A comedy adventure game about Cthulhu from a studio from Transylvania. The creators not only deliver on this exciting pitch, they really expand on this weird mix. The story follows a detective and a young librarian Buzz caught in the middle of an occult conspiracy involving Necronomicon. Helping them is Kitteh, Buzz's cat, possessed by a spell making her talk. Her agility and snide insight will be indispensible in their quest. Truly, Kitteh steals the show. Suspiciously staring at the cursor, or flawlessly shooting Buzz down every time, she is consistently THE most entertaining thing about the game - which is quite the ride in its own right. You'll travel far and wide. You'll meet a whole bunch of crazies with lots to talk about - to give you clues as well as some background lore, some flavor - or laughs. Just listen to Radio Garlic. The DJ banter goes on and and gets crazier by the minute. Similarly, Don's detective files feauture an extensive library of crazy bios - just for the heck of it. It's those little details... Speaking of: the art in Gibbous is a thing of beauty. The digitally painted locations pay homage to the otherworldly, eerie feel and the crooked geometries of 90's LucasArts games. The character animations are detailed and fluid, and the colors vibrant. The game's on the simplier side most of the time. Look around, ask around, or use the supernatural assistance at your current disposal - and you'll figure it out. Not much backtracking - and just a handful logical puzzles. Mostly, though, you'll McGyver your way out. I truly didn't expect an adventure THIS epic from a humble Kickstarter project. Adventure, twists and turns... Some really convincing horror, too. The Old Ones are not to be trifled with. Finally, there's some really touching drama, too *sniffle* If, like me, you look back fondly to grand adventure games of the 90s - full of ancient lore and magic, such as Fate of Atlantis, or Hand of Fate - here's the perfect game for you
It was a one-of-a-kind experience. At first I was confused - by the game's non-verbal communication system, the sheer magnitude of the game world, and my exact role in it. But soon I was hooked, running around spreading love, giving hugs, gathering magnetophone tapes and peeing on hydrants. The art is fantastically colorful, and the soundtrack's pure bliss (I got the Warm, Damp Hug DLC so I could take it with me and listen to it wherever), and while the story and the puzzles confused the hell out of me sometimes, it's mostly because I'm not very observant & at this time of the year my brain goes into semi-hybernation. But nevermind that! It's a lovely game about kindness and friendship and fun -- and while it does have its darker moments, all ends well.
It's not your typical, serious detective game. The snark, the dark humor and the affinity for ingesting toxic substances are the genre's standards -- but instead of a gritty, worn-out fifty-something in a thiry-year-old raincoat you play as a big-haired biker girl with no sense of moderation (or good taste) as far as eye shadow is concerned. And there's the crazy, greeky, hyperactive, bespectacled roomie. So what you get is a fun mix of darkness and humor, balancing between old noir pulp and Scooby Doo. And, to be honest, it was Kathy's sarcastic style that first drew me in at first. But it gets real serious real quick, and you discover that the there's more to the girl's outlandish style than a mere fashion choice. She's not all about sharp tongue and mean quips. There's a heart there, and one tormented soul, and the darkness runs deep in her. And not just her, either. The plot thickens quickly, and what you'd expect to be a plain detective story turns into something deeper and darker. Another facet of the game that I really enjoyed were the nods to popular culture - including movies and games. The most obvious one I'll leave up to you. Then there's the bike - the creators' homage to Full Throttle. I also found a few themes in common with The Longest Journey - but that might just be me. Speaking of TLJ... Kathy Rain, by comparison, it's not a really long game, I finished in it two sitting's, a total of 9 hours or so -- but almost pulled an all-nighter in the process, so excited I was. The puzzles are mostly pretty easy -- not offensively so, just intuitive enough for you to have an idea what to do next. I hardly ever got stuck on a task or wandered cluelessly for more than a couple minutes. That, in turn, translates into smooth plot progression -- and very often you get two or more leads at a time that you can't wait to follow. The ending might seem anti-climactic -- but to me it made sense, quiet and intimate as it was, with a lot left to figure out by yourself.
