Twinsen's Little Big Adventure Classic

I can remember how badly I badgered my parents to buy this game.Rarely do games that we yearned for in our childhood live up to our expectations, but LBA (or Relentless, as it was titled in Australia) is one that went beyond expectations. The size of the game is unbelievable - Twinsen will travel to various islands and own a boat... dragon... play an important role in a guerilla-type battle, talk to a horse, get a rock concert going, explore haunted dungeons, snowboard, pull of a museum heist!... Many games talk big about how you'll go many places and meet interesting characters, but LBA is one of the few games that actually did it - and uses all the characters it introduces in wonderful ways. The isometric quasi-3d look the game uses might look clunky now, but I still think it looks fabulous and colourful. I also agree with other reviewers here that this game exudes an endearing innocence that is enchanting... but additionally I think there is an underlying darkness (particularly in some parts I won't spoil) that arises from the whole tyrant/oppression/rebellion/eco storyline. If you didn't play this as a kid - you missed out. But you can still play it now and be a big kid. Twinsen and his magic ball are waiting.

Overall, this is a fun game. I didn't play this back when it came out, but I can see why it is well-liked amongst the gamer community. I did have problems with the cumbersome control scheme, but, provided you can work through that, you will most likely be pleased with the overall game.

First, to help clarify saving: game autosaves when you transition between zones, collect items, or take damage. The game sets the stage early on: it is up to you to save the planet from the instantly forgettable Dr. Funfrock. Not a complex story, but the world engages you with crisp artwork. Charming characters come to life with fluid animation and wonderful voice acting. The game's highlight is how well it rewards keen observation. Most NPCs have useful information for you, and connecting the dots between clues is extremely satisfying. However, combat is a mess. Your primary attack is a bouncing energy ball. With the game's "tank" controls, it is easy to miss your target and you must wait for the ball to stop bouncing before you can fire again. Meanwhile, most enemies spam attacks faster than you can retaliate against. Plus, you get knocked back based on the direction you face, so it is easy to get trapped in a corner and die. This makes the only strategy "stun lock or be stun locked." You can plink at most enemies from just outside their AI range, but this is neither fun nor challenging. Combat is required to progress and might turn people off the game completely. Platforming is always a pain in isometric games, and the fact that Twinsen takes damage if he sprints into a wall makes some sections more frustrating than they have to be. It is a finnicky mechanic: I have sometimes taken damage when running *away* from a wall. There are other gaps in the polish, but nothing as grievous as the combat system. Overall, the creativity in the world and the progression of the journey help elevate this game above average. It is worth a try, despite the dated controls and abysmal combat system.

Well I think nice graphics are useless when it's so hard to access and appreciate them. The game's story and dialogue didn't impress me enough to continue with the game. I went as far as I wanted to and forced myself to stop thinking about how nice the game looks and think about how the game takes away your progress so easily. So a bit of a harsh judgement on this game I'm afraid.

I first played this game on a friends computer when I was little Simnol, it had an immediate effect and was the reason I eventually got into computer gaming as a teen. I don't game as much any more, but my heart skipped a beat when I saw that this was on GOG, I still have my original CD's and I'm compelled to re-install. I hope it inspires others like it did me.