When i first played Thimbleweed Park, it was on Xbox game pass. i didn't know what it was, so i went in with surprises and no real excitement prior to my time playing. I fell in love with the style, graphics, tone, humor, old school gameplay, and soundtrack. But when I finished the game, cracks started to become clearer. The main characters lacked development and chemistry, they never really grew or became a team. One of them doesn't do anything at all or even leaves his place. The story ruins its own surprises early on with already predictable outcomes, and lacks good mystery once you get past chapter 3. And overall by the end, it feels like you played for nothing and it just cuts to black. Generic plot points and devices, cheap copouts, and underdeveloped characters make this one of the most frustrating stories to play through because of how much potential it has. And not much can save that when gameplay isn't super interactive or something. I still enjoy it for its amazing presentation, but not much else honestly. Even the humor runs dry with repeating jokes, barrage of references to other Ron Gilbert games, constant cheap shots at Lucasarts and Sierra that just feel weirdly forced in and like Ron has a weird grudge against them, and overall such an emphasis on humor that it forgets to write a good story. And even gameplay runs into some bad puzzle design. Like one character being aware of something another needs despite having no way to know that. Overall, Thimbleweed Park is a game dripping with tons of 80s nostalgia which makes it an absolute joy to walk around and listen in. It really brings you back to the time period, both in how its set during 1987 and it feels like a game from that time. Well, with voice acting and some graphical effects only possible in todays world. But no amount of nostalgia can hide its major story problems. And yet i still recommend it, but only on sale. Just to feel what I did when i first played.
