that. The game play is essentially the modern-day equivalent of what we had back in the day. The dialogue (and situations) are the saving grace. This was brought home to me when the tutorial essentially advised me to click around everywhere in order to figure out what to do. In other words, there are puzzles to solve, but you won't be expected to use logic to solve them, rather use you intuition (hmm, I'll click here because it seems interesting) and sit back and enjoy as craziness ensues. There's plenty of craziness so far and I've smiled and even chuckled, so I guess all's good. I can't help but feel disturbed by the fact, however, that the gameplay is so stale. Am I being to picky?
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jp's Touch Detective 2 1/2 (DS)
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Current Status: Finished playing
GameLog started on: Saturday 1 August, 2009
GameLog closed on: Tuesday 18 August, 2009 |
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This is the only GameLog for Touch Detective 2 1/2. |
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