Somerandomdude
12-31-2009, 01:40 PM
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/all-fridges-are-psychotic/id344310546?mt=8
Point and click adventure games are something the App Store has been lacking since it first opened. The touch interface would make these games seem like an ideal way to go for the platform, when in actuallity, only a few ones have been published and released, and on top of that only a handful are actually fun. Does All Fridges are Psychotic, a humorous adventure game made by indie developer Flag Hippo, hold up to the rest, or is it just another set of lame puzzles held together by mediocre writing?
Graphics/Sound:
Sometimes the best games don't always have graphics that blow us away, but have graphics that set the tone of the game. This is the case here. The game has graphics that set the mood of the game. The game is full of bright colors. There isn't a single place that is full of dark colors throughout the entire game, which is fitting for this upbeat and humorous adventure. The characters all have their own original looks that portray their personailities. The simple animations help emphasize the levity of the game, especially since one character's animation is hovering to their location. The characters even acknowledge the simple animations in a funny way at one part. The sound doesn't do much to affect the game though. It's so soft I can barely hear it. I had to turn it up considerably to even hear the music, and at that point is was pretty soft even. There aren't many sound effects, and most are quite simple. They mostly consist of when an object is picked up or when one of the icons on the right is selected. Not a huge influence on the game. It doesn't really help or hurt the game.
Score: 7/10. The graphics are nice and cartoony, but the sound has little to no effect on the game.
Controls/Gameplay:
The controls work. They don't really help or hurt the game. They just work. There are 3 command buttons on the side, a hand for picking up and using objects, an eye icon for examining them, and a mouth icon for talking and other stuff. It's functional, but sometimes tough to tell what you are able to interact with. It would have been improved by showing points of interest in some way, like in Beneath a Steel Sky. Also, the touch can be a bit off since you're using a finger instead of a stylus. While not often, I sometimes interacted with the wrong object due to them being close. The gameplay is great. It's just like any other adventure game, where you solve puzzles by using some items with others in order to progress the story. Most of the puzzles can be figured out using some form of logic, some being more ridiculous logic than others. There is one puzzle though that many people (myself included) have had trouble with. It occurs after you get a ride in the taxi. Needless to say, many got stuck and can cause some to lose interest. Those who can't contact anyone who has gotten past this may be stuck for some time, as the solution is really unexpected and quite obscure. The game really makes you think in an obscure way many times, although it's usually in a good way. It will mostly have you stumped, but not frusterated. It's a really enjoyable experience.
Score: 7/10. While most of the game is great and quite solvable, there are a couple of puzzles that could really trip people up.
Enjoyment/Replayability:
Enjoyment is really where this game shines. The humor in this game is great, and is something you rarely see in games these days. It has the same sense of humor as old Lucas Arts adventure games, which is a huge complement from me. You can't go through an entire conversation without something genuinely funny being said, and many of the interactions with items (especially the ones that are incorrect or have nothing to do with the story) are hilarious or result in a funny comment. The story was well written too, surprisingly so. I had a great time playing this, so it was a disappointment to find that the game was relatively short. I have come to expect adventure games to be of a pretty decent length. The game isn't extremely short, but not very long. You'll get a good amount of gametime, but not like what's in games such as Monkey Island or Beneath a Steel Sky. Luckily, the developer has said that a sequel is in development, so that is definetly something to watch for. Nothing is altered on the second runthrough, so like many adventure games, replaybility is not too high, other than going back through for the humor and to do some funny things you may have missed.
Score: 9/10 for entertainment, 6/10 for replayability. A great game while it lasts, but it's a little too short.
FINAL SCORE: 7/10
Final Comments: A great game for any fan of comedy or adventure games. While it may be a bit short, what is there is great. Definetly worth spending 3 dollars on.
Point and click adventure games are something the App Store has been lacking since it first opened. The touch interface would make these games seem like an ideal way to go for the platform, when in actuallity, only a few ones have been published and released, and on top of that only a handful are actually fun. Does All Fridges are Psychotic, a humorous adventure game made by indie developer Flag Hippo, hold up to the rest, or is it just another set of lame puzzles held together by mediocre writing?
Graphics/Sound:
Sometimes the best games don't always have graphics that blow us away, but have graphics that set the tone of the game. This is the case here. The game has graphics that set the mood of the game. The game is full of bright colors. There isn't a single place that is full of dark colors throughout the entire game, which is fitting for this upbeat and humorous adventure. The characters all have their own original looks that portray their personailities. The simple animations help emphasize the levity of the game, especially since one character's animation is hovering to their location. The characters even acknowledge the simple animations in a funny way at one part. The sound doesn't do much to affect the game though. It's so soft I can barely hear it. I had to turn it up considerably to even hear the music, and at that point is was pretty soft even. There aren't many sound effects, and most are quite simple. They mostly consist of when an object is picked up or when one of the icons on the right is selected. Not a huge influence on the game. It doesn't really help or hurt the game.
Score: 7/10. The graphics are nice and cartoony, but the sound has little to no effect on the game.
Controls/Gameplay:
The controls work. They don't really help or hurt the game. They just work. There are 3 command buttons on the side, a hand for picking up and using objects, an eye icon for examining them, and a mouth icon for talking and other stuff. It's functional, but sometimes tough to tell what you are able to interact with. It would have been improved by showing points of interest in some way, like in Beneath a Steel Sky. Also, the touch can be a bit off since you're using a finger instead of a stylus. While not often, I sometimes interacted with the wrong object due to them being close. The gameplay is great. It's just like any other adventure game, where you solve puzzles by using some items with others in order to progress the story. Most of the puzzles can be figured out using some form of logic, some being more ridiculous logic than others. There is one puzzle though that many people (myself included) have had trouble with. It occurs after you get a ride in the taxi. Needless to say, many got stuck and can cause some to lose interest. Those who can't contact anyone who has gotten past this may be stuck for some time, as the solution is really unexpected and quite obscure. The game really makes you think in an obscure way many times, although it's usually in a good way. It will mostly have you stumped, but not frusterated. It's a really enjoyable experience.
Score: 7/10. While most of the game is great and quite solvable, there are a couple of puzzles that could really trip people up.
Enjoyment/Replayability:
Enjoyment is really where this game shines. The humor in this game is great, and is something you rarely see in games these days. It has the same sense of humor as old Lucas Arts adventure games, which is a huge complement from me. You can't go through an entire conversation without something genuinely funny being said, and many of the interactions with items (especially the ones that are incorrect or have nothing to do with the story) are hilarious or result in a funny comment. The story was well written too, surprisingly so. I had a great time playing this, so it was a disappointment to find that the game was relatively short. I have come to expect adventure games to be of a pretty decent length. The game isn't extremely short, but not very long. You'll get a good amount of gametime, but not like what's in games such as Monkey Island or Beneath a Steel Sky. Luckily, the developer has said that a sequel is in development, so that is definetly something to watch for. Nothing is altered on the second runthrough, so like many adventure games, replaybility is not too high, other than going back through for the humor and to do some funny things you may have missed.
Score: 9/10 for entertainment, 6/10 for replayability. A great game while it lasts, but it's a little too short.
FINAL SCORE: 7/10
Final Comments: A great game for any fan of comedy or adventure games. While it may be a bit short, what is there is great. Definetly worth spending 3 dollars on.