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The Book of Unwritten Tales: The Critter ChroniclesThe Book of Unwritten Tales: The Critter Chronicles is an expansion to the point-and-click adventure title The Book of Unwritten Tales. In The Critter Chronicles you take charge of Nate and Critter once more as you follow a fairly simple plot to rescue Critter’s stranded species. In typical fashion, The Critter Chronicles maintains the same humor and witty writing of the first game and you’ll be greeted by familiar foes such as Munkus and Ma’Zaz, both of whom you have jilted and once more are out for Nate’s head quite literally. From the opening sequence to the surprisingly cinematic end scene The Critter Chronicles will keep you glued to your computer, bending your brain around a few devilishly convoluted puzzles. The game is still entirely too easy for veteran adventure gamers and the game is far too short, but those who are new to the genre will find the difficulty and time required to complete the game properly balanced. Above average voice acting and some really beautiful environments to explore will keep anyone who decides to give The Critter Chronicles their time clicking from start to finish.
Score: 8/10Developer: KING Art Games
Released: 2012 Genre: Point and Click Adventure Official Website: The Book of Unwritten Tales: The Critter Chronicles |
Graphics:
The same engine that churned out The Book of Unwritten Tales reprises its role in The Critter Chronicles. The game isn't ugly per-se but it really isn't all that spectacular either. The backdrops of the set pieces are wonderfully rendered with tons of little details for the eye to feast on. The world of Aventasia is still fully realized and the graphics compliment the game perfectly. The universe the game takes place in has had a lot of thought put into it and it comes complete with its own lore that would be a joy to see expanded in further installations of the series. This is not the flat kind of world slapped together just to make a video game; this is a world with its own history and populations and the foresight to create this kind of world makes the game feel authentic even though it’s pure fantasy. The Mage Tower is once again explored and you’ll be treated to floating plants, a main hall that is one giant Escher illusion that must be navigated, and a room full of magical paintings that must be manipulated in order to solve a puzzle. Everywhere you go the environments are unique and well represented. It’s a shame that there aren't very many places to actually search. You’re tantalized by returning to places you explored and relished in The Book of Unwritten Tales, but as this is a prequel the story doesn't go down those familiar roads. The only new area that is exploited, and maybe too much so only because it’s so bland, is the Northlands. You can only look at the ice sheet so much before it becomes lackluster.
Even though you don’t have many places to go that are new, the environments opened to you are wonderfully crafted. The interior of the Mary, Nate’s stolen airship, is delicious to look at. The captain’s quarters is full of little details that catch the eye. Even the big details such as Mary, the ships figurehead who does talk and has some wonderfully written lines, is fully complimented with a shell necklace and windswept carved hair. Each piece of the backdrop is littered with associated junk scattered around and it’s all done so well that each scene looks as natural as it can in a game where furry aliens take refuge in a space craft hidden in a glacier or a zoologist who becomes the Yeti he’s searching for once the head piece of his costume is adorned. The game is wacky and the graphics really show it.
If you played The Book of Unwritten Tales then you’ll be instantly familiar with the look of the game. The character models are still stiffer than marionettes, but at least the lip syncing is handled better. When a character is speaking the mouth moves in a relatively natural way as opposed to the first game’s puppet-mouth syndrome. This game basically takes the graphics from The Book of Unwritten Tales and fixes most of the issues. The game is still bright, colorful and full of fantasy and the overall appearance in both environmental and character models are kicked up a notch. This is obviously a game that has the advantage of a little more funding and a little more time to put together. The results are fantastic, though not by very much. Even though the game is well drawn and the character models are passable the game overall still maintains that budget feeling. The only thing that would propel the graphics out of the mediocre and into the sublime would be a fully 3D world with high resolution textures. This is asking a lot for an adventure title, a video game space that isn’t typically well funded anymore, but as it stands The Critter Chronicles is still pretty and the graphics hold up the story well enough. While the graphics may be dated the sound of the game, especially the suburb voice acting, makes this game a pleasure to play.
The same engine that churned out The Book of Unwritten Tales reprises its role in The Critter Chronicles. The game isn't ugly per-se but it really isn't all that spectacular either. The backdrops of the set pieces are wonderfully rendered with tons of little details for the eye to feast on. The world of Aventasia is still fully realized and the graphics compliment the game perfectly. The universe the game takes place in has had a lot of thought put into it and it comes complete with its own lore that would be a joy to see expanded in further installations of the series. This is not the flat kind of world slapped together just to make a video game; this is a world with its own history and populations and the foresight to create this kind of world makes the game feel authentic even though it’s pure fantasy. The Mage Tower is once again explored and you’ll be treated to floating plants, a main hall that is one giant Escher illusion that must be navigated, and a room full of magical paintings that must be manipulated in order to solve a puzzle. Everywhere you go the environments are unique and well represented. It’s a shame that there aren't very many places to actually search. You’re tantalized by returning to places you explored and relished in The Book of Unwritten Tales, but as this is a prequel the story doesn't go down those familiar roads. The only new area that is exploited, and maybe too much so only because it’s so bland, is the Northlands. You can only look at the ice sheet so much before it becomes lackluster.
Even though you don’t have many places to go that are new, the environments opened to you are wonderfully crafted. The interior of the Mary, Nate’s stolen airship, is delicious to look at. The captain’s quarters is full of little details that catch the eye. Even the big details such as Mary, the ships figurehead who does talk and has some wonderfully written lines, is fully complimented with a shell necklace and windswept carved hair. Each piece of the backdrop is littered with associated junk scattered around and it’s all done so well that each scene looks as natural as it can in a game where furry aliens take refuge in a space craft hidden in a glacier or a zoologist who becomes the Yeti he’s searching for once the head piece of his costume is adorned. The game is wacky and the graphics really show it.
If you played The Book of Unwritten Tales then you’ll be instantly familiar with the look of the game. The character models are still stiffer than marionettes, but at least the lip syncing is handled better. When a character is speaking the mouth moves in a relatively natural way as opposed to the first game’s puppet-mouth syndrome. This game basically takes the graphics from The Book of Unwritten Tales and fixes most of the issues. The game is still bright, colorful and full of fantasy and the overall appearance in both environmental and character models are kicked up a notch. This is obviously a game that has the advantage of a little more funding and a little more time to put together. The results are fantastic, though not by very much. Even though the game is well drawn and the character models are passable the game overall still maintains that budget feeling. The only thing that would propel the graphics out of the mediocre and into the sublime would be a fully 3D world with high resolution textures. This is asking a lot for an adventure title, a video game space that isn’t typically well funded anymore, but as it stands The Critter Chronicles is still pretty and the graphics hold up the story well enough. While the graphics may be dated the sound of the game, especially the suburb voice acting, makes this game a pleasure to play.
Sound:
The Book of Unwritten Tales suffered from some spotty voice acting. Some lines were read with the wrong inflection, and Nate especially was more annoying than playful in his banter. Thankfully Nate’s voice acting has received a major boost and this is a relief since you’ll be playing his character the most as you push through the story. In the first game I found Nate to be grating with poorly delivered lines that were read with some strange inflections and emotions that didn't really fit the mood. The Creature Chronicles must have had a better, or more confident, voice director as the quality of the acting overall is such a joy to listen to. Munkus and Ma’Zaz are other notable characters who have some of the best dialogue in any game I’ve played. Ma’Zaz, a female orc bounty hunter with the taste of Nate’s blood in her mouth, is read with such guttural fervor you can feel the rage in every spoken line. Munkus is read with such sniveling malice that you can sense the evil genius lurking within his green, tentacled skin. Voice acting this good is usually found in big budget titles and it’s refreshing to hear such superb acting in a relatively small title.
The dialogue of the game would be nothing if it wasn't written and recorded well and again The Critter Chronicles follows in its precursor’s footsteps with truly funny dialogue. The script is well written and pays homage to a slew of adventure games that those who have devoted a lot of time to the genre will immediately notice. At one point Nate is trapped in the Yeti cave and attempts to use his Jedi powers to telepathically yank a light saber from the ice. If you look at the same object with Critter he simply makes the iconic swooshing noise. It’s subtle but appreciated and moments like this crop up in dialogue throughout the game. It’s thrilling to listen to a script read with such passion and believability and it sets a new standard for the adventure genre. The smartest, wittiest writing in the world would fall flat if it wasn't read by the right actors and it’s great that The Critter Chronicles excels in this front.
The music of the game is also a joy to listen to and is full of instrumental swell that compliments the action on the screen. The music is beautifully crafted and sets the tone of the environment you’re exploring. Returning to the series is the satisfying musical ditty that plays when you successfully solve a puzzle. It’s quick and some may argue pointless to include, but I personally found it gratifying to hear that triumphant tone play. It gives a sense of accomplishment to solving a puzzle; other adventure games simply continue the story forward with little reward save for a pat on the back, if that at all. It’s almost like a level up tone in an RPG and the feeling is fantastic.
The Book of Unwritten Tales suffered from some spotty voice acting. Some lines were read with the wrong inflection, and Nate especially was more annoying than playful in his banter. Thankfully Nate’s voice acting has received a major boost and this is a relief since you’ll be playing his character the most as you push through the story. In the first game I found Nate to be grating with poorly delivered lines that were read with some strange inflections and emotions that didn't really fit the mood. The Creature Chronicles must have had a better, or more confident, voice director as the quality of the acting overall is such a joy to listen to. Munkus and Ma’Zaz are other notable characters who have some of the best dialogue in any game I’ve played. Ma’Zaz, a female orc bounty hunter with the taste of Nate’s blood in her mouth, is read with such guttural fervor you can feel the rage in every spoken line. Munkus is read with such sniveling malice that you can sense the evil genius lurking within his green, tentacled skin. Voice acting this good is usually found in big budget titles and it’s refreshing to hear such superb acting in a relatively small title.
The dialogue of the game would be nothing if it wasn't written and recorded well and again The Critter Chronicles follows in its precursor’s footsteps with truly funny dialogue. The script is well written and pays homage to a slew of adventure games that those who have devoted a lot of time to the genre will immediately notice. At one point Nate is trapped in the Yeti cave and attempts to use his Jedi powers to telepathically yank a light saber from the ice. If you look at the same object with Critter he simply makes the iconic swooshing noise. It’s subtle but appreciated and moments like this crop up in dialogue throughout the game. It’s thrilling to listen to a script read with such passion and believability and it sets a new standard for the adventure genre. The smartest, wittiest writing in the world would fall flat if it wasn't read by the right actors and it’s great that The Critter Chronicles excels in this front.
The music of the game is also a joy to listen to and is full of instrumental swell that compliments the action on the screen. The music is beautifully crafted and sets the tone of the environment you’re exploring. Returning to the series is the satisfying musical ditty that plays when you successfully solve a puzzle. It’s quick and some may argue pointless to include, but I personally found it gratifying to hear that triumphant tone play. It gives a sense of accomplishment to solving a puzzle; other adventure games simply continue the story forward with little reward save for a pat on the back, if that at all. It’s almost like a level up tone in an RPG and the feeling is fantastic.
Gameplay:
The game itself continues to maintain the classing point-and-click recipe. You take control of the main character, clicking around various environments to move the character, pick up an interactive object, or manipulate the set in some way to solve a puzzle. If you’ve played the classics such as Day of the Tentacle or Sam and Max you’ll know how this game plays even before you start. It doesn’t stray outside of its genre confines but if it isn’t broken there’s no point in trying to fix it. Instead, the developers have decided to make some puzzles more interactive as opposed to simply clicking objects to combine them or use them in the world in some way.
The Book of Unwritten Tales started this trend in the series and it’s nice to have it return. For example Nate is tasked with painting some food and drink for a portrait of the Arch Mage in order to gain some useful information. After the convoluted quest to obtain the canvas, Nate is presented with an easel on which is sketched the still life that was requested. The player must fill in the paint of picture using the mouse. It’s great fun to interact with puzzles like this over sliders, memory games, or the other obscure contraptions most adventure games throw at you. It really is a new addition to the genre that I haven’t encountered in any other adventure series and I hope it continues to grow within this franchise and other adventure titles.
There is a difficulty option at the beginning of the game that adds more steps to complete some puzzles and generally gives the player less information to make the game more challenging. The first title was a tad easy and The Critter Chronicles will be over relatively shortly if you’re observant and have a knack for video game logic. Some puzzles are needlessly complicated in difficult mode especially the pentagram maze puzzle. It was the only time I had to use a walkthrough to figure it out as the environment didn’t really reveal any clues on how to solve it. Logically I knew what to do but the mess of buttons and rotating rings could only be experimented with for so long before frustration set it. This is a marked improvement to the genre as a whole as most puzzle games such as Myst were so obscure and complicated that the puzzles became a nightmare instead of a good mental challenge. The Critter Chronicles is still relatively easy for hardcore adventurers, but those who only visit the genre occasionally will find the game a real delight to play.
The game itself continues to maintain the classing point-and-click recipe. You take control of the main character, clicking around various environments to move the character, pick up an interactive object, or manipulate the set in some way to solve a puzzle. If you’ve played the classics such as Day of the Tentacle or Sam and Max you’ll know how this game plays even before you start. It doesn’t stray outside of its genre confines but if it isn’t broken there’s no point in trying to fix it. Instead, the developers have decided to make some puzzles more interactive as opposed to simply clicking objects to combine them or use them in the world in some way.
The Book of Unwritten Tales started this trend in the series and it’s nice to have it return. For example Nate is tasked with painting some food and drink for a portrait of the Arch Mage in order to gain some useful information. After the convoluted quest to obtain the canvas, Nate is presented with an easel on which is sketched the still life that was requested. The player must fill in the paint of picture using the mouse. It’s great fun to interact with puzzles like this over sliders, memory games, or the other obscure contraptions most adventure games throw at you. It really is a new addition to the genre that I haven’t encountered in any other adventure series and I hope it continues to grow within this franchise and other adventure titles.
There is a difficulty option at the beginning of the game that adds more steps to complete some puzzles and generally gives the player less information to make the game more challenging. The first title was a tad easy and The Critter Chronicles will be over relatively shortly if you’re observant and have a knack for video game logic. Some puzzles are needlessly complicated in difficult mode especially the pentagram maze puzzle. It was the only time I had to use a walkthrough to figure it out as the environment didn’t really reveal any clues on how to solve it. Logically I knew what to do but the mess of buttons and rotating rings could only be experimented with for so long before frustration set it. This is a marked improvement to the genre as a whole as most puzzle games such as Myst were so obscure and complicated that the puzzles became a nightmare instead of a good mental challenge. The Critter Chronicles is still relatively easy for hardcore adventurers, but those who only visit the genre occasionally will find the game a real delight to play.
Final Thoughts:
The Critter Chronicles is really a wonderful game to experience. The smart dialogue is expertly delivered by the actors. This is one of the few games that will make you more than smile; you’ll actually laugh out loud at some of the lines and situations. While The Book of Unwritten Tales was funny, The Critter Chronicles has an even more polished and tightly honed script that is expertly delivered.
The puzzles are still a bit easy especially since most object combinations are still highlighted via text though the game makes it slightly more difficult to discern what is the correct combination and at what time by tossing some red herrings into the fray. Just because you can combine the flute and the bellows doesn't mean it’s necessarily the right thing to do. It makes the game that much more challenging but overall the game is still a bit easy. Oddly, a journal is still missing so you must exercise good memory skills to remember what the game expects you to do next. Playing as Critter is also an exercise in patience as it’s difficult to tell what he’s expressing as he only speaks in his strange language and his pantomimes aren't necessarily easy to understand.
Even with some minor faults The Critter Chronicles is a pleasure to play. The excellent script paired with the perfect performance and pinpoint accurate comedic delivery makes this one of the best stories in video gaming. The game pokes fun at itself and the genre in general, but those moments you should experience on your own. I don’t want to ruin too much of the game but it’s safe to say you’ll find a few hours of fun as you navigate the fantasy landscape of Aventasia. You’ll come to find Critter and Nate and their growing friendship endearing and by the end of the game you’ll be heartbroken as they both say goodbye. You know logically they’ll be together again to give the first game continuity but it’s presently so tenderly that it’s really one of the better game endings out there. From the first line to the last you’ll be engrossed in The Book of Unwritten Tales: The Critter Chronicles and this is a game that no computer adventure aficionado should pass up.
The Critter Chronicles is really a wonderful game to experience. The smart dialogue is expertly delivered by the actors. This is one of the few games that will make you more than smile; you’ll actually laugh out loud at some of the lines and situations. While The Book of Unwritten Tales was funny, The Critter Chronicles has an even more polished and tightly honed script that is expertly delivered.
The puzzles are still a bit easy especially since most object combinations are still highlighted via text though the game makes it slightly more difficult to discern what is the correct combination and at what time by tossing some red herrings into the fray. Just because you can combine the flute and the bellows doesn't mean it’s necessarily the right thing to do. It makes the game that much more challenging but overall the game is still a bit easy. Oddly, a journal is still missing so you must exercise good memory skills to remember what the game expects you to do next. Playing as Critter is also an exercise in patience as it’s difficult to tell what he’s expressing as he only speaks in his strange language and his pantomimes aren't necessarily easy to understand.
Even with some minor faults The Critter Chronicles is a pleasure to play. The excellent script paired with the perfect performance and pinpoint accurate comedic delivery makes this one of the best stories in video gaming. The game pokes fun at itself and the genre in general, but those moments you should experience on your own. I don’t want to ruin too much of the game but it’s safe to say you’ll find a few hours of fun as you navigate the fantasy landscape of Aventasia. You’ll come to find Critter and Nate and their growing friendship endearing and by the end of the game you’ll be heartbroken as they both say goodbye. You know logically they’ll be together again to give the first game continuity but it’s presently so tenderly that it’s really one of the better game endings out there. From the first line to the last you’ll be engrossed in The Book of Unwritten Tales: The Critter Chronicles and this is a game that no computer adventure aficionado should pass up.