Thimbleweed Park

The game really feels like a new Maniac Mansion or Zak McKracken game. Which is of course a good thing. The atmoshere, the graphics, the dialog and the mystery. Every since my childhood was over I have not played so many point and click adventure games. I didn't have the time or motivation to get into a stories. If that depends on the story itself or the fact that I have growned up and don't have time for computer games in general - that i don't know. How come that this game has swollowed me right into it's story? Well of course the knowledge that the game was made by the same guys that made MM and Zak and the Monkey island is a factor of course. It's more hyped and the expectations has been huge! It's an opportunity to once again feel the same as I did back when I was 13 years old. It's called nostalgia and it's not an all positive feeling in general. But when it comes to this game I all in for the nostalgia trip and I can gladly say that it's there, every single moment! The era of point and click adventure games sadly belongs to the past for many reasons. I'm happy that I had the chance to experience all these fine games that I mentioned, but everything have it's time in the history books. The negative parts of the game: - The voiceacting is not stellar. The volume of the voices are not in sync. Sometimes the voices feel like they dont belong to the character. This is small things and overall they are great! - Sometimes when you switch character and try to do something that you already tried with the other the sentences are exactly the same only with another voice! This is kind of impersonal and generic. - Maybe i have missed something or i have not progressed into the game enough but it is a long walk to go to the crypt in the cemetary (will this change when I get a map?) Well not much as you can se, I had to really think hard to come to think of these. Everything else is top notch and now I don't have time more to write. I must continue my investigation! :-)

First of all, this gets a perfect score for nostalgia - it looks and feels exactly like the good old LucasArts PnC games. If it weren't for a few graphic improvements here and there I could truly believe that it's a 90s game that I've missed. The story and the jokes are classic Ron Gilbert style, if you're familiar with Maniac Mansion / Day of the Tentacle / Monkey Island (1&2) you'll immediately feel that. This is the sort of game he could have easily made back then and after 20 years he still has it. Back in the 90s these PnC games by LucasArts (admittedly also by Sierra) were my favorite genre and after all these years the only thing I can say is - Thank you, Ron, for bringing them back to us. A few points worth mentioning: + The game has an easy / hard mode (like Monkey Island 2). Easy mode is ideal to people new to PnC adventure games or people who don't have a lot of free time. + The puzzles are challenging, yet you will not find yourself "pixel hunting" or trying anything with anything, that used to be the problem with the oldies (this game is actually better than the classics in this aspect). + The story is completely original yet creative and faithful to Gilbert's style. It could have easily been a best seller even at the peak of the genre. + You get to choose whether toilet paper will be pulled from above or below (if you pick below then you're not worthy of being my friend). - The game is a little alienating to young people, who've never played these games before. There are a *lot* of jokes about old adventure games and generally 80s era computers. Hilarious if you've lived back then but teenagers will not get them. - I think the ending is a little disappointing (at least for me) compared to the majority of the game. Maybe it's just me but I've expected a different climax. Overall verdict: 9/10. Ron Gilbert's done an amazing job, I hope this game sells well and we see more. A must for gamers from the 90s that may be appealing to newer audience as well.

It took me a few years to finally play Thimbleweed Park. Finishing it, I'm left completely flabbergasted. This is a lovingly made polished adventure game, a true heir to the LucasArts classics. Interesting characters, great dialogue, fantastic references to old classics and 80's culture. And the puzzles were spot on: not straightforward to pull off, but not impossible to figure out. An instant classic! I should also mentioned how I loved that there are no achievements in the GOG version. Quality playtime instead of goose hunting for imaginary trophies.

Unlike Sierra games where you die a lot trying to solve puzzles, the LucasArts games and Thimbleweed Park are all about puzzles. If you can die in it, I haven't found out how to yet. I bought this a couple years ago and just now finished. This game is much longer than I anticipated, and I had given up a few times in the passed. Pay attention to everything every character says, every little detail in every place you visit, and you'll solve most of the puzzles... there are some that are a little bizarre but only a few that are likely to make you seek help. If you need help, I recommend dialing the help number in the game rather than look for a walk-through online. You'll see the help signs around the town and any character with access to a phone can dial the 4-digit number for help. I love the graphics. I find these pixelated graphics to be better than most smooth point-and-click games, and the humor and dialog are the best. I hope the developers write another games, I loved this!

This is a fantastic point & click adventure game. If your a fan of Ron gilbert's previous adventure games then you are also going to love this. Everyone should buy this game it's absolutely awesome, enough said!