Interesting concept, mediocre execution
MINOR SPOILERS INCLUDED.
As a rule I don't play adventure games more than once, because commonly there's little point... and click (:D): when you know the answers to puzzles, there's no challenge, the story is generally the same and so on. Few of these games present the world wonderfully enough to inspire "another go", at least at first ("Machinarium" comes to mind), but even if I really like the game itself, I rarely return to titles in this genre.
"Noctropolis" is a weird mix: on one hand it has TREMENDOUS potential (especially during today's hype for superhero fiction): the intro shows your avatar reading old "Darksheer" comics, setting the mood and characters of the story that's about to unfold. The premise is simple - you're sucked into the world of the comic (think "Toonstruck"), Noctropolis and become the new Darksheer when the original protector of the city decides to retire. An unusual concept for an adventure game (which are commonly less dynamic), so if you like superhero genre, you're probably sold.
In the meantime a mysterious figure gathers a group of supervillains to terrorize the city and, by all accounts, your mission will be to stop them... and this is where the good, first impression takes a devestating blow.
Quite honestly, there isn't really a set goal for the whole adventure - sure, bad guys are loose but you're never directly told that you have to stop them and, in fact, when the game ends many of these villains are STILL on the loose. Add to it that, for a substitute hero, you don't really defeat any of the villains you encounter (with one, clear exception) and the whole premise of the game being a superhero genre is practically tossed out the window. The game DOESN'T wrap its own story (and its ending is rather disapointing too).
The puzzles are rarely hard and, quite often, they're just so painfully simple that you don't feel like you really achieved anything by completing them nor the game itself. The background graphics are good and set the tone of the story well, but story itself is very lacking with little "cause and effect" mechanics actually implemented; a feeling that the game is just a bunch of episodes tied together by characters only is not unusual for "Noctropolis".
Yes, there is nudity in the game - literally a single scene of it by my recollection and the fact that, throughout the game, you run into two females designed to be sexy (Stilleto and Succubus), one of which will be your sidekick for most of the game.
All of this is sad because most of the villains had potential to be very interesting and I wouldn't mind seeing a superhero who defeats enemies with his wit and brains rather than brawns. Sadly most characters are not elaborated on at all and, as I mentioned, you don't really get to defeat the villains.
It's fun to experience "Noctropolis" for the sake of the atmosphere, but frankly I think watching a playthrough video will suffice for that - adventure game fans will probably be dissatisfied with rather easy riddles and the story just isn't solid enough to care the game.
I'm sorry; I really wish I could claim "Noctropolis" to be a great game, but I just don't think that it is.
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