A New Beginning: Final Cut

Daedalic are becoming probably my most likeable adventure game developers of this era. Their attention to detail is phenomenal. This game is an amazing eco-thriller that never lets up. It has an elaborate, fleshed out plot, well thought out dialogue and great pacing. I must admit when I first started it, I was suspecting a dud. I mean, a game with an ecology theme and an old scientist as the main character, how enticing can it be? is it a retirement simulator? :P But very soon it is obvious that when proper care is given by the developers, even the most seemingly mundane subjects can turn into interesting games. The plot does feature a heavy ecologic "propaganda", but it manages to make the gamer look past it and enjoy the story and gameplay. As for the game itself, the controls are pretty standard, very easy to get into, the graphics are well done (not to the level of other Daedalic games, but still very nice looking) and the voice acting is above average. The puzzles are generally very logical, with only very few annoying ones and they don't distract from the flow and general theme. The cutscenes are styled out as comic book strips, an odd choice but it works and was certainly cheaper for the developers than full-on animation videos. The game does have a couple of flaws though. Firstly, it crashed a couple of times during playing videos. Nothing major and it could be just my luck, but I have to mention it. Secondly, there are a few parts of the plot at some point, when a major twist takes place, that they either didn't translate properly from German or they were plot holes to begin with. Finally, not an actual flaw, but given how the plot unfolds, it'd be nice to give a couple of alternative endings. All in all, a highly recommended game for the fans of the genre.

I'll try to avoid spoilers, so all I'll say about the story being told is: Clever as heck. There. You can argue about the depth, relevance, and involved science (I mean, algae ARE cool and all, BUT...), but the twists and turns are just miles above the competition. The snag about catering to a clever audience is, however, that you might get inspired to make some fiendishly difficult puzzles, which caused at least me some undue frustration. All is not doom and gloom, however: they all make sense! I highly recommend this game, but be aware that it comes packaged in an art style that might not appeal to everyone.

This is a very good point-and-click adventure. Not so much the laughing experience of, say, Monkey Island or Deponia, but rather a thought through story which holds up almost all the way through in the style of the early Broken Sword games. The puzzles are logical, and if you're an experienced pointer-and-clicker you won't run into too much trouble, but if you're new to the concept you might get stuck in a few places - a pleasant frustration if you ask me. Coherent characters and a well-written story-line keeps the game interesting even if you find some of the puzzles on the easy side. Like many good novels, it takes some time to get to know the characters (maybe an hour of gameplay or so), but when you pass this stage, you're swept into the story and can't really put it down. The game-play is very 'traditional' for its genre, and certainly appeals to me. Now, there are a few flaws here and there, and a loose end or two that doesn't get resolved, but 'A New Beginning' really spoke to me. Anyone who enjoys a good adventure game story-line (on a hot topic!) would really like this game.

Point-and-click fans, know this: this game uses puzzles as secondary element that is there as a light activity to do while the story progresses. However, this issue actually appears to be intentional, because the emphasis here seems to lay on light gameplay that ultimately enables the devs to convey a sound message. That message conveys through a branching and complex story that holds several good turns, lengthy yet well-written dialogs and thoughtful characters that have intertwining, maturing relationships. The story mixes up global warming, time travel and a rescue mission (don’t worry, this is not a spoiler) and gameplay switches between two playable characters depending on what angle is best in consideration with story progression. Other positive pillars includes beautiful scenery, a welcome use of comic-style story telling and excellent voice acting that manages to successfully convey an urge to take action. Other than that, the game would really befit from spicing up all of that seriousness with even a small dose of humor, the soundtrack is ok with some slips towards not noticing it is there, animations are a bit corky and that lightness-of-puzzles attitude made me, as a fan of challenge, do other stuff while playing. All in all, this game can easily be finished over a weekend, and if you play through it with the right mindset, I think you will earn a nice experience that is intended to be more cerebral in ideology and calls you to make a change.

Like many Daedalic Titles, A New Beginning is a point n click adventure game. The game has the usual standards, a hideable UI and item menu in which you can look at and combine your objects or select them for interaction with the world. A button for highlighting objects or interaction spots in the world (This isn’t a hidden object game) but introduces a few concepts such as dissembling a single item for component parts or an item within it. A New Beginning starts at the ending… not an entirely inappropriate place for a time travel game. And that is the premise behind A New Beginning. The final survivors of humankind are about to be wiped out by a solar flare and decide to travel back in time to prevent the environment from ever deteriorating due to global warming, pollution and human disinterest. This of course is where the game gets interesting, the survivors all have different ideas about how to achieve their goals as well as different ideas about how to best accomplish that. Whether it be diplomatically through persuasion or catastrophically through encouraging a disaster. The graphics of A New Beginning are done in a comic book style. Animated panels flash across the screen, voice-acted dialogue is accompanied by speech bubbles to read, and the layout, drawing and animation are all excellently directed. The characters in normal screens all have believable animations that add to their individuality, and the screens themselves are carefully detailed with each new ‘environment’ that you encounter having a unique flavor. A New Beginning is an excellent adventure game. Whilst there are some issues with the menu, the cleverly crafted story, and interesting art direction make this an excellent game to play. At its heart the game is devoted to environmental issues and is simultaneously a chance to showcase the developers beliefs about the environment as well as a chance to make a fun an enjoyable experience.