Fierce disputes about the existence of high art in the game context have been conducted, it seems, from the beginning of electronic times. Well, or so.
Some of the critics in this matter are uncompromising: they say, computer fun can be maximum entertainment, murder of time, but no more. Others, with no less ardor, defend the idea of the “art house” of some projects and are ready to hoist these same projects on one board almost with artistic prose.
Collision with a series Puzzle Agent unexpectedly and as if gradually raises the question of art on the agenda. Although initially, looking at the screenshots, delving into the particularly uncomplicated gameplay, it is difficult to imagine that we have more than an ordinary “casual” before us.
One way or another, pilot, trial production of Puzzle Agent, obviously, satisfied Telltale its profitability. Therefore, the developers recently gave us the second part, which will now have a highly intellectual conversation. Okay, understandable words in the text will also be, do not be afraid.
Little red men
Telltale Recently, I got into the player to throw the player in continuation of past events without any, at least more or less explaining to Likbez. It’s good when it came to Back to the Future, This principle could still be understood: the benefit of the episodes came out at small intervals, and the story itself retained full plot unity throughout five parts.
WITH Puzzle Agent 2 Things are different. The first game appeared a year ago. And if the developers imagine that we remember what happened there in a factory for the production of erasers in the town of Skoggins, Minnesota, they strongly overestimate their significance in the history of the world revolution. Meanwhile, the sequel script is obviously related to the script of the previous quest. We have to find out many things along the course, restoring the events that took place earlier from fragmentary information.
Nevertheless, we will try to adhere to chronology. Last visit, an employee of the Department of Puzzles of the FBI Nelson Tethers found the reasons for the sudden stop of the Lastiki factory in Skoggins. In the course of the investigation, the poor detective had to face a mysterious cult, unhealthy crosswords and little eerie red men who are called “hidden people” (Hidden People). And now, now it turns out that the inhabitants of the town began to disappear mysteriously. Some people already say that “hidden people” are involved in the disappearance. Others believe that we are talking about a serial killer. Moreover, all this to our old acquaintance from the FBI is informed in a whisper, with closed doors. And his business is to figure out where the truth is hidden.
Cozy pinking hotel, comfortable chubby mistress. Who would have thought that at night in this monastery of comfort, the Teters will experience the real U-U-U-U-Uzhas!
I don’t hear you, you don’t hear me
What is our blackberry? Oh, he is incredibly unstable, but at the same time charismatic. This guy is a real dock in the solution of puzzles. He everywhere carries an unchanging recorder with him and, after each interrogation, in an undertone dictates notes on the case, not particularly embarrassed by the presence of outsiders with such an intimate process. Inspires the hero’s exploits not a tube, not a violin or even Vicodin – a chewing gum! Well, yes, the same sweet chewing gum, which the non -resurrected detective is ready to tear off from any object. What difference does it make who chewed it before!
Teters’ adventures are so parody-ironic and cheerful at first that somehow you don’t even have to think about the elements of the horror. Meanwhile, when red, obviously unfriendly gnomes are chosen from behind the trees in the forest under disturbing sounds and begin to whisper something quickly and quickly … Then it remains only to be surprised: “How, I was scared by the painted caricature small men in the caps? No, seriously?»Seriously, believe me. It seems that the developers made a great joke not only over “secret materials” and other mystical investigations, but also over us.
With the same playful grace, we are presented with the town of Skoggins, not at all as ridiculous in fact that he could at first seem. After all, here everyone is fixed on some kind of idea or problem and is absolutely deprived of the ability to hear others. Here a resident is pushing leaflets with the image of a missing brother. And asking him about anything but the disappearance of a relative is almost useless. And here, admire, a sheriff who does not care about crimes. He is only interested in puzzles. And own security, perhaps. What can we say about the cultists worshiping the hidden, that is, gnomes. You can’t get these guys at all – sick on all heads.
However, there is another main non -bond in the behavior of the inhabitants. She does not immediately catch my eye, but when we realize her – the picture of a funny parody of a provincial town suddenly acquires creepy features. No one here really worries about the loss of people. No one is afraid that he will be the next. And even the brother of the unknown inhabitant of the town is indifferent and calm, as if it were a lost kitten. And then – some kittens excite more.
Mr. Maxwell wants to live over Mrs. Lara in order to be able to go down to her at night … a cup of tea, apparently.
Growing without a puzzle
Okay, we already know for a long time that small populated poucts in the style of “everyone know everyone” is a horse Telltale. It is in such conditions that scriptwriters best manage to prescribe characters, often-literally two or three strokes.
And what about the puzzles? And indeed with gameplay. After all, in essence, Puzzle Agent is almost a casual game. At least so at first it seems.
In fact, some tasks turn out to be quite brainwashing-at least compared to the usual level of tasks in Telltale-Ovsky adventure. Note that the gameplay has not changed since the last release. All the same we have to solve a variety of puzzles most of the time. Some of them are necessary for passing, part exists so simply, for overall development and pleasure. Having offered our own option to solve the problem, we send it in an envelope to the main office and receive a verdict: “accepted” or “rejected”. It is still an applied to be mistaken. For each incorrect version, the bosses ruthlessly reduces our level of “qualification”.
In the case of a sudden and full impasse, you can use tips – three pieces per puzzle. The number of tips available throughout the game directly depends on the number of gum found. However, usually there is no lack of consumption chewing material – the elastic band is simply lying everywhere.
In terms of complexity and originality, the puzzles themselves differ noticeably. There are mathematicals from the series “Continue a row”, including with rather extraordinary guesses. There are logical riddles in its purest form. There are peculiar “spots” – combinatorial riddles for the location of objects. Traditional “settlers in order” – also in stock. Actually Pazlov (folding pictures from fragments) is a few, and those that are is very simple. Finally, a separate category is the non -ethnious tasks for the refraction of the beam. There is nothing unresolved in the game, but there is a very simple figure a little. In general, what is needed for an average adventor lover. Or just for a person with developed logical thinking.
They look. They are waiting and whisper. They want to not understand what, that’s why it is scary. Maybe they are hungry? Maybe they prefer gamers meat?
Creation of the hero
“Okay, all this is understandable, but where is the art here?” – thinks an attentive and corrosive reader.
And the truth: after all, the visual embodiment of the project was decided in the maximum simple style of newspaper carication. Or flash games, which, in general, is almost the same in the way of drawing. It is only surprising that, despite the obvious and intentional primitivism of Art, the developers managed to convey quite adequate facial expressions and dynamics of the movements of the characters. Within the given style, of course. And this is perhaps the highest degree of skill. Because when a reifted three -dimensional mannequin looks naturalistic, we can understand why this is so. And when a schematically painted man seems truly alive, when he causes piercing sympathy, despite his obvious parody-then real art is included in the matter. Magic, if you want.
The creation of Puzzle Agent was preceded by arts, comics and videos created by the artist Graham Anneibl (Graham Annable). Not only the visual style, but also the very spirit of Advencura is the direct merit of this person whose creations are involved in irony, caricature and light horror.
So, the most famous brainchild Anneibla -The short animation flash series The Grickle-in many sources it is noted as “horror”, despite the minimalist, deliberately “children’s” design. And this is no coincidence, although not all these cartoons really scare. Just The Grickle leaves after watching a feeling of hopelessness. Basically – from the inability of the human being to go beyond the given model of behavior, especially in a collision with miraculous and inexplicable.
By the way, many entities migrated to Puzzle Agent directly from the series. “Hidden people” first appear in all their glory and redness in the episode of the Grickle episode.
Pool with Puzzle Agent leaves a certain trace in consciousness. Forces to think, to feel, ask myself the question: “And how much I look like strange, lonely and indifferent to each other inhabitants of Skoggins?»In this sense Puzzle Agent 2 not at all inferior to the predecessor. And all the same – from our point of view – can claim the title of work of art in the game genre.
Here are modern British scientists all panic: “The earth’s
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axis, the earth’s axis shifts!»And the black grouse is ready to change the earth, moon and sun in two accounts. Puzzles for the sake.
Review causes the author a slight sadness. Because in any case, no matter what is written in the review, touch Puzzle Agent 2 Only appreciators Adventure, fans will want Telltale, Perhaps – lovers of casual entertainment. The rest, most likely, will not even notice among the splendor of three -dimensional shooters with the effect of the presence of such a small, funny and at the same time sad allegorical parable, packed in an outwardly outwardly, puzzle quest.
Pros: original allegorical world;unusual plot;original living characters;Stylish art.
Cons: the lack of a short content of the first part with which the game is plot.
