You are Kate Walker, New York City lawyer on assignment to transfer the ownership of an automaton factory to a large toy corporation. Only this game wouldn't take more than five minutes if everything went well. You find out that a simple assignment, which was only supposed to last a day, is going to send you to a great many amazing, beautiful, enchanting places. The voice acting in this game is superb, but at times at odd with the scene. Kate Walker sometimes sounds like she's speaking to children, or perceives everyone as being slow. She tends to speak very nearly in that annoying, high pitched baby speak in some instances. It's really out of place. Also, there are phone conversations you have between your boss, mother, lady friend, and boyfriend (fiancee?), which seems there to try and great the illusion of a larger world outside what you're doing, but since you're in a wonder place to begin with, who cares about gossip in the real world? The story is original, though you'll catch similarities to other stories at superficial levels. The story is also a good one, that helps you immerse yourself in while you control Kate Walker on her journey. The music is also worth mentioning. It's very good, though sometimes can seem a bit repetitive, and the beginning scores sometimes make you think some action is going to take place, but it never does. This is a very fun game, and well worth your time.
Let's get King's Quest VIII out of the way first thing. It is generic, and coming after King's Quest VI and VII that is absolutely unforgivable. Everything is just okay. The graphics aren't the worst, the world design isn't the worst, the story isn't the worst. Nor is it among the best. It falls squarely somewhere in the middle. To understand why this is such a disappointment, we need look no further than King's Quest VII. Imaginative. Beautifully designed. Colorful. Funny. Fun. Amazing. King's Quest VII brought you the story of a rebellious girl and her mother, trapped in strange new worlds as they try to find each other and get back home. This game is the reason why point-and-click adventures were such a good time back in their day. If you have $10 to spare, want a game that, while will not stand up to the graphics of today's AAA titles, is still fun, long enough that you still feel like you're getting your moneys worth, and features strong female protagonists, this game is well worth your time, and very good value for money.
