A cute little game, a sort of adventure game with RPG elements. The atmosphere is amazing, with fairly cartoony graphics being supplemented by real, often contemporary photographs, and descriptions quoted from contemporary sources. The scenes of the game are knit together by transition screens bearing passages excerpted from "Kim", the novel by Kipling.
The game actually does a fair job of putting a novel into game form, which is a trick I don't think I've ever seen before.
Though the setting is the real star, the characters are story are also compelling, though a couple of strands felt unfinished (or maybe I just didn't finish them?), which I suspect is a product of the game's basis on a book which sort of stops somewhat abruptly.
Gameplay is the weakest element, which isn't to say that it's bad. The procedurally generated regions between major landmarks are nice, though they get pretty samey after a while; given my preference, I would have rather been able to automate certain trips, especially those to remote locations far from transportation. The inventory system, food and drink and tiredness, etc. are all pretty straightforward and well-implemented. Combat is a little clunky, but this is in no way intended to be a combat game - though I still can't ever actually take out a band of Thugs; I've tried several times. Especially in the early game, I felt constantly short of cash, which was a little annoying but I guess helped contribute to the feeling and setting of the game (if I buy this book, I won't be able to catch the train back to my quest-giver to get more money...).
The game is quite replayable, though not infinitely so. In particular, the "core quest" is always the same, with little to no non-linearity.
All said, I am happy to have bought this game and would heartily recommend it to anyone who wants to consume a book in game form, or just a better than average adventure game.
