Beyond The Edge Of Owlsgard

A fantastic adventure with a dark adult story. One of the best point-and-clicks since Monkey Island & Inherit the Earth. Just be sure to select "modern mode" right at the start! This eliminates the annoying pixel hunting without making the game too easy. Time-critical tasks are also simplified. Does this make the game too easy? No, the negative points of criticism are completely eliminated. Only items that are difficult to see are highlighted after some time. This needs to be said again clearly: The game offers you to choose the mode between Modern and Classic. That alone is a major advantage. You decide how much help you want. I would also like to praise the voice acting in both the English and German versions. Riddles can also usually be solved logically. Just be warned, it's a dark story!

If you're reading the reviews first and are considering purchasing the game, I **HIGHLY** recommend you don't watch the trailer or look at the images for this game in the store section. They can be considered spoilers to the last chapter in the game which is by far the most unexpected and shocking section. Beyond the Edge of Owlsgard is an indie point & click adventure game that was in development since 2017. I'm not someone to typically browses Kickstarter so I've never heard of it up until it's release on GOG when I noticed it in the "New" section under discover games. After completing the game in 5 hours and 11 minutes, I had an overall positive experience with it! The game does suffer at times (especially in chapters 3 and 4) from a few odd puzzle solutions and at times unfair item hunts. One example would be I needed to start a fire. I tried using regular rocks and other items to light a spark, but they wouldn't work. I carefully hunted all over the map trying to find something to start a fire but was unsuccessful. After watching a guide on YouTube, it turns out you need to find some flintstone to rub together. The only problem is that it isn't a loose item you can find on the ground or ask someone for, it's actually part of the scenery in one area in a specific spot that has no indication that it's there unless you happen to mouse over it. If you don't use a guide at certain sections like me, you'll probably need the recommended 6-8 hours to beat this game. The game does however offer a modern mode, which makes certain puzzles and timed sections much easier. Though if I'm being honest, the timed sections weren't that challenging. The last chapter of the game was my favorite part, and without spoiling anything I'll just say it reminded me of a well-known turn-based role-playing open world from the 90s. I love the idea of merging fantasy and sci-fi elements, something the Might and Magic series did well. I hope we can see a continuation of this story!

The $25 price tag probably scares a lot of people away from this title. However, while some games may be cheaper and offer an equivalent length of content, Owlsgard is a well-polished title where you can tell a lot of care and love went into every part: The animations, voice acting, music, visuals, characters, puzzles, and story. It was worth the price for me. Some things to note for newer players: - The puzzles can get tough, but they're not unreasonable. The story gripped me so I wanted to keep playing to see what happens, but this is a game where when you're stuck, sometimes it helps to take a break for a bit. Also, be sure to take notes! Write down areas and things you mean to investigate. - In my playthrough, shortly after it released, it had a few minor bugs here and there, mainly small visual ones. There's no major save corrupting bugs or anything like that that I've seen or heard of. - The story does get darker than images let on but it's nothing more intense than an 80's PG film. If you're curious about where the story goes, I would recommend avoiding spoilers regardless. I personally enjoyed the direction things went.

I found the game from an obscure Let's Play, and I'm glad I picked it up! I'm also glad that I stopped watching and went in as spoiler-free as possible, because the story certainly benefits from a blind first playthrough. That being said, it was the perfect game to unwind with after the RPG fare I've been playing. The game is a fun mix between Lucasarts' old point-and-click gameplay and story with some of the fun and humor from Sierra's greats. It's also more forgiving than the likes of King's Quest and The Dig; offering logical puzzles and warning the player when it would be wise to save their game. That being said, there are a couple of puzzles that are more obtuse and potentially frustrating than others. They are still nowhere near as bad as some of Sierra's more infamous moments though. Furthermore, I played this game on its "Classic" mode, so I assume it's "Modern" mode may be better for you if you are easily frustrated by puzzles. The story itself is a simple, fun adventure with a fantastic atmosphere. Again, going in blind is the best way to experience a first playthrough. That said, the characters themselves carry much of the charm of the game. For such a vanilla-seeming protagonist, Finn has A LOT to say and do concerning the things he can interact with. Even if its just flavor text, there so much of it that it really fleshes out him and the world he inhabits. That's the highlight of the game for me, but the death scenes and a certain point in the story also put a grin on my face; since I kept underestimating how far the game was willing to go. Even if you haven't dipped your toes much into point-and-click adventure games, this game is a great one. The full price may seem a bit steep for such a short game (especially in today's open-world climate), but the characters and the adventure are worth the price of admission. I hope that the devs will make another adventure game someday, because they produced a gem here.